Kansas City journal. [volume], February 05, 1899, Page 4, Image 4

About Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928

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THE KANSAS CITY JOURNAL, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1899.
She iansa5 itg frontal.
ESTABLISHED 185.
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f
THE FATE OF THE TREATV.
The-vota on the ratification of the peace
treaty will"' be taken in tne United States
senate to-morrow. The result will be
awaited 'with much Interest and concern.
The fato of the treaty Is In doubt. The
opponents have used every political influ
ence that could be brought to bear on the
"subject to defeat ratification. The sup
'v porters have presented their arguments on
the broad ground of national' honor, na
- tional destiny and sound statesmanship.
There are distinguished men In both parties
t who are honestly opposed to ratification.
being strangely timid as to the assumption
', of responsibilities for the Philippine lsl
j ands. In tho main, .however, the lines are
drawn between the political parties, al
" though there are some highly influential
, Democrats who have made a Ann stand
" for ratification.
, It seems almost incredible, laying aside
1 the immediate indications for a moment,
- that such a treaty .should ,be defeated in
the very body whose higher sense was re
rIjled,OB.to.give it unqualified indorsement,
nd which was Tepresented in the treaty
commission by distinguished members. In
spite of the partisan feeling that has en
tered fato consideration lof the treaty,, and
ioT spite of, the deliberate" misconstructions.
that have been put upon the relation be
tween the treaty and the future of the
Philippines, it still seems highly probable
that some of those who have opposed rati
fication have opposed it in the hope of se
curing an early committal against Philip
pine annexation, and, having'f ailed, In this,
will come in at the test and support the
government and the present administration
of the government.
A KANSAS BANKING BILL.
The Burkholder banking"blll now pending
before the Kansas legislature undoubtedly
is a great Improvement over the Brclden
thal bill which was defeated In the special
session, but it seems to be open to the same
fundamental objections. Briefly sum
marized, the Burkholder measure provides
as follows:
The banks of the elate shall bet organized
Into" three classes, one including banks
with capita of $10,1)00 and over,,anotner ln-
icluduue banks with capital between 0.000
and $40,0110, and the last including all banks
with less than $20,000 in capital. Each bank
Is required to deposit with the" state treas
urer 5 per cent of its average annual de
'posits, or. in lieu of this, it may pay over
"54 per cent interest on 5 per cent of Its
-nlinual deposts, keeping Its town reserve
fund Intact. The money sd paid into the
c(ato treasury is to bej loaned ..out on ap
proved security, and tho sums accruing
from interest are, to be usedin paying the
expenses of administration and in making
good the losses of depositors In falling
banks.
In case a bank fails the adjustment of its
affairs takes place within the class to
which it belonged. That is to say. if a
bank in class "A'' goes to the wall, the
banking board shall pay its depos'tors
out of tho interest fund which has accu
mulated by loaning the deposits of the
banks, In that class, and if this fund Is in
sufficient the board may make a levy on
'all the banks in that class to an amouut
sufficient to pay the depositors. Thus the
banki in cIoek "B" have no pecuniary in
terest in the failures of banks in class "A."
nor have tho banks in class "C" an inter
est in tho affairs of class "13."
In dividing these banks into classes Mr.
EurLholder bought to answer the objec-
, tion raised against the Breldcnthal bill.
namely, that it made the big. strong and
mtc banks responsible for tho lapsvs of
the Mnallweak und unsafe banks. In pro
dding that the big banks bhall operate to
gether and that the small banks shall
operate together .Mr. Burkholder may think
lie has lessened the weight of this objec
tion, but from another standpoint he seems
only to have emphasized the fact that both
his own and the Breldcnthal bill are fun
damentally in error. By dividing the banks
Into classes does not Mr. Burkholder admit
that It Ih primarily wrong to make one bus
iness man stand good fortho losses of
mother? If It is right In principle to make
the safe banker In the small class stand
good for the losses of the unsafe banker In
1:1s own class, why isn't it right to make
the safe banker in the big class stand good
for the same losses? Dividing the bank's
Into classes doesn't correct tho error In
financial principle. Inexorable logic drives
one to the conviction that strict justice
could never be done until there were as
many classes as there are banks, every,
bank standing in a class by itself, and
e Jch responslble.on its own account.
And this brings us to a banking method
that some day will bo tried. The present
laws, of Kansas .recognize the principle that
bankers should give security to their de
positors. 2ne act fixing double liability on
bank stockholders is. in nature, an act
requiring the deposit 'of security. Why
not pursue this theory to the extent of
pcrralttlng "banks Id1 Insure their depositors
with the state? This should not be com
pulsory but voluntary If rarbarilc desires
to give good and" sufficient, security to the
state that its depositors-will be naid. whv
should. not 4hesatV accept Jt-and-see that
the depositors are-paid.? -
ButT says ttm tavller, 'the banks' will
never of their ownjxootion give" security
to the state or anywhere else. 'Don't be
to sure of that. To-day the national bank
ers are practically liolng that very thing
In the scnte. that they, arc bearing burdens
they would not bear, except' for the addl
- i k --
tional confidence It Inspires among their
patrons. We imagine, for example, that
if one bank In Topeka gave to the 6tate
ample security that its depositors would
be paid in full, the other banks would be
compelled to follow or see their own busi
ness disappear.
In dealing with tho banking question the
people have the right to exact perfect
-afefy for tho money which they deposit
in-a bank, and along this lino there can be
no limit. But It Is a violation of sound flnani
clul doctrine to hold that one bank may
be held responsible for-'the errors or -the
dishonesty of another. It is the introduc
tion of a principle which, carried to Its
logical sequence, would make one grocery
man responsible to the wholesale for the
bad bills, of his rival. Suppose the state
of Kansas ehould say that if a county
treasurer ran away with all the public
money, the people of that county needn't
mind, for it would collect enough from
the other counties to make the losses good.
Wouldn't that ccme near offering a pre
mium for runaway treuurers? And wouldn't
it be an unfair burden to place upon the
counties whose treasurers did not run
away? Justice and good public policy have
been conserved when each county exacts
from its treasurer a good bond that he
will not run away, and by the same
token the people have exhausted the fair
limit of their power when they exact safety
for their money in the particular bank
with which they do their business.
ANOTHER WHEEL FOR THE MA
CHINE. The administration branch of the Mis
souri legislature, although somewhat dis
turbed by the organization and tho stand
taken by the "Filipinos," has made bo bold
as' to show Its hand In a. -very significant
way. Representative Lee, at the request
of two of his friends who are Stephens
members, has Introduced a bill to create
a license commission in Kansas City, the
commissioner to receive a salary of $4,000
per year and" to. have six clerks and six
inspectors, with salaries ranging from $S40
to $1,800 each. The commissioner Is to have
tho sole right to grant all licenses save
dramshop and water licenses.
The object of this bill is to make an addi
tional wheel for the Stephens machine. It
would not- do, of course, to disturb the
dramshop license system ndw in operation,
as that would interfere with the working
of another wheel, the police commission
ers. The fact that this measure was intro
duced by Lee, a conspicuous "Filipino,"
does not necessarily argue that the anti
Stephens members .will support the bill.
On tho contrary It was' made particularly
Clear the bill was Introduced by request.
If there Is any virtue in the anti-machine
organization, there should be no danger of
the bill becoming a law, for the leaders
of this combination, have, declared repeat
edly and emphatically that they are, and
will continue to be, opposed to any further
enlargement of tfye powers of Governor
Stephens.
The presence of ex-Governor Stone at the
capital, although ostensibly and probably
for the purpose, of working, against the
Stephens interests, does -not signify that
such of the "Filipinos" as are subject to
Stone's orders will oppose machine meth
ods. Governor Stone, it will be- remem
bered, was particularly aggressive and
pernicious in his use of personal legisla
tion. One thing is certain, and. that Is -that a
bard fight will be made against the crea
tion of a license board 'in this clty; tfhe
fight for home rulerbasot.yet aetn., suc
cessful, buflt has aroused so much an
tipathy toward the methods of the present
state administration that further efforts
to Increase the power and extend the in
justice of the present system will bes com
bated to the bitter end.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
.The state department "has, doubtless Jio
tlced that Angonclllo .is not the kind of
statesman who pauses for a reply.
The whisky trust Is rapldlyralslng prices.
It may cause embarrassment In many
cases, but consumers "will raise the price
also.
If the senate will not t rise to the occa
sion to-morrow and ratify tho peace treaty,
a senate can be summoned next month that
will.
After a careful examination of the con
stitution and finding nothing there to -forbid
It, Congressman Bailey has 'had his
hair cut.
The gratifying thing about the Nebraska
senatorial deadlock is the certainty that
Hon. Windy Voluminous, Allen will not be
re-elected. , .
The principal objection to the United
States senate is the fact that It Is totally
at variance with the sentiment of the coun
try most of the time.
A trolley lino now runs tq the pyramids,
and the dogs of Egjpt will probably vary
the monotony by barking at the jangle of
the motorman's bell.
There r a general feeling In administra
tion circles that a man may be reasonably
happy even though remembered in John
Sherman's book of recollections.
As a training experience for Arctic ex
plorers the present season Is a great suc
cess. The only trouble is that so many of
us are not going to be explorers.
General Miles will now have an oppor
tunity of perceiving that bear hunting Is a
pleasing sport only up to the time when
the bear begins to do the chasing.
Tho native Cuban authorities are not dis
posed to O. K. the terms accepted by
General Gomez. They intimate rather
broadly that Gomez is a trifle fresh.
Disinclination of the United States to pre
cipitate trouble in the Philippines enables
Agulnaldo to do quite a pretentious busi
ness as an unterrilled and resolute leader.
Wisconsin apparently still holds to the
old-fashioned notion that a man may make
an acceptable United States senator even
though his check is not good -for a million.
When these war investigations are all
through with, esteemed free trade contem
poraries may find time to explain how all
those exports got over the "Chinese wall."
There are far-seeing people who believe
the Pennsylvania deadlock will be broken
in some other way than by Mr. Quay
throwing his votes to Mr. John Wana
maker. Mr. Hoar has much more cause to worry
over the fact" that he Is antagonizing his
party and misrepresenting his state on the
subject of expansion than that the country
Is going to ruin because of that policy.
Hon, Billy Mason will vote for the peace
treaty. .Having produced the war, Mr.
Mason would hardly feel justified in keep
ing it going Indefinitely. It is a fact that
Mr. Mason Is not really fond of blood.
Kansas City asks for home rule, and It
Is proposed to give her a new and expensive
excise commission, to be appointed by the
governor. A more striking case of asking
for bread and receiving a stone would be
hard to imagine. '
The statement of an insurgent official that
the Cubans have too much self-respect to
'accept a gift of money from the United
States or any other power has-thc right
ring, and it Is a pity that there is not
some reason to believe it Is true.
The letter written by George Washington
to Jonathan Trumbull, which appears on
the flrt page of The Journal's supplement
this morning, and which is now published
for the first time in any newspaper or other
print, Is an Interesting contribution to the
literature of the country's early history.
It is the property of a citizen of Kansas
City, Kas. a descendant of the original re
cipient, and is naturally ,prized highly as an
heirloom.
NOTES AND NOTIONS. t
Professor Rolfe, in a manly note to the
Dial admitting a number of petty errors in
his edition of Tennyson, remarks that
it is his custom in reviewing other peo
ple's books to havo charity for their little
shortcomings, and to call attention to them
-In a private letter rather than in a pub
lic journal. This brings out a prominent'
peculiarity of much of the work of literary
reviewers.- -Their purpose seems to be
rather to display their own cleverness and
keenness than to help make better books
In the world and protect the public. A re
viewer should deal with the method and
principles -of a writer's work, unless. In
deed, the details of it are actually egre
gious, and in that case it rarely deserves
review at any length. It is the desire 'of
every professional writer to purge his
works of petty errors, and professional
ferities can serve the public best in the way
Professor Rolfe suggests.
If Depew and Ingersoll, as the story goes,
in exchanging "trade lasts on their gifts as
orators, felt obliged to include George R.
Peck aa a third In their list of "the only
American orators," the compliment to Mr,
Peck was all the more sincere because un
induced by his presence. Gifted by nature
with a victorious brow and an imperial
baritone voice, Mr. Peck has shaped out
a classic style and has besides the grace
that sweeps aside formalities and brings
his hearers heart to heart with himself.
His recent address before the Kansas Bar
Association was in Mr. Peck's best vein
and renewed tho allegiance to his power
of many who have missed his voice for
many years. A similar masterpiece was
his toast at the peace jubilee, "The New
Union." ,
Our dispatches a few days since an
nounced the possible appointment of Pres
ident James H. Canfield to the position of
librarian of congress, recently vacated by
the death of John Russell Young. Mr.
Canfield has manifested in all the posi
tions he has occupied an extraordinary gift
for organization and management. This,
together with his wide acquaintance among
scholars and educators, would seem to
mark him as a man peculiarly fitted for
the position mentioned. We do not know
whether he himself has considered it, or
whether he would surrender the very hon
orable position he now holds, but we are
sure that his appointment would be a pop
ular one and his administration of the
office successful.
A contributor to Literature suggests the
desirability of a censorship for Kipling's
new offspring, "Stalky & Co.," the bad boys
of the British schools, whom Kipling is now
introducing to American boys. The "bad
boy" In literature has grown rapidly worse.
Mr. Warner's ward was quite a model of
propriety compared with Kipling's young
Britons. More than one parent has had
scruples regarding the effect of associa
tion with Tom Sawyer, and still jnore in
the case of Huck Finn. But Warner and
Clemens are tyros in slang compared with
Kipling, and teachers as well as parents
may anticipate with dread tho Introduc
tion of a strain of Stalky talk and Stalky
ideals.
The Englishman who wants to abolish
commas has no copyright on the notion.
Many a schoolboy has wanted to do the
same thing. However, the argument that
commas can be spared becauso ancient He
brew got along without vowels is scarce
ly valid. It is true, the comma has been
much abused, both in the. breach and in
the observance of its use. Some publish
ers and editors have an especial dislike for
the littio rhetorical bacillus. Yet it is
probably fair to say that more harm is
done by omitting commas, than by overin
dulgence In them. Hero as elsewhere mod
eration is a bound rule of conduct. One
good result of the desire to avoid tho
comma is a stvle that requires but ft-w ot
them. But we are not prepared to join the
crusade for prohibition.
The Loudon Spectator points out the ad
antuge to a country of a queen over a
king. A king is very apt to be- loosr
mornled and to cncouiage loose morals In
the court. But a queen must be outwardly,
und generally is in fact, a person of respec
tablo manners and morals. It is truo there
are some shady ttories told nbout "good
Queen Bess." But it is also true; as the
Spectator argues, that even that puissant
lady insisted on a strict outward behavior.
Whether the advantage in this matter is
due to tho exalted position of the person
ages, or whether it appertains to the sexes
throughout life. Is a question to which
there are two sides. In the latter conclu
sion, it would seem as though the argu
ment must apply to the electorate also.
The Germans have been getting better
acquainted with the bacillus of the plague.
For our part, they are welcome to the ac
quaintance. But they tell us some things
we may want to know in case wo adopt
S.000,000 Malajsv The plague bacillus finds
Its natural pasturage in the bodies of rats
and mice. Here it spends its vacations and
Sunday.)- Wh.ens.rats' and'.mico become
numerous, and file, tbe'bacillus is temporar
ily out of. a job, and it Is -then that he Is
reduced to feeding on men. It appears
from tlns'that there is more than one good
reason for the war on rats and mice. The
plague bacillus has no strong physiognomy
and Is hard to recognize. You can be Im
munized by letting yourself be Inoculated
with a weak solution of serum from a
plague-stricken animal. But we don't care
to be immunized. We will take our chances
with tho bacillus.
The little game of the succession In
X,lppe-Detmqld goes merrily on. It will be
remembered that Emperor William II. na
sumecT to dictate the succession here, but
that a -rival claimant was favored by the
people and by somo other German jirinces.
.The rival was established as regent. Now
William raised against the. regent his fa
vorite charge of lese majeste, and the mat
ter was appealed to the bundesratb, the
body -which corresponds In some respects
to our senate. The bundesrath has just
told the emperor In plain language that
matters of succession in the German prin
cipalitfes are not his affair, but belong to
tho bundebratlu It Is now the emperor's
move, and Europe waits with interest to
see what he will do.
While the actIon of the Boston judge
In fining the Herald for publishing matter
calculated to influence tho jury In a case
under trial may be regarded in some quar
ters as an infringement on the liberty of
the press, there is no doubt that the action
has caused a good deal of satisfaction with
thinking people. There is a differenco be
tween endeavoring to secure and publish
all the facts in a matter of public Inter
est, and 'arguing tho case and endeavoring
to Influence public opinion and the jury
while the matter is before the court.
Doubtless, it is true thai criminal cases
are too often tried In the press before they
come before the courts.
KANSAS TOPICS.
If that Pop senate doesn't quit playing
like a tomboy, the well behaved girls will
have to take their doll rags and go home.
If the State Temperance Society makes
itself clear, tho fact that not ono ot the
new board of charities knows the taste of
liquor is not sufficient to class it among
the dangerously ignorant.
"Are you related to each, other?" Inquired
the probate judge at Oklahoma City of a
German bridal couple bearing the same
name. And the groom replied: "Neln.
Das is vat's de matter. Ve vants to be
alretty."
When a Salina. paper related that the
colored porter In a barber shop had "re
signed" in order to- "accept" a position, In
another shop, the dignity ot humble toll
found a champion.
'
In recounting the arrival of an "Uncle
Tom's Cabin" troupe, the Arkansas City
Traveler speaks contemptuously ot the out
fit as having only one bloodhound and one
little Eva.
t
At the age of 68,6. L. Reed, for fifteen
ears editor of the Mulvane Record, is
dead. He was carried off suddenly by a
stroke of apoplexy.
Miss Stella Byrne has been taken to the
Osawatomle asylum from Ford county. Her
father has been in the same institution for
ten years and hers is a clear case of hered
ity. At the age of 77 J. L. Dodge, of Hal
stead, has taken out a license to marry
Mrs. Anna Edam. A short time since he
took out a license to marry a young girl,
but she backed out at the altar. It's the
same old story., Ad astra per aspera.
"I send iou a silk handkerchief that
cost 20 cents," writes a Neosho county boy
from Manila to his daddy. And then he
adds, naively: "If you want any more be
6ure to send the money, as we are not
very flush just now."
Bent Murdock declares that In the death
of Banker H. H. Gardner, at El Dorado,
he lost tho best man friend he ever had In
his life, and then,he says sadly: "We are
required so often to 'chronicle the death
of thoswe havo'kngwn tljat life seems al
most am obituary."-'1
-.c
The Atchison Globe declares that John J.
Ingalls is almost. as bad as a Pennsylvania
Dutchman In believing in signs and omens.
The Pennsylvania' Dutch never cut their
hair except on the Friday in the dark of
the moon, and they, plant potatoes by the
same sign, reserving Good Friday for the
planting of onions. They always consult
the figure of the naked man In the front of
the'almanac when a baby is born and pre
tend to know what' kind of a baby It is go
ing to be by the sign fixed to the data of
its appearance. The Globe says Ingalls
believes In all these things and lots more.
Nevertheless wo are Impressed with the
belief that in politics the Atchison man
does not consult the naked figure in the
almanac. Instead he carefully scans the
horizon to see If he can see the tall, angular
form of a woman who answers to the name
of Mary Ellen.
Just now there is a man in Kansas who
makes a big Income by doing things that
other men have not the nerve to do. He
la a flagstaff painter and ho will go up
any kind of a polo to cover It with a coat
of paint. On the-'government building at
Fort Scott there is a high polo and for
months the custodian" has been trying to
find a man who would climb up and paint
it. Finally this man came along and got
tho job at big pay. He got a rope through
the pulley at the top and then made a
sling in which ho lowered himself as he
painted down the 'pole. AH the people In
town stood around and shivered as they
saw him at work, but he whistled as
though lie was without a care.
A few davs ago the son of Mr. RIggs, a
well known citizen of Crawford county,
was killed by the accidental discharge ot
a gun. When the news ot the death
reached the father lie took to his bed and
died almost immediately.
Miss Emma Kelly attempted to deliver
her Klondike lecture at Atchison the other
night, Seaton's big theater being tho room
selected. The entire receipts at the door
amounted to only $J.03. and of course the
lecture was not given. Miss Kelly had
good nerve, however. She appeared on
the stage and thanked the few people pres
ent, telling them that if they would come
over to the parlor of .the hotel she would
talk Klondike to them until they were tired.
Commenting on this failure, the Globe says:
"Miss Kelly usually lectures under the
auspices of church societies. Her appear
ance in Atchison was her first trial of the
ice upon which a real lecturer stands.
She probably did not know that Atchison
'requires a parade for lecturers just as it
does for minstrel shows. Now, if Miss
Kelly had appeared on the street in her
Klondike suit, the attendance might have
been larger. Atchison is located so close
to Missouri that it has acquired many of
its characteristics."
When Kansas startled the world with her
Anderson Grey hypnotic case It was ad
mitted everywhere that she had outfreaked
all the freaks In the realm of jurisprudence.
But Kansas was not satisfied with that
record, and now she Is knocking again at
tho door of public amazement. On Thurs
day morning a suit was filed In Judge
Hackett's court, in Fort Scott, wherein one
Mrs. Mary Eppes, of Paola, Is plaintiff, and
one Ben Bruce, a colored man, is defend
ant. Mrs. Eppes Is a professional clair
voyant and she, was engaged by Mr. Bruce
to drive out certain "nants" which had
made his-home their abiding place, -for
which service she was to receive the sum of
$100. But Bnicfe failed to live up to the
contract after Mrs. Eppes had prepared
herself to do battle with the ghosts, and
she brought the suit. for the collection of
damages. Her attorney is C. E. Cory, and
the bill of particulars which he filed in
court reads as follows:
'.'The plaintiff alleges that she is a clair
voyant and is especially skillful in dealing
with dissatisfied spirits and removing hants;
spooks, ghosts and goblins from houses. In
August; 1838, above defendant employed her
to como to Fort Scott to remove the hants
from two dwelling houses belonging to him.
At defendant's request she came to Fort
Scott ready and willing to remoyo said
hants or any other spooks or spirits at the
request of said defendant. She prepared
by a great deal of study and meditation to
perform her part of the contract. After
coming here she discovered that the said
houses were not owned by the defendant,
and that the owners of them would not
permit plaintiff to use her art on the hants
and spirits infesting the same.
"Plaintiff alleges that it is more difficult
to remove a hant from a dwelling house
than from a church house or a school
house, or other public buildings.
"Plaintiff! has been engaged In work for
defendant ever since August, 1S9S, at great
expense; and has been hindered by ae
fendant from going to the relief of other
persons, annoyed by hants. By reason of
defendant's failure to perform his contract,
she hag. been damaged in the sum of JtlOO,
which Ms the fair value of her services
rendered to defendant, and which defendant
refuses to pay."
"Wherefore, plaintiff asks that she may
have and recover ot and from said de
fendant the sum of $100 and costs of suit. '
"Plaintiff also asks that defendant be
enjoined from employing anyone else to
deal with or handle said hants."
It need not be Inferred that tho forego
ing has been evolved out of the imagi
nation of some newspaper writer, or that
the proceeding is a joke. It Is a genuine
suit, and both parties are out for blood.
Mr. Cory, plaintiff's counsel, was in To
peka jesterday and said that his client
'had caused the subpoenaing of a large
number of witnesses with whom she ex
pected to prove two facts, namely, that
Bruce'a house was accursed with "hants,"
and that she had ths power to remove
them. Inasmuch as the white race is dense
ly ignorant in matters of this kind, be
sides being fearful of dealing wjth prob
lems Involving the spirit world, it has been
agreed between Mr. Cory and Mr. Shep
herd, the latter being attorney for the de
fendant, that the case shall be tried by a
jury of colored men. When asked to strike
out the complaint on the ground that it
presented nothing legal or tangible, but
only a foolish belief in superstition. Judge
Haskett decided that the case was one
coming properly within the jurisdiction of
a court, saying: "If I think I have got
smallpox and I hire a doctor to cure me,
and he cures me, he' certainly has the right
to an action for recovery If I don't pay.
If the plaintiff can prove that Bruce
thought he had 'hants' and can prove
further that she has the power to cure
'hants,' then she has 'the same right of
recovery. Anyway, this court is going to
try the case on its merits."
Torrens Law Now in Operation.
From tho Chicago Record.
The law for the registration and trans
fer of land titles according to what 13
known'fcs? the Torrens system Is novy" In
actual opperatlon in Cook county. The law
has been approved by the highest court
of the state. The county board has made
an appropriation for the necessary ex
penses of inaugurating the system. The
first applications for registration of titles
under tho act wero made last Wednesday,
when two were filed, one being by the
Chicago Edison Company.
The procedure! of bringing land under
the operation of the law is not difficult;
officials in the recorder's office say ,the
services of an attorney are not necessary.
Tho first step is to make application to
the clerk of either the circuit or the su
perior court of Cook county to have the
title to land registered. Blank applications
may be secured either from tho clerks of
the courts or at the office of the recorder
of deeds, who, under tho law. Is registrar
of titles. The application is referred by the
court to one ot the, examiners of tho regis-,
trar's office, who makes a careful exam
ination of the titlo and reports upon it.
The court passes on the title, and if it is
approved the registrar registers the title
as provided by law. The owner is given a
certificate of title, which, after the ex
piration of two years, is incontestable.
The fees required for bringing under the
act land to which the owner has a clear
title, unincumbered by conditions or limita
tions, are as follows: ' '
Payment to clerk of court on filing appllc&Uon..! 5 09
Registrar's tee (or examination ot title IS DO
Advertising; SCO
Granting certificate of title .' 2 00
Total fees (except charge for indemnity (und)
(or bringing land under the act ; :IM
For land eubject to mortgage or other
limitation, or where the titles aro derived
from more than one source, the fees are
somewhat more. There is another charge
which will vary in amount according to
tho value of the land. When the title Is
first registered a payment of one-tenth of
1 per cent of the value of the land is
required for tho creation of an Indemnlty
fund. Under tho law the title to land is
made incontestable after two years. In
order to prevent possible Injury to persons,
such, for example, as minor heirs, who
may have claims to land which aro not
presented within two years, this indemnity
fund Is created from which buch persons
may recover for their injuries. On land
valued at $10,000 the charge for the in
demnity fund would amount to only $10.
When land is onco brought under the
operation of the act transfers thereafter
may be made on payment of the simple
fee ot $3 for registering the transfer and
issuing and registering the new certificate
of title.
Tne President's Health.
mm the Cleveland Leader.
A sensational story was sent to a New
York paper from Washington the other
day, to the effect that the president's health
was breaking down under the strain of his
anxiety for the ratification of tho peace
treaty, and that there was danger of a
collapse If the opposition to the plans of tho
administration did not cease.
We do not believe a word of it. While
we have no doubt that the president Is
anxious as to the outcome of the contest in
the senate, and is worried by the opposition
of men whom he had counted on for sup
port, we do not believe he has permitted
this to worry him to the point of Injury to
his health.
William McKinley Is not made of that
sort of stuff. His chief characteristic is his
calmness under all 'circumstances, and his
physical condition is such that he can with
stand a strain that would break down any
ordinary man. He has proved his 'en
durance in many hard-fought campaigns,
and he proved it last summer during the
trying times incident to the war.
Then it was frequently reported that he
was broken. in health; that his nerves were
shattered,) and that he was on the point of
collapse. Yet he remained at his desk In
the White House during all the heated
terra of a Washington summer, remaining
up night after night till past midnight, and
'in the fall, when lie forced himself to take
a short, vacation, he showed few, if any,
of the signs of the terrible strain to which
he had been subjected.
The story referred to may have been
written with the purpose of arousing sym
pathy for the president, but that is not
necessary. He now has the support and
sympathy of all patriotic Americans, and'
If his plans are upset, he will have tho
consciousness of knowing that he has done
his full duty, and the blame for the failure
of his policy will be placed where it be
longs. Eligible for the D. Ph. Degree.
From the New Tork Sun.
Dr. W. S. Scott, described as a former
president of the Ohio state university, has
read Professor William Graham Sumner's
history of the conquest of the United States
by Spain and has been fired to imitate the
gentle New Hav en sage. According to
great Scott, "the invasion of ,Porto Rico
was unjustifiable; the naval battle at Ma
nila without justifiable excuse: Spain
should not cede Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, and any argument which would jus
tify the keeping of the islands would jus
tify human slavery." Dr. Scott seems to be
fully as good as Billy Sumner. We recom
mend both for the degree of D. Ph.
IiOnnle'a "HeaUer."
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Only one of Governor. Stephens' appoint
ments in this city Is under Investigation,
and yet some remarkable revelations havo
been made. The governor's machine Is In
the ditch in St. Louis as well as in Jeffer-.
son City.
Not Two of a Kind.
From the Chicago Tlmes.Herald.
Advocates of a beet sugar bounty will'
prooably repudiate the suggestion that
there is any connection between a saccha
rine beet and a dead beat.
Three Things Needful.
Ceorge H. Hepworth. In New York Herald.
Ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing- rashly.
Acts. xIx:3S.
One of the peculiarities in the character
of Christ which excites my constant amaze
ment in His serenity. There is no recorded
circumstance In which His self-control was
lost. Whether In the family group at
Bethany or kneeling under the oliva treo
in Gethsemana He was always calm and
self-contained. That He possessed like
.passions with ourselves is, of course, not
to be doubted, but for some reason He
never gave way to them. His mental and
spiritual attitude toward the perplexities
of life was such that they were lost sight
of in the great purpose which He had in
view, just as one ignores a physical pain
and becomes entirely unconscious of It
when in the presence of a sudden danger.
It seems to me that one of the best
offices of true religion is to train a man
that he shall always have himself well in
hand. So long as you keep quiet you are
strong; when your passions, like wild
horses, run away with you jou are sure
to do what will cause regret.
. One cannot help being angry at times;
Indeed, anger is essential to a well de
veloped character; but a man should al
ways be master of himself. There are oc
currences which naturally and properly
arouse your indignation, and to be Indiffer
ent toward them is to show a lack of man
liness. So there Is wintry weather during
which jou need a hot fire In the grate. If
you have no fire you simply freeze to death.
But when your fire Is hot you must be
suro that your flues are all clear to carry
off the surplus flame and smoke. It Is
poor policy to burn your house down un
der pretense of keeping warm. It is equal
ly poor policy to let your passions looso
and so miss the very object for which you
were endowed with the capacity for anger.
y controlling yourself you exert Influence,
but by losing this control you ruin every
thing and bring shame on yourself. When
anger Is suppressed it is effective energy,
but when not suppressed it hurts you
more than anyone else, and becomes mere
folly.
There is another class of people who never
enjoy the quiet which true religion affords.
I refer to those who have the habit of 'fret-.
fulness. To be fretful is to be spiritually
diseased. It indicates a mental condition
which is as unsound as It is unfortunate.
As one goes through life he ought to make
things as easy as possible, for others as
well as himself, and to make them harder
than they need bo by constantly grumbling
about them Is very little short of a crim
inal offense.
. When our soldiers were in front of San
tiago they marched through a wilderness
of cactus plants whose sharp thorns tore
their clothes and their flesh. The habitual
faultfinder spends bis time in planting the
cactus along his own path and that of his
friends, and then complains that the thorns
are" sharp.
A man's life' is pretty nearly what lie
makes it. Ho can think himself into a
fever over his disagreeable experience, just
as he can brood over a headache until he
seems all head and all ache. He can also
look so steadily at what is bright that what
is dark becomes invisible. When a man
tells me he is religious and then finds fault
with everything I know that what he calls
religion is a chemical concoction which
ought to bo labeled) "counterfeit." Tho
genuine article comes from tho fountain ot
eternal youth, but what he has produces
premature decrepitude.
If this Is really God's world it is safe to
conclude that It ia well governed and quite
worth living In. The fretful man banishes
God, or Ignores Him, and lives in u. very
,poor world of his own creation. There Is
no more frotfulness in true religion than
there is water in fire.
One other tendency is destructive of spir
itual attainment a tendency so common
that you can find it in every family as
jou find weeds in every garden. I refer
to tho worry that is needless. A certain
amount of solicitude Is the product of cau
tion and is vpt to concentrate a man's en
ergy. I do not by any means advocate a
iazy indifference to possibilities any more
than I would ask the captain of a ship to
spend his' time in the cabin regardless of
the storm which appears on the horizon.
But the captain who in fair weather works
his nerves to their utmost tension because
a tempest may come some time during the
voyage unfits him to meet it when it does
come, and the man who is so afraid' of the
future that he cannot enjoy the good things
ot the present is in a very bad mental con
dition, and 13 committing slow religious sui
cide. The amount of useless worry In the world
Is enough to make the angels discouraged.
To worry over little things which are of
no account Is to spend one's time with a
dangerous fever. It Is an entirely abnormal
condition, and we ought to make special
effort to suppress it. It -abolishes peace,
contentment and hopefulness, and produces
a blind disorder which is very' like chaos.
The best rule to follow is to make the
best of things, and if they are wrong to
right them so far as lies In our power, but
to meet them, if they can't be righted,
with the quiet resignation which gets all
the good In life and even forces the bad to
yield some happy results.
These three things are to be considered.
If we can command our tempers, if we can
kill the habit of faultfinding and If we can
choke down the tendency to worry, we
shall have taken a long stride toward
heaven. We shall be in a frame of mind
which Induces physical as well as spiritual
health, and we shall be in possession of
that kind of religion which made the life
of Christ the wonder of all generations.
A Grateful Government.
From the Atlanta Constitution.
"Seven sons er mine," said the old lady,
"fit an' lout in the army, an' ever blessed
one o' them come home alive. But now,
betwixt 'em. trial's only seven arms an"
four whole legs. But I will say it fer the
guver'mint, that the legs an' arms what
wuz lost has been fully paid for; an ef the
boys only live long enough, an the pensions
keep a-comln', we kin rent a pew higher
up'In church, an' make the preacher proud
ter speak to us not to say nuthln "bout a
planner in the settin' room, an' a silk dress
fer MaryJan tar git married In. God
Wesjtho ivuver'inint, is what X gayil"
STRANGLED.
There Is legend In some Spanish boast
About a nolsr reveller wha. at night.
Returning home with others, saw a light
Shine from a window, and climbed op to look,
And saw within the room, hanged to a hook.
His own, self-strangled self. grim, rigid, whltsv
And who, struck sober br that livid sight.
Feasting his eyes. In tongue-tied horror shook.
Has any man a fancy to peep In
And see, as throngh a window. In the past.
Bis nobler self, setf-choked with colls ot sin.
Or sloth or folly? Round the throat whipped fast
The nooses give the face a stiffened grin.
TU hut thyself. Look well. Why be aghaatf
Eugene Lee-Hamilton.
IS DIIBAMTOWX.
I'd know when bedtime came, dears. It all the clocks
stood still.
And the sun'should keep en shining above the green
old hill;
For It's then the little children no laager car tor
play.
But want to go to Dreamtown, a thaaeani mtlea
away.
How do they go to Dreamtown? They shut their
cies, and lo.
Across the moonlit valleys and o'er the hills they go;
And quite before they know It, so the wise people
y.
They're In the Dreamtown country, a thousand miles
away.
What do they do in Dreamtown? oh, everything that's
nive.
T.W-Haeet things are to plenty they asver hav a
mince.
xotlfK but to take and eat them, and tho who go
there say
There Is no place like Dreamtown, a thousand miles
away.
They tell of Mince Pie bland, and Roasted Turkey
Hill,
Where they go when they get hungry, as totha la
Dreamtown will;
And you've just to take your choice, dean, at least
so I've heard say,
Ot all good things la Dreamtown. a thousand mile
away.
There's a grove where firecracker grow la bunches
on the trees.
And a mill that grind out marble, aid such Ilk
things as these.
And everybody helps himself to all h wants, they
say;
For that's the ml la Dreamtow, a thousand mile
away.
There's nothing that yon wish for whea yew are
wide awake
That Isn't found In Dreamtown. They tall m that
they take
The biggest kind of sugar plums, and dolls are
picked each day
From every bush in Dreamtown, a thousand mile
away.
Good-night, my drowsy darling. The sleep eyelids
close.
And straight to this Strang country each little
traveler goes.
When morntngglory trumpets are blown at break ot
day
You'll all com back tram Dreamtown, a thousand
miles away.
Eben E. Kexford, In ih Independent.
CHARACTERS.
The warmth and genial largess ot the sun
Was in his Ares that day we saw him lend
A timely word la such a way that on
slight weU be proud to call the man a friend.
WILLIAM GRIFFITH.
OF CURRENT INTEREST.
If by one of the accidents in politics
"Buck" Grant should be elected United
States senator from California hs will, ac
cording to all accounts, be the chilliest
proposition seen in the north end of the
capltol in many a day. He is one of thoso
persons who make a specialty of forgetting
the names and faces of men to whom they
are introduced. "I saw a man at the cap
ltol to-day," tells a Washington correspond
ent, "who said he had been Introduced to
'Buck. Grant twelve times .in three days,
and that on the last occasion, as on the
first, Grant treated him as an entiro
stranger. He Is irresponsive to & degree
that Is positively offensive to nearly every
body not on terms of close intimacy ..with.
'him. -He 'has to an exaggerated extent tho
characteristic of silence and frigid com
posure that marked his distinguished father
'during the latter years ot the war and the
few years Immediately following. General
Grant mellowed with advancing years ana
became a rarely interesting conversation
alist. If his ambitious son has any talent
in that direction it remains to be devel
oped." The following advertisement and editorial
appeared in one of tha prominent New
York papers three or four days ago:
"Wanted By Christian young man, room
and board in a private family, where his
good example and many accomplishments
will be considered an equivalent for his
board. Address C. Y. M.
"The early Christian, !mpltcity ot" this ap
peal will strike the most thoughtless Mod'
csty, a sense of his own unwdrthiness. x
lowly and contrite heart all these things
this good young man who has never went
astray shows himself to be possessed of.
.He is anxious that the virtues he has may
be turned to use. Could there be any way
moro simple than to put them at tho dis
posal of somo private family, and es
pecially one in which there are several
good-looking daughters, attractive, but
frivolous daughters? If the laborer is
worthy ot his hire, surely a 'Christian
young man of many accomplishments' is
deserving of three square meals a day, a
comfortable bedroom, and the placo at tha
table of what is called 'the star boarder.' "
The theory of an elevated stage has
reached the clergy of Syracuse, 1ST. Y. Tho
Ministers' Association at a recent meeting
listened to an address by Rev. Dr. J. H.
Hamilton, in which the speaker said: "Tha
stage has attracted in all ages and now at
tracts all classes. There is a field for?
work. The stage is the only phase of art
universally accepted. A purified and mu
nicipal opera house would raise people. It
would attract all classes. Let there be a
spiritual and Intellectual growth out of tha
sensual. A better quality of plays, dram
atized books, would lead to better reading.
It would lead to higher emotions. Music
awakens the best in the heart. A demand
for the best the stage, music and art could
afford will tend toward a demand for tha
best In other municipal departments. Peo-i
pie are not so assorted In their natures
as most reformers think. There is a de
light in contributing to the larger Ufa
around us. One good sign is tha present
tendency of organizations and societies to,
study the needs of the people."
A plain slab, with rude characters carved
upon it. marks the resting place of Cmuiio
Ott, who was considered the most punctual
man in Delaware county. Pa. He was a
railroad man, and every act of his life was
timed, a Philadelphia paper says, on tha
minute and the second. The following in
scription, carved on tho slab, tells of tha
last trip of the punctual one:
When William left this earthly mad
For a run to Heaven' gate.
His start was made Into- the air
At fifteen minutes to eight.
Be comforted, poor stricken soul.
, And do not now repine.
For on the shining track ot gold
Us did arrive at nine.
The most popular books of the day. ac
cording to the Bookman's monthly record,
continue to be chiefly of foreign origin.
"Roden's Corner," by Merriam, an English
man, has disappeared, but its place is taken,
by "Cyrano de Bergerac," by Rostand, a
Frenchman. The latest list of the best
selling books Is this: "The Day's Work,"
by Kipling: "The Battle of the 8trong." by
Parker; "The Adventures of Francois," by
Mitchell: "Red Rock." by Page: "Cyrano."
by Rostand; "The Castle Inn," by Wey
man. Just two are by Americana.
The American woman's enterprise is onca
more brought to notice by the announce
ment that Lady Randolph, Churchill, ot
London, formerly Miss Jerome, of New
York, la about to establish a magasine. Tha
publication will be on entire new lines, and
is to be devoted solely to royalty. Emperor
William Is Included among; tha contrib
utors. Tha book will b sold at IS a, cogr