Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1893 — Page 5

REFORM MUST FOLLOW.

FARMERS DEMAND INSTANT AND ADEQUATE RELIEF. Artisan* Not Misled by protectionists’ Clamor—Glove Makers ot Gloversville Discuss the Tariff—They Relate the Silly Talk of the High Taxers. Reform the Tariff. The abnormally low prices of grain and the ebbing markets for cotton, while the prices of all manufactured goods are kept at high-water mark by a class tariff, make a condition of things that cannot last forever. The agricultural interests of the United States and the interests immediately dependent upon and identified with them are strong enough to overthrow any system that opposes them, and sooner or later they will do it. Whether the remedy shall come on lines of conservatism and broad wisdom, or with the energy of blind Samson, depends largely on the Democratic majorities in the two houses of the F ifty-third Congress. If the Democratic party uses the power intrusted to it to wipe out class distinction in the tariff taxes, to knock off unearned profits from manufactured goods and enhance the prices of farm products by opening the markets of the world to the West and South to buy and sell in, the whole country will be prosperous and the Democratic lease in AVashington will be a lodk one.

If this is not done, if the tariff is not radically reformed in the interest of the consumer and of wider markets for the products of American farms, the only thing certain is that the work of reform will be turned over to rougher hands. The election returns of iB9O and 1892 say this much as plain as print. Enormous as their yield already is, the farm lands of the United States are not half developed. The men who till them are shut out by their environments from recourse to the devices by which, in many other industries, the output is kept down and prices up. They follow a natural law in sowing and reaping all they can, and their only way of salvation lies in finding purchasers for all that they produce. That is an ideal which may never be attained, but the nearest approach to it can be made only by giving everybody a chance to buy what they have to sell; in other words, by throwing down the Chinese wall of protection and allowing people who have anything that we want to send it here and take our farm products—our chief exports—in exchange for it. This was the principle of the Walker or free trade tariff, under which the United States throve as they never throve before or since, and a speedy return to that principle is the only way to solve economic and political problems that are becoming graver than some wise men in Washington believe. The emotional era of American politics is closed. The era at hand is of dollars and cents, and the problem it has to solve is to keep mercenaries and parasites from consuming the substance of unfavored producers by juggling with the treasury and the taxing power of the United States. This problem will be solved. It is for Democratic members of the Fifty-first Congress to decide in the next few months whether it is the Democratic party that shall furnish the solution. If the Democratic party is to do it at all, it must before the close of the first regular session of the Fifty>third Congress, enact into law the reforms that the people voted on on the Bth of November lastIt is not a day too soon for members to begin to think about these things. St. Louis Republic.

Glove Manufacturers Not Scared. Since the Reform Club has made public its proposed tariff bill, with duties of 25 per cent, on the great bulk of imported dutiable ‘ articles, the protectionists have been predicting direful things if such a bill should become law. The New York Press sets up a calamity howl about the proposed 25 per cent, duty on gloves. It says: “This would be a death blow to one of the most prosperous industries of this State. In Fulton County alone fully 3,000 persons depend for a livelihood, either entirely or in part, in glove making. The 25 per cent, tariff would drive the industry out of existence. “The labor cost of glove making is something like 150 per cent, more in this country than in Europe. The ‘reformers’ propose to meet this by a 25 per cent, duty, or one-sixth of the difference between the foreign and American wage rates. Under this schedule the foreign manufacturers would take complete possession of the American markets and close every glove-making establishment in the country.” As this is a sample of the thousands of howls started by the out-of-power Republicans, it may be well to analyze it to see what truth, if any, it contains. We will let the manufacturers have the floor. Lucien Littauer, the largest manufacturer of gloves in Fulton County and in the United States, said in 1888: “We can do just as well, pay our employes just as high wages, and conduct just as prosperous a business under a 40 per cent. (Mills bill) as under aSO per cent, tariff. All this is demonstrable if a man will sit down and think it out for himself.” Mr. D. B. Judson, of Fulton County, the oldest and greatest manufacturer, and, until within a few years, the largest manufacturer of gloves in this country, said in 1888: “Under a 40 per cent, tariff we shall still have an advantage over foreign manufacturers of from 60 to 75 cents per dozen. That is to say, we will continue to pay about double the wages paid in England, and turn out gloves and mittens at from 00 to 75 cents a dozen cheaper than the English manufacturers. As a matter of fact, the taiiff does not affect the manufacture of heavy gloves—the gloves for the million, I mean.” Another manufacturer, also of Glovers villc, Fulton County, and one of the five largest there, said in 1891: “There is no real foreign competition on more than ten per cent, of the goods sold here. Fully two-thirds of the heavy goods made in the United States are of a class of goods neither produced nor consumed anywhere else in the world. Gloves to protect the hands of common laborers are un-

known outside ot this country. More than ninety per cent, of the ladies’ gloves imported are of a class of goods not made here, nor will they be in your or mv time." There seems to be a slight difference of opinion between the Press and these manufacturers. What the Press may have meant, and what it should have said, was that wages are 150 per cent, higher here than in Europe. But wages differ from labor cost as much as steam differs from a steam engine. A highly effective modern steam engine, under high pressure, produces greater effects and uses less steam than an old style ineffective engine, under low pressure. Highly skilled labor, with high wages, produces greater results, than unskilled labor and low wages. Hence the highly skilled labor is cheaper. This is evident from the fact that the high-wage. labor of England has for generations been more than able to compete with the lo w-wage labor of the rest of Europe and of Asia. England's manufactured products sell in all parts of the world. But it so happens, in the case of gloves, that nearly half of the $16,000,000 worth annually consumed, and fully two-thirds of those made here, are men’s heavy gloves, neither made nor worn in any other country. That this part of the industry would not be driven out of existence by a 25 per cent, or by any other duty is clear from what Mr. Judson and many others say. Heavy gloves are, in spite of high wages, like boots and shoes, actually made cheaper in this than in any other country. But then this is the year for the Press and other good Republican papers to close up factories, extinguish industries, and lower wages, and if they sometimes become overzealous and make leaky statements, we should remember that calamity howling is at present their only occupation, as future calamity is their only salvation, and not criticise them too severely. The country must go to the dogs under free trade or the protectionists are lost.—Byron W. Holt.

Reform the TarifL If Democrats do not soon give the farmers relief, another party will do so. The abnormally low prices of grain and the ebbing markets for cotton while the prices of all manufactured goods arc kept at high-water mark by a class tariff make a Condition of things that cannot last forever. ' The agricultural interests of the United States and the interests immediately dependent upon and identified with them are strong enough to overthrow any system that oppresses them, and sooner or later they will do it. Whether the remedy shall come on lines of conservatism and broad wisdom, or with thfe energy of blind Samson, depends largely on the Democratic majorities in the two houses of the Fifty-third Congress. If the Democratic party uses the power intrusted to it to wipe out class distinction in the tariff taxes, to knock off unearned profits from manufactured goods and enhance the prices of farm products by opening the markets of the world to the West and South to buy and sell in, the whole country will be prosperous and the Democratic lease in Washington will be a long one.

ls this is not done; if the tariff is not radically reformed in the interest of the consumer and of wider markets for the products of American farms, the only thing certain is that the work of reform will be turned over to rougher hands. The election returns of 1890 and 1892 say this much as plain as print. Enormous as their yield already is, the farm lands of the United States are not yet half developed. The men who till them are shut out by their environment from recourse to the devices by which, in many other industries, the output is kept down and prices up. They follow a natural law in sowing and reaping all they can, and their only way of salvation lies in finding purchases for all that they produce. That is an ideal which may never be attained, but the nearest approach to it can be made only by giving everybody a chance to buy what they have to sell; in other words, by throwing down the Chinese wall of protection and allowing people who have anything that we want to send it here and take our farm products—our chief exports—in exchange for it. This was the principle of the Walker or Free Trade tariff, under which the United States throve as they never throve before or since, and a speedy return to that principle is the only way to solve economic and political problems that are becoming graver than some wise men in Washington believe. The emotional era of American politics is closed. The era at hand is of dollars and cents, and the problem it has to solve is to keep mercenaries and parasites from consuming the substance of unfavored producers by juggling with the Treasury and the taxing power of the United States. This problem will be solved. It is for Democratic members of the Fiftythird Congress to decide in the next few months whether it is the Democratic paity that shall furnish the solution. If the Democratic party is to do it at all, it must before the close of the first regular session of the Fifty-third Congress enact into law the reforms that the people voted on the Bth of November last. It is not a day too soon for members to begin to think about these things.

The San Francisco Examiner (Dem.) would like to see an extra session of Congress called before September. “McKinleyism,” it says, “is not entitled to one day’s grace from the Democracy. It is a thing of small moment to the people who shall be Minister to England or Nicaraugua, who Collector of Customs at this port or that, or who Postmaster in New York, San Francisco, rr Squashopolis, but it is a thing of vital moment to the people that they should l.e compelled to pay thieving McKinley prices for the necessaries and comforts of life, and that the business of the nation should be confused by uncertainty as to the. future.” What you leave at your death let it be without controversy, else the lawyers will be your heirs.—F. Osborn. The United States produce 610,000 tons of butter and cheese.

LOVELY WOMAN’S GARB

EARLY SPRING STYLES SHOW MUCH NOVELTY. Gown* for the Season Are of Exquisite Design ami Workmanship They Are Also Costly Enough to Tax the Largest I’urse—Some of the Latest. Gotham Fashion Gossip. New York correspondence:

F you are going to select a wrap, I should advise a cape instead of a jacket If you have a jacket airOady, I should cheer you and assure you that jackets are really much worn. The sack-back jackets are modified b y clever adjusting of the Empire effect in belting in the fullness by strips of embroidered ga 1loon set below the shoulders,and coming to a point at the collar. In the point thus made is

Bet a full fall of lace, or a fan of silk, or a big bow of ribbon with long ends. That is one way of doing it. If the jacket is light, you will use either black or cream lace; if it is dark, you will make the best of it, and use black lace that is heavily embroidered with colors, or that Is even tinseled. For very slender people queer little jackets are made that hang in the back the way the Greek tunic used to hang in front. The whole thing is a sort of box pleat, the middle of it being shorter than at the sides, and it Is of course, very loose. Such a jacket is made of material to match the dress, and Is usually part of a really elaborate theater or carriage costume. Now and then they are made of a rich piece of India embroiderod goods, and lined with thin India silk of some very bright color. The sleeves are only another pair of box pleats that hang short on the top of the arm, and are long and away from it below. Of course, such sleeves will acc ommod'ate any sized puff. Jackets tight litting and finished with the “butterfly” collar are turned out by the thousand and sold at such low figures that they cannot fail to bo very

A MODISH CAPE.

common. The mode is not particularly becoming, the butterfly collar making one seem short-necked and narrowshouldered. Jackets are mostly either half way to the knee or quite to the knee. The little short jacket so nobbylooking a season ago is no longer stylish. Sleeves are all very big, In the vain hope that they will be big enough to go over the puffs beneath, but they won't. The only sleeve* that will do this are the box pleat kind which I have mentioned, and another sort which are really only exaggerated epaulettes at the shoulders, the seam under the arm opening some distance down, and so enlarging the armhole and closing with hooks and eyes, buttons, or ribbons to tie. The epaulette ialls ioose to about the elbow, and there is a lower sleeve that goes on separately over the hand. It is fastened by a couple of ribbons that run under the epaulettes to the armhole of the jacket. These ribbons may be sewed in permanently. When adjusted this sleeve, epaulette effect and ail, is notunlike anymodish sleeve. Bolero jackets of all kinds ate shown in such profusion that one does not know what to say about them. Most of them are hardly more than a pair of sleeves held together by a flaring collar. Others are really a protection as well as an accessory, and are made of' bright-colored velvet, puffed sleeves and double-breasted. These are as pretty things as can be worn with 6oft muslins. They seem more part of the costume with which they are worn, however, than a jacket. Some jackets in mode-color cloth and black are pretty much like a section of a Mother Hubbard cut off at the knees or just above, and they are quite as ugly as they

A PRETTY BOLERO.

sound, even though the sleeves be made so elaborate as to obscure the rest. A few very swell jackets flare at the bottom and have enormous rever sleeves. They make the average little plump woman look like some feariul aod won ■ derful new kind of bug, while the slender and tall girl is—well, impressive, to say the least of it. The pretty garment of the initial is tight-fitting, back and front, and has a rolling shawl collar with revere. The back is cut in one and joined to the side backs, a narrow braid covering the seam. A pleaded piece is inserted at the bottom and reaches to the waist line. The jacket has a short cope about fifteen inches wide sewed to the jacket in the back, but loose in front and laid in box pleats all the way around. It can be lined with changeable or plaid silk and trimmed with three rows of machine ,

stitching around the bottom, down the fronts, on the cuffs of the sleeves, and also ou the collar and cape. The edges are finished with a narrow braid. The sleeves are quite full, are also lined with silk, and the braid is sewed on at the wrist to imitate a cuff. The jacket fastens in front with small buttons, an extra piece being sewed on for buttonholes. The young lady’s cape next shown is made of cloth ond is finished with machine stitching. It has a large boxpleat behind, and the second, smaller cape is gathered around the neck and sewed to the lower one. If desired, the cape can be lined 1 with thin silk and edged with fancy braid. As already hinted, these capes are just the correct thing at present. This bolero jacket is to be worn on warm spring days as a substitute for

FOR THE CARRIAGE.

heavier capes and mantles, and is made of dark-blue cloth. It is quite short, and embroidored with green silk and metal threads. The fronts turn back, forming revere. The latter us well as the shawl collar are embroidered. It is lined with green silk. Neither lace, feather, nor flower boas is the right thing in summer. The lace is apt to look stringy in less than no time, the flowers are scratchy, and the feathers are too much like winter, besides being dreadfully warm. The question has been solved, however, A scarf about half a yard wide, and long long enough to reach nearly to the hem of the dress, is edged with feathers set on thickly and softly, the quills being covered, hidden, and kept from scratching by a puffing of the crepe. Crepe and feathers match as nearly as possisible. Such a scarf is every bit as becoming as the feather boa, indeed it is more so to short-necked folks, and it is as pretty in itself, besides being neither too warm to wear nor scratchy. One more advantage, if your winter boa has grown shabby and you have infinite patience, you can use tho feathers that are left and border a scarf for yourself. It will need more patience than you will think when you begin. The first full-length picture is a costume intended io be worn as u carriage dress, and is made of dotted silk in a light shade. It may have a basque of the silk or a blouse, as shown in the illustration. The skirt requires six or seven breadths of silk and the seams of the back breadths are biased on both sides; the front breadths are only biased on the sides joined to the back, and the other seams are curved so that the skirt will fit snugly over the hips. The back may bo gathered to the waistband or laid in two deep box pleats. The skirt is lined with silk and has a flounce of silk on the inside. The blouse lias a tight-fitting lining and hooks in Ihe center. It has a V-shaped

THREE-QUARTERS LENGTH JACKET.

plastron in front, of the silk used In the skirt. The back and front are cut rather full, so that the blouse hangs over a trifle and a draw string conflni sit at the wa’st. It has a bioad, rever-llke shawl collar of volvet lined with silk. The sleeves are tight and have a large puff trimmed with a bias fold of velvet, at the top. The cuffs are plain. This charming costume is completed by a toque of pink crepo de chine having a fluted brim edged with jet trimming. The crown is shirred and three tips are placed in front. The tie-strings are pink ribbon. The last illustration brings us to a pretty costume, with which a jacket is worn which fastens to the center underneath a box pleat, wider at the bottom than at the top. The back is also laid into a box pleat, held down, if necessary, by an ornament of passementerie. In front, reaching to the side seam on both sides, is a yoke of the same material, covered with black guipure lace hav,ng the form of a short Spanish jacket. The ends fall over each otljer gracefully. The sleeves are plain and have epaulettes of gathered lace. This ja-ket is made of grayish lavender cloth. The skirt showing below has the new funnel shape. It is lined with silk and stiffened with haircloth to about twenty inches from the bottom and clears the ground. The back breadths are gathered and the front is plain and tight over the hips. The skirt is trimmed with bias folds of dark lavender velvet, edged with slightly gathered rutiles of lace. The inside also has a gathered lace ruffle, tnd the bottom is finished with braided silk cord. With regard to skirts, it is now said that crinoline and wires will only be used where a lack of efficiency on the part of the dressmaker makes her unaable to accomplish the requ red flare by m re art Stic means. According to these authorities only very foolish folk are putting crinoline into the dresses themselves as part of the lining. The way is to insert one or two crinolined ruffles. These can be renewed, and they w 11 need it almost as often as the lately used and so pret.y 6ilk ruffles did. The effect of the gtwn with crinoline inserted in the lining, after one good wett ng about the hem, can be better imagined than described. Copyright, l >:u.

FOR YOUNG FOLKS.

Ml!. TCKNir’S COM IT. ATSTI Mr. Turnip sat sighing, And this was his moan: “Those tiresome young rabbits Won’t leave me alone. “They nibble aud nibble On this side and that— They think I’ve no feeling, Because I am fat.” So sighed the poor Turnip, With tears in his eyes—“Oh, would that those rabbits Were made iuto pies!" —(St. Louis Republic.

WHAT A FOTTKD PLANT CAN DO. A little ]>otte(l plant was given to a sick boy bv a kind-hearted neighbor. The boy’s family was poor, and their manner of living was not as neat as it might have been. Every member of it prized the pretty plant, however, and sought the best means of caring for it. First, they cleaned the window glass so that the plant might get more light. Then, when it was not too cold ti they would raise the window for the plant to have fresh air, hoping thus to make it grow better. When they saw how clean the window was they suddenly found the rest of the room untidy. So they washed the floor, cleaned and rearranged tho furniture and “put things to rights” generally. Gradually it dawned upon tho father that several chairs needed mending, as their dilapidated condition did uot suit the changed appearance of the room. To mend them he stayed at home several evenings, and tho habitues of tho “loaf - ing place” missed him. After awhile they missed him altogether, for ho had found that it was a pretty good idea, after all, to stay at home in the evening. He saved money by the change, besides being tho better for it in other respects, The wholo family waa tho better for it too. Can you profit by tho moral of this little story and give your neighbor a potted plant, too? Try it.—[New Orleans Picayune.

THE SOM TAIt Y (HKSS PI.AYKtI. Iu the early half of the century lived a kind, venerable Turk. His charitable impulses unfortunately being limited by not overabundant means, he had adopted the method of assessing privately the rich of the land a percentage of their incomes, trusting to his persuasion and the noble purpose to collect the bounty wherewith to relieve his suffering fellowmen. So systematically did he proceed that he kept himself informed of the revenues of the different indiviuals, and had Hen Ali lost severely at the card table since his preceding visit, or otherwise met with linuucial reverses, his contribution was lowered, aud that of those enriched thereby correspondingly increased. Once, when starting on one of his regular semi-annual tours of collection, and riding through ur dense forest, he came upon a Turk deeply engaged in a solitary game of chess. Prompted by curiosity he reined in his mule, and after a while opened conversation by asking who was the winner. Tho player apparently was too deeply interested to notice him for a sow moments, then arising with evident disgust, he replied, “1 lost.” “Who won?" “Allah." “Allah? How much did you lose?” asked the venerable Turk, in surprise. “Twenty piasters." “And how do you pay Allah?” he continued. Thereupon the Turk explained that it was his daily habit to play a game of chess on that secluded spot with Allah as opponent, he alone being worthy to takcliis losings, and that Allah at regular intervals sent an emissary in the form of some traveller to collect the bounty duo him. In this instance it was undoubtedly tho person before him, and accordingly he handed over his purse containing 100 piasters, the losings of live games. Much pleused at this unexpected contribution to his fund, and mentally resolving to come by the same way on his return trip and collect Allah’s further dues, the venerable man rode on. Returning after an interval of five days, lie again fell in with the eccentric player. “Who won to day?” he asked, as the other rose. “I won to day,” was the reply. “How much did you win?” “You see,’’ was the explanation, “Allah is a much better player than I. When I lose, it costs me 20 piasters; when I win, I get 1003 piasters, and Allah always sends an emissary to pay his debts. Pay up, old man.” With these words, and levelling a pair of cocked pistols at the stupefied traveler, the brigand captured his purse containing nearly twice the amount that be claimed as his due from Allah.—[ Harper’s Young People.

“THE LARGEST KITE IX THE WORLD.” Dudley Hill, Massachusetts, is just the place for kite-flying; and it was here, August 31, 1891, that “The Uncle Sara” was planned and built. It was the result of much studying and calculation by a certain Uncle Sain and his nephew, and its great size, together with its beauty, makes it deserving of more than local reputation. The frame was made of six ash sticks, split back about four feet from the center and bolted to a hub six inches thick and eight inches in diameter. The sticks were about two and a half by two inches, tapering to one inch by three quarters. The whole frame weighed thirty-four pounds, was twenty-two feet high, sixteen feet wide, and about seventy feet in circumference. With its wire and coarse twine to keep the covei from bagging and to strengthen it, it looked like an immense spider-web. When not in use it was strapped under the eaves of a large barn, as no barn door was big enough to admit the hugh frame.

The cover was made of unbleached cotton cloth, strengthened in the six corners with canvas; and it took forty yards of material. A quarter-inch manila rope was bound into the edge, and the corners were piovided with small snaps which fastened into rings on the ends of the sticks. The cover alone, when completed, weighed thirteen pounds. Coarse burlap from cotton bales made the tail, which was one hundred feet long and weighed eleven pounds. The burlap was cut in strips twelve inches wide, sewn together end to end, then \knotted with streamers four'feet apart. The flying-rigging was constructed upon certain platis of Uncle Sam’s, and was similar to those described in previous numbers of St. Nicholas, with the exoejs tion that the upper part of the kite was strengthened by two additional stayingcords. These cords were hooked into rings on the frame half-way from the top to the hub; then the flying-cords of proper length were fixed, like the cover,. | with snaps and rings, and were snapped together in a common iron ring about

one and one half inches in diameter, to which the flying-cord was attached. The flying-cord and flying-rigging were of one quarter inch luanila rope, stout enough to boar a strain of five hundred pounds. On Monday morning, August 31, we found a strong, steady wind blowing, and, amid much excitement, the cover was laid face downward in one of the largest of Dudley pastures, the frame put upon it and sunpped into place. The excitemeut increased as the six men who handled it took their place to launch the great air-ship; for had there not been plenty of scoffers, who doubted the ability of the wind to raise a fifty-eight pound kite? “The Uncle Sain" was lifted from its face by two men at the top walking down by its edge and seizing the two lower corners; a third man about fifteen feet from the face of the kite held the flyingline. Three other men were at the reel. When the word was given, “The Uncle Sain" rose steadily of its own accord, and after hovering on the wind for a few seconds, as if in doubt, finally took the line as it was paid out and rose to a height of one thousand feet, followed by cheers from tho enthusiastic spectators, old and young. Some idea of its pulling power may be gained from the fact that four men were just able to hold it. A large pair of icescales were attached to the line, and it was estimated that the pulling capacity varied from one hundred and soventyfivo to two hundred and fifty pounds.— [St. Nicholas.

ARMOR FOR SOLDIERS.

American Officers Take Little Stock 111 the Alleged lltillol-I'roof Uniforms. A series of experiments with so-called bullot-proof uniforms has recently been made at Vienna. Dowe, a tailor, is the Inventor of the. new armor. llis idea is that soldiers should wear in action a bullet proof, flexible composition, faced with cloth, and buttoned over or under tho uniform, lie claims that steel-faced bullets from modern rifles have failed to penetrate the stuff at any distance over 100 metres. At loss than 200 metres the shock of a bullet might render a mau clad in the armor unconscious. Whatever may be the real value of tho invention, it is certain that a Berlin firm has offered Herr Dowe an enormous sum for the patent. Major General Howard, of the United States Army, does not believe that armor will be introduced into modern warfare during the next two decades at least. '“For years,” he said, “wo have been told of experiments of this nature being made. They are favorably commented upon at the outset, but prove failures eventually and are forgotten. The last important hi ttlo in which armor figured was Waterloo. You remember the results there? Napoleon’s steel-clad cuirassiers were simply cut to pieces by tho English. Their armor proved no protection whatever, and although tho English and Prussians lmd armored troops on the field they kept them almost entirely out of the action. There is nothing in the law of nations prohibiting the use of armor. I fancy there will never be nny need for tho insertion of such u clause. Tho chief objections to armor are easily summed up, If the armor bo strong enough to be really bullet-proof it is sure to be too heavy for marching. If it bo light enough for inarching it cannot be strong enough to adequately resist bullets. With regard to Ilerr lJowc’s invention, I am inclined to think that it is an improvement on the invention of Herr Karl Seamed, which was tested in several countries some years ago. Searned’s armor was of undressed hemp, stitohed together and put under hydraulic pressure. It was thoroughly tested, and found to lie useless iu time of war. The I)owc invention is probably the same stuff, with the addition of u wire netting." General Howard was asked if any branch of tho American army hud ever worn armor, aud he unswerecl: “Some regiments of Federal troops during the Civil War tried chain armor. It did not turn out to bo a success, and was soon abandoned.” Said Lieutenant H. Bean, IT* S. A. cx-Govcrumcnt Instructor to State Militias:

“ Should armor or a modification of armor, ever be re-introduced, the art of war will be revolutionized, Candidly. I do not anticipate any such event. I witnessed the tests made with the Seamed armored uniform. Seamed exhibited his hempen material with bullets twisted in its meshes, yet -when the urmor was placed on a sheep the animal was killed by an ordinary rifle bullet, tired from a distance of somewhat over 100 metres. Armor of any kind would be cumbersome to infantry soldiers. Armor of this kind would be of no use whatever against the bayonot. The cavnlrymen might wear armor advantageously enough. If it bo introduced at all 1 should think that the experiment would be made with the mounted branch of the service." The Seamed armored inatcriul was made to be worn under the uniform. It covered the entire body, saving only the bands, feet and face. Ileing quite light, it admitted of the free movement of tho muscles. The armor was made in throe pieces, which overlapped each other and were secured together by hooks.

Squirrel and Rat.

A young man living in tho outskirts of Portland caught a squirrel the other day and started in to tamo it, and he had such success that the squirrel is now as tamo as a house cat. The squirrel, ufter being boxed up for awhile, was given the run of the bouse, and went about upstairs and down at will. Then he was let out doot-s and allowed to play in the trees, but he got back into the house regularly at meal time and at nights. A few days ago the squirrel dodged into u rat hole and began running through the walls. The house.had been overrun witli rats, and after the squirrel got into the walls there was a scampering and a racket which threatened to tear the house down. The squirrel came out of the hole after awhile, and from that time nothing has been heard of rats in the house. The squirrel enjoys a scamper through the walls every day, but the rats have tnke themselves oil.—[Portland (Me.) Argus.

Music Needed by Invalids.

In the Medical Magazine Doctor Blackman says that the effect of music is transmitted by the reflex action of the nerves which govern the blood supply, that it directly affects the circulation of the blood, the blood pressure sometimes rising and sometimes falling, and that the action of music on animals and man expresses itself for the mast part by. increased frequency of the beats of the hea:t. Tha r , heuee, music is needed, for the invalid and becomes an important factor in restoring the uervom invalid to health,

A YARD AN HOUR.

REM ARK AI ILK GROWTH OF THE WEST IN POPULATION. Interesting Facts and Figures by Senator Dawes, of Massachusetts A Wonderful Development. In his speech at Pittsfield on Monday evening, Senator Dawes made pointed reference to (he marvelous growth which the western section of the United States has achieved since bis entrance on public life. “The country,” he said, “has been widening and going westward and westward, to the Pacific ('oast and then on beyond, until the latitude itself fails to chronicle our onward march, and westward falls into the eastward, so that the sun will not go down to-night upon our westward border until it shall have arisen upon the const of Maine.” The continuousness of this growth is shown by the steady westward movement of the center of population. When the census of 1830 was taken, two years after Mr. Dawes’ public career began, the center of population was located at a point twenty-three miles southeast of Pnrkersburg, W. Va. Tho census of 1890 puts the point twenty miles east of Columbus, Ind. Here is a westward movement of 221) miles in forty years, giving an average rate of 5.32 miles per year. If the measurement is carried sixty years further back, to the tho first census of 1790, we find that there lias been in the hundred years a movement westward of 505 miles, tho center of population having passed from a point twenty-three miles east of Baltimore, Md., to the location in Indiana noted above. The rate of progress for the whole period averages 5.05 miles a year, or seventy-three feet a day. In other words, for a century the center has been moving westward at an average rate of a yard an hour, with one foot thrown in every twenty-four hours for good measurement. The slowest progress was made in the second decade, from 181)0 to 1810. In this period the population center achieved only thirtysix miles of westing, or at the rate of about two feet, two inches per hour. Tho swiftest progress came in the seventh decade, from 1850 lo ltd}:), when tho center moved westward uo less than eighty-one miles, nr at the r ite of about four feet ten inches per hour. During the last decade of the census enumeration, from 1880 to 1890, the rate dropped a little below the average, forty-eight miles of westing being made, which would be about two feet eleven inches per hour. We may add, to bring tho estimate down to the beginning of 1893, that, if the rate of progress noted in the lust census decade bus been maintained in the two and one-hnlf years since the census was taken, the present center is found at a point eight miles east of Columbus, Ind., about half-way between that city and Wayuesburg. And tho census of 1900 will, at the same ratio, bring it to a point nearly two miles south of Uuionville, ind. It is a curious fact that, while the westward movement of the population has covered no less than 9 1-3 degrees of longitude (9 degrees, 21 minutes, 7 seconds), this movement lias run almost on a straight line, the extreme northern and southern variation embracing less than one-third of a degree of latitude (18 minutes, 5(1 seconds). To put tho contrast more distinctly, we may sny that, while the western movement for the century aggregates 505 miles, the extreme northern and southern variation is a little under tweuty-two miles, and the finishing point of tho line is only some six miles south of tho starting point. The slightness of this variation may be taken asHkowing that, if you divide tho United States by the thirty-ninth parallel of north latitude, the growtii of the population in the two sections thus made has been very near equal during the hundred years covered by the eleven censuses. In view of the fact that the tide of immigration from foreign countries has set mainly into the northern section, such an equality in the growth of the population is a development that would hardly have been looked for.—[Boston Herald.

Arizona’s Ostrich Industry.

Arizona seems to be particularly adapted to strange industries. It is like a transported sectiou of the desert regions of Africa or Asia apparently. The camels turned loose by the Government years ago have increased until the settlers have to kill them to prevent their stampeding all the stock in tho Territory. There is one industry transplanted from Africu, however, that has not turned out as disastrously as cornel culture. About three years ago a man named Josiah Herbert, noting the not altogether successful ostrich farms in California, thought out that the particular disadvantages incident to the phimcgrowing business hero could be overcome in Arizona. He got a number of birds from the San Felice rancho and shipped them to the southwestern Territory. Traveling by rail docs not agree with ostriches, and all but two of them died befoie they reached Herbert #farm. These two. however, with commendable industry, have become tho progenitors of a flock of the ungainly birds that now number; thirty-three. Herbert’s farm is three miles from Phoenix. He has forty acres fenced in for them, and the industry has long since passed the experimental stage. They have a regular pasture. The word pasture is a proper one, for notwithstanding the popular impression that the ostrich thrives on nails, cobblestoues and tomato cans, the fact is that his taste is pretty much the same as that of a pig. He is particularly contented when turned loose in nn alfalfa patch. Indeed, almost anything vegetable does for him, from grasses to cactus leaves. In the dry climate of Arizona ostriches require almost no care and are as easily raised as cattle or sheep. The ostrich business ought to pay. It costs almost nothing to feed them and the full-grown birds are valued at from sooo to SBOO each They grow up in batches of from » dozen to twenty, so it is no wonder that increase is rapid. When an ostrich is five years old he is considered full-grown, and as he lives for a hundred years and gives up two crops of feathers each year it can be seen that an ostrich is a bird worth having.

Ax authentic whale story comes from Grand Munan, in the Bay of Fundv, which rivals any told in the country for years, says the Boston Herald. Two Grand Manan fishermen, Cronk and W inchester, cast their anchor off their boat and threw out their lines in quest of cod. Suddenly their boat began to move through the water, and a whale rose to the surface. The anchor was fastened in his blowhole, and with the boat plowing through the water after him, he started toward the shore, got into shoal water and stranded. Cronk and Winchester killed his whaleship with axes and sdd the carcass for $75. .