Indianapolis Journal, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 July 1889 — Page 4

THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1889.

THE DAILY JOURNAL FRIDAY, JULY 2G, 18S0 VASllldTON OFFICE 513 Fourteenth St. r. S. IIeatu, Correspondent. NEW YORK OFFICE 204 Temple Court, Corner Beekman anil Nasaan street. Telephone Calls. ItaftineAS Office 238 Editorial Rooms 342 OF SUHSCKIPTION. DAILT. One year, without Snnday $12.00 One year, with Sunday 14.00 Fix month, without Sunday 6.00 Hi mouth, with Sunday 7.00 Three months, without hnmlay 3.00 Three months, with Sunday 3.50 One month, without Sunday 1.00 Jne month, with ttunday l.'M WEEKLY. Per year fl.00 Reduced Rates to Clubs. Fubacribe with any of our numerous agents, or send tubf.rtiUonii to the JOURNAL NEWSPAPER COMPANY, INDIANAPOLIS, IND. All communications intended far publication in Uii paper must, in order to receive attention, be uccum panicd by the name and address of the writer. TUE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL Can be found at the following place: LONDON American Exchange In Europe, 419 Btranu. PARIS American Exchange in Parts, 35 BoaleTard des Capucines. KEW YORK Gilsey Ilousfl and Windsor Hotel. PII ILADELFII I A A. P. Kemble, 3735 Lancaster avenue. CHICAGO Palmer Ilouse. CINCINNATI-J. P. Ilawley & Co., 154 Vine street. LOUISVILLE C. T. Peering, northwest corner Third and Jefierson streets. 6T. LOUIS Union News Company, Union Depot and Southern JloteL WASHINGTON, D. C RIgifrs House and Ebbitt lloase. Mr. LaFollette, Superintendent of Public Instruction, is a practical educator and knows the precise requirements of the schools in the matter of text-books. His criticism of the readers and the geography, foisted by the ring upon the schools of Indiana, is a weighty condemnation. The secret-ballot law passed in Missouri last winter exempted school -elections from its operation, but the school board of St. Louis, having power to do so, has decided that the school election, in October, shall be held under the new law, with such modifications as will tend to reduce the cost and simplify the machinery. This will bo the first election held in Missouri under the new act. It is very cheap editing which leads the Indianapolis Sentinel to doctor an Associated Press dispatch until it represents Commissioner Roosevelt as saying that a clean sweep in the Baltimore postoffice has left but eleven Democrats among 3o7 employes, when what Roosevelt and the dispatch said was that only eleven Republicans remained in the office. For the truth in politics, tho school-book business and some other things the Sentinel has the old-fashioned Democratic contempt. The programme of ceremonies for laying the corner-stone of the soldiers' monument should bo arranged with great care and the speakers chosen with a view to the requirements of the occasion. If President I Tariison can be present ho should not be expected to mako tho principal speech of the day. Other veterans should bear the chief burden of the day's oratory, and should be invited early in order to give them time for preparation. "Off-hamy oratory will hardly bo in demand on this occa-

The school-book monopoly has ninety days after the Governor issues his proclamation to carry out its contract and fill orders for the books. The Governor cannot issue his proclamation until tho monopoly files its bond. The bond is not yet filed. Every day's delay in the filing of the Loud and the issuing of the Governor's proclamation adds to the ninety days which the law allows for carrving out tho contract. Yet, in the absence of any proclamation or bond, agents of tho monopoly are at work soliciting orders and trying to bulldoze local school authorities into accepting their books. The Louisville Courier-Journal has a double-leaded appeal to tho Democracy to wake up and go to work if they want to prevent a Republican victory in tho coming election. The elecJon for members of the State Legislature and State Treasurer will take place Aug. 4. The Courier-Journal warns its readers that the Republicans aro well organized -and very active, and that, unless tho Democracy immediately bestir themselves, they will bo defeated. It says: Every attempt to arouse the various local committees throughout tho State to united action has failed. Calls for meetings of the iState central committee seldom bring to getber a quorum, save by proxies. Communications from the chairman of the State central committee, addressed to the executive committee, rarely provoke a response. The effect is general demoralization and widespread apprehension of defeat. Figures are cited to show how rapidly the Kepublican party in Kentucky has been growing and how the Democratic vote has fallen oif. The main cause of this is the mismanagement of State affairs by the Democracy, the big defalcation of State Treasurer Tate, and the steady growth of liberal ideas, but these causes are kept in the background. Tho C.-J. practically admits that tho grand old Democratic party hi in imminent danger of being knocked out in Kentucky. The question of royal giants is one of "considerable interest to tho British people. Some of tho present allowances are the Queen's privy purse, 8300,000 a year; salaries of household, boG,000; expends of household. 8802,000; royal bounty, 870,000; Prince of Wales, $200,000; Princess of Wales, 8-50,000; Crown Princess of Prussia, 840,000; Duke of Edinburgh, $125,000; prinCess Christian, 830,000; Princess Louise (Marchioness of Lome), $30,000; Duke of Connaught, 812,000; Princess Beatrice (Henry of Rattenberg), $30,000; Duchess of Cainbridge, $30,000; Duchess of Mechlen-burg-Strelitz, 813,000; Duko of Cambridge, 800,000; Duchess of Teck, $30,000; Duchess of Albany, 830.000. These sums represent the fixed annuities to the Queen, her household and members of her family. All of these aro reasonably well provided for. The present dis- . cussion grows out of the approaching marriage of tho Prince of Wales's oldest daughter, Louise. As this will be the first one of the Prince of Wales's

children to bo married the question of a grant involves the establishment of a precedent. Tho Prince has two sons

older than this daughter and three other daughters besides her, all of whom are, or will soon be, of marriageable age. There are several other grandchildren of tho Queen nearly of marriageable age, and if each of these is to have a separate grant tho aggregate allowances, already very large, will bo greatly increased. It is little wonder that many intelligent Englishmen begin to think it about time to draw the line. Royalty is an expensive luxury. JUVENILE PRIVILEGES A27D MURDER. The murder of a young woman of Xenia, Ind., by her rejected lover, as reported in yesterday's Journal, is one of those affairs which aro such a source of wonder to foreigners in their studies of American social life. Not that disappointed men in other countries do not sometimes slay the objects of their affection; they do, but, as a rule, the conditions are different, such murders occurring among the lower classes of European society. Here they are of increasingly frequent occurrence, and as of ten as not the assassin and his victim belong to families of intelligence, and refinement, and no disposition to desperate crimo has displayed itsdf in case of the former until the fatal moment. In a majority of the cases reported tho actors in the tragedies are young. This is not a matter for surprise, the passions of youth not being under firm control, and death not being dreaded as by older people. The surprise to foreigners is the freedom of social intercourse and the lack of interference by parents with tho doings of their sons and daughters that make such tragedies possible among those who are little more than children. In tho case in question tho murderer and suicide, aged nineteen, is represented as having been a persistent suitor for the hand of a girl of seventeen for two years. What foreigners would not be able to understand is why a boy of seventeen was first allowed free opportunity to make matrimonial advances to a girl of fifteen, or why, when .ho had been repeatedly rejected by the girl, his persistent attentions were not forbidden and prevented by the guardians of her welfare. They cannot understand it; but Americans understand perfectly that all tho conditions described may exist without conscious neglect or failure in duty on tho part of the parents or guardians. Such conditions aro an outgrowth of the American system that permits a girl to manage her own social life, including all love attairs, from babyhood up. This liberty, under judicious limitations, has proved an admirable thing in many ways for a hundred years or more, and seldom, indeed, is it abused; but when it leads to such events as the one in question there will be others than foreigners to believe that a moderate curtailment of accustomed juvenile privileges might provo a benefit to society. THE JOHNSTOWN BELIEF FUNDS. Loud complaints have been made by "Johnstown rjeople of the delay in distributing the relief funds, and an effort is being made to show that Governor Beaver, the head of the relief committee, is at fault. The idea seems to prevail that the money should be paid out as rapidly as the contributions from the public poured in. Everybody who has had anything to do, even in a small way, with the handling of such funds knows that this is not possible, and it is evident that the complaints agaiust Gov. Beaver are encouraged in many quarters for political purposes rather than from honest motives. At the same time there are some who doubtless believe that the money is not being handled judiciously, and that unnecessary time is being consumed in its distribution. If these persons will read the reports froni Johnstown from day to day they will learn that even with the great care used tb prevent fraud and to make equitable division of the funds to the sufferers impositions will be practiced. The time between making tho different payments is consumed in the effort to secure accurate lists of those needing help and to estimate their losses. Tho statement in yesterday's dispatches, showing that with all the labor of the managers and tho aid of the local committees some families will succeed in getting double allowances, proves that too much care cannot be taken. Tho truth probably is that these grasping individuals are the ones who make tho loudest outcry over the delays, and not the deserving and more honest applicants for relief. Cer tainly, indiscriminate distribution can hardly bo recommended as a substitute for tho present method. The experience of the New York World's agents was a lesson in that direction. Two repre sentatives of tho World brought tho money collected by that paper and undertook to distribute it in person to the really deserving. They did not apply to local committees for instructions, but to individuals of moro or less prominence. As was presently discov ered, these individuals recommended personal frieuds without regard to their actual needs, and the only thing left for tho World people was to pay out their money right and left to the mob. At the best but a small percentage of the losses will be returned to the survivors of tho fiood, and it is probably tho difference between each one's share and the total funds that gives rise to disappointment and grumbling. The next time two elaimauts quarrel over the ownership of a lottery prize in Illinois they will compromise and divide the booty before going into the courts and seeing tho State confiscate tho entire sum to its own use. It is a very neat law, but the State must take care that it is not condemned by certain truly good people for thus increasing its revenue with money derived from a sinful source. A lottery, a9 well as a saloon, is a demoralizing institution, and its profits, when appropriated to public uses, must be equally objectionable. If not, then the anti-whisky tax people are inconsistent. While on his Western trip General Sherman authorized General McCook to oiler a prize of 100 for the best essay on Fort Leavenworth's intluenco on the settlement of that part of America. Ho gave it as his opinion that Fort Leavenworth has exerted

more intluenco, and assisted moro in tho

settlement and civilization of the country west of the Missouri river than any other post during the last fifty years. ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS. Irwin and Aram Garfield, sons of the late President, have entered the 1S93 class at Williams College. The "Heavenly Foot Society" has been started in China by the women, in rebellion against the venerated fashion that com presses their feet. Leonard Jerome and John A Morris claim to have spent $1,300,000 on the new racing grounds at Morris Park. The inclosuro is said to be tho finest in the world. Herr Eduard Madtxer, a well-known Austrian poet and dramatist, died recently at Baden, near Vienna, of apoplexy, aged 8ixt3'-four. Among his works is a uerraan translation of Foe's famous poem, "Tho Raven." Here is Senator William M. Evarts's defi nition of a contingent fee: "It is a very simple thing. I can explain to you what a contingent fee means iu a few words. In short, if I lose your suit I get nothing; if 1 win your suit you get nothing." William Walter Phelps will be fifty years old on the 24th of August, Mr. Phelps is said to be noted for his democratic manners and nnconventionalways. He lives plainly, though he has a fortune, and walks, though ho has a dozen carriages. At the royal garden party two weeks ago Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone met the Queen after an interval of three years. Her Majesty has taken no notice of tbom during that period, but received them on. this occasion m the most "affable and cordial manner." The medicinal treatment for gout now almost universally recommended for whoever has it has been enjoined upon the Queen by her physician, Sir William Jeuner. She must give up champagne and claret, and drink whisky, and Appollinaris or any other water. Mme. Eupiirosyne Leblanc, who has just celebrated her centennial birthday in Nova Scotia, has had eleven children, 105 grandchildren, 222 great-grandchildren and nineteen great-great-grandchildren. Most of them are still living. She claims direct descent from Longfellow's "Rene Blanc." Miss Lottie Fisher, a Philadelphia girl, who has been employed in an insurance offico in London for thepastyearasa ste nographer and type-writer, has received an offer from some of the noble English families, headed by Lord and Lady Churchill, to instruct a class of young girls in her "specialties. A novel feature of the Grand Army encampment at Milwaukee, this year, will be a naval battle. The Sentinel says that "it involves nearly a hundred vessels, armed with bombs and all kinds of fire-works, an immense array of military forces, infantry and artillery; all planned by eminent naval and military officers." A popular physician of Brooklyn, says the New York Tribune, has a little girl who expounded the Scriptures to him in the following remarkable manner whilo reciting her Sanday-soho.ol lesson on Friday night: "The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want. He makethme to lie (hesitating), He maketh mo to lie and do lots of other things." Don Jose Zorrilla, who was recently crowned poet laureate of Spain, is a short, slender old man, seventy-two years of age. He has a fine head, with white hair brushed back from his forehead. His eyes aro large and dreamy, and his mouth is handsome. His mustache and goatee give him a military appearance. Zorrilla, early in life, deserted the law for literature, ana by 1K45 had written ten volumes of verses and thirty plays. He then went to Mexico, and lived an idle life for twelve years. Since his return to Spain his popularity has been constantly increasing. Millions of people regard the Bible as the most valuable book in the world, aside from its mechanical make-up ami appearance. But in a commercial sense bcHebre w Bible at the Vatican in Rome is said to bo the most valuable book in the world. In 1512 Pope Julius, then in groat financial straits, refused to sell it to a' syndicate of rich Venetian Jews for its weight in gold. The Bible weighs moro than 325 pounds, and is never carried by less than three men. The price refused by Pope Julius was, thcreloro, about $125,000, and that, too. when gold was worth at least thrico what it is now worth. A recent visitor to the top of Pike's Peak found tho signal-service officer, melting snow for his water supply, the only one ho gets. The officer said: "Sometimes I stand at the window with my telescope. The wind without is keen and cutting as a knife. I can see the houses of Colorado Springs, twenty miles away, the visitors sitting in their shirt sleeves, sipping iced drinks to keep cool, and ladies walking about in white summer robes. I lower tho glass; the summer scene is t gone. Green trees, animal life, men and ' women fade away like creatures in a dream, and I am tho only living thing in a world of eternal ice, and snow, and silence." COMMENT AND OPINION. A ROYAL tribo supported by treasury grants can never be a popular institution in England. Any government that attempts to extend the system of grants to the third generation will promote tho growth of republicanism. New York Tribune. . The Republican party is pledged to enforce tho civil-service law,' and that pledge is being observed. It is also pledged to extend the law in its application so far as practicable. That will doubtless bo done when the proper time comes. Cleveland Leader. The Republican party, as a whole, is decidedly and unalterably opposed to free whisky. If any Southern Republicans attempt to secure tho repeal of the entire internal revenue laws they will at once encounter the hostility of the rest of tho party. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. It has been recoiralzedby the ablest labor reformers that tho movement in favor of eight hours as the period of daily woik is one which involves so radical a change that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to have it adopted by any one of tho great industrial nations of the world. Uoston Herald. Chattel slavery made it to the interest of the master to protect the life and health of his bondmen, out with a labor system such as would follow the disfranchisement of the negroes in the South the only concern of the idle "superior class" would bo to fleece and rob the working, toiling blacks. Chicago Tribune. It is questionable whether government of, for and by the people was ever so strong as it is to-day. In dealing with each new national problem the neonleof this country have no need to look to socialism, national ism, or any other new form of society, tor a remedy. Tho Republicanism of to-day can be relied on to meet aud overcome the dangers of to-day. Boston Journal. The trust is formed for tho purpose of getting better prices. Would free trade bring better prices? Of course not? Then free trade in salt would not prevent tho formation of a salt trust, would it? Men of sense know better than to charge tho salt trust or any other trust to protection. It would be just as reasonable to hold protection responsible for all tho floods and earthquakes. Detroit Tribune. Legitimate business, unaided by cor rupt franchises, monopolies and trusts will pile up individual fortunes as fast as is wholesome for the government of tho people. None too timely and earnest is the tide that has set in against trusts and other combinations which permit private fortunes to double up at a rate which simple amnnietic shows would, if continued. hnawy exhaust the entire wealth of the Nation. Boston Globe. The tariff is either a good thing for our manufacturers, or it is a bad thing. If it is a good thing, it certainly is not making paupers of them, and if it is a bad thing they cannot well be becoming monopolists ami robber barous. Which line of argument is the n litem tied Democracy prepared to otticially adopt? The country has endured, nuite as long as it is able, the comic spectacle of one wing of tho party claimiug one thing and the other wiug advocating another, Boston Journal.

HEAYY DRY GOODS FAILURE

The Great Firm of Lewis Bros. fc Co., of Philadelphia, Forced to Assign. Its Branches in New York and Other Cities also Atfccted The Liabilities Said to Be $4,000,000 Causes of the Failure. Philadelphia, July 25. Surprise was oc casioned in business circles this morning, by the announcement that the firm of Lewis, Bros. &. Co., wholesale dry goods dealers, on Chestnut street, above Second, had assigned for the benefit of their cred-1 itors. "While the exact amount cannot as yet be ascertained, it is thought the liabili ties of the firm will sum up nearly $4,000,000. The firm is one of the largest in its line of business in the city, and, perhaps, in the country. It has houses in many large cities of the United States, notably New York, Chicago, Baltimore and Boston. The mem bers of the firm resident in this city are George W. Wharton, Joseph W. Lewis and Henry Lewis. , " Mr. Wharton, when seen this morning. promptly admitted tho authenticity of tho rumor that his firm had made an assignment for the benefit of their creditors. Cor nelius W. Bliss, of the New York firm of Bliss, Fabyau & Co., he stated, was the ' assignee. "I am unable," continued Mr. Wharton, "to place the amount of our liabilities. However, I feel convinced that they will be not much in excess of our assets. Of course, it is impossible to determine these things until an examination of the books has been made. Wo are now going over our books.and will probably know more definitely to-night how and where we stand. If we could have had only two or three days more, I am sure we would have been able to tide over our difficulties. But the blow fell just at the worst time, and our only course was to make an assignment, and this we did this morning. For some time past our business prospects have never been brighter, but you know you can't market 'paper.' " Prominent dry goods men estimate that Lewis Bros. & Co. have in Baltimore more than half a million assets, and no liabilities in Baltimore. The New York Branch. New York, July 25. The announcement that the notes of the great dry goods firm of Lewis, Brothers & Co., had gone to protest was the all-absorbing topic of conversation in mercantile circles to-day. According to current report the liabilities of the embarrassed firm amount to nearly $4,000,000, which it was thought could be more than covered by the "resources when tho latter were in shape to be immediately available. The members of the house are Walter H. Lewis, J. W. Lewis, Henry Lewis and John L. Boardnen, all well and widely known in the business community. Tho store occupied four buildings iu Worth 6treet. It is one of the largest of the kind in the United States. The assignment papers were filed in tho county clerk's office here this afternoon. Cornelius N. Bliss is made assignee. Tho assignment was executed in Philadelphia. There were no preferred creditors. The parties will make a statement in a few days. Mr. Bliss, the assignee, said the firm's statements in the past sixty days showed a surplus of over 1, 000,000, but that was not available now. A large part of it was in accounts, which they could not col lect immediately. He thought the assets ,i - 1 . m i iii.ii" wouiu maxe a iair snowing. . ineiiaoiuties were to banks and trust companies. There will be a meeting of creditors in ten days, he said. A man familiar with the firm's affairs said to-day that nearly all the banks in. New England held the firm's paper. Boston, Providence, Hartford, New Haven and New Bedford hanky are reported to hold considerable paper. The New York banks mentioned are the Fourth National, the Central National and Central Trust Company. The Chemical Bank held none of their paper since Jan. 1. Philadelphia banks are the heaviest holders. Some banks have taken their paper reluctantly lately. The firm has been extended and overloaded. They suffered a severe loss iu ,the death of Henry Lewis, the founder of the house, who was well known. It was learned from another source that the firm own their store property in Philadelphia, and also their store building in New York, which is on leased grounds, and which it is said was mortgaged a few months ago. The late Henry Lewis had an interest in the Cambria iron-works at Johnstown, which his estate held, and the loss by the fiood depreciated the securities. The Johnstown Manufacturing Company's Woodvale woolen-mills consigned their products to the Lewis Bros.; the mill was destroyed by the flood, and the loss was $300,000. It was controlled by the Cambria Iron Company. Walter H. Lewis was a director of the New York Life Insurance Company. The firm headquarters were at No. Chestnut street, Philadelphia, the stores in Chicago. Boston aud New York being branches. The 'business has amounted as high as $15,000,000 a vear. Lately it is said to have fallen to .,000,000 or 310,000,000. They claimed their capital was $1,500,000, and they made money every year. Since January there have been doubts expressed about their financial standing. In March last Bradstreet took away their capital rating and reduced their credit rating a grade, On April 20 tho firm made the following statement to a large financial institution: Assets $5,472,000, consisting of ledger accounts. $1,875,000; manufacturers' accounts, $1,793,000; securities, SSll.OOO; real estate, $770,000; bills receivable, $223,000. Liabi lilt ies $4,129,000, of which $3,883,000 was bills payable, and $447,000 a loan; net surplus 9i,hmm;. mis was not looked on as a favorable statement by the trade. The firm had hard work to make collections. The firm was interested in the Conshohocken worsted mills, which failed. They admitted in .March last they would lose $25,000 by President George Bullock's insolvency. For over twentv-five vears the firm of Lewis Bros. &. Co. have been the leading house in the dry goods trade. It was founded in Philadelphia in 1852. The founder died in 18S6, leaving large estate, of which S2.j8.000 was invested as capital in the firm. Besides, $1,000,000 of his was con tinued in the business. Mills and Banks Caught At Providence. PiroviDEXCK, R. I., July 25. Mills and banks here will be involved in the failure of Lewis Bros. fc Co., $GO0,000. Local banks have about 815C.000 of their paper, divided among six or eight of them and the rest is among half a dozen mills, including those at Slater, Mauville and Waukegan. The belief prevails here that tho firm can pay its indebtedness in full if they are given time. None of the mills or banks will bo seriously embarrassed, j Vfholcaale Groccn Assign. Chicago, July 25. T. Q. Lovering & Co., wholesale grocers, doing business at No. 57 and 59 Wabash avenue, made an assign ment this morning to John Roper. The liabilities are estimated at between $40,000 ami 00,000, with assets about the same amount. 0 Willing to Give Up the Cherokee Strip. Kansas Citv. July 25. Mr. E. M. Hew ins, president of the Cherokee Strip Live Stock Association, arrived in the city to day, and is 6toppmg at tho Midland Hotel. A reporter for the Associated Press Inter viewed him, this evening, on the matter of In h company's alleged otter to the Cherokee nation to extend the company's lease over the strip for ten vears bevond its termination. Mr. ifewins stated most emphatically that the association had made no such proposi tion to the Indians, and he was at a loss to understand how the report had ever origin ated. The company, ho said, had no desire to antagonize the object of the Cherokee comuusMou, which is now treating with the Indians for the sale of their lands to the United States government. If the commission should be successful in its negotiations with the Cherokees, the asso ciation would withdraw from the strip a9 soon as it could remove the cattle. Mr. Hewins said he voiced the sentiments of the members of the association, and lie was quite sure they were willing to abide by tho result of the commission's work. Long-Hurled Skeletons Unearthed. Yankton. Dak.. July 25. A party of cx plorers unearthed to-day a uumber of human skeletons buried in the chalk bluffs ten miles cast of Yankton, on the Ne

braska river. Fifty skulls and 200 headless skeletons were found, which

xocai puysiciuns pronounce to ho the remains of white nennlAf hihl roil nrwl adults. Indications are that thev have been buried forty or fiftv years. Two theories are advanced to account ior tneir presence. One is that thev were eniiffr-inrs lmnm1Pati(nni. in l!48, who were murdered by Indians. Another theory is that they were Indians of some tribe at war with the Sioux, and mai. vuey were massacred. Tiie death nriinrla doatvi tr Tit-a Ki:.l nwuuucr o uccu lUUIClOU WHO tt club. Further researches will be made to morrow. THE NEW TEXT-BOOKS. . Superintendent LaFollette Expresses Ills Opinion and Talks About the Uw. 'Indianapolis News. . State Superintendent LaFollette desires to go down on record. He wishes it to be distinctly understood that in the vote of the State board on tho adoption of the Indiana School-book Pnldi-bincr Company's text-books, he did not vote in favor of the readers or geographies. lie regards them as in every wav inferior to the books which were taken for the standard of comparison. They are poor in the quality of paper, and binding, and engraving, and the readers are poorly classified, and contain lessons which are not what bovs and cirla should mml in The arithmetics and writing-books he iuiujws cuuui iu tuuse now in use. Mr. LaFollette eral hundred letters , chiefly from townsnip trustees, asking wnether the law is mandatory or simply directory. The letters come from every part of the State, and all breathe hostility to the law. They ask what the penalty is if the law is disobeyed. He says there is no penalty provided for violating the law. x He does iiu iuiuiv mio au uioiBiuui, uui mat tue legislators desired to makH n. nnnnir Utp by which counties that wanted cheaper uuua.9 toum fcui, mi cm, uui wnicn aiioweu any which desired to use the old books. He thinks a great deal of official pressure will be required to get the new books generally adopted. He does not propose to make his office unpopular by bringing a host of man.1 . - C . A. l i m . uaiuij Buiisiiaiuoi tuumy ooarus oi education, and does not know yet what action he will take to enforce the law. Some trustees have written as though they will fulfill their duty by ordering the legal books according to the law and then just hojd them to sell if anybody calls for them, but make no effort to enforce their use in the schools. They write that teachers generally are opposed to the law. Prospect for a General Muddle. Princeton Clarion. There is a fine prospect for a general muddle in school affairs the coming year, on account of the attempt to introduce the new series of books adopted by the Board of Education, under tho provisions of the new law. This law is crude and impractical in many respects. It was crowded through tho last Legisl ature under the spur oi an .unreasoning and unscrupulous Democratic majority, and it was defended by the party press simply because it was assumed to be a party measure. 'The Democratic party has been and is exceedingly anxious to shoulder the responsibilitv of this new text-book law and there is a probability that they will lind the burden a little more than they can carry. There is no question that there has been great extortion in the price paid for school books, and every ono agrees mat there should be some relief from this extortion. The objection is onlv in the nlan of getting this relief. Under the law the State Board of Education adopted a series of readers, arithmetic and geography to take the place of those now in use. The price fixed by law for those books is very much less than the people have been paying, and the company proposing to furnish these books agree to sell at those prices, which is all right, eo far. Bnt what about the books already in the hands of the school-children! The law does not fix any price for these in exchange, so the company does that, and the State board accents their of fer. They will give for serviceable books of the. old , series tho magnificent sum of 27 cents for the entire set, and they will askou to pay into the hands of your township trustee the sum of $3.05, in cash, for the new books In other words, you are asked to throw away! your ? resent supply oi books ana buy new ones. . erhaus the school natrons of Gibson coun ty will be glad of the opportunity of making this sort of an exchange, and perhaps iney win not regard it so lavorabiy. A One-Sided Business ' North Vernon Plain Dealer. . Many trustees throughout the State de clare they will not take charge of the new schooT-books and thus become responsible for tho collection of money. The only way a trustee can protect himself is by doing a spot-cash business. He loses the price of all books he lets ont at the are not paid for. In other words, a township trustee is forced into the book-selling business, aud makes no money on what he sells ror spot cash, while he runs the risk of losing what he trusts out. It is a onesided business, and the one side is against the trustee. General Fisk Was Not There. Philadelphia Press. The absence of General Fisk from tho New Jersey Prohibitory convention, held last week, must be regarded as a significant feature of that gathering. General Fisk is too sagacious not too see how inconsistent it is for the third party to aid the Democracy in New Jersey this year after the record that party mado in the Legislature last winter. lie protested earnestly against the repeal of the local-option law, but tho JJemocrats disregarded his appeal and wiped the obnoxious statute off the books. The third party gave the Democrats the majority in the Legislature by which they were enabled to do this, and now to assist them to another majority is more, evidently, than General Fisk can stomach. There are undoubtedly many more sincere temperance people in New Jersey who will quiety or openly refuse to indorse thirdparty action this year. The New State Committee. Philadelphia Press. The reorganization of the Republican State committee of Indiana last week afforded another proof of the purpose of President Harrison to observe tho civileervice law in its spirit as well as in its letter. Every member of the Indiana State committee who had been appointed to office resigned, and his place was filled by a man who could engage in active political work without violating the statute. There will be no weakening of the Republican position by this move, as the new officers of the committee are believed to be as able and competent as those who went out have proved themselves to be. The moral position of tno party will lo strengthened by this proof that the Republicans are sincere in their enforcement of the Civil-service-reform law. lt the Truth Be Told. Chicago Tribune." Whv not tell "the truth" about what Gen. Harrison said to the miners? He did not promise them immunity from home competition or from the risks and hazards inseparable from the business. He told them fimply that the protective policy could not be abandoned without causing a reduction of waurc-a in the coal mining as in the other industries. He did not sav protection would prove a panacea and absolutely insure high wages for miners irrespective of all other conditions and circumstances affecting their industry, but maintained that an abandonment of the protectivo policy would compel a reduction of wages in all pursuits to the free-trade level. Governor HiU's Economy. Chicago Evening Journal. Governor Hill, of New York, vetoed many items of tho general appropriation bill passed by the late Legislature in that State. His plea was that they were extravagant. This induced the newspapers to publish an itemized statement of the expense incurred by Governor Hill, to be deIra3'ed bv the people, in fitting up his mansion in Albany. Some of tho ligures are as follows: For one grand piano, jO; for one billiard table. 000; for musical clock, with chimes, $400; for telegraph equipment 2.400? for chandelier, with cut glass pendants. $1,000. Om would think that Governor .... i .. i. i , i , . liill would uiusn suame uau a uiusn) in chargiug "extravagance" to the Legislature.

SEEDS OF THE ARID REGIONS

Irrigation a Necessity If the Lind Is to Be Used for Agricultural Purposes. How a Vast Section of the Country Could Be JIade Fertile by Government Assistance in Building Reservoirs or Sinking Uells. FjttKial to tli Indianapolis Journal Bqisk city, I. T., July 25. In the two Dakotas, Northern Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Nevada, which sections I have visited during the past mouth, there is ono subject which overtowers all others with every class of people. It is irrigation. In all of these sections, with the possible exception of a portion of western Nebraska, a terriblo drought exists; and the same condition and the same sentiment on the subject confronts much of Kansas, portions of California, and all of Arizona and New Mexico. There is just one way to make tho Territories and Colorado agricultural communities, and ono way ouly, and that is by irrigation." This, it seems, will never be done successfully except by the government; and tho question of how far the general government can andshculd go in tho direction of improving either its own public domain or the property of private individuals will form a problem before Congress at its coming sefsion quito as. overwhelming and comprehensive as either the tanfl or the basis for national banking. At no time during the past ten years havo so many men from Congress visited the Northwest and West as during tho present season. This will serve to give impetus to the subject of irrigation, and increase iu the mind of Congress tho importance of the subject. A special committee from tho Senate is looking into the subject by congressional authority, while Congressman Geo. W. E. Dorsey. of Fremont, Neb., left his home on the ltith iust. with a party of Representatives from the lower house of Congress, composed of Messrs. Burrows, of Mkhigau; Stowart, of Vennout; GotT, of West Virginia, and Haydeu, of Massachusetts. I am with this party ,'and have witnessed the intense anxiety of the citizens of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho for some kind of action on the part of Congress. At Denver Senator Teller said to me on the subject: "The subject of irrigation will bo pressed before Congress the coming session as no other subject will be presented. Tho West, Northwest and Southwest will stand together, and congressional action of some 6ort must follow. Without irrigation one-third or one-fourth of the entire country will be a desert forever. And irrigation for agricultural purposes can onlv be successfully accomplished by the federal government, for two cogent reasons: First, the greater number of localities where the water must be stored are on the public domain; and secondly, the expense is too great to warrant private individuals in making the .outkvy, even though they had the money. The returns from the work cannot be made in this generation in many instances But this makes no difference to the general government. Yes. the Constitution will admit the expenditure. There can be no doubt of that. A landlord cannot be prevented from improving his own property. Tho federal government has only to confine its outlays to its own lands. The advantages to the lands owned by private individuals will come incidentally, just as protection t o our industries is incidental to our present system of import duties." At Cheyenne Congressional Delegate Carey and Governor Warren both used the same words when they said: "Only the Constitution can intervene to cause hesitation on tho part of Congress. I should think, however, that the leveo system along the Mississippi river has demonstrated that money from the general government may be used to protect or improve private property so long as there is a primary aim toward federal interests. If the government can use its money to keep water off private property along the Mississippi, I am sure it can use it to turn water on private property in the Territories, or even tho States, provided, of course, the work is confined to the public domain. No on asks for reservoirs on private lauds." I find that there is a unanimous decision in favor of the construction of reservoirs on the plains, at elevated points, where fall for the distribution of the water which is collected during snowy or rainy seasons may be secured. Since the Johnstowu disaster no one will listen to tho original proposition of damming up the mountain passes, as the pressure would be so great as to make danger from a bursting of tho dams or walls a constant menace. Then the sediment which is carried down tho mountain ranges and through tho canyons would till the reservoirs made in the very community where tho water is collected. The idea is to carry tho water down from the mountains to reservoirs out on tho plains a short distance, or reservoir tho water from rains, and streams, and springs during the fiood seasons, to be distributed to the arid sections by means of ditches. The government has only to store the water on its own lands. The people will take it and use it judiciously and in such a way as to make the deserts blossom like gardens, and secure a return for all the outlay to tho general government in time, Mr. Dorsey, who is a practical and successful business man. as well as a statesman, believes the federal government could well afford to supply a complete system of reservoirs and artesian wells for irrigation, as it would be but an investment which would declare a splendid dividend In tho way of taxes. Wherever the water cannot be secured from melting snow or rain on the mountains, streams or springs, artesian wells can be had easily. The problem is one of the greatest possible interest to tho entiro country, for, at least, two reasons: It contemplat.es tho successful operation of more unused agricultural lands than there are now in any four States, thus revolutionizing agricultural interests everywhere, and it contemplates such a large outlay of money anywhere from fifty to a hundred millions of dolbirs that, financially, tho improvement will be noticeablo in every commercial avenue. The struggle for it is made imminent and earnest by tho terrible aud destructive drought of this season. Every member of the Dorsey party has been fully convinced of the wisdem of the project, and what is true of the observations of these statesmen is true, no "doubt, of the scores of others now in tho arid regions. Perry S. Heath. The Connecticut Mutual Life. In the State of Connecticut tho official examination of the great life insurance companies is made with extraordinary care, as such immense interests are involved in their well-being. Tho Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance,Company, whose headquarters aro at Hartford, has just passed tho searching ordeal, greatly to its credit and the increase of its high standing in tho community. Disintcrestrdexperts of great repute were engaged to take charge of tho different departments of tho investigation. The real estate owned by the company and mortgaged to it for loans was carefully appraised, and every bond and certificate of 6tock jealously scrutinized. Nothing was taken for granted, but tho entire establishment, with all its reputed assets, was thoroughly examined by thpso who were intent on discovering the decayed spots, if any existed. KVw companies have ever passed through such a. complete sifting without betraying somo sign of weakness in a portion of their system. We congratulate both tho company and its policy-holders upon tho reported result. The details are giveu broadcast to the public i a the official report elsewhere published, and we need not recapitulate them. It is sufficient to say that if tlm company had designed to set forth iu a Mattering exhibit the solid foundation on which it stands, and to furnish an uucxcejtionable indorsement of its management, and its desert of public confidence, it could not havo selected a better agency. Four months have Wen given to the boarchimj examination, and the Commissioner f tho State declares that he is gratified at the result in such a thorough vindication of th complete solvency of this institution, and the honesty aud ability of its nianavnu.uv.