Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1900 — Page 3

HOW ANIMALS SWIM.

ALMOST ALL ANIMALS AT HOME IN THE WATER. Many Of Them Display Wonderful Endurance—The Rodents Are All Good ' Divers—Ruminants Are Nearly All Good Swim mere—Camel an Exception. Among what are generally considered purely land animals there Is no finer swimmer than the polar bear. This .grand creature, with which everybody Is nowadays familiar, spends more than half his time in the water, performing immense journeys across the polar wastes from continent to continent. she distance he travels from the pack ice to the maiu coasts over open water are at times astounding, considering that the body is all the time immersed in freezing water, known Id human beings as the greatest deterrent to all long swims. The most Interesting family of swimmers is perhaps the rodents. It may be taken as a general rule that if one member of a family is a good swimmer all the rest are, but not so with regard to the group in question, for it embraces not only such fine performers as beavers, rats, mice and their allies, but such regular land lubbers as squirrels, hares and rabbits. All the good swimmers among the rodents are also expert divers and are able, moreover, to raise or depress the body in the water at will. When swimming at ease and unsuspicious of danger the water line passes across the mouth, the middle of the cheek and the shoulder, disclosing on the surface rather more than one-third of the whole body, and, though the root of the tail is seen, the tail itself is generally under the water, excepting when the animal Is quite stationary. About rats I need hardly speak, so familiar to everybody are their habits. The common house rat, when he takes to living on river banks, is almost as much at home In the water as his cousin, the water vole, and the same thing may be said of mice, notably the water shrew. Among the indifferent swimmers of this family the squirrel claims attention. Many observers are of the opinion that the squirrel does not swim at all, but that by hopping on to a floating piece of bark and using his tail as a sail he crosses the widest rivers. This is a very pretty story and one with a certain amount of truth in it (I have myself seen squirrels floating down stream in this way), but that he often attains his object thus I very much doubt. Twice, while fishing In the Tay, I saw squirrels actually Swimming across the river, and their movements struck me as so peculiar that I afterward experimented with them in the water. They were evidently alarmed At the thought of trusting themselves to so treacherous an element, and, at starting, some of them sprang into the air, as if inclined rather to fly than to swim, but once well afloat they paddled away with such extreme rapidity as to exhaust themselves within a few minutes at most. In this action the head aud shoulders are carried very high out of the water, while the rest of the body sinks deep beneath the surface—in direct contrast to the pose of hares and rabbits, which, in swimming, are, like an 111-ballasted ship, “down by the bead.” Like the squirrels, these two animals show great timidity in the water, and naturally so, for their heads are so low and sterns so high that the slightest ripple on the surface would send their noses under water and so drown them, unless they at once returned to land. In perfectly still water, however, they can both swim considerable distances. Nearly all the ruminants are excellent swimmers, and all take freely to the water, except perhaps the wild sheep and the camels. Of pigs it is commonly reported that so queerly fashioned are they that If they attempt to sw!m they cut their throats with their fore feet, but this Is only an old wife's fable. Whether wild or tame, they are all good swimmers, though owing to the shortness of their legs they just touch their throats with their fore feet, and beat the water very high. Many of the islands of the southern seas are now inhabited by wild pigs, which are the descendants of those which have swum ashore, sometimes great distances, from wrecked vessels. Camels cannot swim. They are very buoyant, but ill balanced, and their heads go under water. They can, however, be taught to swim rivers with the aid of goatskins or Jars fastened under their necks. During the Beluchistan expedition of 1808 the camels were lowered Into the Rea from the ships and their drivers, plunging overboard, clambered upon the rump of their charges, causing the animals’ heads to come up, and thus assisted they were successfully piloted nshore. Several animals, such ns hedgehogs and hats, who would at first glance be considered natation, are in reality quite respectable performers.

Life-Saving Wit.

Au Instance of extraordinary presence of mind on the part of a 7-year-old girl Is reported by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The girl’s name Is Agnes McCullough. , Her grandmother a woman of 70 years, had shown signs of mental aberration for several weeks, but no one had thought of her as liable to commit violence. One morning, however, when Agnes and the old lady were alone In an upper room, the grandmother seized a butch-er-knife which bad been lying on tbe table, and ran for the child, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, partially

dressed. The Insane woman grabbed the girl by the hair and screamed: “Now I’ll kill yon! You are none of my children!” The little girl, with Intuition remarkable for her years, realized that she was in the gragp of an insane person! “Grandma, don’t get the blood on the bedclothes. Wait till I get a towel,” she said. The woman released her hold on the child’s hair, and she ran down into the kitchen, where she told her mother. The two hurried to the police station, and an ambulance removed the old woman to the hospital.

Wants Damages for Lost Beauty.

Miss Anita M. Schumann* a San Francisco milliner, has filed suit for $25,000 damages against a drug company of that city. Two ugly, red blotches on her cheek will be listed as exhibits A and B when testimony is taken. According to her story two small blemishes appeared on her face, and she went to the drug store to get

MISS ANITA M. SCHUMANN.

an ointment for them. The druggist advised her, she says, to have them lanced. She finally consented. He assured her that the lance would not leave a mark. Having lanced her face In two places, he put over the scars a black dressing, which he said would stick till the face was healed and would then leave it smooth and white. But instead two unsightly blotches, each about the size of a quarter, were left. As Miss Schumann is a milliuer's model aud as these blotches are a distinct disadvantage to her in business, she is asking damages, which the company will fight.

Frederick the Great and the Spider.

A well-known legend of the Emperor Frederick the Great was that he would never let a spider be killed if he could help it. The origin of his affection for these Insects was said to be as follows: The Emperor was accustomed to drink a cup of ehodolate every morning, which was brought to him in his room. One day, Frederick was engaged longer than usual at his writing-table, the chocolate meantime remaining untouched; and when, later on, the monarch went to drink i*, he discovered that a large spider had let itself down from the ceiling and dropped into the cup. Not wishing to share IHs meal with the spider, Frederick poured the chocolate into the saucer and gave it to a couple of his greyhounds. The dogs drank it up, and In a very few minutes were both seized with convulsive pains. They both got rapidly worse and died with every symptom of poisoning. Frederick ordered the arrest of the French cook, but before the man could be captured, he committed suicide.

Perpetual Fires.

In the Peninsula of Apsherou on the coast of the Caspian there is a perpetual, or as It Is there called an eternal fire. It has risen from time immemorial, from an irregular orifice of about 12 feet In depth, and 120 feet in width, with a constant flame. The latter rises to a height of from 0 to 8 feet, is unattended with smoke, and yields no smell. Tlris fire was worshiped in olden times, aud ruins of the tire temples erected near It may still be seen. There is also not far from Deliktash, on the sit.e of a mountain in Lycia. the perpetual Are described some sixty years since by Capt. Beaufort. Thirty years later It was found as brilliant as ever, and somewhat increased. This phenomenon Is described by Pliny as the flame of the Lyclan Chimera. VlHarlea, one of the Chilian volcanoes, is always burning; and certain natural gas wells, as those of Baku, may almost come under the head of perpetual fires.

Men’s Beards Subject to Tax.

In the time of Queen Elizabeth a tax was placed upon men's beards. In the first year of her reign a tax was imposed of about 85 cents on every beard above a fortnight's growth. The law, however, was never enforced, and bo It lapsed. In France a tax on beards was Imposed and enforced, and It Is said that from it a handsome revenue was derived. Peter the Great of Hussla also Imposed a tax upon "beard*; a copeck to be paid by peasants and laborers and 100 rubles by those of a higher station In Use. So strongly was this Russian anti-beard law resented that In more than one case It led to the spilling of blood. Officers were stationed at the city gates with swords, and If- any beard-wearer refused to pay the tax ht was at once submitted to the ordeal of a gratuitous shaving. Are you doing your children harm? Many parents (k> It.. Ask yourself the question, seriously, and answer It honestly. The gardener may abhor rice, yet he Is always Interested In the rake’s progress.

CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION.

Democratic Party Is Conducting Such a Campaign This Year. The Republicans had a great deal to say four years ago about a campaign of education. It is the Democratic party that is conducting a campaign of education this year. They are pointing out to the people the enormous cost of imperialism and showing the evils that inevitably grow out of a policy such as now actuates the present administration. Some of the facts deduced in teaching this lesson are startling and the Republicans would prevent the publicity given these facts If they dared, but they have been unable to prevent the publication of\figures that appear In official reports. Imperialism naturally leads to extravagance, and nowhere Is that extravagance more apparent than in the medical department. There are four hundred medical officers on duty In the Philippines. Their salaries amount to $720,000, averaging SI,BOO per man. There are at present 60,000 troops In the Philippines, and of these 5,000 are reported as being on the sick list. This sick list amounts to 8 per cent, of the total force. Reduced to dollars and cents this means it costs the government $144 a man to care for the sick and that under each doctor there are only twelve men. If this is the average of care and trouble assigned to each member of the medical corps the war In the Philippines for this portion of the army is little more than a picnic. These expenditures do not include the pay of the hospital attendants, the nurses or the cost of medicines. It only needs a study of the official records to show the gross extravagance of the medical department. There are five hospitals in Manila containing 1,277 men. These men are cared for by a staff of tbirty-fhr,ee officers, an average of one surgeon or doctor for forty men. These figures show that one of two things exist. Either extravagance has been permitted in order to enable the President to appbint contract surgeons in the shape of patronage at the behest of politicians, or the percentage of sickness in the Philippines is much greater than the department has represented. Certainly, this disproportionate number

THE PRESIDENTIAL FAT-FRYING PROCESS.

Some are willing to give up in gratitade for past favors and in expectation of others to come. Then again some are unwilling and have to be warmed up by a personal call from Hanna or some other strong talker. There’s millions in it!— Chicago American.

of doctors Is not needed for the small number of sick compared with the large number of medical officers. The departmeut Insistß that the sick reports have not been doctored, and It Is therefore responsible for the large number of appointees that have been placed upon the War Department pay rolls. An Honest Confession. The people generally think the intention of Mark Hanna and others of bis kind Is to make this country an empire that they might be perpetuated in power so long as they may be permitted to live, yet It is only now and then that any of those who would bo willing to see Mark Hanna in power for life, make an honest confession. The boldest confession of tills kind comes front the Dos Moines Globe, and should be a warning to every American wlio loves liberty and a country .that guarantees It. When the men who are In power would prefer a crown, it Is only a step from the republic to the empire. The paramount question to be settled Is “Shall this nation stand or shall it fall?” The voters must decide It. Read the following from tbe Des Moines Globe and then decide whether you want Bryan and a republic or Mark Hanna and an empire: Now Is n good time for America to ilo away with her old, obsolete constitution and adopt a form of government that will be logical with our new expansion ideas and will give ample protection to capita*. We should not be disgraced In the sight of civilised nations, as the violence and killing that accompany the operation of street cars in St. Louis now. A constitutional monarchy la probably the most desirable plan that we could now adopt Everything Is ripe for the change. We have a large army and It can be Increased under almost any pretext without causing alarm to the masses. This country has been so prosperous that the voters hare lost the spirit of patriotism and honesty that are necessary to the successful operation of republica. Tbe strong iron hand of discipline will hare to be used to bring the masses to a foil sense of proper behavior. The Policy of Imperialism. It Is costing tbe people of States 910,000,000 a month to maintain tbe war In |be Philippines. This |lO,000,000 Is tgten from the pocket! of the millions of 4>r population who work long hours fdt a scanty reward. It Is principally raised by taxing consumption, and such h tax Is always borne

by the ms.py who toil while ft does net burden accumulated wealth. The men who till the soil and the men who work at the forge or In the factory pay the war tax: To preserve the national honor, this burden would be borne by the loyal people of the United States without complaint and gladly. But there Is no salve of patriotic purpose to keep this load of taxation from chafing the backs of tbose who bear it. The war In the Philippines Is waged to subdue a people who ask only for freedom. In carrying It on, the great American republic has turned its back upon Its most sacred traditions. By force the McKinley administration la seeking to make the Philippines a subject colony, without anv regard to the “consent q{ the governed.” It is to raie an alien and distant people as Great Britain rules India that $10,000,000 a month Is exacted in taxes from our people and 70,000 American soldiers are offered to death, wounding and disease, 5,000 miles from their homes. This Is not the policy of the Great American republic. It Is the new and dangerous policy of imperialism. McKinley as a Chaser. President McKinley spends a large section of his time chasing across the, country from Canton to Washington and back again. First he goes to Canton and sits on the front porch and wonders why the millions of grateful workingmen don’t come up and thank him for the full dinner pail. Then he gets tired of that and rushes back to Washington with the announcement that the Chinese situation has reached a crisis. As to the President’s influence on the Ohio vote, it Is—nil. lie won’t make a hundred votes difference in the result whether he stays In Canton or Washington. Mark Hanna, and behind the trusts, are central figures in the Republican campaign. The President with the “chocolate eclair backbone” doesn’t matter. Lawlessness Among Mine Owners. These men, however rich they may be, however powerful, however respectable in their own sight, have deprived thpmselves of the right to rebuke the poorest and most ignorant miner should he defy the law. They can ask nabody to sit at their feet and

loam respect for statutes, for they themselves have been law breakers on system In a specially mean and sordid and cruel way. They have broken the law providing for semi-monthly payment of wages. They have broken the law forbidding the existence of company stores. They have broken other laws designed for the protection of miners, and broken them in order to steal from laborious poverty.—Philadelphia North American. Political Potponri. The Republican editors are not quoting much from Lincoln these days. Washington Post Tbe Imperial President has been heard with patience by the American people and has failed to Justify empire and his surrender to empire.-St. Louis Republic. Roosevelt is trying to treat imperialism as a Joke. This is in accord with the Republican plap of campaign, but it does not divert the attention of the people from the great Issue now before them.—Atlanta Journal. The Sultan of Sulu naturally Is deeply Interested in the Presidential campaign. He understands that If his good friend McKinley is defeated his salary and harem expenses will no longer lie drawn out of the United States Treasury.—Kansas City Times. In bis letter of acceptance Mr. McKinley asserts that our government had no Jurisdiction over the Philippines till after the treaty with Spain was mnde. And yet some time before that he Issued a proclamation asserting Jurisdiction over the whole country.—Grand Rapids Democrat. The silence of such men as ex-Presl-dent Harrison and ex-Speaker Reed, like the outspoken opposition of others like Senator Wellington, Carl Schurz, •x-Governor Bout well, Bourke Cock ran and ex-Attorney General Monett, Is causing the Republican managers a great deal of uneasiness.—Rochestor Herald. Taxpayers In this country are already paying enormously for Imperialism. They will pay still more heavily If the party of empire remains In power. They will never receive any benefit from this appalling tax. The benefit will accrue to the trusts and the monopoly mlllleaalres who control the party of empire.— St Louis Republic.

INDIANA INCIDENTS.

RECORD OF EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK. ' ~ L Opening Up Brown County to Outside World—Balloonist Fill, in Front of Freight Engine—Sait for Alienation —Partner Skips with Firm’s Cash. Brown County has at last opened up fommunication with the outside world. Up to a few days ago the county was without telegraph or telephone service, and not a foot of railroad has ever been laid within the wild, mountainous district. Not long since, however, gome one discovered an artesian well of water which is said to possess certain curative qualities, and this was followed by the building of a sanitarium. The institution has been connected by telephone with the city of Bloomington, and this, it is asserted, will be followed by other developments. The locomotive threatens to send a series of re-echoing toots over the hills and dales of the wildest and most aweinspiring scenery of the Hoosier State. The people of Brown County, the descendants of the first white inhabitants, are said to be opposed to the invasion. They had built some first-class turnpikes to Nashville, the county seat, and other places, aud they “allow” the railroads will come along and render all of this work needless. Aeronaut Nearly Knn Over. Jennie Woodall of Terre Haute fell with her balloon and parachute on the track of the Southern Indiana road in front of a freight train, whose engineer stopped his engine in the nick of time to save her from instant death. The only injury the woman suffered was a drenching by passing through rain clouds. She made the ascension from the Pierson fair grounds and when she could not loosen the parachute and disappeared in the clouds women on the fair grounds fainted and men hurriedly started on horses in the direction the balloon had taken. She landed three miles from the fair grounds.

Rates His Wife at $15,000. Herbert Emert, living near Belvidere, 111., has brought suit for $15,000 in the Starke County Circuit Court ngainst Yelentine Awnld and wife. The complaint charges the defendants with alienating the affections of Emert’s wife, who is tlicir daughter. Emert and Miss Awald were married about two years ago. The match was made in the face* of strong parental objection and the estrangement is attributed to the interference of Awald and his wife with the domestic affairs of Emert and his spouse. Skips with Firm’s Cash. Edward Boos of the tailoring firm of Boos A Vnrpillat of Marion has disappeared. Charles Vnrpillat, his partner, hearnod that Boos had drawn S3OO from the bank, which was all the money on deposit, and had purchased a ticket for Canada. State New» in Brief. I’ostoffice at Jalapa discontinued. Myrtle Helm, 7, Marion, was burned to death. Mnncie iron and steel mills employ 1,600 men. New co-operative window glass factory at Hartford City. August Rile, Liberty, a soldier in tlie Philippines, is dead. Barnhart Learner, 92, oldest pioneer of Howard County, is dead. John Walter Imwry has been appointed postmaster at Knightstown. Stanfield J. .Tames. 81, Putnam County pioneer, died near Fillmore. Muncie will huve a tea saloon, to keep men from going to liiptor saloons. Chenial Rybolt, 87, who died near Elwoo<l, is said to have 118 living descendant!*, Muncie City Council decided ngainst contemplated increase in natural gas rates. Eureka Steel Company, Kokomo, started in opposition to the trust, lias been closed. Occupants of the home of J. B. Creek, Muncie, were chloroformed and the house robbed. Tl\e 30-months-old child of .George Hall. Medora, was killed by the accidental discharge of a rifle. Mrs. Huffman, living near Dunkirk, was badly bitten about the arms and chest by four vieiqus hogs. Frank Keil, farmer, living near Princeton," hanged himself because of failure of crops anti business disappointments. Charles Baker. 25, at Rising Sun, got from five to twenty-one years in the reformatory for firing barns, granaries and straw and hay stacks.

During h funeral at Mtincie the team of William .Tames became frightened at a band leading tbe cortege and ran away, dragging James half a mile. lie sustained fatal injuries. Seven eases of smallpox were discovered in Fulton County by the secretary of the Board of Health. The disease is confined to two families four miles apart in the country. O. 8. Anderson, near Lamb, has raised the largest melon ever produced in the Ohio valley. It measures four feet two and a half inches long, three feet eight inches around and weighs 08 pounds. William Driscoll nnd wife, both about <SO years old, prominent and wealthy, were killed almost in the heart of Muuele by being struck by a Big Four incoming pnssenger train while driving across the track. F. A. Walker of Anderson was appointed receiver for the Ingalls Zinc Company. The object is to effect a reorganization of the company. The liabilities n mount to $20,(100 and are liquidated by creditors taking new stock. B. 8. Kennett and Simon Haag, New Albany, both pnst 70, brothers-in-law, quarreled over household furniture, and Kennett Was stabbed three times. A play at the Muneie opera house was Interrupted while an account of the arrest of the Keating brothers wna read.to the audience from the extra edition of a newspaper. When Veederaburg changed from a town to a city last spring the Council elected a new school board, and the old town board sued to restrain the new board from acting. Court sustains u«w hoard.

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

New York—Owing To the strike in th« anthracite regions and the nearer approach of the presidential election the business situation lately has been marked by some irregularity. General business conditions have had little to do with the docline recently seen in the stock market. It is generally conceded that the break in values was almost entirely due to special influences. Few people have faith in any sustained upward market movement at the present time. It is good opinion, however, that conditions are shaping themselves for a decided advance later. the market has actually turned few will see it. The public will not recognize it, and even the “talent” will, in ail probability, at first resist the adva'nce. > Chicago—Comparatively heavy receipts of wheat continue to <nst doubt on the claim of this season’s production being to any material extent smaller than that of the previous year. Owing to the prevalence of that impression, short sellers of wheat have been on the increase and buyers in an inverse ratio, with the natural consequence of a gradually declining market during the week. Evidence of the rate of receipts as an indication of the comparative size of the crop was not invariably in the one direction, but a general suggestion of plentifulness was their net result* hence a loss of 2t£c a bushel in the price of wheat since the Saturday preceding. Speculative business was of larger volume than the recent average, and the frequency of the fluctuations and their not immaterial extent made a market that proved attractive to such of the experts as were able to anticipate its many variations. Corn commanded considerable attention. For a day or two it looked as if the September delivery had become so conge.-ted that a veritable corner of nobody’s planning must result. There proved, however, to be enough corn for sale in the pit to avert the threatened squeese. Provisions displayed a good deal of strength and considerable activity, due to the small stocks and continuing excellence of the demand for consumption.

CHINA OFFERS REPARATION

Emperor and Empress Announce that Their Ministers Are at Fault. There were two important develophientfin connection with affairs in China Saturday. Oue was the receipt by the

State Department in Washington of a cablegram from Consul General Goodnow at Shanghai, stating that Sheng, Chinese director of railways and telegraphs, had handed him a decree of the Emperor and Empress, blaming their ministers for encourag-

PRINCE SHENG.

ing the Boxers. The second was the announcement by Mr. Hill, actiug Secretary of State, that the instructions of this government to Minister Conger had been forwarded to Pekin. The advices from Consul General Goodnow are to the effect that China goes further than merely issuing an edict denunciatory of the Boxer leaders. The edict orders the degradation of four princes, and deprives Prince Tuan of his salary and official servants, and directs that he be brought for trial before the imperial clan court. The instructions to Minister Conger are understood to contain the following stipulations: 1. That Frinoe Tuan be removed from office and some one acceptable to the power* be appointed tn bis place. > 2. That Minister Conger represents the United States ns a plenipotentiary, and has no connection whatever with mediation for China. 3. That any reasonable program outlined by a majority of the powers, the stipulations to be less severe than those of Germany. may be accepted by Mr. Conger. 4. That, in the event of n continued disagreement among the powers and China, Minister Conger is to proved to negotiate with Ear! I.i Hung Chang and Prince Citing solely with regard to American Interests, and with a view tn determining the attitude of tlie United States as to future action. It will be recalled that, in the answer of the United States to Germany, the State Department stated that, while it did not believe in demanding the surrender of the Chinese ringleaders as a condition precedent to negotiations. It was resolved firmly that in the end the guilty parties should be held to the uttermost accountability. The Chinese government has taken this.intimation to heart, and—perhaps, hastened in its action by the rerent manifestation of dissatisfaction by the United States government at the reported promotion of Prince Tunn-al-ready has begun the punishment of him and the other Chinese leaders who are held guilty.

POPULATION OF STATES NEXT.

Census Figures on Hig Cities Are All Annonnced. The census bureau has finished tho enumeration of alf the cities in the United States of over 25,000 inhabitants. Tha work of announcing the States comes next, beginning with Arkansas. The figurea will Include all the incorporated towns. It appears likely the census will cost about 915.000,000. Estimates based on census returns from 153 cities in the United States place the total population of the country at 80,000,000. The grand total for the 153 cities mentioned is 10,U93,<*54. In 1890 the population of the same cities was 14,(553,897. The difference is 5,040,757, or a gain of 25 per cent.

SIX THOUSAND HOUSES LOST.

Government's Official Figures on the Gulveeton Hurricane. The government weather bureau official report of the Galveston storm shows that 5.1130 houses were totally destroyed, that the life loi-s is estimated at 0,000 nnd property dimage wid exceed $30.000,000. The triad attained a velocity of 120 miles a i hour ou an estimate. At 100 miles tin hour it carried away tha unncuiomctcr at Galveston. Tbe barometer at Gal vest lu during the storm registered 28.53, tie lowest aver recorded