Ligonier Banner., Volume 32, Number 23, Ligonier, Noble County, 9 September 1897 — Page 3
T —— From C ima: krom Clue to Climax. ; BY WILL 4. HARBEN, * [Copyright 18¢6, by J. B. Lippincott Co.] CHAPTER XII.—CONTINUED. “Then you could not tell whether he had a knife in his hand when he got up on the fatal night or not?” asked Hendricks. “Ah! No. I was a fool not to think of that; but I could not watch everything. One has to concentrate his mind on a single idea to hypnotize successfully.” “Quite right, doctor; but, having my eyes well open last night, though I did have to look through a slit in that screen over there, 1 observed that Mr. Whidby, before getting up, seemed to be trying to pusi something away from him. It was a knife the murderer was trying to give him. And finally when Mr. Whidby did get out of bed his hand was not closed.” “Ah! I see,” cried Dr. Lampkin. “I was very stupid.” . “Not at all,” returned the detective, with .a laugh. “I make a great many mistakes, and sometimes my mistakes help me to get on the right track in the end. That was one point you missed. lere is the other. Come over to this window. Do you see anything unusual here?” “I examined it early this morning,” broke in Col. Warrenton, putting on hisey®glasses, “but to save my life I could not guess what you were looking at last might.” 4 The detective put his finger on the window-sill. “Don’t you see ti:at little crack?” “Plainly now,” said Dr. Lampkin; “but it means nothing to me.” ' Hendricks looked around at the circle of faces.
“After failing to put the knife into Mr. Whidby’s hand, the murderer stuck it—a big one it was, too—right here, with the handle up; then he stood away and tried to make Mr. Whidby go to it and take it. He failed three times. You remember how Mr. Whidby would slowly draw near the window and then go back? Well, that is theexplanation. The hypnotist could no} control his subject sufficiently. What did he do next?” He made Mr. Whidby sit on the side of the bed, just as he did last night, you know, for about ten minutes. Then he took the knife himself, hastily, perhaps angrily, for you notice the wood is splintered a little. If he had been perfectly cool lie would have drawn it out carefully. e was vexed over his failure to control Mr. Whidby. His next move was to hypnotize Mr. Strong into a merry mood, and then he committed the deed. | “What did he do after that? To me © 1t is as plain as the nose on a man’'s face, for I made a thorough examina- * tion of that corner last night. He stood there. with his dripping knife in his hand, and succeeded in controlling Mr. Whidby to the extent of making him go,into the other room. He made him touch the murdered man’s throat and - return to bed. His plan was to make Mr. Whidaby sleep till he was found . next morning with signs of guilt on him. But, as you know, the cool, who ~usually called the two men in the morning, was absent. Mr. Whidby slept till late, waked of his own accord, and summoned the police with such an appearance of innocence that he wasguot arrested.” : - “We are delighted, and very grateful to you, Mr. Hendricks,” said Col. Warrenton, when the detective had concluded. ‘“l'm sure it has taken a load oft the minds of this young couple.” “I can only say that I am so happy I cannot express my feelings on the subject,” said Miss Delmar. She blushed as she caught Whidby's arm, and they walked from the room. L Hendricks found them in the library a few minutes later, Col. Warrenton and Dr. Lampkin having left the house. “I have explained all this for a purpose, Mr. Whidby,” said he. “As arule, I make no explanations to anyone till a mystery is completely solved; but I must have your assistance at this point, and I wanted to put you into a more hopeful humor. I think I may add that there is no one so deeply concerned in the discovery and detection of the criminal as you are.” : . “That’s true,” said Whidby, “and I - feel so pleased with what you have just said that I would work my fingers to the bone to help you.” “Do you think, Mr. Hendricks,” asked Miss Delmar, “that, if you don’t succeed in capturing the criminal, the circun{;— stances surroundinrg the affair will reflect on Mr. Whidby ?” | “In a way, yes, decidedly,” was the | reply, "Fhere is not, I think, quite enough evidence to conviet Mr. Whidby, but the circumstances are very awkward. If we don’t catech some outside party half the world will continue to believe Mr. Whidby guilty.” . “Continue ?”’ asked Miss Delmar, with a sudden upward glance; ‘“then you think—? 2” *“That. publie opinion is about half divided? Yes.. You see, even if we offer the theory of hypnotism, it won’t go down with the’ orthodox world, which doesn’t believe in such things. By reading the papers you will see that there is really a great deal of honest doubt of Mr. Whidby’s innocence in all parts of the country.” ““That’s true,” sighed the girl. “Oh, please let me help you in some way! I'm sure I ought to be able to do something.” . “You shall help me and Mr. Whidby very soon; but I can’t remain with you longer now to explain. Could you—how would it suit both of you to meet me here this afternoon at two o’clock?”’ “I think I can come,” gladly answered Miss Delmar. “Father has'forbidden me to see—"’ : v ' “I know that very well,” smiled Hendricks. “You see that you, too, have been watched.” ; : - “I understood so 0,” replied the girl; “but I didn’t care. I knew my intentions were good.” ; i “I discovered that pretty soon——in fact, the moment I saw you with your veil off,” said the detective-—*“and felt ~ ashamed of my precaution.” He had ~ risen and held his watch in his hand. “Will the arrangement suit you, Mr. Whdby . : K : ~ “Perfectly,” answered Whidby; and Hendricks bowed himself out of the S S R M R T T T : | Hendcicks called o cub 1t the door M vLo the wllse of Copt. Welsh,
He found Welsh pacing the floor in a fever of impatience. ! . “I thought you would never turn up in the world,” said Welsh, as they took seats. “It seems to me that everything is ata standstill. The city is wild with excitement and demanding that something be done.” : Hendricks shrugged his shoulders as if he had only half heard the remari and had been disturbed in some train of thought. He reached for a cigdr in a box on the captain’s desk, bit the end of ""Jt, and then seemed to sink into a .rev\krie again. % "
Welsh stared &t him a moment in vexation, then he said: :
“I was on the watch myself at the mayor’s last night. About ten o’clock I saw Mrs. Walters slip out on the lawn. She came very cautiously from the rear of the house. I saw her stoop to pick up something near where your umbrella was left, and then she returned by the front door.”
Hendricks nodded slowly, but did not look up from the spot on the carpet at which he had been staring for several minutes. Welsh flushed slightly and went on awkwardly:
“I had expected to find outalot about her early Bfe from a lady friend ot mine, but,”as bad luck will have it, the lady has left the city for the summer, and I don’t exactly know where she has gone. 1 was thinking of hunting her up and going to see her, if you think—"
Hendricks rose abruptly. “I must write a letter,” he said. “Give me some paper, please.” Welsh’s face-fell as he rose and drew some writing materials from a drawer and put them before the detective.
“Do you want ine to cease my investigations?” he asked, impatiently. Hendricks dipped a pen in the inkwell, and as he did so he looked up and cought sight of the captain’s face. “Oh, hang it all, captain!” he said—“pardon me; I have not heard half of what you were saying. I only caught enough at the start to know that you were not on the right track. Let the woman alone for awhile.« Do you remember I said that if I discovered certain things about a mysterious stranger in the city I should have to begin all over again?” “Yes, certainly, but—" “I have begun all over again.” And Hendricks began to write hurriedly. “Can I help you in any way ?” “I am afraid not now, captain. A little later, perhaps; but time is too valuable just now for useless explanations; every minute must count. This is the hardest nut I ever tried to crack.” Welsh said nothing further. Ile sank into a chair and looked out of a window till Hendricks had finished and sealed his letter. : ‘“‘Now,” said the detective, as he rose and grasped his hat, “I am going out
| ] oA ke P AN 7 = ot SRR D Lo £ = , £20500 i e SRR g A SRt T | SRR NN QR plesie ey i A \ RV AR B V) . ‘\ 1\ "S,' } ; T et e ‘)" (o et 4;) : Somen | ¢ Continue? ”’ asked Miss Delmar. *Then you ; think—2" - for a little lunch, and then I have an appointment. I shall see you later.” At two o’clock Hendricks rang the bell at the Strong homestead. Whidby Lhimself opened the door. “Is Miss Delmar here?” asked the detective. “She has bzen here several minutes,” answered Whidby. “She is in the library.” : “Good!"” said Hendricks. "“Now for butsinev‘ss,”' he went on, cheerily, as he entered the library and bowed to Miss Delmar.” “Move up your chairs, both of you. There, that will do. Now, here’s what I want to get at. Col. Warrenton was good ¢nough to put me on to a little circumstance which he says he has not mentioned to you, Mr. Whidby, but which we must sift to the bottom. It may lead us to a motive for the crime, and that is what we are looking for. Do you happen to know if your uncle had an enemy of any sort?” Whidby shook his head thoughtfully. “I can’t think who it could be, if he had one,” he said. “On the contrary, uncle seemed to make friends. with everyone.” L _ “You don’t know much™ about Mr. Strong’s early life which he spent in the mines out west, I believe?” “No, I don’t. He did not speak of it cften.” ' “It is possible, you know, for him {o have an enemy even that far back. Matthews, with whom I have talked, remembers your wuncle’s having a strange visitor here a year or so ago, while you were at the seashore. 1t seems that Mr. Strong had a sort of quarrel with him, and, for some reason of his own, he requested Matthews not to mention the visitor to you. Now, we must find that fellow if we can.” “But how are you going to do it?” asked Miss Delmar. : “That’s what I'm here for,” replied ilendricks. *‘And you are both going to help me. Now, that visitor came here and threatened Mr. Strong about something, so. Matthews says, and one who will threaten a man to his face is apt to do so in other ways. Mr. Whidby, do you remember ever having seen your uncle receive any letter which seemed to disturb him at all?” Whidby reflected a moment, then he looked up with a start. : “Yes; I had not thought of it before, but my uncle has once or twice acted peculiarly after receivingletters. About a month ago he opened a letter at the breakfast table and seemed almost to turn sick over it. He was white and tremubled all over. I asked him what was the matter, but he said he felt suddenly faint, and that was all he would tell me. I was concerned about him, and wanted to send for a doctor, but he refused to let me, and declared ke was all right. He seemed so unstrung that I felt uneasy. I really feared his mind was affected, so I watched him through the curtains for
awhile after he went into the room where he keeps his papers.” “What did -he do there? Try—try to think of everything,” urged the detsctive, his eyes glittering as he fixed them on the young man'’s face. ,
- “He stood at the window,” went on Whidby, “and read the letter again. ¥rom where I wasin the hall I could see the paper quivering in his hands. He remained there for a long time, as if in deep thought, and then threw the envelope into a waste-paper basket, took down a file, and put the letter careAully away.” “Ah, I see. Good, so far!” exclaimed Hendricks. ‘Do you think you would know that letter again?” “I don't know; perhaps so. It was in a large, square, bluish envelope, and the sheét was of the same color, and of letter-paper size.” ' “I am glad you remember those details,” said Hendricks. “Now let's inspect that file. May we not go in the room where Mr. Strong kept his papers?’. .
“Certainly,” said Whidby. “The coast is clear. Matthews is staying downstairs. I am answering the doorbell.” “At this young lady’s suggestion,” said the detective, with a laugh, as they were crossing the hall. :
. “Pray how did you guess that, I'd like to know ?” Miss Delmar asked. it “You were afraid your father would call here, and if Mr. Whidby answered the bell you would have time to hide. Is not that true?”
“Perfectly,” replied the girl, with a laugh. “I'm glad he isn’t a famous detective. He would have found me out long ago.” When they entered the little room and approached the desk, which was near a great iron safe by a window, Whidby started to draw the letter-file from a pile of books and papers on a shelf overhead, but the detective called out: *“Hold on! Don’t touch it!”: and he brought a chair and placed it under the shelf. Then he went to the window. raised the shade as high as it would go. and let in the sunlight; after which he stepped upon the chair, and, with a hand on each end of the shelf, lookec carefully at the books and papers or which the file rested.
“Ah, blast his ugly picture!” heejacu lated. “He’s nobody’s fool!” : “What's the matter?” asked Whidby
“We shan’t find the letter, after all.” ITendricks lifted the file and stepped down to the floor. .
“SVhy, you haven’t looked,” protested Miss Delmar.
“Yes, I have,” said the detective, in a disappointed tone. “Those books and papers up there are thickly covered with dust, but the file is comparatively free from it.” : “Ah!” said Miss Delmar. “Some one has been handling it.” “Exactly; and quite recently.” Hendricks opened the box-like file and began to turn over the papers fastened in by sharp-pointed steel prongs. “Ah! I see they are arranged according to date of arrival. You think, Mr. Whidby, that the letter you remembenr noticing came about a month ago. Well, we must turn to about the 20th of June. Ah! here is the spot; and, by Jove! our friend was in a hurry—not so very cautious, after all.” “What is it ?*’ asked Whidby.
“He has torn a letter out at this place. And it was a blue one, too, for he has left a tiny fragment of it on the prongs.” Hendricks held a ménute piece of paper towards Whidby. “Does that look like the paper on .which that particular letter was written?” T think so.! Hendricks nodded, and put the torn piece into the back part of his watch case. Then, taking the letter-file to the window, he laid it on the end of the desk, and, keeping it open at the place where the letter had been abstracted, he examined it closely. ~ Miss Delmar drew nearer her lover.
-“I do hope he will find the criminal. It would make me happier than anything in the world,” she whispered.
“I don’t think there is much hope,” replied Whidby, in a low tone, as he stealthily pressed her hand, his eyes on the broad baclk of the detective.
“I think there is a great deal,” said the girl. “Oh, I should simply be delighted to be able to show papa that you are innocent, after all! He would never cbject then, you know, for you would be your uncle’s legal heir, and worth niore money than I could ever expect from papa. If only—" : - “By Jove!” Hendricks’ startled exciamation drew their eyes to him. He was holding the file close to his face, and examining a letter with his lens. “What is it?” asked Whidby.
“B-l-0-0-d!”’ said Hendricks, playfully, in a deep, gurgling tone. “The fellow extracted that letter within two minutes after he cut Strong’s throat.” “How do you know ?” asked Miss Delmar. s ;
“I find traces of blood on each of the two letters between which the missing one lay. So far, so good!- Now, there is but one course of action, and if that fails I shall be at sea; so, Mr. Whidby, keep your wits about you. The letter taken from this file must have been of such a nature that it would associate the writer of it with the crime. That means a good deal. Tt is quite likely that the murderer witnessed your uncle’s reception of the letter and saw him file it away; otherwise he could not have gone to it sd readily. Now, what we have to do is to find the envelope you say your uncle threw into the wastepaper basket.” “Impossible,” said Whidby. “‘V‘lly?” : “Matthews has been looking after the rooms since the maid went off, and he takes out the waste paper as soon as it accumulates. It must have Dbeen thrown away several weeks ago.” “Where does he throw such things?” “I don’t know.” : . “Call him.” Whidby rang, and in a minute Matthews came up from the basement. : [TO BE CONTINUED.] :
Ambiguous.
A noted evangelist is fond of telling of his experiences in preaching to the negroes in the south. At the close of cne of his meetings a very large old colored woman came up to him and shook his hand warmly while she said: “God bless you, Brudder Jones! You’s evahbody’s preacher, an’ evehbody loves ter heah you preach, an’ evah niggah love tc heah you; an’ Brudder Jones, you preaches mo’ like a niggah than any white man that evah lived; an’ Brudder Jones, you've got.a white skin, bhut, t’ank de Lawd, you've got a black heart!”—Outlook. :
B v THE LATEST FASHIONS, Jackets Will Be Longer and Skirts Much Trimmed. Princesse Here Once More—Autumn Headgear Shows Striking Color Effects—l'e}low and Gray Combinations—Some New Bodices. September brings a welcome relief from the ‘thin gowns which were so attractive all summer, yet have become so cheap and slimsy-looking now. Even for the warmer days, thin wool gowns are not out of place, and they have a trim look that is very pleasing after the loosely-fitting gowns of summer. Present indications point to the overtrimming of gowns this fall. Nearly \ - /fl(‘“ AT “l >S,L WA : / q Lot e Y g F LI W v . o 2 “' - . ’&‘ he ";h I, o 1 LIRS, e/D JET X e =eys e, P 2RSS\ ~_ Lé / wa% 2 .f-7 3 D /] 1\ NAR AT LS RN S o : d 2t 7 P TR L s eot ~ fiasy o) ; "§t'\{!‘ T3’ F 7\\ S (“ A NOVEL BODICE. all skirts will be trimmed with braid, and later in the season overskirts will probably be worn. The loose Russian blouse will be greatly in favor, worn with skirts that are tight-fitting over
/ %)\‘ \ ’ : ’ 2.b @3 : b g (1 N 5 ;,;\ , {: ‘Al‘l-'\ 9 ) > » i '\\\ SRR . ©o - o 3 = Ny &) Sy | =7/ (BT 2y '»fv" s \?‘ij/‘/ ; £ =o i i ) L=/ / ';< 4 SO = o | @ | | @}z ’ : \ Ve ’iuK-»f- YN )':. / /'\-"t.\k‘.‘; Liy \ Ay N\ \'s:/ ? ra® /) RN \A7 - \\\, / a:‘:{‘ '. k ,-; \\ \ R N L 1 w Y v\i\ \ A\ /@ =~ %fio V Ity ¢ \\ Y j : @@ 5 LY gy A i f\\%, T Al : % flr\ f( /’ ? ‘. A SEASONABLE HAT.
the hip. These skirts naturally drift to princesse gowns, and they will be a great feature of tae season. One of the gowns combines the most popular colors, blue and gray. The materials used are gray smooth cloth, blue velvet and gray mousseline de soie. Blue velvet is used to form yoke, tightfitting sleeves and loose folds over the shoulders. Beneath the folds and overhanging’ the tight sleeves are two rows of finely-plaited mousseline. They alone relieve the severity of the upper arm, and are more than likely to come off later on in the season, if present indications count for anything. The princesse is plain and severe—save for a simulated opening on the left side of the front, which extends from yoke to lower hem. It is scalloped and edged with a row of fancy braid, each scallop being further adorned with a large smoked pearl button. Skirts of gray or white wool, especially those of white wool, will be popular during the season. They will be worn with taffeta waists, made up without any trimming, save tucked yokes and lower sleeves. Bright colors will be worn—red, blue and all the various shades of pink.
. A novel bodice to be worn with a white wool skirt is of China blue taffeta. The entire body of the garment is shirred at one-inch intervals, and the sleeve, with the exception of the upper portion, is similarly made. Short basque skirts fall below the belt, which
. i/ ‘ I "-'igfmu i ere /«.._:,‘ > "§ 4 B o /W - : W & : ‘ 0} : ' 0-2 : 9 Yoot A @} » <} v N . C'{ \ £ S ¥ <) J : a) _ A FALL GOWN, . is very broad and fitted of a deeper shade of blue in velvet. With this bodice is worn a stock collar of taffeta, lace frills falling over the top. The usual collar, however, will have no frills, but will be laid plainly of taffeta. = : Belts will be of velvet, ribbon, metal and leéather. The prettiest are of ribbon, put twice around the waist and tied in a long bow at the side.
New waists for house and promengde no longer fasten on the side. The true surplice effect is carried out on some, but the great idea of the season is the Russian blouse. This blouse has much braiding and other trimming. W»el;}it is for women that prosperity is in sight, for much money will be needed
for .the trimmirg of the gown of the coming season. :
A radical change will take place on outer jackets this fall. Théy will be much longer; in faect, fully 27 inches long. Some will have a circular piece inserted over the hip, such as was worn three winters ago. Even when the hip piece is not inserted the coat will be braided to produce that effect. Coats in Russian. blouse shape will be worn, with tiny jackets of velvet, or square yokes of cloth entirely covered with heavy braiding. Tight-fitting Etons, with cape sleeves, will also form a part of this season’s modes. These jackets will, like every other garment, be plentifully braided and trimmed. Smooth-faced cloths, in cardinal principally, will be the prettiest coat materials. ' Russian blouses and single-breasted box coats will be'worn with jacket and skirt costumes. These jackets are trimmed in front with graduated frogs of black soutache braid. Heavy, straight frogs should be selected, rather than those which hang in loops. Headgear has lost its summer dress and put on the richer coloring of au= tumn. For when the leaves lose the fresh green of eaWsumme_r and the later fruits begin to ripen my lady’s hat looks pale and languid if deep reds and rich purples and golden yellows are not introduced. Yellow, black and white is the prettiest combination in the autumn hats. Many of the hats are large and trimmed with plumes. Yet these picture hats are hardly appropriate to the girl who can afford but one bonnet for a season, and a smaller hat with less striking trimmings is a wiser selection. Hats are trimmed alike on both sides and are turned up at-the back. A striking example is of black satin straw, with upturned brim at the sides and back. A band of white satin, jetted, crosses the front, each end filled with
white lace. Behind the frills are stiff black wings, standing up at each side. The cache peigne at the back is of blackeyed yellow daisies. Another hat, worn with a gray gown, is made in softer colorings. The hat is in gray, similar in shape to that de-
i oY ’“!’ §9 SN . Y A SJ“ - 2> . Gy ozl % IV7 ?v 9 I e ey “(f'a""""?'\fi ‘5l-"’/;'// Kt/ 51} : ""u ‘ifm,‘:‘. l'fi‘\& /ifl/M iRy eW ' % LN _-\.;;.;%_{g“’flf.yywllm/////// _ | i\, ik 1 Y A FALL JACKET. scribed above. Gray wings, starting beneath a large, brilliant buck!e, spread each side of the front. In the back are yellow narcissus, plenty of them, arranged in a golden mass above the coalblack hair of the little iady who secured the hat as part of her bridal trousseau, THE LATEST. No Recruits for English Army. “We have reasomn,” says the London Chronicle, “to believe that the military authorities are almost desperate at the present position of recruiting. The guards are several hundred below their proper strength, and there are scarcely any recruits coming forward, while the men who might have renewed their three years’ engagements are, in view of the movement now ordered to Gibraltar, declining to continue their service. There is no deubt if the foreign movement of the guards was to Egypt instead of Gibraltar the falling off in the recruiting would be nothing‘like so marked, but Gibraltar has a’bad name for heavy routine duty, sickliness (partly caused by the abundant ginshops), and other reasons.” ‘
A Sensational Affair.
“My hair turned from raven black ’_ to snowy white in a single night.” ~ “That’s nothing. I wentintoa pawn‘broker’s shop once and stayed only 13 minutes. When I came out my watch had turned from gold to silver.”—Chicago Record. ' Clalrvoynne-;.— E “I see,” said the gypsy, “a dark woman who will cause you trouble in money maatters.” e ' © *“Gweat heavens!” murmured Chollie. “Is that washerwoman going to hold me laundry for wansom again ?”’—lndianapolis Journal. A Nightmare. “Wot’s de matter wit’ ye, Weary? Ye look sad.” o “Gee! T dreamed I wus workin’in a soap factory las’ night.”—N. Y. Truth. ' Visions. “Do you believe in second sight?” - “To a certain extent I do. I have more than once seen double.”—Louisville Courier-Journal,
PUSHES UP PRICES. One of the Direct Effects of the Dinge ~ley Lavw. PUSHES UP PRICES. : While the glass men are hesitating whether to increase the price of window glass ten or fifteen per cent., the crockery dealers have promptly put their pgi‘ces up 20 per cent.; so that there would be™o mistake about it. They have done this to meet the increase in the Dingley bill. At present this chiefly concerns the English imported ware, but the American manufacturer is preparing to makeé similar advances. But as we are told that the for-’ eigners pay all-this increase the consumer in this country need not worry.—Chicago Chronicle. by . This is the protection that is said to have the power to open the mills.” Consumption has been down to low water mark because so many of our people have been unable to do more than provide themselves with the bare necessaries of life, many more being unable to do even as much as that, and it is expected that the raising of prices will serve to improve conditions by increasing consumption. The raising of prices. does not increase consumption as a regy ular business, but perhaps it will make an exception once in a way. ' The manufacturers may put up their prices, but unless their products are bought up and consumed, the advance in prices will have no beneficial influence on labor. It is going to cost a good deal for bread presently, and glassware and crockery and such things will be compelded togtake a back seat, and this seat will nec&sari]y be a little farther back because of the increased prices of those products. If ‘those manufacturers who did not pay the increased duties of the Dingley law would play fair with the consumers of the country, there would be a better prospect of a prosperity that could be called general. The farmers appear to have some reason to rejoice, but where may the workingmen in general lines reasonably expect to come in? As the Utica Observer says: “Flour is going up; sugar is going up; clothing is going up; crockery is going up; leather is going up; everything is going up but the wages of the employes in protected industries. And yet these employes were distinctly told by no less a person than Chairman Dingley himself that their ‘purchasing power would be increased.’ On the contrary, it is \diminished.” i
? The prosperity of the crops we have with us; the prosperity of Dingleyism that. was promised us we have still to get. Hurry it up!—Binghamton (N. Y.) Leader. &
SOUND MONEY VAGARIES.
Unsoundness of the State Bank: Note Proposition.
The cry of “sound money” raised by ‘the people who are so anxious to have the government **'go out of the banking business” is hypocritical and insincere. Even the demand for *‘gold” is disingenuous, for these *reformers” propese to retire ‘the greenbacks and substitute state bank notes*secured by the ascets of the banks.” Was there ever submitted to the American people a more unsound proposition than that? Behind the greenbacks stands the United States government, and there is' no contention that a greenback is net now and always worth its face. Could the same be said of state bank notes? If that is the kind of “sound” money the ‘“reformers” wish to force upon the people, the suggestion will be laid scornfully aside, with the comment that it possesses “more sound than sense.” . )
In arguing in favor of postal zavings banks, Senator Mason, who is a good republican, says: ‘Most of the American people live 25 miles from any bank. They are in this way deprived of all facilities for thrift. Evenif banks were convenient they are not absolutely reliable. Since national banks were established 330 of them have failed and paid creditors only 75 per cent. In the meantime 1,234 banks failed and paid only 50 per cent.” While the remarks of Senator Mason were not intended as a reply to those who urge stablishment of a rag moaey currency, they apply with great po§itiveness.§ople of this country are not pr ed to encourage the issue of wildcat money. Suppose, however, for the sake of argument, that every wildeat note were to have a gold dollar back of it. What would that mean? To retire all of the government paper would contract the currency $900,000,000. To issue state paper, or national bank paper, secured by gold, to fill this deficit, would require the securing of $900,000,000 in gold. Where will the advocates of ‘‘sound” money get this gold? Ifthese notgsare not to be redeemed in gold they are a thousand times worse than silver, so far. as safety is concerned. If they are to be backed up by golditisthe duty of those patriotic “reformers” who desire this measure to inform. the people where they are going.to get the gold.—Chicago Dispateh. i A
4 - Extravagance and Revenue.
It is the government alone that does not share the benefits of the “boom.” The new tariff was expected to yield $15,000,000 a month during its first year. The receipts so far indicate that it will yield only a doubtful $7,000,000, or less than half for this month. In view of the advance importations to escape Dingley duties a falling off in collections was expected the first month, but the great drop shows an inherent defect in the law as a revenue measure. On the other hand expenditures have been increased rather than reduced. “The appropriations for this/year amount to no less than $528,735,078. That is tosay, congress has made appropriations with reckless extravagance, and its device for producing revenue has so far lamentably failed. While everybody else is beginning to prosper, the government is sinking deeper into deficiency.—N. Y. World. ' .
Deception and Republicanism.
This is about the time when the man who voted for McKinley is waking up and asking himself what in the name of consistency a trust tariff has got to do with an honest dollar. Also he wonders how he was ever presuaded to support a party that gets its man elected on one issue, and then switches to another and opposite plan of action. The currency question was a mighty factor in the last campaign, but it has had nothing to do with the republican party since the election. The monopoly tariff, which has been foisted upon the people, was only made possible by a long and clever series of deceptions, But then, deception is the very essence of republicanism.—Tammany Times,
——Common everyday household molasses has doubled in price since the passage of the Dingley robber tariff. Let her go, Gallagher! The people voted McKinley in and now they will have to pay for it.—lllinois State Register,
eeeee R R B TS 'PROSPERITY AND ITS CAUSES. The Robber Tariff Is Not One Among’ o fognicJThem, . s . . There are evidences of renewed pros--perity. No one will deny that. No one has the. least inclination to deny it. Everyone has reason to rejoice over the indications of better times and to sing with fervor “hard times come again no more.” The bank clearings show great gains over last year at this time. The commercial agencies agree in reporting greater activity in both trade and manufacturing; and there seems to be no reason: to doubt that the number of the involtuntarily idle has been largely reduced. For al this and for the promise of still better things to come every right-mind-ed man is glad. - At the same time every such man 1s sorry to see all the organs and attorneys of monopoly ascribing all the praise to a tariff bill. This ig as bad as it was for the Jews of cld. to give praise to idols for the blessings they enjoyed. The Jews knew better. The American people ought to know better than to make thank offerings to the tariff fetich. ~ The fact that Europe is 1,625,000,000 bushels short of food crops while we ‘have ‘a good crop of small grains and the prospect of a good crop of corn and an unprecedented crop of cotton explains it all. The food shortage malkes high prices for our food products and a like cause bids fair to give us more than average prices for cotton. Hence high prices for the farmers, greater demand® for manufactures and bustling «activ-" ity in trade. . - To ascribe it all to the tariff robbery is' most abominable idolatry. . Prosperifly is returning, for the time being at least, not because of, but in spite of, that robbery. The processes of nature have been favorable to this country, andtor that reason the masses of the people can stand the robbery better than they otherwise could. Because nature has favored them, they can see the stock of the sugar monopoly put up from 108 to 150 by republican legislation and net make any complaint. ¥ The attention of those who give all the glory to the monopoly tariff is invited to two facts. One is that the receipts into the national treasury have been $23,400,000-less than the expenditures since the passage of the Dingley bill, or at the rate of $152,400,000 a year. Not long ago they were telling us that times were hard because the expenditures of the government exceeded the receipts. Now they are vociferously claiming that the country is on a high wave of prosperity, though the excess of expenditures is greater than ever. ) ,
“The other fact is that the commercial agencies attribute the strong market for southern iron to the active export movement. Our worshipers of the protection fetich will hardly venture to attribute the active export of American iron to their high duty on fexgign iron.. These and many other facts prove that they are economic quacks and humbugs and that their legislation does nmot cause prosperity any more than it causes the tides or the sun spots.—Chicago Chronicle.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.
~—lf many protected republican bosses had not cut wages the phantom of dear bread would be welcomed instead of dreaded by thousands on this side of the water.—Kansas City Times.
- ——Mr. McKinley has settledit. The crops did it in the west and the tariffin the east. As between Providence and - William McKinley honors are easy-— in the estimation of the latter.—Minneapolis Times. ——TFlour is going up; sugar is going “up; clothing is going up; crockery is going up; leather is going up; everything is going up but the wages of the employes in protected industries.— Utica (N. Y.) Observer. ———So President McKinley will not stump the state for Hanna, after all? Well, it is good to know that there is a -limit to the amount of interest the Hanna syndicate imtends to exact for that little loan.—Tammany Times. ——The recognitéon of dollar wheat in ' the republican platderms s all right for ‘ the time being, only the credit ought to 'be bestowed where it belongs. An Om‘nipotent Providence has certain rights that even party platform makers ave bound to respect.—Boston Herald. . ——Matt Quay was once considered the embodiment of all that was evil in republican machine politics. Then Boss Platt went him one better, and .now comes. Marcus Aurelius Hanna to show to the world a professional debaucher of elections in all his glory—a master hand—a past grand master in-the art. —Dayton (0.) Times., - ——Republican editors who are now denying that they *‘expected” immediate prosperity to follow the election of McKinley belong, evidently, to that class of people who are so struck on their own ability and acumen that they prefer to be considered willful falsifiers rather than reckless and ignorant blunderers.—Grand Rapids (Mich.) Democrat. | ——~Senator Thurston’s term does not expire until 1901, but he told his Nebraska constituents in a public speech the other day that he did not intend to ask for reelection and that he was tired of Washington life. Now if the senator will tell what he has done since he has been in office to make him tired he will confer a favor upon his vigilant and anxious countrymen. He would be sure of his facts if he would say that he has made the country tired.—St. Louis Republic... . . ;
——The Dingley law is proving its claim to the title: “A tariff for bounties and a- deficit.” Since it went into effect vawious trusts favored by duties that are nearly, if not altogether, prohibitive upon competing foreign trade have advanced prices. Some of them have concurrently reduced wages, The prices of all necessaries are going up. At the same time the public revenues are dwindling and the deficit is growing. The deficiency since July 1 is al. ready $25,000,000.—N. Y. World. ——As a matter of fact all the evidences *of reviving prosperity come through agricultural channels. Before the Dingley law was passgd the western farmers paid off mortgages to the amount of many millions of dollars. Renewed activity in the agricultural implement industry is due solely to brighter prospects on the farms. Hence it is impossible to trace reviving commerce in the remotest way to theDingl?* law. We believe it is coming in spite of that compound of thievery, bribery and injustice—Memphis Commercial Aps oVR W e