Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 29, Number 37, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 11 March 1899 — Page 4
Zbc Tail
A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.
CtURLES BALCH, Proprietor.
Publication Office. No. 508M Ohio Street.
The Mail is sold in the city by newsboys and all newsdealers, or will be delivered to any address, by mall, at the rate of $1 a year, or SO cents for alx months.
Entered at the Post-office at Terre Haute, Ind., as second-class matter.
Colonel William Jennings Bryan, who will be remembered as the Democratic presidential candidate three years ago, has this week been addressing audiences at fifty cents a head in Texas. Evidently the colonel is coming to bis senses, and his effort to accumulate shekels on earth in preference to laying up treasure in heaven, will be looked upon as an evidence of returning reason.
The English government has coqcluded to go into the telephone business, and as a starter will invest $10,000,MO to develop telephonic communication in London. The telegraph in the British isles has been owned and operated by the government for many years, so it is quite natural that it should also wish '.o control the telephone. A similar movement on the part of the United .States would meet with popular favor.
Laboring under a spell of morality the St. Louis authorities have ordered all the saloons closed on Sunday, and last Sabbath was dry day in the big city on the Mississippi. However, traffic on the big bridge
w,ls
enormous and the saloons of
East St. Louis, which is in Illinois, beat all previous records. Like Thompson's c»lt, the people of St. Louis crossed the river to get, a drink, although they would probably deny the accusation of being fools. _____________
The mortality among the privates of the Cuban army during the late insurrection must have been fearful. An investigation, upon which t,o establish a basis for the distribution of *3,000,000 among the patriots in arms for their country, reveals the astounding fact that for the 23,000 officers who are left there are only 25,000 privates. As the figures are official they arc doubtless correct, although there is a pardonable curiosity to learn how so many officers escaped.
It was givan out in New York this week that, the wife of Senator Walcott, of Colorado, has commenced proceedings for divorce, on the ground of incompatibility of temper. This is Mrs. Walcott's second matrimonial venture, the first being also with a congressman. Lyman K. Bass, of Buffalo, N. Y. Mr. Walcott is one of the most brilliant members of the senate, and is reputed to be one of the best poker players in the country. He is given to taking all the pleasure out of life there is to be found in it, probably on the prin pltt that Ufa at best is too short, and that death is everlasting. The senator is a very wealthy m,an and the question (f alimony will doubtless be an interesting one.
Few people understand the magnitude of the work which this country now has on hand in the Philippines. At the present time, including the army and navy, there an? 30,000 Americans uuder arms on the islands, with 4.800 more on the way. and an additional 7,500 under orders to start. An effort is now being made to strike a decisive blow before the rainy season*sots in. as military operations must then cease. The Philippine capital is to be captured, and with it the leaders, (t is to hoped. The natives are doing very little open fighting, but their tactics are very aggravating. If Gen. Otis can only get, them in a position where they will be compelled to tight he will end the war in short order. It is to be hoped he will be able to do so.
In China the European governments are helping themselves to what they want. England made a li»rge haul years ago lately Russia took what she wanted: then Germany followed suit by taking Kiao Chou Iwy and holding it France has her possessions there too a few days ago Italy demanded a lease on San Mun bay on the terms of the concession to Germauy. China refused, whereupon the Italian warships landed marines and took possession. In the meantime Japan was compelled to
give up all she claimed in territory as war indemnity, but may corns' in for her share later. The United States, so it is said, has liven urged to file a claim in the involuntary distribution, and should the authorities do so they would have a much smoother time than they an? having in the Philippines. The partition proceedings in China is a combination against Russia. If it succeeds the next step in the programme will be a divisiou of the Turkish domain auiong the same parties. Let the good work go on.
bwn done for Cuba by this country it is too bail that they should fail to appreciate it. For the *in of ungratefultM** they denwrv* no better fat* than to be left to misgovern themselves. It Is becoming eel-
4
mm
dent that freedom in Cuban eyes means anarchy and confusion. Their only safety is annexation, and it is doubtful that it would prove profitable to the United States.
WHICH CANAL?
Before adjournment congress appropriated $1,000,000. to be used in an investigation of the proposed inter-oceanic canal. It is claimed that this appropriation, while committing the country to the construction of the waterway, does not commit to any particular route. The gentlemen who have been selected to make the surveys and estimate the cost stand high in public esteem: there can be no question as to their integrity and ability, and their conclusions in the matter will doubtless be accepted as final.
The need of a canal between the two oceans is not questioned by anybody, and that it must be owned and operated by the United States Is the unanimous opinion of the country. These questions settled the only unsettled point is that of location. Two routes are at the disposal of the government both are feasible, but as only pne can be used, the question is Which shall it be? Each has its friends and advocates, -and all parties in interest are entitled to a. fair hearing and their claims to respectful consideration.
The Panama scheme is urged by its friends for several reasons. It is only about one-fourth the distance across the isthmus of Panama as it is across Nicaragua. Bnt the principal argument offered in favor of Panama is that only thirty miles of it remain to be completed, while there are 170 miles of the Nicaragua route not exavated, some of which has been only imperfectly surveyed and that if the United States constructs the Nicaragua Canal the Panama work will be completed fir#t and this nation will derive neither the commercial nor the exclusive military advantages sought, while if, on the other hand, it shall obtain control of the Panama Canal it will occupy the same position that Great Britain does in respect to the Suez Canal.
These points are worthy of consideration and constitute an excellent reason for exhaustive and impartial investigation of the whole subject before the Government is committed to any particular project. To many people the Panama Canal appears as a closed incident. They have keen recollections of the scandal involved in the exposof its administrative methods and the predictions of that time that the work was impossible of completion. At that point they lost sight of the whole project. It is a fact, however, that an official committee, appointed to investigate the Panama robbery found the work in better condition than had been expected that it revived the concession, organized a new company, secured fresh capital, altered the engineering plans and has prosecuted the work to within 30 miles of completion.
There can be no doubt that the new company has been doing good work since it took the matter in hand, as its plans have the endorsement of several of the most distinguished engineering authorities in the world.
The most notable achievement of the new management has been to dispose of the flood waters of the Chagros river, which had been regarded as the insurmountable obstacle to the successful com pletion and operation of the canal under the old company's plans. It is, however, facing the next most formidable part of its work, the cut through the mountains near the west coast. The work, estimated from drill holes by which the formation has been tested, is not now regarded as difficult as it was formerly. The rock to be excavated is of more tractable nature than had been believed before the drill tests had been made. From all this it appears the Panama Canal is feasible and will be evetually completed, and it is fact that the work has been offered to the United States Government because sale is deemed preferable to competition with another canal.
Beautit'uI Sentiment.
Several evenings since Dr. Lyman Abbott conducted his last prayer meeting in Plymouth church, and his remarks on that occasion created a profound impression. Among other things he said "I dc not believe that those who have died have gone far away from us. They have passed beyond our ken, but we are net beyond theirs. If our eyes were open who knows «but that we could see those who have gone from us and yet have not gone from us "The more this faith comes to me, the less I believe in what men call spiritualism the less satisfied I .%m with rappings and, physical demonstrations. I love to think my mother follows me with her eyes as
sjie
when I was a boy.
I love to be-
lieve that the st range, subtle, inexplicable and indefinite influence that sometimes comes into my life is from her. Men may ask me if I am not afraid of spiritualism, but I think it is just otherwise. "AH this may be the result of imagination. I am not certain. I do not know, but of one thing I am sure—there is a real presence in the Christ. He is not departed, although the world does not see Him. "Christ is present, certainly, as a wonderfully increasing memory. America is fuller of Christ to-day than Palestine ever was. There is more of Christ's infiuenoe in the church and state and home than when He walked on earth and was cast out. Through all these eighteen centuries Christ has been growing in the world. We are all branches dwelling in Him. The one transcendant doctrine of Christianity is, Christ in us
Kvidentlv the Cubans are a dissatisfied lot. In Havana the leaders cannot agree among themselves and are suspicious of each other and the Americans. The assembly has requested the newspaper men "upon their honor as journalists and good, patriotic Cubans." not to publish anything they may learn regarding its secret !*es*ions, "thinking that public knowledge of what is doing may be used l)l»tre»»inK Stomach Disease against it in its subsequent dealings with Permanently cured by the masterly powthe I'nitosl State*." Suspicion of this of Sooth American Nervine Tonic, kind i« begotten of ignorance, and in deal- Invalids need suffer no longer, because ing with such people the only argument this great remedy can cure them all. It Is which has any weight with them is force a cure for the whole world of stomach ttsed with crushing effect. Argument weakness and indigestion. The cure beonly produces the belief in their mind gins with the first dose. The relief It that vou fear them. After all that has brings is marvelous and surprising. It
makes no failure never disappoints. No matter how long rou have suffered, your cure is certain under the use of this great health giving force. Pleasant and always mutt. Sold by all draggtet* in Terre Haute, Ind.
TERRE HAUTE SATURDAY EVENING- MAIL, MARCH 11, 1899.
CUBAN WOMEN.
Special Correspondence of The Mail. MATAXZA8, Cuba, Feb 23. HE author of the recent well-known book, "Cuba Su Gente," who declared that the women of Cuba are fit only to flirt, lie in hammocks and fan themselves, has evidently been very unfortunate in his choice of acquaintances. Impartial people who know Cuban women of the better class will gladly testify that they are among the most true-hearted, simple and domestic creatures in the world, devoted to their homes and their religion, and adoring their husbands and children with-all strong in adversity and often enduring martyrdom with more fortitude than the sterner sex. Thousands have lost everything they possessed in the long struggle for Cuba libre—husbands, sons and daughters, parents, brothers, friends and fortune, all swept away. Thoy have looked upon ghastly holocausts which consumed not only their homes and plantations, but in some instances the bodies of their loved ones were cast as fuel to the flames. Mothers have had their babies torn from their arms to be butchered, and seen their young daughters worse than murdered yet such is their patriotism that if the war were to be repeated in order to free their beloved land, there would be no faltering among the women. It is the history of all countries that the females are the bitterest partisans, the first to urge force of arms when prudence would dictate longer forbearance, and the last to give up the grudge long after the hatchet is buried. Throughout the war, in every Cuban home a sum was religiously set aside out of each days' allowance for household expenses, to send to the field and after all their money was gone, many Cuban ladies sold their jewels and even their dresses in order to buy food and medicines for the rebel army. Connected with the long struggle are pathetic and stirring incidents witho'ut number in which women played the leading role.
For example—there was Rosa Hernandez, of San Critsobal, the young and beautiful wife of Doctor Hernandez. They had been married less than a year when the Doctor was called upon to organize a band of men for the insurgent army. Feeling that his life belonged to his girlwife, who was about to become a mother, he told her that he would do as she willed in the matter. Woman-like, she hesitated at first, thinking of the danger to her beloved—and then through her tears bade him go. In a week he had raised half a regiment, (500 men) and as they marched out of San Cristobal, they passed the house where Mrs. Hernandez lay fainting and cheered her as "The Queen of Cuba." The husband bad been gone but a short time when a troop of Spaniards under General Carnellos took possession of the town. One of the lieutenants rode his horse into the Hernandez parlor and subjected the wife of the rebel to threats and grossest insults. That night, accompanied by one trusty serVant, she set out on mule-back to join her husband. After riding weary miles through the pathless hills and jungles, in constant danger of banditti and Spanish guerillas, she finally found him. Two days later her baby was born in camp, (the little mother was only seventeen) and being a boy, was christened "Guerra," the Spanish word for war. I am happy, to tell you that no further harm befel the brave lady, though of course many hardships i^ad to be endured. The family are again at home in San Cristobal, tnd Guerra Jose Marie
Hernandez, the "war baby," is now a lusty youngster three years old. A great many women went to the field with their husbands and fathers, for the sake of protection, fearing nothing so much as the innumerable crimes committed upon their sex at home, and hundreds of babies were born in camp and on battle fields. While misrule prevailed throughout the island, soldiers and highwaymen infesting all the country roads— looting plantations and perpetrating all manner of atrocities upon the defenseless, and no woman was safe, whatever her dignity and social standing. There were some terrible cases of delicate, high-bred ladies transformed by their wrongs into avenging furies, who afterwards fought shoulder to shoulder with the men, led daring raids and applied the torch in a thousand places. Many of them now sleep in unmarked graves on desolate skirmish-fields, and others died far sadder deaths, of imprisonment, disease or starvation. The memory of one of these poor creatures will haunt me, forever. I saw her in Los Fossos, Havana's reconcentrado pen of nameless horrors. She was young, probably about twenty, and must have been exceedingly beautiful a short time before but her emaciated face already wore the strange majesty of death and only a slight fluttering of the breast showed that life yet lingered. Lying all around were what looked like heaps of rags, hundreds of them—eftch a human being, young or old, living or dead. Such a sight! All were victims of starvation. Bones appeared to be pricking through the skin deep sores covered them feet and limbs were swollen out of all semblance of human members, puffed like bags and cracked in places with water oozing out—scurvy and dropsy from long-continued hunger, the blood baring actually turned to water. Amid such surroundings lay this girl, who had manifestly been delicately bred, having been (ricked up unconscious in the street the day before and carried to Los Fossoe by the Spanish police While I stood beside her, wondering where were her friends, where the loving hands that once caressed that wealth of shining hair—the breast ceased to move and kindly death released the suffering soul. Persistent inquiry revealed a glimpse of her history. She was the daughter of a well-to-do planter in the adjoining province, bethrothed to a captain in the insurgent army. When father, brother and lover were away in the field, a troop of Spanish soldiers arrived one day, burned the house, murdered the mother and younger children, and kept this girl a prisoner at their mercy. In the night she strangled the brutal lieutenant who held her in his tent, managed to elude the
guard by creeping on her hands and knees through the underbrush, and thus escaped. Hiding by day and wandering by night, hopeless, hungry, half crazed by grief and fear, she finally reached Havana and the merciful end of a grave in the reconcentrado corner of the great cemetery where our "Maine" boys lie, amid the gruesome collection of uncoffined bones of more than thirty thousand other unfortunates.
Nearly all the officers under Gomez had their wives with them in the field, because they dared not leave them at home. Antonio Maceo also had more than a hundred females in his regiment—not coarse and shameless Amazons who chose the wild life for love of adventure, but mostly honest wives and mothers. They dressed in masculine attire, carried Mauser rifles and machetes, marched with the men, endured all the hardships of camp and field and made as intreped and uncomplaining soldiers as any. Among many well authenticated stories, space forbids the telling of but two or three. One of the most romantic incidents of the war was a marriage ceremony, performed at dawn in the mountains of Puerto Principe. The groom was Captain Robau, a handsome, well educated and once wealthy young planfter the bride, the run-away daughter of one of his tenants. Robeau had long loved the young lady, but as she was in humble circumstances, the rigid rules of Cuban etiquette kept them apart. At the beginning of the war he recruited a company from his own neighborhood, composed entirely of his personal friends, all well-bred young men. When they started for the field—their horses tails braided with ribbons, each man wearing a wreath of palm around his hat in honor of the captain's sweetheart, they rode direct to the girl's house and saluted her as she stood on the balcony with her mother. Robau went inside and asked that he might marry her at once and take her with him, fearing that some evil might befall her in his absence. The parents re fused, and he rode away broken-hearted Two days later, when the company had gone many miles, the girl, mounted on a horse, dashed to the captain's side. She had run away from home in order to join her lover. Without an hour.'s delay Robau sent two men, with an extra horse and an empt/saddle, to fetch the nearest priest
The good padre, muttering Ave Marias all the wdy, expecting to be killed, arrived with his escort just as dawn was breaking in the east. So the young people were married Senora Robau followed her husband all through the war and now with her little boy is at home on the Robau plantation.
The women of San Juan Martinez took no small part in the rebellion. When the Spanish troops under Cornell were on their way to that city, the citizens, men and womeft, met and took a vote as to what course they should pursue. They decided to burn their town to ashes, rather than have it destroyed by Spanish soldiers. So while the men took all the horses and hurried to the field, the women set their own homes on fire, and then, with their children in their arms, walked the Guane, twelve miles destant. The Spaniards, enraged at finding themselves baffled, started in hot pursuit. Hearing of their approach, the women fired Guame, and fled to the next town—Montezuma and go they kept up the merry chase, burning village after village until they reached the insurgent army.
The wife of Senor Damien Peresote, a political exile in the Isle of Pines, followed her husband to the penal colony, resolved to liberate him. While he was working with several others felling timber, she suddenly appeared, snatched a gun from the surprised guard and pointing it at his head threatened him with instant death if he moved. Her husband and his comrades rushed forward, bound and gagged the guard before he could give the alarm, and escaped from the island in an open boat They reached Cienega de Zapata in safely and afterwards joined the revolutionary forces, Mrs. Hernandez acting as a nurse till the end of the war.
Though so fearless in the face of danger, belligerance is fartherest from the natural bent of the Cuban woman. Most of them find their hearts content in the quiet of the home-circle, with no ambition to shine in public favor. Now and then, however, a genius appears, whose light cannot be hid. Such was the poestess, Ge*rudes Gomez de Avellaneda, who has been called the Elizabeth Browning of Cuba. She was born in Puerte Principe, in 1814. At the age of twenty she went to Spain and soon became known in Seville, Cadiz and Madrid through her lyrics, dramas and novels. As prolific a writer as our Mrs, Burnett, she has published a dozen novels, several books of poems, biographers and essays, and no less than nine successful dramas. Among the latter, her Saul, Baltasar and Catilina have been translated into several languages and long held the boards in France Spain. She died in Madrid in '7S.
Another Authoress of high merit is Luisa Perez, born in Santiago de Cuba in 1837. Her father being a poor miner in the Cobre mountains, she educated herself, with tbeaid of a few books. While still young, she was celebrated as the "Island poetess," second only to Avellaneda. In later life she translated a number of works, wrote a voluminous treaty on Educacion Ufbanidad, and published several essays. After the death of her husband, Senor Ramon Zambrana she ceased writing altogether, and yet lives in Habana, devoted to her family.
Aurelia Castillo de Gonzalez is another well-known literaly Cabana. She first acquired fame through the news-papers of her native city, Puerte Principe, and then her poems pawed to other countries. Not long ago she published a book of travels in Europe, which has been highly commended on both rides of the water and it is said that die is now writing an inner history of the war.
Not less famous in a different way is Senora Marta Ahreu de Esteres, daughter of a rich family of Santa Clara province and wife of the learned professor of Jurisprudence, Dr. Luis Estevez: "Senora Marta." as everybody lovingly calls her, is distinguished for her great phllan-
L. B. ROOT CO.
In These Lenten Days
thropy. While yet in her "teens" she donated a flna theatre to her native city, applying its income to the support of free schools. For many years, in connection with her two sisters—the Donas Rosalia Abreu de Sanchez and Rosa Abreu de Gancher—she has supported an asylum for the poor, a school for colored children, a seminary for white girls and a preparatory college for boys. The sisters devoted the entire fortune left them by their parents, something over $150,000, to these and other charitable institutions. Dona Marta de Estevez, now a widow—devotes her entire time to them, attending all the examinations of the schools and giving large sums in prizes, both to pupils and teachers. Her theatre, called "El Teatro de Caridad, is a fine building and yields a steady income for the good work and her free baths for the public are a no less acceptable charity.
FANNIE BINGHAM WAKD.
$100 Reward, #100
The readers of this paper will be pleased to learn that there is at least one dreaded disease that science has been able to cure in all its stages and that is catarrh. Hall's Catarrh Cure is the only positive cure now ^nowa to the medical fraternity. Catarrh being a constitutional disease, requires a constitutional treatment. Hall's Catarrh Cure is taken internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system, thereby destroying the foundation of the disease, and giving the patient strength by building up the constitution and assisting nature in doing its work. The proprietors have so much faith in its curative powers, that they offer One Hundred Dollars for any case that it fails to cure. Send for list of testimonials. Address, F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, O
Sold by druggists, 75c. Hall's Family Pill's are the best. The war in Cuba closed some time ago, and the war in the Philippines will close soon. These and other things remind one that the season for travel will soon be upon us, and when you travel you want to keep your wardrobe in good shape, And that depends on the way you pack it Go and look at those full dress leather cases, steamer trunks, wall trunks and tray trunks at Peter Miller's, 22 South Sixth street. They are the best you ever saw. If you want anything in that line he can suit you, sure. No. 22 south Sixth street, the sign of the dapple grap horse.
In its advanced and chronic form a cold in the head is known a Nasal Catarrh and is the recognized source of other diseases. Having stood the test of continued successful use, Ely's Cream Balm is recognized as a specific for membranal diseases in the nasal passages, and you make a great mistake in not resorting to this treatment in your own case. To test it a trial size for 10 cents or the large for 60 cents is mailed by Ely Brothers, 56 Warren Street, New York. Druggists keep it.<p></p>Spring
It is allowable and necessary to be plan- \1| ning the Easter gowns and Spring outfit, iil At Root's will be found an unusually complete and beautiful preparation for Spring. Some handsome lines are
SPRING SUITS In our own exclusive styles and other good new styles. The new suits show a radical change from old ideas. SEPARATE SKIRTS
In the new tunic, polonaise and habit cuts, in the fashionable fabrics. SHIRT WAISTS.
Wonderful variety of washable waists, as dainty and pretty as can be made. NEW PETTICOATS.
Great assortment in silk-finish sateen, as pretty as silk, but more serviceable. NEW NECKWEAR.
Senora Benitez, a lady of Havana, founded the free school of "Santa Angel" iifthat city, supported it during her life, at her death left it amply endowed aud in charge of the Society Amigos del Pias—
Friends of the Country." It has thirty free scholarships and affords primary instruction to three hundred day pupils.
Most charming styles of fascinating new things for the neck, throat and corsage ever made.
Shoes.
Tan Shoes, Chocolate Shoes, Lace Shoes, Button Shoes, Black Shoes, Low Shoes,
UNION-MADE SHOES. Prices low and goods up to date in style. Now on sale at 420 Main Street.
T. J. GRIFFITH S Palace Shoe Store.
A fine line of small water colors at The Modern.
FOR SALE.
We offer the Bridwell residence, South Sixth street, for sale on favorable terms.
RIDDLE-HAMILTON CO.
Quick
and
Good
Vk
$
\4e
& VI)
\4*
Is how all the work Is done ut the G1-.OBE. Everything up to date, and executed in the very best of style.
PRINTING, BINDING
A N
STATIONERY.
LEGAL BLANKS OF ALL KINDS
Printing House
C. W. BROWN, Proprietor.
Fifth and Ohio Streets
EXCURSION TICKETS
Sold dully to ....
HOT SPRINQS, ARK. CITY OF MEXICO CALIFORNIA FLORIDA
Take the Knickerbocker Special
To INDIANAPOLIS, CINCINNATI, CLEVELAND,
BUFFALO, NEW YORK and BO8TON.
TRY LINE
OUR THROUGH-CAR TO WASHINGTON.
Via Chesepeake & O'IIO—thetalk of the traveling public. Great train excellent service scener/ unsurpassed."
For tickets and full information call at Terre Haute House City Ticket Office.
V_P
E. E. SOUTH, General Agent.
VandaliaPennsylvania
Tickets to ... NEW YORK and PHILADELPHIA Via National Capital, Washington, D. C.
The Vandalla-Pennsylvania Lines will »ell tickets to Philadelphia aod New Yor* via Washington. D. C.. at the same fares as apply over the direct lines of the Pennsylvania System, and allow
Ten Days'Stop-OTer at Washington. Tickets to Sew York direct, or via Washington. will also be good for Ten Days StopOver at Philadelphia.
Train No, », the Pennsylvania Special, leaving Terre Haute 12:32 noon every day, Is a Solid Vestibule Train with Pullman SleepIncCar through to Washington.
We will take pleasure in Riving reliable Information regard Inn time of trains, etc. GEO. E. FAERINOTOS. General Agent.