The Scranton tribune. (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, July 18, 1896, Page 9, Image 9

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    THE SCRAHTON TRIBUNE SATUBDAT MOBNINCr, JULY 18, 189B.
0
THE G0RSEDD
old
The Salt Lake Tribune, perhaps the
bleat advocate of free coinage in the
United States, has prepared, in cate
chism) form, a "plain statement of the
fundamental facts on which silver men
Claim that silver should be remonet
Ised.' For general' information we re
produce below this statement and add
some remarks of our own:
1. Q. What is the primary reason why
liver men insist on tht restoration of sil
ver?
A. Because all prices are regulated by
the volume of standard money In a coun
try or in the world.
3. Q. Can you make this idea plain?
A. Tea. If the world had 7,OUU,IWO,000
of standard money, and wheat was worth
tl a bushel, to reduce the volume to
tS.MU.WO.UOO would have the effect to
reduce wheat to SO cents a bushel; to dou
ble It would have the effect to make wheat
worth S2 a bushel.
3. Q. What is meant by standard
money?
A. It la when a nation makes a certain
amount of any metal represent a unit of
values. When one metal Is used it Is
called a single standard; when two metals
ere, -used it is called a double standard.
Thus, before liS our country made SS.S
Brains of standard fold represent our unit
which was a dollar. They also made 412.6
(rains of standard silver represent the
sanle thing;. France likewise had a double
standard. Germany had a single silver
standard; Great Britain bad a single gold
standard. But all the money, gold snd sil
ver, among tbe nations was practically of
the same value, because all was in use,
and from the whole volume of both metals
prices were established.
4. Q. What was the special harm of de
monetising silver by our country, by Ger.
many, by Austria, and most of the na
tions of JEuroDe?
A. It had the effect to reduce the stand
ard money of the world one-half, with a
consequent reduction of prices, amounting
up to date fo So per vent.
t. Q. Suppose prices were reduced one
half, what harm would it do?
A. We will take the case of the farmer
to illustrate. Suppose the crop on which
he obtained money was wheat, and he
raised a thousand bushels, receiving Jl.OJu.
Even then his profit could not be more
titan 10 per cent. Now. to reduce the
price of that thousand bushels one-half, it
leaves him only I5W, and that Is not suffi
cient to pay the expenses of the farm.
Again, supposing hie farm to be worth
5,UUO, and supposing he was in debt II. Ow,
as prices began to fall. In a while he
found it Impossible to pay the Interest
on the debt and now, after twenty years,
he finds that he owes at least five years'
Interest amounting to KiSU, and the princi
pal, fl,3a0, and he finds that his farm,
which was worth JJ.OW to begin with, la
only worth $2,00 now, against which there
is a lien of I135U. If he owed S2.U00 he finds
that whereas he began with property
worth Kf.OW twenty years, he is todsy not
only bankrupt but In debt.
6. What other harm. If any, has the de
monetization of sliver wrought?
A, At the time of remonetlxatlon, the
public and private debts of the country
amounted to at least &.WJO.W.U0O. The
producers are the men who are in debt.
They made a brave struggle working year
after year, and paid all they could In in
terest. Thut Interest gravitated mostly to
the creditor classes tn the eustern cities,
and the result now Is that those men have
hll the money, and as property is worth
less every year than It was the year before,
they dare not Invest the money, and hence
It Is nearly all in banks and safe deposits
in the extreme east, while the producing
classes cannot get the necessary money to
use. ,
7. Q. But Is It not true that very large
amounts of silver have been coined since
ISI7S. very much larger amounts tin were
coined piior to that time?
A. Certainly, but that is not any more
primary money. Our stsndard 1s gold.
When silver was demonetised its dollar
ceased to be a unit of values; It ceased tc
be primary money; the omy legitimate
money left In the country Is gold, and
hence no matter how much silver under
present arrangements may be coined, it
all has to lean upon gold and has no effect
whatever upon fixing prices. Hence It
would have been Just as well if, Instead of
coining silver, the government had Issued
more greenbacks, because both alike are
made subsidiary to gold, and have to
lean upon cold for a value.
V. y. What would be necessary to
bring about full restoration of silver?
A. It would be for the government to
Undo the work of 1873; to say that hence
forth the dollar of 412i grains should, I'.ke
the gold dollar of 25.8 grains, be a unit of
values, and that the government should
take all silver offered at the market price
up to $1,2929 per ounce, coin It Into dollars
and make It a perfect legal tender for all
liabilities of the government or the cltl
gen, absolute primary money as it former
ly was.
t Q. But If the United States should un
dertake this alone, would not the result be
that all the silver in the world would
gravitate here until we woutld be swamped
by the amount?
, A. Where would the silver come from?
There is only about 8.500 millions In sliver
in the world. It Is all In use as money; in
England at 13 to 1; on the continent of Eu
rope at 1514 to 1. In. Asia stiver Is the ori
ginal money and is all in use. Where
could it come from? Again, If all that has
been saVed from 3,00(1 years of mining
could be dumped upon us. it would give us
but ISO per capita.
10. Q. Would not the remonetlxatlon
Work a hardship, for Instance, upon pen
sioners who draw regular amounts from
the government every year?
A; It would have the effct to reduce
the purchasing power of gold materially.
But such pensioners have little homes and
have bdslness outside out of the mere
amount that they draw from the govern
ment, and their property would advance
more than they would lose by the fall in
the purchasing power of the money they
receive.
11. Q. Would It not work a hardship on
the depositors In savings banks?
A. It would for a little while work a
hardship upon them if they left their
money in the banks. If, however, they
were to take it out and Invest it in prop
erty', they would make more in a year by
the advance In property than they would
by leaving their money In tbe banks for
ten years.
12. Q. Would It not be a hardship on
Wage-earners, as wages do not Increase
as swiftly as property under such circum
stances? A. To those who have secure places and
fixed Incomes It would work a little hard
ship, but It would open fields for every one
to obtain employment; men who are work
ing on half time now would be working on
full time. Hundreds of thousands of men
who can get nothing to do and have to be
supported by the earnings of others would
obtain employment at fair wages, and
With the Increase of money, the wages of
wage-earners would very swiftly advance.
13. Q. Can you give any example to
prove that what you say Is reasonable?
A. Tee. When the gold In California
and Australia was discovered which dou
bled the amount of money in the world
In ten years, the result -was that all the
Idle men found employment. There was
a market for everything produced from
the soli and In the factory. All forms of
property doubled in our country, and In
a year or two labor doubled and found
Steady emDloyment. ,
14. Q. Why would it not do. If just the
recognition of the government will double
the value of sliver and make it legitimate
money, to do the same by copper and by
leadT- .
A. Because gold and silver are the
only two precious metals which have all
the properties necessary to make perfect
money, such as duoUUty, density, perfect
malleability, lustre, etc. But they have
smother characteristic and that Is. that
It Is not possible, notwithstanding ths cu
pidity of man, to obtala enough of both
aJ11VC1
.
to serve the world's work as measures of
value. As we said 'above, all the sliver
save from all the -work of the world
amounts to only 150 per capita for our peo
ple, and we have to pay to Great Britain
in Interest and dividends every twenty
years as much, gold, or Its equivalent, as
there la gold in all tbe world.
IS Q. What would be the advantage of
remonctlzlng stiver?
A. It would have the same effect that
would come from the finding of a new
gold field from which, within a year. 3,000
million dollars in gold could be obtained.
Its Iret effect would toe to loosen up the
money that Is now hoarded throughout the
United States and cause the men who own
It to put It in property and to Improve
the property. It would double the price
of lands within short time and all that
comes from the lands. And that would
make It necessary for S.ouO.uuO farmers In
the United States to employ at least 6.000.
000 more men that are not now being em
ployed. If the farmer's crops could be
doubled In price ie would have some
money to spare; and If among the S.ooo.uoo
farmers there was an average of $50 apiece,
that would make 250,JW,uW per annum
that the merchants and artisans of the
country would get which they do not get
now.
16. Q. Is it not a fair criticism made in
the east, that the men of the west want
sliver restored simply to obtain a double
price for their product?
A. Not at all. Almost every stale In
the east is much more interested In sil
ver restoration than all the silver states
puK together. For instance, lust year
there were but 47,000.00 ounces of silver
mined In the United States. At the going
rates, that brought leas than JiU.ooo.Ox).
Now, take any large-state of the east and
take any product of the farm, corn, wheat
or cotton, and see how much more people
would receive If prices could be doubled.
Or, take a mixed state like Illinois or Ohio,
where there Is a largo crop ef wheat, corn
and wool, and See if the price for those
productscouldbedoubled.hcw much great
er would be the gain of the people there
thau the gain of the silver miners. Then,
about all the silver miners that we know
are likewise gold miners, and It Is per
fectly clear that If the price of silver
would double, the price of gold would sink
one-half. That Is, if a gold dollar now In
Chicago will buy two bush-is of wheat,
with silver restored u dollar would- buy
only one bushel of wheat.
17. Q. Is It not true that silver has de
clined in value because of over-production
!
A. There Is no such thing as the over
production of silver. It has declined In
value simply because the demand for it
and recognition of it have been withheld by
the nations. It has never In all the history
of the world changed in relative value to
gold except through legislation, and only
legislation Is necessary to fully restore it
because gold and sliver, when both recog
nized as money, are not like any other
substances. Every otner substance Is
governed by its commercial value. Gold
and silver are governed, when both are
recognised, by their money value, which
brings their commercial value up to their
money vahie.
18. Q. Has the demonetisation of silver
had any effect outside of reducing prices?
A. les. It has had the effect, through
the Impoverishment of men, to Increase
the crimes of the country, the suicides, the
divorces, the lunatics and the occupants
of the work-houses. In the same ratio that
silver has fallen. In other words, it hus
been a blow at civilization Itself, and has
caused more mental suffering and pecu
niary loss than would such u war as the
war of the Rebellion. The estimated value
of the property of the country In 1890 was
70,000 millions of dollars; that of the Em
pire of Austria was 18.000 millions; that
of Russia was 21,0uu millions. Since then
property In this country has so shrunken
in value that the-amount of the shrlnkuge
aggregates more than the total value of all
the property of either-Austria or Kussiu,
and it Is Still falling.- Another result Is
that the rural districts remain stationary
in population, while the people from the
farms, the young men and women, so soot;
as they come of age, gravitate to the cities
with the result that more than half of
them are lost.
18. Q. You have always been a Repub
lican. Is not the tariff really of more Im
portance than the restoration of silver?
A. The present tariff is about the high
est ever known, except the McKlnley law,
and it absolutely falls to supply the needed
revenue. The reason Is because the peo
ple huve not the money, and until the cur
rency question Is fixed, no tariff can bring
back prosperity. The money of the
Orient which Includes India, China and
Japan of Egypt, of all Spanish America,
Is silver, and because of the demonetiza
tion of silver,- their money Is worth only
half what our own is. See what chance
the American manufacturer has In com
peting with the manufacturer of China,
Japan or Mexico. It would take a loo-percent,
tariff to simply equalize the money
between our country and the Orient. It
Is the burning question of the age, and in
our Judgment upon Its careful final adjust
ment hangs the fact of whether this na
tion Is to last another two decades or
whether the Republic will be shattered in
the storm of a new revolution.
SOME HEM ARKS IX HEPLY.
Questions 1 to 7 are answered cor
rectly if the foregoing- premises be true.
But are those premises true? In the
first place, has the volume of standard
money been cut In half? Secondly,
have prices fallen 50 per cent, in the
past twenty-two years? Let us inquire
into the fundamental facts.
In 1873. at the time of the so-called
demonetization of silver, the per capita
circulation of the United States was
$18.04; today it is over $22. In 1S73 In the
United States the actual amount of
specie or coin, including bullion, in ex
istence was only $25,000,000, of which
only about $8,000,000 Was In standard sli
ver dollars. On June 30 last, the total
amount of gold coin in circulation in
this country was $455,876,49; of gold
certificates, $42,961,909; of full legal ten
der silver dollars, $5X717.417; of sliver
certificates, $336,313,080. and of subsid
iary silver, $41,356,(12:7. Consequently, It
Is not true to say that the volume of
standard money has been cut in half
since 1873. It has really been multi
plied many times. Never before was
there so large a quantity of standard
money in the United States as there
has been since the demonetization of
silver; and the restriction of silver coin
age sufficiently to maintain our silver
money on a parity with gold has had
the effect to increase. Instead of con
tract, the circulation of currency.
Otherwise, gold would have disap
peared from circulation, values resting
on the gold basis would have shrunk as
gold was forced out of circulation and
our currency would have been narrowed
down to the actual amount of unwieldly
silver and to the sliver certificate now
In use.
But how about prices? True, Sauer
beck took forty-five articles and found
that according to Bngllsh quotations
the prices of those articles have fallen,
since 1873, almost one-half. But we
have a table of American prices which
beats that. It covers 232 articles, and
was prepared by a special committee of
the United States senate.whlch included
In Its membership almost an equal rep
resentation of Democrats and- Repub
licans, "gold bugs" and "sllverltes."
This American table, representing the
sum of money which could buy 232 ar
ticles in 18(0 by the Index number 100,
proceeds to anew the variations In ths
subsequent year. It shows, la abort.
And the . .
Path of National Safety.
Production of Gold and Silver, 183MHV3.
, ': World's Producton. United States' Production. Ratio World's
"" " Uold. . ttllver. Gold. Silver. Production of
Ounces. Ounces. Ounces. Ounces. Silver toUold.
1851 fi.SOO.OOU 31,100,000 2.6til,0t'O 40,000 6.30 to 1
1863 C4.U0U0 Sl.JOO.OOO 2,902.0110 40,000 4,67 "
1863 7.620,000 $1,800,000 3.144.0U' 40.000 4.1 "
1854 S.Hm.Ooo 31,300,IKM 2,902,000 40.000 6. OS
1855 S.530,000 31,S0O,0OJ 2,W 40,000 4.7 "
1854 T.140.00O 31,400,000 2,61,000 40,0110 4.40 "
1857 S.447,000 ai.400.i00 2,t81,00i 40,000 4.87 "
1858 tS.030,000 31.400,000 2.419,001) ' JS7.000 6.21 "
1859 C.040,000 31,500,000 2.419.00O 77.000 6.23 "
1800 6,770,000 . 31.500,000 2.226.000 1K.O0O 6.46 "
18C1 6,5u0,000 32,800,000 2,080.000 1.547.0W i. "
1862 6.210,000 34.900.000 1,S!NS,000 3,480,500 11.70 "
lSt 5,175,000 87.700,000 1.936,000 8.574,300 7.28 '
1864 6.470.000 89.200.0u0 2,li!0,000 8.508.O0O 7.17 "
1885 8.110.000 39.800,000 2.575,000 8.701,000 ti.85 "
1868 6.8SO.0UO 42,200, 000 2,688,000 7.7SI.500 7.20 "
1867 6.520.000 42.900.0O) 2.502,000 10.442,000 7.77 "
1868 O.ilO.OM) 43.700,000 2.322.000 9.281,000 8.23 "
1869 6.140,000 43.700.0UO 2.395.(100 s.Ssl.Ovv 8.50 "
1K0 6,170,000 46.8W.0UO 2.419.000 12.375.000 . 9.05 "
1871 6.175,000 66.600,000 2,104,000 17.789.000 10.94 "
1&72 4.S20.0U0 M.100,000 1.741,500 22,237,000 12.68 "
1S73 4.05O.0UO 63.267.000 1,741. 5(W S7.C51.OJO 18.61 "
1874 4.390,000 5,300,000 1.620.500 28.85O.C0O 12.60 "
1875.... 4,720,0W C2.262.000 1.615, 7oO 24.518,500 13.19 "
1876 6.016,000 ' 67.753,000 1.930.100 30.010.000 13.51 "
1877 6.615,000 2,648,0U0 2.'8,8oO 3O.7S3.50O 113 "
1S78 6.766.000 73.476.ou0 2.47'1.8uO 84,960,U0O 12.77 "
ISTy 6.262.0OO 74,250.000 1.881.800 31.55o.000 14.11 "
IS) 6.149.000 74.79'-.00O 1.741,500 30.320,000 14.53 "
1XXI 4 984.000 78.spO.000 1,678.600 32,260,000 15.83 "
mi 4.934.000 86.470,000 1.572.20O 36,200.000 17.63 "
1441 4.615.000 89.177,000 1.451.250 25.73O.O00 1932 "
1W4 4.918,000 81,597,000 1,489.950 37,800,000 1659 "
1K5 6.246.000 W.652,'wO 1,638.300 39.910,000 17.47 "
ISM 6.136.OO0 93,276.000 1,693,100 39,440.000 18.16 "
1W7 8,117,000 96,124.000 1.596.4UO 41.260,000 18.70 "
Usg 6.S33.OO0 108.827.000 1.604,840 45.78O.OU0 20.41 "
1) 6.974.000 12U.2U.6U0 1.687.O0O 50,000,000 20.12 "
1KM 6,749.000 12.096,000 1.5S8.880 64.500.000 21.93 "
11 ,32O.0U0 1 37,171,000 1,604.840 58.330,000 21.70 '
Mi 7.10B.OO0 . 153,152,000 1.596.400 . 63.500.000 21.5 "
m 7.6u9.0O0 166.0K2.000 . 1.739.300 60.000,000 21.83 "
1S!H 8.738.000 1B7.753.000 J.910.SO0 49.500.000 19.20 "
IS (approximate) 9.500,000 166.000.oo0 2,200,000 46,000 000 y 17.37 "
that while today goods are. on the
average, only about eight per cent
cheaper than in 1860. silver Is 50 per
cent, cheaper. The table is appenaeu:
Prices 232 Ratio
American of silver
articles, to gold.
iftiin 100.0 16.29 to 1
lKKl 100 6 15.50 to 1
Una 117.8 15.35 to 1
148 6 15.37 to 1
1S64 190 5 15.37 to 1
1J65 216 8 15.44 to 1
1S66 ... 191.0 15.43 to 1
ltt;7 172 2 15.57 to 1
1868 160 6 1 5 69 to 1
IStia 153.5 15.60 to 1
mil 142.3 15.67 to 1
1671 liK.W 15.57 to 1
ltfa 13S.8 15.63 to 1
1873 137-5 16.92 to 1
1874 133.0 16.17 to 1
1875 127 16.68 to 1
1676 118.2 17.87 to 1
1677 110.9 17.22 to 1
1876 101.3 17.9tOl
1S79 96.6 18 39 to 1
1680 106.9 18.04 to 1
1861 106.7 1 8.24 10 1
1S82 108.5 18.27 to 1
1863 106.0 18.65 to 1
1684 99 4 !S.C3t0l
1885 S3 .0 19.39 to 1
1866 91.9 2U .78 to 1
1887 92 21.11 to 1
1S68 94.2 21.99 to 1
1689 ..94 2 22.10 to 1
1H) 92.3 19.77 10 1
lKil ,. .. 92.2 20.92 to 1
1S02 23.68 to 1
U93 26.70 to 1
ISM 22.58 to 1
It is true, as the silver men claim,
that wheat and cotton have fallen since
1873 almost to the same extent that sll
ver has fallen. But the following table
shows that no such decline in prices has
characterized corn, oats or pork:
Actual prices Price ol
Corn, oats, Pork, silver
Jiu. bit. brl. peroz.
1871 4 9 35.7 $11.3 $1-320
1872 34.8 29.4 11.91 1.322
1873 41.6 32.3 14.14 1.298
174 CS.9 47.3 17.44 1.27$
1875 3.J 31.8 16 42 1.216
1676 S3.1 1)1.4 17.51 1.156
1877 33.9 27.6 ).9S 1.201
1878 31.0 24.4 9.71 1.152
179 37.5 SS.l 9.88 1.123
I860 39 8 36.0 13.23 1.1-15
1681 63.8 46.4 16.94 1.138
1662 48.6 37.5 19.79 1.136
13Stl 43.0 32.7 W.59 1.110
lt :j.O 28.0 16.48 1.113
1885 33.0 29.0 11.58 1.005
mi 3'i.fl 2:8 lu.63 .995
1867 1.4 30.4 15.00 .978
18M1 34.1 33.3 15.10 .939
1689 28.3 2.'.9 12.58 .935
1890 CU.6 42.4 12.13 1.046
1691 40.8 31.5 11.3K .988
1892 39.4 31.7 11.52 .871
1893 3U.5 9.4 18.35 .760
1S94 43.7 22 4 14.13 .637
This table shows, in other words, that
as compared with 1873, In gold prices,
corn was 10 per cent, higher In 1S94, oats
about the same, and mess pork about
the same, while silver had fallen 60 per
cent. If the fall in wheat and cotton
had been caused by a contraction of the
volume of the world's standard money,
there would have been a corresponding
fall in the prices of all other commo
dities. Xo such general fall having oc
curred, is it not reasonable to infer that
the fall in wheat, cotton and one or two
other articles has been due to special
causes, unconnected with the currency?
This Is the view taken by some of the
greatest of modern economists, among
whom we may mention M. Paul, Beau
lieu, who In L'Economlste for March SO,
1893, wrote:
The demonstration that the abandon
ment of silver in nowise affects the full in
prices is shown decisively by considering
other products not Imported from sliver
standard countries, but which come solely
or nearly so, from gold standard countries.
Take wood,, for Instance. Few article.
have fallen so low In price. It comes from
Scandinavian countries, with gold stand
ard; from Canada (gold). Then again
thero Is wool. That comes principally from
Australia (gold), from the Cape (gold).
and a small quantity from Argentina,
which has no metal standard, but paper
money. Coffee, on the contrary, which
comes from a country whose exchange
has depreciated prodigiously (Brazil), has
risen during the last twenty years. In
stead of seeking a cause unique and mys
terious for the low price of a host of ar
ticles It would be better to examine the
special cause of the depreciation of each
one of them, and they are soon found, viz.:
The opening up of new countries; agricul
tural progress and Intensive culture in
old countries; perfection In navigation
and the lowering of freight rates, all coin
ciding with the reduction in the rate .of
increase or. population In civilized coun
tries. Production makes enormous prog
ress by scientific applications, and the
population Increases less and less In
France, Belgium. Switzerland, In Eng
land, the United States and all over the
civilized world.
The principal arguments of the free
coinage movement having thus been
shown to be based on a misstatement of
facts, but little remains to be said In
reply to the minor arguments. The Salt
Lake Tribune's chief worry, as Indi
cated In the foregoing catechism, seems
to, be lest there should not be enough
gold In ths world to make stable basis
for the world' currency. We reply to
this fear by quoting as follows from the
New York Evening Post:
The Industrial use of gold has In re
cent years been a subject of close investi
gation, the conclusion reached by gen
eral agreement among experts being that
150.000.000 is a safe outside estimate on the
annual consumption for such purposes In
. .
the world. It may -readily be figured out
that this would still leave, under the es
timate of production for 1896. no less than
$170,000,000 worth of new gold annually for
coinage purposes. How large a percent
age this Is to existing money supplies Is
of course a very difficult question to de
termine. In 1S85. however, Dr. Adolph
Soetbeer undertook the task. Ills figures
have an Interest as being the nearest
approximation which we are likely to ob
tain to the exact truth of the matter. He
reckoned the total metallic money sup
ply in all civilized states thut year at
21,207,000.000 marks, or roughly $5,301,750,
000. These figures had of course no ref
erence to bank or government paper Is
suj, but they Included legal-tender sil
ver. On such a total, the current an
nual gold production, after allowing for
the industrial use of gold, represents an
annual Increase, in the world's metalllo
money supply, of more than 3 per cent.
Neither the population, nor the foreign
trade, nor domestic operations as rep
resented by clearing-house exchanges,
show In any state an Increase even ap
proximating this.
The assertion that silver has fallen
because of demonetization rather than
because of overproduction does not
stand the test. Attention is called to
the above large table taken from official
sources.
From this table it appears that the
range of variation in the world's gold
production has been from 4.390,000
ounces In 1S74 to 9,500,000 in 1895. less
than 100 per cent., whereas the range
of variation of the world's silver pro
duction has been from 31,100,000 ounces
In 1801 to 167.753,000 ounces in 1894, or
nearly 600 per cent.
For the United States alone to under
take to hold this tremendous mass of
silver up to a ratio toward gold repre
senting double the commercial value of
sliver would be to attempt what any
rational man comprehending the real
facts must readily perceive to be a
physical impossibility. . Most assuredly
it would work "some little hardship" on
"pensioners," "depositors In savings
banks" and "wage earners." And not
only a little but a very big harddshlp,
which would spread among all classes
of our citizenship until every business
Interest would be crushed under the un
bearable strain. We have done for sil
ver all that can be done In safety. We
have Increased the coinage of It from
$8,000,000 In 1873 to nearly $600,000,000 in
silver coin or bullion at the present time.
We have covered every dollur of our
gold with an equal dollar of silver or a
silver certificate. To attempt, to do
more on our own hook would be simply
to court disaster.
ST. HILAIRE'S BABOON,
The Mischievous Pet Ha a Weakness
for Costly Diamond Necklaces.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer. .
One day the home of Geoffroy St. Hll
alre, the famous French naturalist, be
came a perfect pandemonium.. Every
room was turned upside down, except
the study of the master of the house.
Mme. St. Hllalre had lost a very valu
able diamond necklace, but she Instruct
ed the servants not to mention the loss
to her husband, lest the knowledge of
it should disturb him in his work.
Moreover, the missing bauble could not
be there. Inasmuch as she rarely en
tered that sanctum. , The search proved
in vain, but the great savant was still
left In Ignorance. A few days later, at
Mme. St. Hllaire's weekly "at home,"
one of her female friends sympathetic
ally Inquired after the ornament In the
hearing of her host. In the most airy,
but withal most unaffected way, the
great naturalist remarked that his fa
vorite baboon had been playing for
nearly a week with a "similar thing to
that described," which "similar thing"
turned out to be the priceless ornament.
Mme. St. Hllalre Indignantly protested
at M. St. Hllaire's neglect In not having
taken the necklace from the animal, "i
thought that It belonged to him," was
the calm reply; "he seemed to take-such
pride in It."
Heard During tbe .Freshet.
The crane, who was wading In the water
to taku the rheumatism out of his legs
remarked to the river:
"1 hope you are well, but your face
looks swollen."
"Sure," said the river. "I have not been
out of my bed in six months."
"Do not let lne detain you If you were
about to rise," said the crane.
"Thank you," said the river. "I am bet
ter, though not up to the mark high
water mark." ,
"In for a little sport, eh?" laughed th-
crane; "going to try to break the bank,
eh?"
"Cert." said the river, "but I see you are
ready for high water.'
"As how?'" asked the crane.
"3et up on piles," and the river chuckled.
"That's fair," said the crane; 'Lut 1
shall put In a. long bill for damages, all
the same." And he wandered up
stream, looking for another sucker. Tor
onto (Can.) News. ' '
Speers tnfermented (irapc Juice in
Europe.
Has a wide reputation from Its efllcaev
In the sick room. The juice Is rich, tastes
like eating the ripe grape frejh from the
vine; used by churches.
Why?
"Why Is it,' the Cumminsville sage in
quired, with the air of one pleased with
the sound of his own voice, "why la It
that the man of 40 or thereabouts, who can
realise so well bow old he Is when he Is
talking to a youth of eighteen; seems to
forget all abou' It when he meets a girl
of that age?" Cincinnati Enquirer,
IN GWYLLT WALIA
The Leadint Orraas Severe oa tbe
EaclUh Nature of the Eisteddfod.
A MODERN MUSICAL ADJUDICATION
The Adjudicators at tbe National Eis
teddfod Agree on a Higher Standard
of Criticism antl Award Piiies on
that Line.
The Cardiff Times, in speaking of
Wales and her Institutions, says they
have been brought very prominently
before the world by the coincidence of
three Important - events falling very
closely after each other. Two weeks
ago there was a memorable gathering
in tha pretty little town of Aberyst
wyth, the home of the first university
college, and, fittingly enough, the town
In which the first public gathering was
held in connection with the newly
formed University of Wales. It U not
idle boast to write of the installation
ceremony of the Prince of Wales u
chancellor of the university and set It
down as the most brilliant gathering
ever held In Wales In modern times
Many Journalists nho have been 'cus
tomed to attend all kinds of meeting.
called for many different purposes in
various parts of the country were uu
animous in voting that brilliant as
sembly In the marquee at Aberystwyth
the brightest and must striking they
had seen in connection with a royal
visit. We take it us a very happy au
gury for the success of the university
that it appeared so well and so success
fully for the first time in the public
gaze of all sorts and conditions of men
and women. It was Indeed a memor
able gathering, for all classes were re
presented, Including royalists, the arts
tocracy, the Commoners with Mr.
Gladstone us the greatest Commoner of
the century literature. medicine,
music and luw, the naval and military
forces, and the governing bodies, front
the member of parliament to the chair
man of a parish council. It was very
fitting that It should be si, for the Uni
versity of Wales will fail signally If It
does not appeal to and assist all classes
of the people of Wules. The meeting
and processioning fornwd a brilliant
and a successful "God-speed" to the
latest and greatest of our institutions
tor the advancement of the WeUh peo
ple. On the following day the cere
mony was of a different character, but
still the Institution brought into promt
nent notice was an educational one, and
an Institution of which any town might
well be proud. The new and extended
Free Library and reading room which
the prince opened at Cardiff la one of
largest and most Important of the kind
In the country. There are only a few
similar Institutions which will bear
comparison with It, and very few that
are better.
The. library hud Just been enriched
by the addition of rare and valuable
Welsh books and manuscripts by the
generosity of a few subscribers and
friends of the Institution, but apart
from that the whole of the magnificent
building and the prlnclpul part of Its
contents have been secured out of the
public taxes. The people's money has
built up a really fine public Institution
for the special use of the people. Many
striking Improvements have been wit
nessed In the rapidly progressive town
of Cardiff, but none have been more
remarkable in a business town than the
advancement in its educational instl
tutions, and principally in the free
library. During a very brief stay the
Prince of Wales received the freedom
of the town of Cardiff, visited the ex
hlbltion, and opened the free library
amid a display of bunting and loyalty
which very fittingly marked the
princes first visit to the principal town
of Wales. The other institution, the
Times refers to, Is the National Eis
teddfod, which held its meetings this
year at Llaududno. The gatherings were
of the usual successful character, and a
note of reform has been sounded In the
addresses and In the papers read be
fore the meetings of the Cymrodorlon
section. If the old Institution Is to
maintain its position In the hearts of
the people it must be so reformed as to
bring It in complete harmony with the
progressive fortunes, educational at
tainments and ideas of the Welsh
people. The careful observer of events
cannot fail to notice that Wales is on
a transition period of a very marked
character, which will try many old cus
toms and Institutions, and in order tbat
the eisteddfod may not step back we
trust that moderate and well-considered
reforms will be adopted so as to
keep It In Its old position, and that
Is foremost in the hearts of the people.
MUSICAL ADJUDICATION
of the chief choral prize at the National
Eisteddfod. The remarks of tht ad
judicators should be thoughtfully con
sidered by choir conductors in this
country. Mr. Cowen, the principal
conductor, snoke as follows: As the
following adjudication and remarks
which we have drawn up together, my
co-adjudicators and myself, embody
everything that we could wish to say
on so Important on occasion, there Is
no need for me to say any more than
simply read the notes to you. We are
of'Oitlnkm that this has been a innt;
nlflceiit contest, and the finest since the
London Eisteddfod In 1887. At the same
time there can be no doubt us to the
winning choir. Now, that the choirs of
Wales have Improved so much In the
more obvious and readily appreciable
qualities. It becomes necessary to turn
our attention to those qualities that be
long to a higher standard. By those
we have shaped our opinion, and we
feel convinced that our course adopted
on the present occasion is one which
should govern all adjudications" of a
similar character. Hence it Is not body
of tone, violent effort or tricky reading
which have a determining influence, but
singing that embodies high artistic
qualities, refinement, accurate concep
tion of the composer's Intentions, and so
forth. The chances of certain of the
choirs were materially diminished by
the adoption of the wrong tempi. Then
in other cases there was obvious In
ability to sustain the pitch. In others,
again, tho voices were unduly forced,
to the detriment of the tone produced.
We have unanimously, and without
hesitation, awarded the prize to the
choir which we think sang all the pieces
the most artistically, with a beauty of
tone, accuracy, naturalness of expres
sion and general success and that
choir la No. 4 (L'ullth.)
' " " THE OORSEDD. '
There are Indications that the el?
teddfod Is dfstlntd at no dictant dute
to lose all Us old characteristics. The
tendency of "Cymru Fydd" I to wipe
out all traces of tho past and to have
everything new, and the eisteddfod Is
undergoing the change.' The harp and
penllllon singing have already given
place to choral competitions, and its
bardic character It threatsrted. Pro-
Your food is soggy,
instead
OesglneCotMlSB kaa tmd marks "ax(alme"aad
THE N. K. FAIXIBAKU COMPANY,
CHICAGO.
NEW YORK,
feasor Morris Jones has shaken public
confidence In Its bardic character, and
It Is becoming every year more and
more a means of local trade advertise
ment. "The Owylledydd" once a loyal
ftsteddfodist, and the organ of the late
ClwyUfurdd makes a serious attack
upon the old Institution. Thus "The
age has greatly changed, and the cere
mony of chairing the bard Is scarcely
an attraction today. It appears child
ish from the standpoint of common
sense, and the articles of Professor
Morris Jones liavo caused a revolution
in public opinion In regard to bards and
the Uoistdd. The Qorscdd occupied an
lu3i"Utcarit place ut the Llandudno
eisteddfod, and the signs of the times
force the conviction that the "chair" Is
nut an essential element of a successful
eisteddfod. The English element which
leavened the Llandudno eisteddfod was
a serious disadvantage to the Welsh
nation. The list of patrons was pain
ful and offensive. There were names
upon It whoso bearers had not tha
slightest sympathy with Welsh mat
ters. One might Infer that church and
papal orders were tho chief qualifica
tions, while nonconformist ministers
possessed none. Whorearethe chairmen
of our religious denominations the
true bishops of Wales? The patrons of
the 189a eisteddfod are an unqualified
Insult to the Welsh nation. Our soul
trembles with Welsh anger. The names
of English blBhops as natrons of the
"national eisteddfod of Wales are a liv
ing hypocrisy." The editor of "The
Owylledydd" does not kfiow, possibly,
that the gentry and clergy were the
sole patrons of the eisteddfod during
the first half of the present century, and
that Nonconformists were never seen
on the platform. The eisteddfod was
proscribed by the sects, and noncon
formists were expelled and excommuni
cated for attending Its meetings. That's
the way the leading papers of Wales
speak of the recent national eisteddfod.
EISTEDDFODIC NEWS.
There were thirty-six epitaphs re
ceived on the late Canon Roberts (Ellis
Wyn of Wyrfal). Prize awarded to
Rev. D. Lewis (Dev1 Mdl) Llaneliy.
The prize offered for a series of hymns
on "The birth, life, death, resurrection
and ascension of Christ" was divided
between Awstwyn Wyn and the Rev,
Cernyw Williams, Corwen. North
Wales. The Rev.. D. P. Jones, of the
West Side, was one of the competitors
for the prize.
Not one of the six Welsh dramas re
ceived were worthy of the prize.
Mr. Tom Williams (Brynfab) won on
the epitaph to tho late Tudno.
NEWS NOTES.
The hall In which the mammoth eis
teddfod of Denver Is to be held in Sep
tember next was dedicated on the
Fourth of July with great eclat. The
hail will accommodate ten thousand
people ana on tne evening of the fourth
a grand concert was held in this mam
moth building under the auspices of the
Eisteddfod committee, and many dis
tinguished people were present. Henry
M. Teller, the senator from Colorado,
was present and presided over the con
cert, which was a great success. The
citizens of Denver, In fact the citizen
of the entire state of Colorado, inde
pendent of creed and nationality, take
a deep interest in the affairs of tho dom
ing eisteddfod which is to be hxld In
September next, arid everything is be
ing done to make It the greatest eis
tedddfodical affair ' yet held In the
United States. Judge Edwards, of this
city, will be the conductor l;i general of
the entire affair, and Mr. Daniel Proth
eroe, formerly of this fit, will be one
of the musical adjudtcutors. Choirs
from Sa.le Lake City, Denver, and other
western cities will participate In the
affair. Many elKt?ddfodwyr from Scran-
ton and other cut-tern cities will be pres
ent.
Mr. Dan Protheroo, formerly of this
city, Is already a prominent figure In
the musical circles of Milwaukee, and
Is conductor of ono of the best vocal or
ganizations of that beautiful city. Re
cently he had the great distinction of
wielding the baton for an organization
of six hundred of the select singers of
that city at a grat musical festival.
Mr. Protheroo is a born conductor and
a musician of the highest order.
Reeve Jones, the, brilliant pianist of
thlB city, has already developed wonder
ful aptitude In the art of voice culture.
His double quartc-tte of the Flrse Pres
byterian church Is accomplishing some
beautiful work, demonstrating culture
of the highest order, t.lenlus and true
artistic work arc prominent features iti
the efforts of Mr. Jones and his mag
nificent party.
Yea, Ilullth Is a very email country
town, hut as large as Berry Square,
Dotvlals. tut It is the home of music.
The Invigorating atmosphere or the Ep
pynt mountains, the careful training of
the mountaineers and their general
tuggcdtiess won for them their splendid
victory at the National Eisteddfod of
Wales.. We sympathize with the glori
ous singers of .the hills of Olumorgan,
but when they have to meet In combat
the singers of Eppynt mountains of
Breeonshire and Mynydd Du of Car
marthen something lneit,W must
happn.
greasy, indigestible?,.
Use . v
of lard.
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