THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE-MOJN DAI', AUGUST G, 1900. l3e Scrai.ton r(6ime Published Dally, Epl Sunday, ty The Trib une Publishing; C.omny, at Kitty Cents Month. MVY P. HK'lIAIlt), rldlte.r. O. K. BVMJhU, Uuslneis Manager. New York Office! 1M Vassail El. S. S. VltF.rXANI), Sole Agent lor l'orelcn Advertising. I'ntercd t (lie Poitemcc at Scrantcn, ft , as Second Class Mall Matter. When tpaee -n ill permlt,,lil Trlliine Is alwiys Kind to niint short letters'frWlli friend lm Inif 011 current topics, lmt It rule Is that these must be slcned, for publication, by the writer i real name; and the condition precedent to c ceptame Is that all contribution shall be subject to ediloilal rcWslon SCUANTON, AUOUBT 6, 1900. REPUBLICAN NOMINATIONS. National. resldrnt-lt.UAM McKIM.KY. . . Vice Prcsldint-TIIKODOm: IlOOSllVIXT. State. Conprernen-at Larce nAI.USIIA A. GROW. iionr.iir if M)i'.iii)i:i(i;ii. . ... Aulilor ticncral-h. II. JIMIUKNUKIUIH. County. Concrnw-iVIMtAM rOSATM.. Judire-t?i mini: .i. w.rso. PhcrlfT tdllN II ll.l.t.OHS. liciMircr--.! .cn.NTOV District Altornre-ttlf.UWl ll I.CWII rrothonutnr IDIIN roi'l.I.AND ("Idle of Courts rilOMS I' DVNIU.3. flee order of Ilrrds- KMII HOW rtrjtlstor of Wills . K HICK. Jury CommlwIonir-inWAlin II bTl'H(ir.9. Legislative. First District Tlinl .1. miVVOItV Second IlKtrlit lulls ( UCI't It. -"t Third Distriet-I I)Allli IAMPS, JU. Fomlli lllslrlit I. A. l'HII.IIIN The Times Ins liccii quile us liberal jnd free In tho rntouMgeinint of Industrial enterprises In this eillr.e .is rtio Tribune, SOU II s ITS (oi,t'Ms Hi.i.s iiiiiKfi in roitpoHMioNs to im'i n:fK i.iriiibi.ATivi: noniK-3 i.v mi: CM V Si niton Times, AuR 3. If tliN latter clntisp Is meant as an Insinuation tliat the columns of Tliu Tribune hruo been hired by coipora tlons tn Influence legislative bodies In the city or anywhere else, It calls for pi oof or i olfaction. The Mistakes of Others. Till: ARTICI.i: by Henry Nor man on Hngland's mistakes In China, nn abstract of whlrh nppeais elsewhere, Is of Intci est to Americans because It teaches them the kind of vacillation to avoid. When n government like Russia marks out a course that course Is followed, year after year and rt,ccna nfter decade, to the end. The dogged persistence and patient continuity of Hussltin diplomacy have become pro verbial. In the United states each four year peilod brings with It the possibility that tho woik of the state department during the preceding quad lennlum will be pulled to pieces and a different policy substituted. In the gone by years of our "splendid Isolation" these periodical and fre quent modifications of foreign policy, while sometimes humiliating and often cmbaii.asslng, were not In great ele giee dangerous, for the reason that our Intel ests In the outside wot Id were few and binnll. To one policy we ad heied consistently the Monroe doc trineand that kept us out of the cur tent of serious foreign complications. Hut this period of Isolation has ex piied. Kegiet tho fact or not, It te malns u fact that today the United States Is In tho nildstieam of the wot Id's biggest pioblem China with Intel ests second to none nnd opportu nities conimcnsuiate with Its power. Shall wo gasp and sputter In the old uncertainty, with changes of the pro gramme every time the homo wind cers, or shall there bo a continuous Ametlcan policy In this direction, en forced by a public opinion that will permit no essential variation no mat ter which political party happens to be In oflleeV Mr. Xoi man's article shows some of tho mistakes of others. They arc pro fitable for our own instruction. I'very day adds to Scranton's need of a compact and expert paid fire de partment. Some Reasons Why fT Hi: QUKSTION Is fiequently T asked by ciltlcs of the ndmlnlstrat Inn's Philippine pollej', "Why wore not those Islands treated like Cuba? Why weiC'thoy not promised Independ ence V" In the cut rent Istuc of Har per's Weekly, ex-Mlnlster Denny, u Democnit nnd member of the first Philippine commission, makes replj He points out that whatever might have been tiuo pi lor to tho iatlfl rntlon of the Paris peace treatj', by that 1 1 city, for which, by the way, Colonel Hryun lined up seventeen Dcmociatlc senntois, the Philippines became American territory, as much so as Oklahoma, while Cuba did not. AW cannot apply the same treatment to a tenltory which lieloriRH to us that we applj to one over which we slm plj' e.xeiclso a species of protectorate. Hut should not tho Paris treaty have put the Philippines on a par wjh Cuba? How cojM It? Cuba is ntj island, Inhabited by people speak Inif one language and practically luHJiog?iirous, so near tho United States tlrflt Ametlcan Influence must always pcftponderate In Cuba's foiclgn rela tbJlis. To pledge It independence) was toyiledge something possible of nccom pINhmcnt and not likely to be a ' continuous and serious cause at' international discord. Hut to pledge Independence to the sixty odd trlbei jn the Philippines, tilbes as dlf- icrcni in uiaiects as in degrees ot civilization nnd knit together neither by a common religion, a common sys- ferent In dialects as In degrees ot sys tern of law, nor by any of the ties necessary for coherent government, wojild,. in tho first place, have been an, exhibition ot fatuity and in the second place, it would havo oponed the door to European interference. Tho European powers could not ob ject to our taking over these Islands directly by a title doubly valid from conquest and purchase; but they cojjjd well have tefused to let us men ace tjlr interests by 'casting adrift on the waters of statehood a derelict craft ns full of danger to foreign in terests as if loaded with dynamite and a time fuse. But that is of tho past. Todny the islands are , our and what are wo Kolnff to do nbouflt?' The McKlnley plan is to keep on fighting the in surgents until they cease? to obstruct the ortinnlstatlon of onlttly govern ment. This may take n week, a year or n. century, but what else Is thero to do? Wu cannot forsake to bandit veimeunco the natlvct who have In good faith accepted our llaR nor es cape the obligations of the Paris trea ty which makes us responsible to the woild for the establishment of law nnd otdor. Why multiply our hard ships by ptomlf.es which could be ful filled only In tho far off future, If ecr, nnd which could add not n penny's worth to the privileges or opportunities In store for the law abiding Filipinos under American sov ereignty nnd rule? Tho lesson of Saturday's explosion Is clear, llewaro of pas leaks. Send for nn expert nt the first suggestion of n leak. Cany life nnd nccldrnt Insur ance. He grateful for the exceptional escapes which ate the most notable characteristic of the Lackawanna ave nue disaster. An Object Lesson. THK INCIDENT of tho closing of the Tlvoll, a notorious icsort In Gotham's "tender loin" distinct, sheds light upon Tammany methods. This place was one of a group of places where women of tho town lay In wnlt for prey. Tho male fiequcnler no sooner entered and took a seat at a taMo than he was Joined by dissipated women who expected him to buy drinks for them. If he consented and paid the high prices chniged ho could walk out In safety. If ho lefused, the women otdcicd the drinks themselves nnd he had either to pay or take a thrashing. Following the thrashing would come a pollcemnn whose, duty It wos to haul tho obstiepeious patron to the police couit, where he would bo fined for dlsoiderly conduct. For years this piocess has been a nightly occurrence, the police to all appeaninces acting as co-partneis, and the pioprletor openly boasted a "pull' which would insiiic him Immunity under all clicumstunccs. Hut n few nights ngo, the giand bouncer of the Tlvoll made a mistake. Ho pounce 1 upon, nssaulted and kicked out a high light In Tammany II.ill, a state sena tor. This was to the power that be In New York city's municipal affalis what "lose majesty" Is In 1'mporor William's bailiwick. They promptly had tho place t aided, held the offend ing bouncer under heavy ball, revoked tho propiletoi's license and caused It to be known that his futuio In New Yoik city Is a matter of the past. Meanw hlle, w Ithln a gunshot's dis tance of the Tlvoll aio ,i half-dozen or moie places exactly like It, which aie tunning along menlly without a hint of police Intoiferenco. These ilvai dens hae not offended the powers that be, because the only poisons thny rob and .slug aio tho poor otdlnary fools who find amusement In that spe cies of licensed outlawry. In opposing John P. Altgeld against Theoiloie Itonsevelt the Democrats have personified the issues and influ ences Involved In the pending cam paign. Weighed and Found Wanting. OST PERSONS will agtee that tho taillf Is not so ptess.. g an Issue as it was four yeais ago, be cause In the Interval of gieat prosper ltj which followed tho re-enactment of piotectlon even the fioe traders of fount!' ycai.s, whether they will admit it or not, wete educated to lecngnlze the euor of their ways. So that. In the rematks which follow, ti eating briefly of the tariff, we do not claim to touch a "paramount" lssue, j-et what we shall say will be woith listening to because of Its boailng upon William Jennings Hiynn's ability as a states man and upon his fitness for the olllce he now seeks. A man in public life niaj occasion ally bo mistaken and jet upon the whole be a wise, useful nnd safe pub lic 'oivnnt; no man Is Infallible. Hut what shall be said of a man njplilng to steer the whole ciaft of state who has been consistently w rong on every gieat subject befoie the people? That Mr. Hijan was wiong In his position upon the sliver question was believed by n majority of citizens four years ago and is believed bj so many more citizens now than then that his closest suppoiters aie doing their best to lele gate tho 16 to 1 plank foiced by him on the Kansas City convention Into ob scurltj'. They icfuso to talk about It. They trj' to lgnmc It. fomo of them lose their temper when it Is called up for discussion. Mr. Hij'an'.s silver plank is ns follows: "We reaffirm and indorse the prin ciples of the National Democratic platform adopted at Chicago in 1800, and we reiterate the demand of that platform for an American financial system made by the American people for themselves, which s'.'Vl testoro and maintain a b'xr?'.. l'c price level and, as pait of such system, the immediate lestoration of the free and unlimited coinage of silver nnd gold ot the present legal latio of 10-to-l, without waiting for the aid or consent of nny other nation," Tho other gieat question which has come befoio the people of our genera tion for discussion and solution Is tho tnrlff question. It renched a ciisls duiing the time that Mr. Hryan was a member of congress. If ho had been in en or on the silver question nnd yet . . . .. . . rlBlltl on l ,,e ,"r,,t T" " cou!d. w?" clnlm, "' "ne mistake ought not to condemn him. Hut if he was on tho wrong sldo of both ques tions, then no matter how clean may be his peisonal life nor pleasing his gifts as a public speaker, ho will hardly bo regarded by prudent citizens ns a safe man to make piesldeut of the United States, for presidents nio chosen, not for holding wrong opinions on public Issues, but for holding tight ones. Whore did Mr. Hrj'iin stand on tho tariff question? Three speeches weie rnado by him in congress on tills subject. Ono was mnde on tho 16th ot Mnich, 1V.I2, one on January 13, lbOl, und one on Janu ary 20, 1804. They can ho found In the Congressional Kecord of corresponding dates. In ono of these air. Rrynn said: I uant to state, as r inpbit icallj- a worils ran state, that I mmliler It in false In economy and 1 vklciua in policy to utlcmut tu ul.o Jt a luj.li M price In this country that which we can pur. ihaso abioad nt u low price In exchange for the products ot our toll. That was beforo ho made, up his mind to ndvocate free silver In order to bring about high prices. Again, speaking of tho Wilson bill, which he helped to draft nnd enact, ho said: 1 think the duties ell the seay through this hill are higher than necessary, and 1 favor the bill, not because of Its perfection, not beeiusc the chillis nre brought down as low ai they might be, but because the bill is Infinitely better than the law eehleh we now hate, and Is a step In the right direction. Voters with a memory for results can tocall whether It was a "atop In the right direction," Again: It is as cisy to Justify a bounty ai a protec tee tariiT, and It is impossible to Justify cither. No Justification for a protective tnr Iff when Its tcmovnl, for which Mr. Hryun voted, sent 1,000,000 American worklngmen Into Idleness nnd caused the worst period of business depres sion In our history? But let us quote once more, nnd finally, on the subject of tariff, from this great Nebraska statesman, who Is being recommended to the "lectornte as the "savior of tho republic" : The difference between a protective tariff and a bounty Is simply a difference of form. It Is the dlfTeicnce between the nun who meets jou upon tho hlghwaj, knocks jou down an I takes what you hue, nnd the man who steals Into jour house In the night while )0U are asleep and robs jou of jour treasures. AVionsr on the tariff; so wrong that jou never hear him refer to the sub ject now. Wrong on Ins money ques tion: so wrong that it took tho vote ot the delegate from annexed Hawaii, tepresentlng Uepubllcan "Imperialism" which his colleagues frantically de nounce, to pi event the convention which last nominated him from throw ing his fire silver plank into the waste basket. Yet claiming to embody the hope of tho republic and repeat ing the cry ot four years ago that tho election of his opponent would Imperil tho safety of our Institutions! The Times says tho Democratic par ty Is not tesponslblo for the thimble rigging constitutional amendments adopted In Louisiana, Mississippi and Noith Caiollna to disfranchise tho ne gio. Have Mr. Hryan or tho Demo cratic national delegates ever protest ed against this high-handed attempt to over-ilde tho constitution of the United States or nsserted a purpose to reject tho electoral votes thus cast without the consent of the governed? Is the Democracy willing to abridge Its representation In congress In propor tion ns It abridges tho popular vote? "The report that the cabinet is con sidering a scheme b which the United States will Impose conditions on the new Cuban government so that tho island will practlcallj become a pro tectorate of this country is without foundation," says the Philadelphia Press. And thus one of the Democ lacy's biggest campaign possibilities is dismantled in advance. Tho Patorson annrch'sts scoff at the Idea that the assassination of King Humbett was tho result of a plot. The aveinge anarchist who keeps posted upon current events as depicted In yellow newspnpers wishes it distinctly understood that ho alvvaj's feels com petent to commit murder on his own responsibility and prompting. Too much Impoitnnce should not bo attached to the attitude of Thomas B. Heed In this campaign. Mr. Heed Is a private citizen, fully entitled to ex press his opinions or to withhold them, knowing that In either case the coun tiy will go on as before. As the shah of Persia wears tho latgest diamonds In the world, It has been suggested that the Irdlvidual who attempted to assassinate him In Paris the other daj' maj- have been a jeal ous hotel cleik. The disposition In many sections in the north to close avenues of toll against the negro. Is even worse than that of the south whetc efforts to dis fianchise the coloied man nre being mad 3. Webster Dav Is, who some time ago achieved brief reputation ns a flery tonguod orator, now behaves llko a man whose lingual apparatus had been placed upon ice. POLITICAL NOTES. Tlio follow Ins olrlcb! Matcinnit concerning the rillroaili of the United States for the joars ended June 30, 1S)3, and lsrcj, Is instructive: 1S05. 1MK). Incrcasa 783,031 OiS.BJt 113,890 tl3,50S,2l $522.Oi7,600 $77,430,635 fDtl,7JI,171 W,7b3,Sfcl 2G.1,0n,Mj No. V'ni' lnjra, lolil J earl j' w.ifjes. Tom of Height culled Tons far Tied one nillo .S3,2J7,B15,S'I1 123.0.57.257,153 38,439,711, 2CK! Totnl KroM $1,073,371, 1H2 ?l."S13,ei(l,U8 23S23!,0M 111 thU hranch of American Industry ulone theic has heen an Increase of 111,000 pciule cm plojcil since the list lit mm ratio administration, nnd un annual lnereao of neirlj 77,WO,CKiO in waues rl'!' Alrnot the uholc of it waj ad. dltlonnl tiionij- impended in purchailna the rro ducts of our fauns and factories. The Increase of UUt.OOO.nOQ ton of freight carried bj the roads clvri an Idea of the Client that huelncn has been Improved. Thirins the Democratic administration el U93' 80, uhlili closcil our millr, cotton became f" cheap that 1U value fell below the cost of pro. ductlon and wo supplied low priced cotton to the foreign inunufaiturers who wiro shipping their ifooda into cur market Now our mills are mini? the cotton nnd its value has ad a:,ciil. Cotton irioucrs know that "the open mills" polity is the best. Mr llrjnn'a In at ai;alusl frnvcinmint without tho consent of tlm tioverned is especially edtfy Intr In view of his itumpliiK tour for William ficnhol nnd his tilecram of congratulation to the latter on Ida "election" as governor of Ken tutky Xevr York Run. Colonel Itrvan U boolcd to make sit ipeechei In New York state this fall, in New York, Buf falo, Itochcstcr, Rtracusc, Albany and Utlca, Tho Democratic managers actually profess to believe that they have a fighting chance in the Kmpiic state. CURFEW NEEDED ELSEWHERE. J-'ii.m tho Nicholson Examiner. It seems to us 1 strange condition of thingi that parents will allow their voung daughters tu be out so late ns sums of our )oung girls are. BRITISH WEAKNESS REVEALED IN CHINA HOW ItUSSIA HAS EUCHRED GREAT BRITAIN. Horo Is a Chapter in Diplomatic History Which Is Not Only Ex ceedingly Interesting to Intelli gent Americnns but Also Full of Instruction foi Our Statesmen and Fublio Officials. In the latest number of tho Nine teenth Century, a leading British re view, Henry Norman, ono of the edi tors of the London Telegraph nnd one of the best Informed men In the world on tho subject of the Orient, has a paper reviewing British vacillation In China which is remarkable for its frank and fearless exposure of the in competency of the Hrltlsh foreign of fice. Inasmuch as tho facts cited and suggestions advanced by Mr. Norman have an immediate bearing upon the existing crisis in China, In which Americans nre directly and deeply In terested, we feel warranted In repro ducing some of the salient parts In his nrticlc, Mr. Norman says: Kngland hai been for fifty years the paramount power In China, lly the vast preponderance of her trade, the number of her nationals living and trading there, her experience of the East, her supply of capable admlnlvtratore, her un questioned command of the sea highway thtther, the position of leader has naturally fallen to her among the nations. How ahc acquitted her self of this responsible and proud task is suttl clcntly shown by tha facts of the situation to day. The humiliation, the loss, the porflble horrors, He chiefly al the door ot England. Her piramountcy is gone forever, beyond the faint est possibility of retrieval. That tho openings for her trade will bo largely curtailed Is also no longer a matter ot doubt, Salisbury's Remissness. Mnce Lord Salisbury has been In olfico there bate been several occasions when an Intelligent appreciation of affairs, tucked by bold and straight-forward action would have preserved the Integrity of China, kept for all nations alike the huge actualities and greater potentialities of her trade and postponed indefinitely, If not forever, the dangers of a war over her partition. The ability of tngland to do this thing was far greater than that of any other country, for the flniple reason that the world realizes that wo are by a fixed policy a free-trading nation, and that our object Is to maintain open markets for all. The United States and Japan, with possibly Oermany as well, would have supported us in diplomatic action directed to this end- Indeed, when It became evident that nothing was to be expected from Lord Salisbury, the United States government took the matter up and secured assurances ot definite adherence to the "open door" from every nation except Itus sla, whose reply was characteristically vague and unsatisfactory. Hut this was too late to prevent tho absorption of Jtanchuria by a power whose fixed policy is the prohibition of foreign trade, whereas there was plenty of time, after the Intentions of Itussia were plain to nil the world, to secure a general declaration of open trade policy for all China forever, which no power could have subsequently abrogated except by force of arms. Sooner or later order will reign once more in Pekln, there will be some central authority there, and the ministers of the powers will onie more be about their business. Then Kngland will have to profess a policy of some kind, and make an effort of some sort to carry It out. Ueneath any policy there arc a number of axioms, and so far as these are liorno in mind that policy will Btand a chance of success, and so far as they are overlooked it will once more fail. Kxpcrt opinion will difler somewhat, of course, concerning these axioms, hut upon most of them, all who know the Xar Kast, will be In substantial agreement, and my desire here Is to set some of these plainly forth. Pefore doing so, houcier, it is essential to recall to public attention a few of the extraordinary lapes from common sense and common energy that have characterized our treatment of the ( hlnesc problem during the last few jears. So many other exciting events have overlaid them that they have probably passed out ot public recollection, The Casslni Convention. Is it gencrallj remembered, for Instance, that the Itritish parliament passed a resolution for mally declaring the integrity ot China to be a Drltish concern? It meant nothing, and no action whatever was intended to follow- It. Could any thing have been more; discreditable to the Brit ish empire than this bit of feeble bluff? The Ca&sinl convention is even less likely to be recollected In November, 1805, the Times pub lished a telegram from a correspondent in lions Kong, stating that a secret treaty had been signed between ltussia nnd China, by which the former was conceded the right of anchorage for her .a in Port Arthur, and the right to build railways across Manchuria to Vladivostok and Port Arthur. The ltussia embassy in Lon don at once declared these statements to be "absolutely unfounded " On the 2Sth of October, 1KXJ, the Dally News published the full text of this convention, which was teen to place the whole ot Northern China virtually under Russian protection ltussia might station any force she pleased in this territory, raise and drill Chinese levies, develop mlnenl resources, fortify Port Arthur, Tallrnwan and Klaochao; If she fnunil herself In danger of war, China bound herself not to cede strategical points to any other power, and ltussia undertook to defend China against other foreign encroach ment. Again nnd again the British government dented the existence of this convention. ct for six weeks the baggage of the ttussian minister in Pekln was packed, ready for his instant dc parturn as soon as It was signed, and his car riages ami mule litters stood ready all this time in tho court )ard of tho Itussian legation Ihe Times felt compelled by courtesy, In view of the official Russian denial, to repudiate its cor respondent, but the Kngllsh papers in the Far Kast persisted in the fact of tho convention, and, as i in) self knew this correspondent In tlmatelv and ene sources ot his Information, I wrote at the time, "I am profoundly convinced that although the statement as to the conclu sion of a private treaty may have been textually Inaccurate, the broad fact fa Indubitable." It might have neen though that the foreign office would have Inquired privately into the sources of so very serious a rumor. On the contrary, it simply Informed ltussia Indirectly that she could not bo allowed to possess herself of Port Atthur On tho Sth of Kebruar), 180. Mr. (now Lord) Cureon re-assured the house of commons as fol lows: "ITp to row, Russia has done nothing In re spect of Port Arthur which she has not beei perfectly entitled, under treaty rights, tn do. ltusslt hss sent ships of war to Port rthur, and II blame Is to bf attached to her for so do ing, Her Majcstj'a government must hs In eluded In tho accusation, for a fortnight igo we did exactly the same thing. The right to send ships) of war to Tort Arthur is a right which we enjoy together with other powers under the treaty of Tientsin, and when the occasion artses, w shall do it again." The Lease Signed. On the 27th of March the "lease" of Tort Arthur by China to ltussia was signed by LI Hung Chang, Chang Chihtung and M. l'avlotl, the Russian representative in Pekln, with the following as its article vl: "The governments of the two countries agrco that as Port Arthur Is solely a naval port, only Russian and CM npie vessels aro to be, allowed to use It. and It is to lie considered a closed ort aa far as the war and merchant vessels of other powers are concerned." Thus, within seven weeks the remark of the Under-Secretary in the house of commons was shown by events to bo as Ignorant in fact as It was flippant In form. The above "karo" was not generally known until the 3d of June, when the Times published it. s.t onee Lord Saliiburwy telegraphed to the Prltlsh am. biiffsdor In St. Petersburg to inquire if it was correct, and to instruct him. In that case, to point out to the Russian government that article vi was "quite Inconsistent with the speclflo as lurnnces of the Russian government and with our treaty rights In Chinese porta." This in fantile belief that the Russslan government would care a Jot about "speclflo assurances" and "treaty rights" In a matter which Russia had so close at heart as the eventual mastery of northern China, when she knew perfectly well that a few sarcastically turned sentences In a dlspttch would be all she would have to bear for Ignoring them, is a piece with too much ot our etiplcinary for sears cast. Ot course Russia I pooh-poohed all the objections, with even I'M consideration for our feelings than usual. One course alone would have saved the situa tion. The treaty of Tlei.'sln (1S53) gives u "Irco nnd equal participation In all privileges, Immunities and idvatitcgca that may have 1een, or may bo hereafter, granted by Ills Milcsty, the Emperor of China to the government or the sub jects, of any other nation." Here was n cWr Issue the delibeiate Infraction by Russ.a ot the oid standing treaty rights of all other nations. Tho Hrltlsh flagship a moro powerful vrwict than any Russia had on the spot should have been ordered to enter Port Arthur, by force If necessary, nnd to stay there until the nflalr vvaa settled In accordance with the trevty of Tientsin, the Magna Charta of tho west In China. Kvery student of the Intcrnatloml situation knows that Russia would not have accepted the gage of battle; but even it she had, it would havo been belter to fight her with the allies we should necessarily have had, on audi an issue, turn to postpone an Inevitable conflict until she had queened several more pawns. Another Blunder. ncfore this, too, the Hrltlsh government had committed a blunder without parallel In modern diplomacy for sheer Ineptitude, Iho country and the house of commons had become very restlesj at the prospect of the seizure of Port Arthur by Russia and tho apparent failure of Lord Sails bury to take any steps to prevent this. There upon, besides the statement of Mr. Curzon emot ed above about the shir, which was received with hearty cheers of relief In the house, the ad miralty circulated a list of ships' stations In the far east containing these words: "At Port Ar thur, Imrnortallto nnd Iphlgcnla." That is, we had two powerful cruisers at the danger point to guard our rights. Naturally the country was much relieved and criticism ceased. Shortly afterwards Russia requested that these two ships should bo withdrawn, and by an act of folly without equal, I repeat, In diplomatic annals, they were withdrawn forever. And tho country, after being quieted by the news of their pres ence there, was positively assured that their presence had possessed no signification what ever I Once more a domestlo storm broke upon the government, and a dangerous discussion loomed ahead In the house. To stave off this to have something to pacify It supporters with the gov ernment arranged with Japan, atwavs ready to act with us In keeping China open, to occupy Wel-hal-Wel when Japan evacuated It upon pay ment of the remainder of the war Indemnity by China, Military and naval opinion, almost without exception has declared this place to be useless to us; tho government was besought by one of the first authorities upon strategy not to put any valuable stores there to be captured by the enemy or to keep tho Beet Idle In defend ing them; ten thousjnd men would bo necessary to protect tho place, and we have raised one solitary regiment of Chinese; a million sterling would have to be spent in fortifications and we nave (pent rothing, our vital intcicsU, now that the partition of China has begun, are In the inngtsc Valley, an I Iho Wei-hal-wcl can no moro defend that, as a great military authority has Mid, than a helmet upon a man's head would defend tils vitals; the plac. In fact, It an en cumbrance to us from a naval point ot view, while any commercial value it might have had has been destrojed ly our voluntary promise to Germany not to construct a railroad from it to any other part of the province. Other Failures. The list of further failures of our diplrmacy in the far east is far too long to pursue, but one or two others must be mentioned. We offered a large loan to China and strongly urged her to accept. Russia forbade her. and sho declined it. Drltish capital was provided to build the railroad from I'ckjn to Klu cliwang; Russia pro tested; wc wrote many strong! -worded dis patches; and then accepted the Russian Insist ence that the loan should not give the right to any Hen upon tlio railway. The country be came uneasy at the apparent neglect of our I li ferents in the Yangtse Valley, but was once more relieved by the government's assurance that an undertaking had been given by the Chinese gov. emment safeguarding these interests. Three and a half months later this undertaking was Issued to tho public. It proved to be absolutely worth less. I quote the comment of the Times: "In point of fact, this assurance upon vehicle our ministers have so often prided themselves as one of tho great achievements of Hrltlsh pol icy In the far east, turns out to be nn assurance at all. No man In private life would invest a single sovereign on the strength of a dechratlon so evasive and illusory, Is it not time for Her Majcst) a government to drop plajlng with phrases and to look at tactsr" One of the facts was that not long aft-r-virds a concession for a railway from Pekln to Hankow, the great port in the very heart of the Yangtse Valley, wai granted (In spite of Lord Salisbury's energetic proteBts on uper) to a Delgian company, financed by the Riu so Chinese bank that is, by the Russian government under one of Its numerous aliases. During tic time these things were going on it was impossible for the country, through Its pir liamentary representatives, to obtain prompt, ac curate, or even straightforward Information. One glaring exnmple must suffice. When the llritlsh government offered its loan to China and strong ly urged acceptarce, while Russia was success fully intruding against it, ministers in both houses were sharply questioned as to tlie prociess of negotiations. At the same hour of the same day these two absolutely contradietoiy answers were given. Lord fivllsbury In the house of Continued nn Page . Particulav interest centers around our 320 Three-Piece Bedroom Suites. And it Is not dlfllcult to decide why. Thero is something about each piece which catches the eye and Invites a better acquaintance. Then construc tion nnd finish are observed and com parisons made. The decision generally is tbat these are better in evsry way than anytri'rig ever offered at the rvlco. Hill & Connell 121 N. Washincton Ave, The Huimit k Coeeell Co, Heat.ng, iPlumbing, Gas Fitting, Electric Light Wiring, Gas an Electric Fixtures, Builders Hardware. 34 Lackawanna Avenue Vl '1.1 Cb"1 " r V slillMtss ! t 111 III I I ':glr l-a ' '-'?T-. I I J '! ' ' IJ BBgpPSjjlgf flercereaM & Coeniell JEWELERS Temporarily at I39 PENM AVE CONTINUED ME vr ILtlLt Jewelry, Silverwear, Etc Hot Bamagedl Our full force of workmen at work again, as usual. Watch Repairing and all kinds Jewel ry Repairing and Engraving done promptly. ALWAYS BUST. August sale summer shoes are golnc. $SO0 Russets. $.1.50, $100 Itusscts, lfi.60. Wholesale and Iletail. ILewis&Reilly Established 1888. 134-136 Wyoming Ave. HENRY BELIN, JR., tjonerai Agent for tbe Wyomlni District.!.- Witling, lilnstlna .Sporting, riiuokeiasi uuel luu ltopmut ) Cue) uia. Co npuiy i EIGH EXIPIOSIYB. tulety June, Caps nnd I;cplej9.'s. ttooiu 401 Connell Uutlllax. Ucraataa. AUttNUI&i THOB. FORD. - Plttsioa JOHN D. SMITH & BON. - Plymouth. W. E. MULLIGAN. Wilkes. Bfrre. SA rw roiEii A cabinet maker of Woodtown, N. J., sufiered with shortness of breath and debility for several years and thought he had king trouble. 'At last he was unable to do any work, and a friend recom mended Ripans Tabules. " After using one-fourth of a large bottle," he says, " I was like a new man, and continue to feel so. I can not say enough fo them." a. new style tcket eontalnlnir m amies titrtrs In a rrr carton (srtthoat glass) Unotr ror sals at sotc drua stort roa mi cents. This low priced sort Is intended for tbe rmor snd the economic!. Ono doaoa of tho Are-cent carton (1W uliulcs) can bo bod tT mill by seudlntr ronr-tlght cents to tho Weiss Cuvtcui. luierKi, ho. 10 Sorueo b croft, Ns w York-sir a slult corten Its iucuui will bo tont for bto iuu, .1 ill M JL1L 11 bj' Lace Curtains Underwear damaged by Water. On account of the bursting of a water, pipe considerable damage was done to our Lace Curtain and Muslin Under wear stocks. We will, therefore, offer our entire line ot curtains at almost half-price in order to close them out. Also, all of our. underwear that shows the least water mark will go at very much less than regular price, Sale on these opens this morning. 510-512 LACIAWANNA AVENUE 66Doe9t 99 wear If you haven't the proper ofllce sup pile's. Come in nnd give us a trial. AVe have the largest and most com plete line of ofllce supplies In North eastern Pennsylvania. If It's a good thing, wo have It. Wo make a specialty of vliltlng cards anr" monogram stationery. ReyeoldsBros Stationers and Engravers, Hotel Jermyn Building. -N- 1 I GOD BUSS V tilt
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers