HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1896-10-7, Page 70•
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O UR OTTAWA LETTER
THE GRITS HAVE ADVOCATED
EVERYTHING BUT PRO-
TECTION.
(Capital is Kept Waiting --Taste's Method
of Doing Business --Israel's Troubles --
Deficit or Seven Millions --Abbe Proulx's
Mission ---Au Ornamental Member.
•[From• Our Own Correspondent.]
Ottawa, Sept, 28.—Three months have
elapsed since the elections, On every
platform during the campaign Mr. Laur-
ier and his friends were prolific in prom-
ises as to what they would do towards
ameliorating the condition of the work-
ing cheeses and the farmers. Most especi-
ally did they refer to the emancipation
-whioh they would give the agriculturists.
"The farmer," they said, "pays the coun-
try's bills. It is upon him that the bur-
Sa den of Protection rests most heavily.
When we come into power we shall see
to it that he gets free agricultural im-
plements; free lumber—for the North -
"vest farmer can buy that article more
,cheaply from Minnesota than from On-
tario—and free coal oil. Wo shall lift his
;burdens from him." Tbat was before the
'elections. Now the case is different. Last
'week the Government declined to give
the country any idea as to what their
future course will be. They declined for
the remarkably good reason that they
do not know themselves what lino they
are going to pursue, As. lion. G. E.
Foster pointed out in his resolution the
,other day, the Grits have evinced un -
•compromising hostility to the principle
.and practice of Proteotion. Since 1879
-the Liberals have been the followers of
many strange gods. They have adovoated
Commercial Union; Continental Free
'Trade; Unrestricted Reciprocity with the
United States, with discrimination
against Great Britain; Free Trade "as
It is in England," and Tariff for Revenue
annly, The Grits, it will be seen, have
.advocated everything but Protection.
Thoy know that the Canadian people
believe in Protection, and they fear to
raise any one of the standards that they
flaunted when in Opposition. Their fol-
lowers in the House of Commons voted
down Mr. Foster's proposition that the
,Government should give to the country
somo indication as to its course. The
Administration fears to make any an-
nouncement to the people, for they know
that their weaknesses will then be ap-
parent. Within the Council ohamber the
battles between the Ministers continue
to take place. The public hears little of
these engagements, for the gentlemen of
the Cabinet maintain silence regarding
Otho frequent rows between Tarte and the
English Ministers. The want of a fiscal
pri�Iey is attempted to bo concealed. The
tiffie will not be long before the people
-of Canada will see clearly that they have
for governors architects without solenco,
'critics without experience, censors with-
out knowledge. It will not he more than
three or four months before this fact will
to evident.
Capital is Kept Waiting.
How different was the policy of the
&Conservative party when it was in power.
From 1879 down to the present time as
regards the tariff and trade policy of the
party there has been the utmost clear-
ness, tho utmost consistenoy. No man
oan substantiate a contrary charge. In
1870 Sir John A. Macdonald laid the
"foundation of the policy that has been
adopted and pursued by the Liberal Con-
servative party from that time to the
;present. It has been the policy of Pro-
tection, steadily applied to the tariff and
to the trade of the cuuntry. During the
debate last week Mr. Foster and other
Conservative speakers made this fact ap-
parent. No Liberal attempted to deny it.
They did attempt to deny that the eoun-
+try desires to know what its new gov-
ernors axe going to give it. From Cape
Breton to Vancouver there are men who
cio not know where they are going to
get their next week's wages. They ask
Laurier and Tarte what they are going
to do. They. say: "If the industries
.are of interest to Canadian farmers and
workingmen to the extent of $100,000,000
of wages, we have something to say in
regard to the matter." The farmer knows
that Protection bus brought the tall chino -
ries to our towns. And it is the men
I who toil under the shadow of these ohim-
nies, in the faotories of the land, whb
consume the produce that the farmer
brings to market. Close up the factories
.and you close up the mouths of thousands
.of Canadian families. Close the faotnries
and I fear that you will foreclose the
mortgage on many a Canadian farm.
Laurier's aide, the disgruntled and dis-
..appointed Sir Richard Cartwright, says
'be knows exactly the principle upon
•which the Government proposes to reduce
the tariff. Neither he nor his colleagues
vouchsafed any information to the people
<of Canada. But they keep the country
in suspense. They keep the owners of
/our hundred million dollars of capital
in doubt. The farmers, as I have said,
are interested in the question qnite as
ernuah as is anybody else. They know
that in the campaign Laurier and his
lieutenants said: If we have to choose
be veer the manufacturer and the farm -
mi we are going to aid the farmer. As
the ex -Minister of Finance pointed out,
there was no need for.any such declara-
tion. In his speech °at Malvern, in 1887,
Hon. Edward Blake, who is an honest
man, and who was supplanted by Laur-
ler, said that there should never be a
cleavage between two .classes in this
entry. The Conservative party increased
the value of the farmer's home market
until it now is worth forty or forty-five
mlllion.dollars a year. The farmer wants
•oto know what the Government is going
-to da When labor is not employed labor
Teases to buy. Capital has rights too.
^There aro four hnudred millions of cap-
ital invested in Canada. Why should the
anon who have this enormous amount of
money invested be kept waiting by a
Cabinet whose members vowed, two or
three months ago, that they were pre-
pared to make an immediate announce-
' anent as to their tariff.
Tarte% Method of Doing Business.
And yet this Government of incompe-
tents declined to make any statement.
It is not true that they withheld the an-
;..nouncoment. Tho truth is'that they had
,• no announoemont to make. They had
•sprint the last three months in wrang-
lingjand discussion. They say they will
{,'hfive some sort of measure ready when
,,parliament shall .iueet in February next,
,lut before that tariff is completed there
will be some battles royal in the Council
chamber.
Israel's Troubles.
Israel Tarte, potential premier of Can-
ada, is in a peck of trouble. An unfaithe
ful friend bus "showed him up" as a
most expert member of the school of
which the late Honore Mercier was the
leader. Mr. (Tarte, be it known, is in the
habit of following the teachings of Mr,
Mercier in the most faithful manner.
His trouble comes now on account of the
following letter, whioh a close friend of
his sent to a tenderer for a certain con-
tract. Let us have a sample of Mr.
Tarte's method of doing business:—
"I have received from the Department
of Public Works at Ottawa a letter in-
forming meethat you are a tenderer for
the supply of -- for the publio build-
ings at --. As your tender is the same
as that of another firm, they write to ask
me to whom the contract must be given.
I now write you to know what you in-
tend to do for me in this matter. Iawait
your reply. Business is business, as you
know.'
"Business is business!" Mr. Tarte's
business is of a kind that gentlemen are
not accustomed to be engaged in. What
did that letter mean? Mr. Tarte vows
that he knows nothing of the matter.
Whereupon Mr. Grenier, the publisher of
La Libre Parole, a newspaper published
in Montreal, rises to remark that Tarte
is a political acrobat, a traitor, an ex-
tortionist, a blackmailer and a boodler.
Mr. Grenier says that Tarte, in 1891,
held back a certain paper in order that
he might extort money from one of the
men implicated in the scandals then he-
ing ventilated. Tarte has taken proceed-
ings against Grenier, who says that he
can prove every charge that he has made.
Unfortunately, Mr, Israel Tarte has a
blank record. He is the gentleman to
whom Pacaud paid $5,000 of a sura of
$10,000 obtained from Contractor Whelan.
when the latter was in fear that, if he
did not come down, the Mercier Govern-
ment would not pay his claim for the
construction of the Quebeo Court House.
Of the hundred thousand dollar boodling
job in connection with the Baie dos Cha -
lours, $2,000 went to pay a note of
Charles Langelier's to Mr. Tarte; $1,000
went to pay a note of Tarte's to Pacaud;
$400 went to pay a note of Torte's to
himself; $5,000 went to pay annther note
of Paoaud's endorsed to Tarte; 88,000
to pay another note of the same kind. Is
there any doubt that Mr. Tarte possesses
great fitness for his position—that of be-
ing Mr. Laurier's mentor and bosom
friend. Laurier knows all about Tarte's
curious methods, yet he keeps him be-
side him because Tarte managed to win
Quebec for the French Premier. And
what does Tarte think of Laurier? A few
years ago he gave his estimate of the
First Minister. Said the now faithful
Tarte: "He has a character veneered on
the outside. Scratch a little and you will
discover the mediocrity within. Be is
not learned; his speeches show it. Bis
thought never rises above the plane of
his prejudices. He never will be faithful
to what he does not possess—principles,
sound conaintiuns,or patriotism." This is
the written opinion of tho man who
now, via Laurier, rules Canada. A few
weeks ago Tarte stated, with much gran-
diloquence, that he would save three
quarters of a million in the management
of the Department of Public Works. On
Friday last, when the supplementary
estimates were brought down, we found
that they amounted to $2,889,857. This
brings the total estimate for the year up
to $44,537,778, two million dollars more
than the "extravagant" Conservativd
asked last session. The Liberals declined,
at that time, to allow a single dollar of
estimates to go through. Their object
was two -fold. They desired to embarrass
the Government of that clay, and theyi
resolved, if victory perched on their ban-
ners, to go the Conservatives one better.
They have done so. Shattered are their
promises of eoonomy; thrown to the
winds of heaven are their pledges of re-
trenchment. They have discharger civil
servants to make way for their own
friends. They have tnoked a million dol-
lars to the estimates in order that Grit
eontractnre may have a ladleful of Gov-
ernment soup. A. G. Blair, the Minis-
ter of Railways, has announced his in-
tention of introducing some of the most
undesirable features of the New Bruns-
wick system of administration. He has
dedevilled the civil service of the prov-
ince. He seeks to do the same thing at
Ottawa. Henceforth. when a Liberal
member or a defeated Liberal candidate
demands revenge; when he clamors for
the scalp of any civil servant, that un-
fortunate is to be discharged forthwith.
He is to be given no trial. The mere
word of the Grit politician is to be
enough. This is justice with avengeance.
Laurier and his friends, who would have
denounced, and rightly denounced, any
such action on the part of a Conserva-
tive Government, have changed their
views. Their conversion to the spoils
theory, has heen as sudden as was Saul's
on the way to Antioch. But the simile
stops there.
Deficit of Seven Millions.
A deficit of about seven' million dol-
lars stares the Government in the face.
One day last week the Prime Minister
was asked by a Toronto deputation to
sanction a Government grant for a Dom-
inion exhibition to be held in the provin-
cial capital next year. Mr. Laurier ack-
nowledged that his Government expected
a deficit, and said he could make no
promise. Where are the beneficent results
of Grit administration? The Liberals
asserted that they had a panacea for the
alleged ills under which the country
suffered. They have commenced their
career of economy by slacking the purse
strings to an extent that the Conserva-
tives never thought ot. And, it must be
remembered, no great public works are
under way. The Conservatives left the
country fairly prosperous. Tarte and his
friends have commenced a carnival of
money spending at which the farmers
of the country may well stand aghast.
It is upon the farmers that the blow
will fall most heavily. Reduced wages
bring reduced prices for produce. Less
than the mechanio or artisan can the
farmer control the market for what he
bas to sell. He has to take what he can
get. When money is plentiful he is well
paid for his produce. When money is
scarce he has to raise ate much produce;
he has to work as hard as in times of
prosperity, and he :is paid less. it will be
from the farmers of Canada that this:
Government will hear the first protest
against their sluggish incapacity.
Abbe Proulx's'l'fission.
Some days ago the Globe waxed wrath-
ful because it had been said that Mr.
Laurier had sent Abbe Proulx to Rome
to negotiate with the Pope for a settle-
ment of the School question. All along
The Globe bas been an opponent of Sep-
arate schools in Manitoba. This was un-
objectionable while the Grits were in
Opposition. Down in Quebec Mr. Laurier
raised his hand to heaven as lie swore
to restore Separate schools to the Boman
Catholics of the Prairie province, While
its leader was thus 'pledging himself
The Globe 'shouted against "coercion."
It spoke without knowledge when it
denied that Abbe Premix had a mission
from Mr. Laurier. Two days after the
denial it was obliged to acknowledge it;
self guilty of misrepresentation, and to
state that the Cure of St. Lin had gone.
to iuterviewathe Holy Father at the re-
quest of Mr. Laurier. Quebec may be
satisfied, but how will English Canada
like to have the cnuntry's affairs settled
by an Italian prelate? Tile Manitoba
School question, The Globe bas said often
enough, is a national and not a religious
issue. Why should Leeq XIII. be asked to
settle it? We English -Speaking Canadians
live in amity, irrespective of our relig-
ious beliefs. We settle our disputes in the
law courts, in courts whioh are above
criticism. Why should an exception be
made in this case? Are we not competent
to manage our own affairs? Evidently
the French gentleman who is the head
of the Government of Canada thinks
otherwise. }lo knows that his compat-
riots of Quebec will hear with delight
that the Pope has been asked to inter-
vene. Tho Liberal cause inay benefit in
the French province. It will not be so in
the other parts of Canada. But why
should not M. Laurier do his best to
Burry favor with his own people?. They
have given him the parliamentary ma-
jority whereby he maintains his position.
In all Canada, outside of Quebec, he has
a majority of one seat in the Hoose of
Commons. He is Quebec's man, and to
Quebec he must render account. Should
be falter for moment in his allegiance
to Jean Baptiste, the crack of the
French Canadian whip will soon bring
hien bank to the straight and narrow
path of his duty to his masters.
An Ornante ntalMember.
The most ornamental member of the
new Government is Mr. Dobai', the
millionaire lumberman of Quebec, Mr.
Dobell le gloriously ignorant of politics,
but he knows how to hake money. He
ran as an Independent and on the night
of his election refused to ride in the
same carriage with Mr. Laurier. On the
following day Tarte proceeded to get
Dobell into line. Tho lnmberman's van-
ity was tickled and he accepted the posi-
tion of Minister without portfolio, not
knowing that it was his money that the
Grits needed. When ho was taken intn
the Cabinet Tarte should have sripuleted
that the recruit should maintaiu sileneo,
No such arrangement was :natio, and
Dobell proceeded, upon the first oppor-
tunity, to show himself to be a trickster
—and a clumsy trickster at that. During
the campaign ho telegraphed to the
newspaper L'Electeur, of Queheo, stattee
that he was in favor of the fast Atlantie
steamship line as projected by the late
Government. It is not necessary to state
that Quebeckers are very desirous pf
having the fast lino pelt into operation.
On the 10th of September, in the House
'of Commons, Dobell arose and stated
that ho was opposed to .the fast line. Sir
Adolphe Caron asked him whether he
had sent the telegram to L'Elceteur.
Dobell replied that be knew nothing of
the telegram, that he had seen it in the
newspaper, but that he bud not sent it.
Whereupon the people of Quebecand
particularly of West Quebec, which he
represents, became infuriated. Hero was
one of the representatives of the city dis-
owning ono of his pre-election promises
whereby he had secured many votes.
Letters of protest arrived from Quebec,
and on Thursday Dobell retracted his
statement, stating that he had sent the
telegram but that it was sent privately
and had not been intended for publica-
tion. Was not this a humiliating con-
fession for a Minister of the Crown to
make? Dobell, in order to secure a few
votes, sent the telegram that no doubt
should remain regarding his attitude.
He had not given it as a pledge, but as
a means to bring some doubtful voters
into line. The Conservative party may
well congratulate itself upon the seces-
sion of Ruch an unworthy member. His
ineptitude in the explanation which he
made shows that he has yet much to
learn from Tarte, whose Machiavellian -
ism is at least adroit and not clumsy
and apparent on the face of 15.
Convention of Ontario Members.
Last week the Ontario Conservative
members of parlirment held a meeting
at which it was decided to hold a party
convention in November or December.
The meeting was most unanimous, and
the speeches made were full of confidence
in the future of the Conservative party.
The task of making the arrangements
for the gathering of the representatives
of the party was left in the hands of Sir
Charles Tupper and Mr. J. P. Whitney,
the leader of the Opposition in the On-
tario Opposition. The convention will
have a valuable effect in making the
members of the rank and file of the party
acquainted with each other. The first
visible result of the convention will
be the strong and probably successful
fights which the Conservatives will put
up in the by-eleotions to the House of
Commons. In the provincial elections
the Conservatives will make it evident
to Mr. A. S. Hardy' that the Wicked
Partner has not fallen on a bed of roses
in succession to Sir Oliver Mowat.
Ideas—Original and Extended.
Original ideas may be so enlarged up-
on and viewed through such different
channels of thought that the result ar-
rived at is often robbed of nearly all sem-
blance of the original idea; and thus it
is that we are too apt to look upon men
who are mere extenders of ideas as
though they were original thinkers—the
very fountains from which spring the
germs of original thought—when, in
truth, they are original only in secondary
views whioh they take of established
ideas.
When a 1Sranoh from a pear tree is graft-
ed on the limb of an apple tree, this
branch will yield pears. It is to be ar-
gued from this that the same sap which
produces apples on the other branches
of the tree does not produce pears on this
branch? Just as the sap of the apple tree
nourishes the pears through the medium
of the branch of the pear tree, so the
original idea feeds the minds of the in
venter of secondary ideas, and the men-
tal fruit takes on the characteristics of
his mind.
The Biter 1115.
Holding a oat by one leg, a Mexican
boy of Phenix, A. T. loaned over a well
curb with the intention of dropping 'the
cat into the water. He lost his balance
and toppled in. The water was just
about as deep as be was tall -three feet
—and when he straightened up the cat
scrambled upon his head and scratched
him so that all the mischief was out of
him. n
Born to the Easiness.
Mrs. Mack --I expect :Johnny will be
an editor when he grows up.
Mack—Why?
Mrs. Maok—He doesn't like poetry.
HOUS[HOLD
Utiles for .Parents.
As far as you can, choose your son's
associates. See to it that you know all
his friends, and let hire feel perfectly
free to invite thein to the house. Take
pains to make hila and there comfortable
and happy, .lie will not be slow in ap-
preciating your thougbtfuluess.
Tell your little ones fairy tales. They
will . lead them to believe in friendly
though invisible forces which assist the
will; they will lead to a hope for a I
happiness unknown to real life but
which nevertheless exists because they
theinselves experience it under She .spell
of the fairy tale.
Bo reverent in approaching child -Inn
ture. Bold yourself in. Remember that)
far more important than emotional out -1
bursts than cries and sobs and tears is
the steady resolve to do the thing that is
right, the thing that Christ bids to be
truthful and obedient,unselflsh, pure and
noble.
Note that when a child once realizes
that you cannot remit a punishment be-
cause it would he- wrong, the galling
sense of unkindness vanishes.
Making the Bed.
In making up the bed one point that
is especially insisted upon is that the
under sheet shall bo laid smoothly and
drawn over the mattress so tightly that
no wrinkles oan annoy the patient. For
the invalid's bed this is secured by pin-
ning it to the mattress underneath.
While this may not be necessary for the
ordinary bed, it carries a suggdstioa of
value, especially for the nervous sleeper,
to whom the loose wrinkles of a care-
lessly made bed may be a great distur-
ber, though in many oases perhaps un-
consciously so. This is particularly im-
portant where the sheets aro of linen.
Fortunately, cotton ones are coming so
be pretty generally recognized as more
conducive to comfort and health.
In making the bed, tuok the under
sheet well under the mattress on one
side of the bed, and then from the other
side draw the sheat as evenly and as
tightly as possihle across the bed until it
is perfectly smooth, and then tuck in
this side also firmly under the mattress.
The upper sheet should be long enough
to fold under well at the bottom, and at
the top to leave a good mnrgin to turn
over the blankets or other covering to
protect them. This is not only comfort-
able, but tidy.
A Utility Screen.
People who occupy flats resort to all
manner of make -shifts, many of them
turning out to be hits of real ingenuity.
The utility screen is one of these contrl-
FOR A COSY PLAT.
vances, and while being an ornament to
the room, is essentially useful. The out-
side of the screen may he decorated in
any way desired. The most durable and
easily managed framework is made of
bamboo sot together in slots, while adur-
able covering that will not readily soil
is the dull colored denims, either figured
or plain.
The inside of the screen may be cov-
ered with white oil cloth, the sort used
commonly upon the kitchen tables, so
that when soiled it may be readily wiped
off. On one side fasten hooks, upon which
will be hong stockings or any small
article of wearing apparel, to dry or to
air after ironing. Another section of the
screen will be arranged in bags, recep-
tacle for dust cloths, cleaning cloths, etc.,
on any of the unsightly, but neces-
sary implements of household warfare.
Several Sauces.
A goon sauce for baked fish made
without butter. eggs or milk is as fol-
lows: Remove the fish from the baking
tin, pour off any fat, and shake in a
teaspoonful of brown flour; add half a
pint of fish stock, a tablespoonful of
ketchup and a pinch of salt. Stir all
well, scraping the tin, boil up, and pour
round the fish. A teaspoonful of made
mustard and chutney or essence of an-
chovy may be used instead of vinegar.
Fnr boiled fish, boll a teaspoonful of
grated horse -radish in a gill of fish stock,
add a gill of light wine, a tablespoonful
of vinegar and lemon juice, a teaspoonful
of soy and anchovy essence and sufficient
flour to make the sauce the consistency
of cream; pepper and salt to taste. Of
course a little butter would be an im-
provement.
For the outlets fry a sliced onion in an
ounce of butter, when brown remove
them and add a dessert -spoonful of brown
flour and half a pint of good stock,
boil up the saune, add two tablespoonfuls
of tomato sauce, a teaspoonful of an-
chovy essence, a tiny lump of sugar, a
squeeze of lemon, pepper, salt, cayenne
and a tablespoonful of sherry. Peas,
mashed potatoes, French beans a la mai-
tre d'hotel or any dressed vegetables
form a center for the cutlets.
About Pins.
Thorns were originally used in fasten-
ing garments together. Pins did not im-
mediately succeed thorns as fasteners,
but different appliances were. used, such
as hooks, buckles and laces. It was the
latter half of the fifteenth century before
pins were used in Great Britain. When
first manufactured in England the iron
wire, of the proper length, was filed to a
point, and the other extremity twisted
into a head. This was a slow process,
and four or five hundred pins was a good
day's work for an expert hand.
Potatoes Crumbed.
Take some large new potatoes. Wash,
scrape and boil gently till tender in boil-
ing salted water with a sprig of fresh
mint.
Lift out, dry lightly in a cloth. Split
in halves lengthways. Season with a dust
of salt and pepper. Lay on a hot dish or
tin, pour all over them a little warmed
butter, lift them out with a skewer,
and cover with browned crumbs. Lay on
a buttered taxa and bake about ten mhl-
ntes in a hot oven.
DONGOLA.
THE BRITISH CONQUEST ON THE
UPPER NILE.
The Town Kot Defended When the British
Bombarded It--Sonaetliing About the Ex-
pedition—The Dervishes.
Our readers were informed, early in
the past week, that the British had cap•
Lured Dongola. The accompanying map
shows how far up the Nile valley this
little-known town is. The actual taking
of the town was a farce, for the natives
made no resistance except to fire on the
British boats, Dongola itself was not
defended, and the British promptly
landed a force, captured a quantity of
treasure, all the Dervish booke which
were kept there, and seven grain -laden
boats.
It was in March last that Egypt be-
aanie• the scene of a British campaign.
t1ED�TEgRANEAry
-..-•� SEA
LI
WE= NILE REGION
Sc:tee OF r4rLES
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cdFaFa�t-
BRI
ASSO_��N
15 t1
zWADI MgLr5
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MECCA
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Map
ENGLAND ON THE NILE.
showing Dongola, recently taken
by the British forces.
For six months the Queen's troops have
been pushing their way up the Nile.
What is it all about?
Italy, hoping to compete in the race
for territorial aggression in Africa,
pushed her outposts too far into the ter-
ritory of Menelek, her nominal liege,
and the penalty was the massacre of the
Italian army of nearly 5,000 at Adowa,
in the Kingdom of Tigre (Teegray),
northern Abyssinia, early in the present
year. With European sentiment roused
against the tribes of the upperNile region
by this the most serious of military dis-
aster of recent years, England seized the
moment to propose a punitive expedition
against her old enemies, the Mandists
of the Soudan. She proposed to pay for
this with the civil funds that would
otherwise apply on Egypt's big debt,
France -saw in the move not only a loss
to French holders of Egpytian bonds
but the logical probability that England
will by the conquest of the Soudan,
establish another most important link
in her African possessions, which will
leave only one gap in her great chain of
territory from the Cape of Good Hope to
the mouths of the Nile. Such a chain
once established would put an end to
French aspirations in that beautiful
neutral territory that divides the upper
Congo from the upper Nile.
France protested, ostensibly on the
ground that Egyptian funds should not
be squandered on an expedition for
which she urges there is no pressing de-
mand. Italy has every reason to en-
courage a great military move up the
Nile that will occupy the natives of the
region and threaten Abyssinia from that
side. Germany's and Austria's interests
are neutral territorially, but their sup-
port naturally goes to their ally, Italy.
England thus found herself in full accord
with the triple alliance, which thus be-
comes virtually a quadruple alliance.
France aligns on the opposite side and
Roselle stands with her on several
grounds. First, King Menelek of Abys-
sinia is a Christian, who by a special
mission to St. Petersburg last year
expressed a sense of allegiance to the
Russian Orthodox Church. Russia is
thus the religious sponsor of this little
Christian oasis in the desert of pagan
Africa, and cannot but resent Italy's
designs on Abyssinia.
So much for the political aspect of the
move. Look at the material aspect.
Primo Minister Salisbury perhaps de-
signs to conquer the whole of the Soudan
and give England a new lease on Egyp-
tian affairs. He reeeived notice from
Italy that the dervishes were likely to
attack Kassala, a point Italy decided to
abandon. The dervishes have for years
been snaking disastrous raids on the
peaceable Nile farmers. The situation is
more than sufficient, the Salisbury Gov-
ernment has said, to justify this expedi-
tion to repress them.
Dongola, on the Nile, between the
third and fourth cataracts, has , been the
objective point, and now becomes the
base of operations, whence the expedition
is milted the Dongola expedition. Ass-
ouan (Ass-su-wan, with the accent on
last syllable) is the limiu of the Egyp-
tian civil authority on the Nile and as
far as the most enthusiastic Nile tourist
ever goes. It is over 500 miles from Cairo.
But Dongola is nearly 500 miles further,
and Khartoum, the old capital rind
stronghold of the Mandist hosts, is still
500 miles beyond by the windings of the
river.
In 1888 the dervishes at Taski made
an attempt to push into Lower Egypt,
but they were suppressed the next year,
the campaign ending in a most fearful
ea:tighter of the dervishes. Grenfell, the
English commander • of the Egyptian
forces, feigned retreat; the drevishes fell
into the trip and they were s erilee
aimost to a man. .Long after the iesuo
of battle was decided the fanatical na-
tives continued to hurX themselves into
the breach, only to meet a certain death,,
refusing all quarter and giving none.
They fought as only men can, that are
imbued with the highest sense of the
justice of their cause. They are brave to
the furthest limit and indifferent to
death, and thus they are a very•hard
enemy to fight.
But who .are they, these devishes?
They are the fanatical followers of Mo-
hammed -Ahmed who, itt the year 1881,
proclaimed himself to be "Mandi," or
"Prophet," Who, as prophesied by Mo-
hammed, was to appear on the earth.
about this time to exterminate all un-
believers and turn the world over to
Islam. He and his enthusiastio disciples
grew obstreperous and in August, 1881,
England by reason of her sponsorship of
Egyptian affairs, was ferried to send an
expedition against them. Bloke Pasha's
army, the first sent, was massacred, and
England decided to withdraw. But mean-
time the Mandists surrendered at Sue-
kim on the Red Sea, Kassala, Berber,
Khartoum and elsewhere, and it was.
then decided to send Gen. "Chinese"
Gordon to the relief of the expedition,
the route being across the desert from
Suakin], Gordon reaohed Khartoum in
the spring of 1884 and there, without
reinforcements, he and his brave troops
were butchered by the Mandists. Thus
ended the fatal Soudan campaign, and
the people of England have never for-
given the Government for thus leaving
the intrepid Gordon and his men to their
awful fate. The battle was left drawn,
the Mandists retiring into the Soudan,
and the remnant of English troops being
withdrawn. Titus England has an old,
snore to settle.
NEXT YEAR'S BICYCLE.
Manufacturers Are Undecided About Fix-•
i ng Their Price.
A vexatious question just now among:
cyclists and prospective cyclists is the
price that a first-olsss wheel will bring
next year. Whether one may be had
then for the same price or less than it
fetches now, or whether the price will be
advanced, no one seems able to tell
absolutely. The oldest makers of $100
wheels say that it would be disastrous
to their business to sell machines at the
low figure which several .younger manu-
facturers have named, and at the same
time furnish each customer with a guar-
antee. On the other hand, it is said in
some quarters that enough money le
made by many of the concerns which
have cut their prices to warrant their
continuing the experiment next year. It
is understood also that certain of them
have promised to offer even better
wheels at a cheaper price next year than
now. r
Experienced wheelmen seem slow to
believe that the difference iu quality of
the component parte of high grade bloy-
cles is so marked as some of the makers
of those machines would have the public.
believe it Is. These riders say that skil-
ful workmanship is required in the con-
struction of all durable wheels, and if It
is true that some of the high-grade
wheel -makers employ more skilful work-
men than others, the fact is often in-
discernible both In their Wheel's appear-
ance and use.
Whether the wooden bicycles which are
promised for next yenr will materially
affect the wheel trade remains to be
seen. Their advocates say that the wheels
will have many advantages over those
with metal frames.
Nobody was surprised when wheels of
disputed quality were sold at a low price,
but now that those of a standard maker
can be bought for half price, everybody
is set to thinking. When the stock of
wheels now selling so cheaply is ex-
hausted, cyclists wonder what move the
dealers will make then. Persons who
will want wheels next year are probably
safe if they wait till then before buying.
—N. Y. Sun.
Now Bicycle Chain.
A bicycle roller chain has recently
been patented. The idea embodied is a
variation of the principle of the elliptical
sprocket, the chain being designed to
NEW BICYCLE CHAIN.
give an increase in power on the sprock-
ets, both front and rear, at the time
when the crank leverage is least. To
accomplish this each link is fitted with
a roller at its connection, the rollers be-
ing of unequal size.
At the point where the crank exerts
the greatest leverage they are small,
barely exceeding in diameter the width
of the chain. The rollers gradually in-
crease in size till at the crank dead cen-
ter they are of the greatest diameter.
The inventor expects in this way to give
the rider an advantage at the points
where it is inost needed.
The problem of utilizing power at
dead centers is so old that machinists as
bicycle riders regard this invenion with
interest as a possible solution.
Hints Prom the Saddle.
"When you mount be sure to go to the
curbing on the right-hand side and
mount from the right -band side of the
bicycle.
"Nevar look behind you on any ac-
count —vehicles coming up behind you
will be guided by your movements.
"Never pass in front of a oar at right
angles; you don't know what is on the
other side.
"In approaching a side street inter- '
sooting the one you are on at right ang-
les, go slowly and keep to the right.
"One must bo careful about children
and dogs. Shone at the dogs so as to
frighten them away, butohildren must
be told which way to rile.
"If the road is slippery with mud or
water, go slowly and take 'large turns'
whet turning from one direction to an
other.
"Don't keep behind a cab; turn to the
left and pass and get ahead of it. This
is more.agreeable and safer. Avoid, in,
this way, getting hemmed in by vehicles.
"Don't trey to pass at right angles in
frontof oars or tracks. Go behind them.
"Bioyling aeoidents owing to machines'
slipping scene to bo increasing in nuns-,
ben"