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The Exeter Advocate, 1897-1-21, Page 7„r„Y,r,I OUR OTTAWA LETTER FOLLOWING A BAD AMERICAN PRECEDENT. Laurier the Good --rhe Secret Ballot - More of the Tariff Commission -North Ontario and South Brant -"On to Wash- In,*ton." •[From Our Own Correspondent,] Ottawa,. Jan. 12.—Aud now we have another exemplification of the peculiar po)itical methods of the gentlemen who are in charge of the Liberal machine. In the present instance, as in other cases. they have gone to the United States for a plan of notion. Most of us oan remember bow, a tittle more than eight years ago, the famous 1liurohison letter assisted in the defeat of Mn Cleveland and helped to put General Harrison in the White F1'ouse. Some Deneooraticpoliticians in- duced Murchison, an Englishman who had become an American citizen, to write a letter to Sir Lionel. Sackville - West, the British Minister at Washing- ton, asking him for his views as to the merits of the presidential candidates. The Minister Was indiscreet enough to state his preference for Mr. Cleveland, whose party Ile esteemed to be less antagonistic than the Republicans to British trans interests. Tho letter was used with telling effect by the Repnb- licans,who convinced many voters of the lower classes that the Democrats were the fzieutis of the British artiznn and the foes of the American factory -hand, t. It has been said that the latest Ub- e eral ib-eera1 dodge bears a marked resemblance to this scheme. The Globe of a few days ago reproduced a circular letter which. was sent out on January 2 to the leading Protestant citizens of this province ostensibly by a so-called "Patriotic Vig panne Committee.” The terms of the circular are ridiculous. It is stated that the country is being handed over by its rulers to rebels; that the Laurier Gov- ernment is in league with some unknown Guy Fawkes and Cetesbys, and that any secret information that can he obtained should be handed over to the "Central Liberal Conservative Assoolations" and other loyal organizations of the country. The whole thing is couched in such ridiculous language as to make it clear that some clumsy plotters in the Liberal ranks hare evolved this scheme in order to use its results in Quebec+. The people to whom the circular is addressed are warped that the Churoh of Rome is -attiving to get control . of the country, and, presumably, it is concerning any development of the Churob's plan of campaign that news le sought by those rmaladroit Liberal enthusiasts. The die- ' of the circular ham been enr- ried on in such a bnrefaeed manner as to make it certain that the whole country should become aware of its existence The Globe at first endeavored to persuade its readers that the circular emanated from the Conservatives. But the task o difficult for even Editor Willison was to u o n to carry out, and he now tells us through the columns of the Liberal organ that it Is possible that the Conservatives had nothing to do with the matter. No, the Conservatives had nothng'to do with it. but the Liberals had. Is ib not to their Interest to have, in the coming election in the province of Quebec,: some cry by which they can convince the opponents of the Conservative Government that the Ontario Conservatives are the enemies of Mother Church? Already the Libetal managers have had the circular trans- lated into French, They have sent hund- reds of copies of it, in English, into the Roman Catholic ridings of Mara rand Rama in North Ontario,where a bye -elec- tion is shortly to come off. But it is in Quebec that the main use of the circular is to be made by the Liberal authors.. They remember that Mercier, in the days of his power.was successful ip stirring up en anti -English, anti -Protestant feeling that kept biro in office until his dishon- esty set the people of the province against him. When the Quebec campaign commences this circular will be read on every Hustings. The people will not know that, even if such an association of luna- tics as the "Patriotic Vigilance Com- mittee" existed, as it does not, the wor- thies composing its membership would have no right to use the names of the Conservative associations. The whole affair is an ^ibipudent forgery, concocted to damage the Conservatives in _the prov- ince of Quebec, .And its authors are the followers of the gentleman who promised tc'lead us in the "sunny way of ooncili- at' 1l" It would be unjust to Mr. Laur- ie on him e e to acrid] t ie to attempt t P responsibility for this new attempt to stir up race antagonism. But the trouble is that Mr. Laurier is not the whole party. He is the leader, but be has little control over the rabble that follows in his train. The clean ]nen who are in his party must look askance at the hungry- , eyed carpet -baggers who glamor for their bread. And even the leader ' does not know what the "practical politician" who run the party are capable of doing. Be .will fled, out before his consulate _shall have been ended. -Laurier the Good. The •esteemed.Globe has - struck what it evidently considers a very superior plan of action in respect of Mr. Laurier. The Premier is an honest gentleman, of average ability, wbo was chosen as nom anal head of the Liberal partybecause he had rondo few enemies. Also, his rec- titude in matters of meum and . tuum so strongly contrasted with the extreme broadness of Mr. Mercier's views, that he made a sort of , moralbalanus for the then Premier of Quebec. The Globe, in place of letting the public judge for itself as to Mr.Laurier's abilities, insists upon ascribing to him every virtue. Eaob morning his portrait -or what is said to . be his portrait -appears on the front page of the paper. In order to avoid monotony, the features of the great man's. physiognomy are different , every day, but the cartoonist always 'manages to picture a benevolent looking gentle- man in the very article of performing some noble deed or enunciating some lofty idea that would have done honor. to Mr, Barlow, of Sanford and Merton fame. This apotheosis of Mr. Laurier bee comes ridiculous- when one knows, as I do, that Jim Sutherland and his friends,: the "practical politicians," decided upon the, deification of the leader over their Ottawa, The astute. Mr. Sutherland pointed out that Sir John Macdonald hold the love and esteem of the people because they knew him. "Let ue," Maid Mr. Sutherland, "maize the people know Laurier. We'll 'star' him as the only honest Premier -excepting Mackenzie, of course—that Canada ever had. Great scheme."' And so the editorials are writ. ten and the cartoons are drawn. But, it may be asked, is not Mr. Tarte a prao- tical politician? Or course he is, and this is his opinion of his honored loader, the Bayard of Canadian polities; as printel in Mr Torte's own paper:— "Mr. Laurier hos a character veneered on the outside. Scratch a little, and you will find the mediocrity within., He is not learned, his speeches shot• it. His thoughts do not rise above the plane of his prejudices Ile never will he faithful to ,what he does not possess.-.priuclples, {{ sound convictions or patriotism-" Mr. Tarte has not yet told us that he has re- versed this opininn. The secret Ballot. The able gentlemen who writeeditoriais for the Liberal newspapers continua to hang, draw and quarter the bishops of Quebec.But, because the bishops of Ontario have always been the firm friends of the Mowat Government, the aforesaid editors allow thele to continue in the enjoyment of life, liberty and the Pursuit of happiness. One of the things that Tne Globe tells us is that "Our laws are supposed to protect the voter in the free exercise of his right to mark his ballot ashe pleases" This remark is apropos of the case of L•Eleoteur. It is certainly very true.. But when o Govern - inept sworn to uphold the law sets itself to subvert that law it can do so very easily, The Greenway Government has given us a striking proof of this in the election petitions in Manitoba. Their plan of action is to arrest the deputy - returning officers --ail Conservatives— and then to put the voters in the witness - box and make them swear how they voted, Where is the secrecy of the bellot; of what use As the Globe's "right to mark his ballot as he pleases" if the Government of the province is able to make any elector swear how he voted? Tae Government has made use of the crim- inal law in order to revenge itself against its political opponents. No man who dares to vote against it ran consider himself safe in Manitoba. Whether he be guilty or not be will have to clear him- self from the suspicion of having com- mitted an offence. If innocent he cannot expect any reimbursement of the heavy expenditure to which he has been put nor has be any remedy for the disgrace attendiug the mere fact of his prosedu- teon. If he be a inlsdeuiearit he is acme - what luckier than bis innocent fellow - citizen, for ]ie knnws that be can obtain immunity from punishment by entering the political service of the Greenway Government The protection of the ballot has been utterly violated and extin- guished in Manitoba. Nothing remains but a system of noininal ` liberty tinder the espionage of a oabinet of unscrapul• ous demagogues, I do not know whether Mr. Clifford Sifton, the financier who dool)nes to pay the $7,000 owing by him to the city of Winnipeg, had a hand in this outrage. In Ontario we have a law which makes It possible for the Govern- ment, by means of its numbered ballot, n voted, 0 find just how ever ma t out ty , so that we are not so far ,ahead of Mani- toba and Mr. Greenway after all. More of the Tariff Commission. The gentlemen of the Tariff Commis- sion have resumed the piregrinations and Mr. Fielding oontinues to make merry at the expense of the witnesses who appear before the triumverate. Mr. Fielding must have road Bacon. Does he not remember that we are told in the essay on Great Fame to "Embrace and invite helps and advices touching the exeoutinn of thy place, and do not drive away such as bring the information as meddlers, b'ut accept of them in good pert." To accept that advice would do the Minister of Finance no harm. The number of enemies that he has made during the tour of the commission would be appaling if it were known Sir Rich- ard Cartwright, who is a courteous man, and Fielding'a superior in every depart- ment of statesmanship, has spoken to the witneses as one gentleman speaks to an- other. Mr. Paterson acts as coryphaeus and says nothing. Mr. Fielding's man- ners are a combination of those of the interlocutor of a minstrel show and those of a bullying cross-examiner. The manu- facturers in every place which the Com- mission has visited, bave made out good oases. And the manufacturers aro not all Conservatives either, as Mr. Paterson well knows. As the capable editor of the Gananoque Journal points out, Dr. Bowen, the President of the Thousand Islands Carriage Company, is a stalwart Reformer. Like a good Canadian, he put the country's good -before party ane told the Commission that the uncer- tainty in respect of the tariff had thrown employes out of work and that a reduc- tion of the tariff in the carriage schedule would bring Canadian goods, made by free labor, into competition with $3,000,- 000 worth of American prison -made vehicles every year. Does the Free Trader Fielding yet recognize that et is "a cnn- dittun, not a theory, that confronts us?" North Ontario and South Brant. The campaigns in South Brant and North Ontario are being pushed. In the latter constituency the Conservatives have elected Mr. Angus McLeod. nf. Bracebridge, as * their candidate. For many years Mr. MoLeod, wbo is a wealthy lumberman, has been a faithful worker en the. Conservative ranks. His lumbering interestin the northern end of the constituency, are very large, 'and his popularity is undenied, The Liberals already say that they have very little hope of electing Mr. Graham, their can. didate. In Brant Mr. Henry is making a strong campaign against Mr. Heyd, the Government candidate, Mr. Henry was unseated on account of the, indiscretion of a too liberal friend who gave an Indian two dollars to compensate him for the day's work which be lust by going home to vote. When Mr. Henry heard of this he abandoned the seat. His return in Brant is as nearly certain as anything political can he. .The constituency is overrun, by Liberal oreanizers, but Mr. Henry's personal strength will give him an advantage Which :Mr, Heyd cannot hope successfully to contend against. The writs for the two constituencies have, not been leaned at the time of writing: "On to Washington." John Charlton is now on his way to Washington, where he is to act as Cana- dian` commissioner on the tariftques- 1 tion. I do not see the object of sending Mr. Chariton now. or Sir Richard and Mr.. Fielding later on. It is simply use- less to attempt to do anything with this Congress or this Government. Mr. McKinley bas called' the new Congress to meet early' in March. Until then the Canadian Government eannot hope to even until MoE tnley shall bave meowed Moe, may the Laurier Government, if etill•hope-: ful that the Ainerioans will make some concessions, send .their Commissioners to Washington with the certainty that. there can be found somebody who will enter into discussion with them. AN OCEAN TELEPHONE. 4 cable Goold be Constructed for Talking Across the Mien tie. "A cable could he oonstrneted for use in telephoning across the Atlantio," xe-. marked F. A, Piokernell, chief engineer in charge of the long distance telephone construction department of the American Telegraph and Telephone Comoany,to a New York Tribune reporter "but alt the ships of the British Navy would not he able to carry it. It would be as big around as a hogshead, and the financial resources of any three of the great powers would be taxed to their utmost to pay for It, And if it wore laid the costof using it would discount its utility. The cost of one minute's conversation over such a submarine system would be close to 860." Mr. Piceernoll was discussing the feasibility of suhinarine telephony, and' his remark ahove quoted was in tartly to a question as to, the probable utility of the reported invention of a Russian elec- trician, M. Kildischewskyby name, who, as reported by cable from Odessa. has made an improvement in the telephone by which "distance has no effect upon the hearing," whatever that may mean The inference is, according to the experts, that the Russian with a name which most Americans are shy of pranouuctng, has invented what be considers an proved transmitter. The (labia despatch went on to announce that in an experi- mental test, made between Moscow and Rostnff, a distance of 890 miles, talking and music, both instrumental and venal, Were heard with perfect distinctness, and for tho purpose of the experiment an ordinary telegraph wire was used. In this there is nothing unusual, as. expert electrioitins agree In fact, it is only an episode In the dovelopmeut of the telephone on the other side of the ocean, whioh is almost anolent history on this side of the water, where the telephone of long distance pattern is in daily use for commercial purposes from Boston to Memphis, a distanne of 1 500 miles. This is the longest circuit in use in America. But there are connections running over 1,000 miles between Foston and Chicago, and the long-distance lines from New S'nrk to Chicago, and from this city to St. Louis and to Cincinnati simply inui- tipiying the factors contributing to American supremacy in electric science. Another paint in this connection was brought out in the course of a conversa- tion with Herbert Laws Webb, an expert electrician, and for nine years connected with the submarine cable service. The difficulties in the way, Mr. Webb'rs- marked, are not in the apparatus as it stands to -day, but they are inherent in „the submarine cable itself. Telephone lilies are placed as high in the air as pos- sibie, for bnr?ing them in the ground destroys their ocaduelvo capacity mater- ially, because of their induction, which causes confusion among the eleotriu waves thlit oouduet and make intelligible sound waves proceeding from the speaker through the transmitter, The vibratious become confused, and the effect is that of °bolting the wire, the consequent effect being a blur of undecipherable noise at the receiving end of the line. whisky and soda in the Rideau olab M begin negotiations with Washington. Not bn.Shellfish an ha t T u fetio ' 1 a During last year much alarm was caused in England by the tracing of an epidemic of typhoid fever to the consump- tion of uncooked oysters. An official in- quiry into thevchole question of the rela- tion of shellfish and infection was order- ed, and the uommissioner appointed to superintend the investigation, Dr. Cart- wright Wood, bas issued his report. A number of experiments were made, with the result of showing that snob germs as those of cholera and typhoid fever could be separated from sea water six weeks after their introduction, so that there is every reason to believe that these organ- isms can exist over very lengthened peri- ods in ordinary sea water. 1t has been repeatedly stated by recent authorities that in the presence of ordinary water bacteria the microbes of disease quickly perish, but according to Dr. Wood, this is not the case; "the presence of the water banteria exerted little or no influ- ence on the vitality of the disease germs, at any rate, during the first .live or six weeks." The next question, of course, was, Supposing the microbe gets into the oyster, does the oyster destroy 1t in any way, or does the germ go on living? In other words, tan a good oyster bo a car- rier of infection? Living cbolera organ- isms were found within the shell tip too the eighteenth day, so that if the oysters are exposed,to the infection, it is quite evident theyy are capable of carrying it. It was noted, however, that although both cholera and typhoid' organisms could live in sea water, they did not multiply in it, at any rate, at the ordin- ary temperature of, sea water. .)3ut these organisms multiplied freely at the higher temperature of the oyster saloon. Finally, Dr. Wood concludes "that the contamin- ation of sea water in the neighborhood of oyster beds may undoubtedly lear\ to the mollusks becoming infected with patho- genic organisms. The nature of the risks run by those who partake of such oysters is accordingly obvious; the degree of risk, however, we con not pretend to estimate. "Evidently the only Principle that can be applied with safety to this question is to judge the sea water as we would a drinking water, and condemn all oysters which originate from beds subject to more or less recent contamina- tion. It was, proposed that a black list should tie kept of those oyster beds which ought to be avoided, but this was found impracticable, The idea, however, was not lost on the English, public, who have in many oases ceased to eat oysters from local beds to which contamination has been traced. It is proposed to give the local authorities power to protect the public by closing the oyster beds • sus- pected of being contaminated until the objectionable conditions have been re moved, just as these authorities have at present the power of closing a milk shop which 3s regarded as a source of danger. Couldn't Help it. Boldly she walked on the seabeat shore As long as shone the sun, But' when the rain name her colors were struck And what could she do but run? • --Detroit Tribune. • Bibby's Transform ,ation. "And Who is this?" 'asked Clara, pointing to a picture of a chubby child" in skirts. "That," said Robby, who had been wearing knickerbockers for some. time, "is me when I was a girl." --Standard. RAILROADERS TELL IT'S WONDEr:,FUL RAILROAD ,}' IDIVEY.. I, WiL.u.hn WALitaa,ofthe eityof ifsmil. ton, do solemnly declare that I recede «t 84 Colborne Street, and aril employed as passenger brakeman on the ti T. 1. f suffered intensely with what is ra11'd Railway Kidneys and also had :lc-tntiea, which became so severe that I had to leave my work. I had medical treatuu'nt, was fly blistered and had hotirons applied, but , without success. I took a great a uao tity cif medicine and when 1 began the use of Ryckman's Kootenay Cure' thought it was onlyanether experiment and could hardly trust my own senses when I began to get better. The pain gradually left ine, niy kidneys began to act with regularity and promptness, my appetite returned.and now • I at» cured, I am forty years of age. hove been with the G. T. Refer twelve years, and =now able to work every day, thanks to Kootenay Cure, which I have pleasure in recommending to everyone suffering with Rheumatism or KieneyT`rouble, and espe- cially to railroad men, who are an more or less subject to disordered Kidneys. Sworn to before 3. W. SEveaoue CORLEY, Notary Pittair. HaMXLTON, 3oth Dec., 1896. TWENTY YEARS OF LUMBAGO, I, JAMES Muds, of the City of Hamilton, Co. of Wentworth, residing 243 Emerald Street N.; do solemnly declare that I am at present em., ployed as night baggagenian master Grand Trunk Station, Hamilton. I was troubled for over twenty years with Lumbago, and at times was so severely afflicted that I could not walk. Twice a year during the time the attacks were very intense, but the pain was constantly with. me, and for about ten years I could not stand straight for a longer period than about fifteen minutes, when I would be compelled to lean over or stoop forward in order to relieve myself.. After using nine bottles of Ityckman's Koot- enay Cure I am free from Lumbago end consider myself completely cured. I told Mr. Ryckman that if I felt no pains for one year after taking his medicine, that I would give him a testimonial, and as the time expires this week, I came to him without solicitation to give this sworn declara- tion, I conscientiously consider Kootenay Cure one of the greatest and best remedies for back or kidney trouble ever used by mankind, and wish my case to become generally kn own, as I doctored with five different medical men and wus told by some of them that they could do nothing for me; others said, "Go to bed and stay until I got better," but that would have been giving up all hope and confessing myself a hopeless invalid. Kootenay Cure was my salvation, and I believe it only right that medical teen, universities and hospitals should use the remedy extensively. Sworn to before Was. 3. ]toss, HAMILTON, 1gthDec., 1886. Notary Psltit, TRIALS OF A TRAVELER. One of Them Caused a Chambermaid to Miss Her Tip. You have heard of the man who had employed a new servant, fresh from a country town. The man bad wine hi bl y recommended as lioness, industrious and intelligent, and in appearance be evident- ly justified his sponsors. His employer re- turned after a couple of days' absence to find that the new servant had been clean- ing up generally, and particularly in the wine cellar, where he had scoured all the: dust and rust off of the wine bottles. Well, 1 know a man who had a similar experience, though perhaps not quite so readily comprehended by the general read- er. This man had traveled a groat deal and had .a fad. They sometimes go together. His fad was travel. Alpine climbers carry what they call alpenstocks, on which they burn the records of their mountain tri- umphs—the name of the mountain climb- ed, height, data, eto. They overrun the mountain regions of Europe, bragging of their exploits and proving them by the stick. .I can show a straight record of the' Swiss Alps myself—having bought it at Interlaken, where it had evidently been left in pawn by some impeounious ama- teur mountaineer. I had climbed Mont Blanc—by telescope—and got my record something after the manner of the man who bought his ancestors in the "Pirates of Penzance." But to return. My friend didn't carry a notched stick, but he had trunke and grip and typewriting machine case and hatbox covered with ,labels. These labels showed just wbat an awfully wide awake fellow be was and where he had boon and bow often. They were the record of his travels over the world. And as he had been about a good bit they were curiosities. It used to give my friend, wbo is well known in New York, immense satisfaction to see the look of awe with which these relict were regarded by porters and baggage ensu and hotel clerks wherever he went. They were tbat plastered with steamship cabin marks and hotel posters and custom house labels and railway stamps that you couldn't tell what they were exceptby the shape. We were in Detroit Last winter; when he came to my room in the hotel half intoxi- cated and the other half crazy with anger. As soon, as I could get him to converse in- tel]igently between oaths calculated to sink this confounded country out of sight he told me that the chambermaid, in an- ticipation of an exti'a hp, bad washed off every last one of his pet earmarks, and that it was :blankoty, blah "And to think that I have to begin all over again! said he, the seven wasted. years staring him in the face. And it was tough, you will admit. ;But that &ambor- maid didn't get ler tip. --New York Her; aid: COQUETTES AS BENEFACTORS. tiful, she must have kept her youth. She is in no sense a light woman; neither is she tvezintoIlet, i, he would not speak eek Greek even if she could. She is a oreaturo of infinite tact, whom every outward sem- blance of a nuts interests profoundly. With him she is always tither best, and she cou- trives to get out of him the hest there is. v hetic as sympathetic well and growss line s14e1 She top ;cit site listens. "Bus he a special weakness? She half tempts him to believe it is a virtue. An adept in the subtlest Jones of flattery,rshe Would forge the meanest of us to shine, even when be is ill at ease. ' 'td yet, above all, she remains sincere. eeer interest in hien is real and survives the fleeting mo- ment, He is a znan—that is to say, for her the brightest page in nature's book. She respects convention, knowing wen when she may venture to be unconventional, yet she is unapproaohable and irreproachable. In return he adores her." George Eliot says, "One's self satisfac- tion is a kieul of untaxed property, which it is very unpleasant to find depreciated." The men's woman; with a word, or a ges- ture, or a look, conveys to her companion the conviction, "You interest me, not so much for the sake of pleasing, as because itis true." Can suck) conduct Lis actuated by may other motive than that of the pur- est and truest philantbropye--Lippi ucatt's. Creatures of Infinite Tact, Their Interest Ia 1tTen Is Genuine. From an ethical standpoint, at the risk of appearing paradoxical; I will me as far as to assert that the coquette is your true philanthropist. To begin with, she is gen- erally a "men's woman." That term im- mediately generates a prejudice in all well regulated minds, and yet w1'v should 'it? Charles Dudley Warner says her,"She is a happy combination of _..-.pies: some- What difficult to descrite Mrs. Racket slays: "A creature for whom education has done much and 'nature more. She has taste, elegance, spirit and understanding." Warner says: "She is all this andmore. To begin with, she is old enough to know her world thoroughly; yet, though the need never have been benu- The Writer. Talk is arising, as it has off and on since the now wornont subject of "wom- an's sphere" came before the pnblic, about women in place of men for weenies at the private dinner table. The man is so inn- nitely superior to the woman at the public table that it does not seem possible that he can ever be superseded in private life. A man -will wait upon a man as well as up- on a woman, or a woman as well as upon a man in a hotel or restaurant, provided 'always he expects to receive a tip and thinks it worth his while. A woman in either of these places usually treats uwoen- an with scant courtesy, and in bee amia- ble moods she is apt to be officious to both mon and women. Women do not scorn to appreoiato the fact that waiting on a ta- ble is a function to be executed with dig- nity. If the man waiter makes it too much of a function and his dignity is somewhat excessive, his is an error in the right di- rection. He atleast seems to take a certain pleasure ie the work, while women appar- ently regard waiting as merely a duty to be' gone through with as much grace as may be. -Now York Times. Reardon dower. The passion flower, bas its name from the Latin words signifying "suffering flower," referring to the filaments or rays and other parts, being likened to the cir- Cumstances of Christ's crucifixion. In the various parts of the 'flower the, fanciful find the crown of thorns, the cross, the spear, the scourge, the nails, the hammer, the lance and the drops of blood. He Objected. Hostess --Well, Tommie, you can tell your pother for me that you are the best behaved boy attable Fever met. Tommie --Thank you, ma'am, but I'd rather not. Hostess --Rather not. .And why, pray? Tommie—She'd think Iwas i11, ma'am, and would send for the doctor.—Pearson'e Weekly. washing (int Ouse. Wash ant glass with very hot water, but do not use any soap, This will gen- erally be found' sofficient,,.but if it has a dull, tarnished appearance apply whiting on a soft brush, and then polish the glass With a piece of old newspaper, acts. Nee Ir Sc Weeded More In the Exeter days of Dr. Temple, when he was suspected of heterodoxy, a young curate came to him one day and said, "My lord, it is rumored that you are not able to believe in special inter- alf of cer- tain encs o ! po ]tions of Providence n behalf persons." "Well?" grunted the bishop. "Well, my lord, here is the ease of my aunt. My aunt journeys to Exeter every Wednesday by the same train and in the same compartment of the same carriage invariably. Last Wednesday she felt a :disinclination to go, and that very day an accident oc- curred by which the carriage of the train was smashed to pieces. Now, was Cot that a direct interposition of Provi- dence on behs;.lf of my aunt?" "Can't. say," growled the bishop. "Don't know your aunt."—Argonant. Hawaii. There are many signs indicating that imneedia,tn1y after the inauguration of Mr. Iticlainley as president of the United States another attempt will be made to effect in hot haste the annexation of the Hawaiian' Islands to this repuhlie, in anticipation of this attempt, it will be well for the American people to consider calmly and soberly how their inieresta would be effectedby the consuenzna,tion of this scheme. Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that we tan have the Hawaiian Islands as a part of this 'Union if we want them, and that we can get them without any serious opposition on the part of any one of the great powers of the world. The question is whether we should take them under the circum stances. What will follow if we do? The annexation of the 'A'awailan Islands would inavery important respect change mu position in the world. So fax our possessions have r11 been - substan- tially continental. Owing to our abund- ant resources in men and wealth; an invasion of our territory by any foreign power or combination of powers is so hopeless that we may consider ou selvea virtually Unassailable in our continental stronghold. We have always been proud o1 the advantage we had over other nations in needing only a shall standing ea -my and navyfor our defence. The Hawaiian Islands etre 2,000 miles distant from our Pacific coast. If we annex there, they will be part of the territory of the 'United States, and in case of an embroilment with any foreign power will have to be defended as such. This will require not only large and costly -forti- fications and strong garrisons on the islands themselves, but else, to :maintain them and our communication -with them, very lnuoli larger naval and military establishments than we: ,now bave. In. other words, we shall have added to our possessions a very vulnerable point, which will: to a great extent deprive ns of the most valuable privilege of being su'bstan- t3ally secure without a big and costly standing armament.—Harper's Weekly: Vessels Sunk in the Thames. Between forty and fifty vessels are sunk in the Thames every year. During the past eleven years seventy-four steam- ers, of 55,758 tons register, fifty-four sail ingvessels, of 9,128 tons,and 301 barges, of 11 956 tons, have been raised by the Conservancy lighters. Tunnels of the .World. The longest tunnel in the world is St. Gothard, which is 4,840 ,feet. The next longest are Mount Canis, 39,8110 feet; Hoosac, 25,080 feet• Severn, 211,999 feet; Nochistongs, : A659 feet; Sutler 21,120 feet.