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MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1»16
WHEN RUSSIA CAME TO OUR AID.
Now that the rest of the world is
war, naught remains but that the
people of the United States prepare
for an onslaught sure to come.
Frankly the American republic
guess who to trust. Look history
over. France was our friend in 1791,
but she was our enemy in 18G3. She
was our enemy in 1898, when for the
sake of sentiment and saving of hu
man life the United States decided to
Intervene in Cuba.
France never has been car fri *nd
unless it suited her to be.
Same with Russia. During the
darkest hours of the civil war, when
Great Britain was about to reccgni::e
the confederate government. Russia
aent a lot of wooden tubs into This
barbor to warn off the British and
French. The service was gre^.t. Nev
er will it be forgotten. But the ac
count is quitted.
During the stormy davs of the Civ
il War, when the citizens of the New
England States were resisting the
conscription act, and when bloody
riots were occurring daily in the
streets of New York and Baltimore
between citizens and soldiers, Gen.
-Selgel, a German officer of high abil
ity, raised 250,000 German troops,
and went to the front with them,
where they fought loyally through the
war of the rebellion, shoulder to
shoulder with the patriots of '63. —
It is hard to tell who will be our
friends in years to come.
_ - - %
“ABE WE SECURE?"
The following essay won the $500
prize offered ... the National Defense
League:
"Among the many objects to which
a wise and free people find It neces
sary to direct their attention, that of
providing for their safety seems to be
the first.” This is less true today
than when Hamilton at the beginning
of the Union, pleaded for such pre
paredness as would not invite war,
hut discourage and repel it.
What has been our military hist
ory? Our navy has been called to ac
tion eight times, or once every 17.3
years. Our victories over England
were due to timely distractions of
her forces. In the cases of Spain and
Mexico, our strength was superior.
It cannot be expected in future, that
our enemies will be inferior. On the
contrary, there is reason to believe
that America’s next war will be with
an equal or superior enemy, and
fought to the finish.
The antl-preparationist arguments
are fallacious. Treaties are beneficial,
but they are not security against the
warrior’s greed. Lack of preparedness
furthermore, not only weakens an ex
isting treaty but cripples the power
to make satisfactory ones. The op
ponents of preparedness contend also
that we have enough latent forces to
repel any invasion. Do they recall
that Washington was sacked and
burned in 1884?
The conditions confronting us are
unmistakable. The best trained minds
of the country are unanimous in de
claring that war tomorrow would find
us unprepared. The navy—our right
arm of defense and one which cannot
be readily expanded—is wanting in
scout cruisers, aircrafts, gunboats
and auxiliary vessels. Our land forces
and coast defenses are equally in
adequate. Both branches of defense
are deficient in ammunition and men.
Must we have an actual invasion to
awaken us to these conditions?
There are pretended as well as
just causes of war. Any nation with
whom we have commercial or racial
connections has power to annoy us.
As possible causes of war we may
name (1) demands for immigration,
(2) territorial disputes, and (3)
trade or racial jealousies. These
causes are, obviously, not yet laid
aside by all governments as settled
satisfactorily to each.
These facts taken with the change
ability of our foreign policy (whose
inconsistancy is native to our govern
ment), deserves grave consideration.
At any time an insult to national in
tegrity may provoke a popular outcry
for war, regardless of our state of
preparedness.
The American nation today occu
pies a new seat among the family of
nations. Her position will become
a greater one, which will create jeal
ousy. We are gaining ascendency in
South American trade. The Panama
Canal may develop still more issues
of international importance. Orient
alism on the Pacific is not diminish
ing. And more than once our Monroe
Doctrine has brought U3 to the verge
of war.
Let us not turn aside the enduring
counsel of Washington: “If we desire
to repel insult, we must be able to
repel it; if we desire to secure peace,
it must be known at all times that we
are ready for war."—Landon M.
Townsend, Columbia University, New
York.
Mr. and Mrs. AI White, who lost
their home over Louie's Cafe in the
fire last week, have secured apart
ments in the Boyle building over the
Owl Drug store.
BORN: To Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Elliott, on Sunday, January 23, a son,
weighing nine pounds. Both mother
and son are reported to be doing well.
Dr. E. C. Dalton was in attendance.
THE EMPRESS
The Empress Circuit Pi esenfs the Paramount
Feature in 5 Acts With 317 Scenes.
__ &_
“The Call Of The North”
A thrilling play of the North Woods by the Jesse L.
Lasky Co. and featuring the romantic actor,
ROBERT EPESON
Last Time To-Night
2 Shows, at 8:00 and 9:20 sharp
Admission 25c. All Children 10c.
Maiy PleHon) In “The Eagle’s Mata" Han Thursday
HIS FLIGHT OF ORATORY.
The Cause Wa3 Lowly, but the Law
yer’* Plea Was Eloquent.
The wit and wisdom of members of
tile bar are acknowledged In all circles,
and the following example, recorded In
M. McDonnell Bodkin's book, "lteeol
lectiona of an Irish Judge." is certainly
worthy of being preserved:
| "A certain barrister appeared to sup
port an application before the recorder
of Dublin for a license for a public
house. The applicant was only twenty
five years old. and the recorder re
marked that he was very young for so
responsible a position. The resource
ful advocate rose majestically to the
occasion and said:
‘My lord. Alexander the Crent at
twenty-two years of age had crushed
the Illyrians and razed the city of
Thebes to the ground, had crossed the
Hellespont at the head of Ills army,
had conquered Darius with a force of
a million In the defiles of Isxus and
brought I he great Persian empire un
der his sway. At twenty-three Itene
Descartes evolved a new system of
philosophy. At twenty-four Pitt was
prime minister of the British empire,
on whose dominions the sun never
sets. At twenty-four Napoleon over
threw the enemies uf the republic with
a whiff of grapeshot In the streets of
Purls, and Is it now to be judicially
decided that at twenty-live my client.
I’cler Mulligan, is too young to man
age a public house in Cape I street?’ ”
PLEASING A SULTAN.
Why a Piece of Spanish Music Tickled
the Oriental Autocrat.
Knid Belton some years ago told the
following story, which illustrated ex
actly the attitude of the sultan of Mo
rocco nt that time toward the French:
One day the sultan asked a lady, the
wife of his dentist, to play one of the
pianos that were in the room of the
palace. She played several pieces, oue
of them at length catching the sultan's
fancy, whereupon the following little
dialogue took place:
Sultan—That piece is very nice. What
is it called?
Dentist—it is the "March on Cadiz.”
It was written to commemorate the
Spaniards driving the French out of
Spain.
Sultan—What! Were the French In
Spain?
Dentist—Yes.
Sultan—How many of them?
Dentist—About 200.000.
Sultan (in a surprised tone)—And the
Spaniards drove them out?
Dentist—Yes. every one of them.
There was a slight pause while the
sultan was thinking hard, and then:
Sultan (quietly)—Play it again.—Dun
dee Advertiser.
Barnard Shaw's Excuse.
Bernard Shaw was invited to a ban
quet in honor of the sculptor ltodln.
He sent the following letter as bis ex
cuse for not attending:
“For me a banquet to Rodin is quite
superfluous. 1 have already taken
measures to assume immortality for
myself by attaching my name to that
of Rodin. Henceforth in every ency
clopedia you will read. ‘Bernard Shaw;
subject of a bust by Rodin; otherwise
unknown.’
“If the bust is lost, broken or spoiled.
bo much the better for me.” he con
tinues. “They will speak of the Most
Bernard Shaw of Rodin.’ as today they
speak of the lust Athens of Phidias.
Nothing can be more beautiful than
the statues which no oue ever saw.
Therefore I have done ull that is neces
sary. I can get along without ban
quets. You will only be Rodin's hosts.
I have the honor to be bis model.’’
Saving Old Couple.
They were a very saving old couple,
and as a result they hud a beautifully
furnished house.
| Oue day the old lady missed her hus
band.
"Joseph, wbere ure you?” she called
out.
"I'm resting in the parlor.” came the
reply.
•’What, on the sofy?” cried the old
lady, horrified.
"No: on the floor.”
•’Ou that grand carpet?” came In
toueB of anguish.
’’No; I've rolled It up.”—Buffalo
News.
The Changing Leave*
Careful observers will note that tbe
graduation of autumn thus in nil cases
are In order of those of sunrise, from
darker to lighter hues, and never the
reverse. The brown leaves which long
persist on some trees ilieech. chestnut
and certain oaks, for example', though
darker than the yellow or orange from
whteb they often turn, are uo excep
tion. since these leaves are dead, and
the brown is only assumed after vital
ity boa vanished.—Harden Maguzbie.
• What Ha Admired.
“What did father say when you asked
hint for my band?"
•*Ob.“ replied Augustus, "he—he did
his best to tie pleasant, tie said there
was something ul>om me that he really
Admired."
"IMd he say what?”
“Yes; my linpudenoe."
Customa and Habit*
Onr customs and babhs tire like tbe
ruts In roads. The wheels of life set
tle into them, and we jog along through
tbe mire because it Is too much trouble
to get out of them.
Fogs and Freak
Thy absence of fogs during front is
been use the vapor In frown on me
ground before it cau rise and become*
hoar frost
-Nothing Is mote disgraceful than h*
aiucerlty.—Cicer*
CURIOUS JAPANESE RITE.
The Art ef Divination Through tho
Use of Tortoise Shell.
The curious nrt of divination through
he medium of tortoise shell is very
popular throughout the island king
iom. being used upon many occasions
■ o ascertain tbe timeliness or possibil
ity of various projects. The lmi)or
.ance of this practice in the eyes of the
lapanese may *>be Inferred from tbe
fact that tbe fields in which the sacred
rice for the coronation ceremony was
grown were selected through tortoise
shell divination.
The divlnullon Is effected by first
worshiping n god culled Uruvunokaml.
Then a tortoise shell Is taken and
scraped inside until quite thin aud the
outside surface polished. In tbe shell
are several hollow squares In each of
which there Is a certain sign marked
in black ink. The whole Is then baked
under great heat, causing cracks to ap
pear In the surface. These cracks are
then studied In accordance with the
formulae in the divination book, the
result being a sort of code message
from the gods
This Is not the earliest form of divin
ation known In Japan. Previously
there was a kind called Futomanl. In
which the shoulder blade of a stag was
used In place of a tortoise shell. The
rorto.se shell method, which probably
came from China, was considered on
improvement nnd was probably adopt
ed because It wns something new. for
at that time the Japanese were seizing
upon all things foreign.—Japanese
Magazine.
OLD TIME WITCH FINDERS.
Sura Sign* by Which Agents of the
Evil One Were Detected.
Three hundred years ago the busi
ness of finding out witches was well
established and accepted in courts of
law as highly proper.
In 1<M9 It Is recorded that the magis
trntes of Newcastle. Englnnd, sent to
Scotland for an expert witch finder
This gifted person proceeded to show
his skill by quickly discovering fifteen
witches and securing their conviction
One Matthew Hopkins was a cele
brated witch finder of that period.
It was easy to discover witches when
you know how. The susiiected person
could be forced to weep and then de
tected by the well known fact that a
witch could shed only three tears and
those from the left eye. or she could
be pricked with pins to discover the
spot insensible to pain, which was a
sure sign of dealings with the devil.
That women were far more likely to
dqbble in witchcraft than men was
conceded. The reason was satisfacto
rily explained bg a famous German
text book on witches published in the
fifteenth century. It was simply that
women were inherently wicked, where
us men naturally inclined to goodness
—Exchange.
The Czar Ball.
One of the best known bells In the
world has, strange to say, never been
rung—that known as the Czar Kolokol
or the ezar bell. This bell Is said to be
the largest anywhere. There Is an in
terestlng history attached to It. When
It had been cast attempt was made to
hang it so thnt It might be rung, but
by an unhappy chance It broke from
Its supports and fell to the ground,
wherein It made n great hole, into
which It sank and lay for many years
Finally, after more than a hundred
years of oblivion. It was raised and
placed In a public square In Moscow
where it now stands. This bell weighs
more than 440,0(10 pounds and Is more
than nineteen feet in height and sixtj
feet In circumference.
Th* Unreality of Opera.
There ore iieople who still complnln
of the unreality of opera who eaunoi
subject themselves to its Illusion. Ami
‘ indeed the Illusion of opera breaks
down If everything In It Is not kept at
the same distance from reality. In
that world of musical expression' we
must never be suddenly lowered by
any incongruous detail into the ordi
nary world of prose. Realism, the at
tempt to work upon the emotions by
complete illusion of reality, is disus
trous In opera. If the scene is a rail
way station we remember at once tbai
j people do not sing when they are catch
| lug trains.—London Times.
Little Elsa.
A London attorney mimed Else, rath
er diminutive In his stature and not
particularly respectable iu his charac
ter, once met Jekyll. "Sir." said he. "I
hear you have culled me a |>ettifog
glug seouudrel. (lave you done so.
sir r
“Sir.” said Jekyll, with a look of eon
tempt, "1 never said you were u liftti
fogger or n scoundrel, but I said you
were ‘little Else.’”-Westminster Ga
zette. ___
Incomplete Comprehension.
"A great many people talk about
things they don’t understand.”'
•Of course.’' replied. Miss Cayenne
“If we all thoroughly understood e?
erything It Is considered necessary to
tnlk nbout we should alt be Immoder
ately wise—and sometimes rather im
polite.”— Washington Star.
Midchannet.
“Well, old chap, how have you been
since you embarked on t.be sea of mat
rlmonyT”
“OU-er—Just a little seasick at
times!”—Boston Transcript
True.
“It taken two to make a quarrel.”
“Tea. ami very often It taken a jury
of twelve to nettle It”—Detroit Free
Preaa.
We are nure to Ret the better of for
tune If we do but Krajiple with bar.—
Seneca.
-S. BLUM & CO.
CLEARANCE SALE
IT’S too good an opportunity1 to
miss. The prices are reduced to
_make it worth while for you to
buy now. ./
.. v'
100 MEN’S SUITS 100 I
A $25.00 Suit fcr $12.5(! A'$30.(10 Suit fcr $15.00!
Men’* Cravenette Overcoat?, $20 value, now - $10.00
Men’s Cravenette Raincoats were $15 & $20, - $7.50
Heavy Blanket-lined Canvas Coats, $5 & $6 quality, now $2.50
Men’s Smoking Jacket?, $4 & $5 quality, now - $2.50
Corduroy Coats at half price.
Buckskin-lined Corduroy Vests, $5 quality, new - $2.50
Moleskin blanket-lined Teamster’s Overcoats, fur collar,
were $15, now ... $10.00
All Boys’ Suits and Overcoats at
.... 25 per cent off. ....
25 per cent off on
Ladies’ Furs
Children’s Furs,
Men’s Fur Collars.
Reduced to
Men’s Stock Ties -, 25c
Silk Mufflers • 50c
Way’s Knitted Mufflers 25c
Men’s Dress Shirts, $1.50’ and $2.00 (quality,
now - - - 75c
Men’s Negligee’Shirts, $1.50 to $5.00 quality,
now - - - One-half off
Boss-of-the-Road Mackinaws, in blue, brown
and gray, $5.00 quality, selling now for $2.50
Malone Mackinaws, were $6.00, now - -$4.00
S. BLUM & CO.,
GOOD GOODS
DR. H. C0CKER1LLE
Graduate National Unlveraltz
Washington. I>< C.
DENTIST
Fourteen Years in Valdez.
PHONE 110
Office Rooms in Winding Building
OR. GERMAN
phone » the DENTIST
Office rooms over Owl Drug Store. Of
lice hours 9 a. m. to 6 p. m., 7 to 9
p. m. Sunday by appointment.
All Work Guaranteed.
E. C. DALTON, M. D.
PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON
Phone_42
Alaska Avenue Valdes, Alaska
DONOHOE & DIMCND
ATTOU.YEYS-AT-LAW
Office Opvoaite Court Ilouaae
1*1,one .14 VALUES. ALASKA
JOHN LYONS E. E. RITCHIE
LYONS & RITCHIE
ATTORNEY A-AT-LAW
Offlcrn Id WIinllnR Hullallng
1'liaane 101 VALUES. AJ*ASKA
A. M. DIERINGER
Valdez Transfer
Company
Office on Alaska Avenue, h
George C. Treat Building
Telephone No. 60
General Trucking and Freighting
to all Interior Points.
LIVERY and FEED STABLE
STORAGE.
Teaming of All*Kinda
Positively No Coal Delivered Un
less Paid for in Advance
Arcade Cafe
OPEN UNTIL 9 P. M.
We Serre Corona Coffee
Strictly Fresh Eggs.
Jack Callin • - Proprietor
The Best Flace in Valdez to
Stop at is the
*
Arctic Hotel
Wans, Light Room*—The Hone if Caaiaft
RATES REASONABLE
BATH ROOM Special Rate* By the Mutt
PHONE 133 MRS. SYRING, Pra*.
VALDEZ LODGE
NO 108
Free and Accepted H«M*a
Regular Communications first Wed
nesday In each month In McKinley
Hall. Visitors nlwnjcs welcome.
A. K. (3RIGSBY. W. M.
HD. WOOD. Secretary.
When In Seward Stop at the
COLEMAN HOUSE
GEORGS SEXTON.PROP
SlRIGTLY FIRST CLASS
Fourth Ave, Seward, Alaska
Valdez Miners Union He. 18?
Western Federation of Miners
ROBERT SHAFFER^ FWdeU. |
CBAS. MeCALLUM.SeerstarT,
Valdes. Alesha.
---— -—-" —
Dougherty & Ferguson
GENERAL '
Merchandise
1 1 .. ,i
The best groceries received
on every boat.
——
Fresh vegetables, halts, and
nuts.
■