immediate action; the election was postponed; and in the few days of delay the authorities of the university and the leading citizens of Baltimore took occasion to bring such pressure to bear on him that he felt himself compelled to withdraw his name from the consideration of the board in New York. His positive withdrawal, received on the day fixed for the election, found the board with no other candidate but Mr. Jasper. A motion for further postponement of the election was negatived, and the former superintendent was re-elected by a vote of 13 to 6.

A bill modifying some points in the law requiring in all schools study on the effects of narcotics on the human system, was enacted in April.

Other Legislation.-The ballot law was amended at some important points, and the election laws were incorporated with it in one statute.

The number of signatures requisite for an independent nomination for state offices is increased from 3,000 to 6,000; and 50 signatures are made requisite from residents of each county. The days of registration are made the same in all cities of the state, including New York and Brooklyn; and the hours for opening and closing the polls are made the same in all cities and all counties throughout the state. Various other amendments were made, suggested by Mr. Raines in view of the working of the law at the last election.

Among the enactments specially relating to labor, were: The amendment to the Mechanic's lien law-giving the mechanic additional protection; the Mercantile Establishment law, regulating the employment of women and children in great shops; the Bakershop Inspection law, providing more cleanly conditions in bakeries; the Sweatshop law, aimed at correcting some of the disgraceful abuses in that system; and amendments of the Conspiracy law in the interest of workmen. An experiment is to be made with free public employment bureaus in New York city.

The Robbins Coal-trust law makes combinations (of corporations, etc.) to raise the price of necessities liable to prosecution under the Conspiracy act.

The legislature added to the restrictions on prize fighting, made changes in the methods of drawing juries, and divided the department of Charities and Corrections in New York city into two departments.

The Bertillon method of measuring criminals for identification (p. 151) was adopted.

Bicyclists, disappointed at the failure of action on the Good-roads bill, were comforted by the law compelling railroads to classify bicycles, in number not exceeding one to each passenger, as baggage, and to transport them free

as such without requiring the owners to protect them by crate or cover. This law was passed on April 8, in the assembly by a vote of 127 to 1, and on the same day in the senate by a vote of 36 to 4. The bill had been stoutly opposed by the railroad companies; and had been advocated by the League of American Wheelmen in an argument to the effect that the railroad that could afford to haul a trunk weighing 150 pounds free for each of 100 passengers 100 miles, thus hauling seven and a-half tons,-could afford to haul 100 bicycles weighing in all only one ton, whose hundred owners were paying $200 total fare.

The legislature adjourned April 30.

Political Items.-The state democratic convention at Saratoga, June 24, was harmonious, but without enthusi

asm.

It adopted a platform declaring both gold and silver the standard money of the country, proclaiming bimetallism as the policy to which the nation is pledged, but asserting that bimetallism can be safely secured and permanently maintained only by concurrent action of the leading nations. Without such co-operation any attempt by the United States at free and unlimited coinage of silver would be disastrous. It opposed permanent legal-tender paper money, and called for the redemption and gradual cancellation of the United States notes and treasury notes. It upheld the power of the secretary of the treasury to issue bonds when necessary for redemption of our paper obligations. It praised President Cleveland and his administration, denounced the doctrine of a protective tariff, and called for democratic unity to prevent republican oppression in the South.

A conference of republican friends of Mr. McKinley in the state who are also opponents of Mr. Platt, was followed by a vigorous address, written by ex-Senator Warner Miller, and signed by about 200 men of position in the party.

The address calls on all republican voters in the state to unite their efforts to recover the control of the party from the "bosses' and the "machine," and to take it into their own hands after the fashion of the general popular uprising which at St. Louis compelled the nomination of McKinley and Hobart.

Civil service reform achieved a gratifying triumph on May 28, in addition to the transfer from the "confidential" to the competitive list of the sixty special agents of the excise commissioner under the Raines liquor law. Governor Morton also suspended Schedule C of the civil service commission, and put 500 other official places in the state departments on the competitive list. This is a great step toward extending the competitive rule throughout the state service.

Ohio.-A law which has excited considerable discus

sion has been enacted by the legislature of Ohio, making managers of theatres responsible for the comfort of patrons. Its primary aim is to suppress the at least thoughtless custom of wearing big hats at theatres.

Rhode Island.-The first state election of the year was held in Rhode Island April 1, resulting in the re-election of Governor Lippitt (rep.) by a plurality of 11,278 over Mr. Littlefield (dem.). The prohibition party made large gains throughout the state, its candidate, Mr. Peabody, receiving 3,032 votes. Protection vs. tariff reform was the leading issue.

The Tennessee Centennial.-On June 1 was celebrated with appropriate ceremonies at Nashville, the 100th anniversary of the approval by George Washington of the act which made Tennessee the sixteenth state of the Union -the third to be added to the original family of thirteen states. Major J. W. Thomas was president of the centennial organization. John Dickinson, assistant attorneygeneral of the United States, was the orator of the day. An elaborate military and civic parade was a prominent feature of the festivities; and a prize ode by Mrs. Virginia Frazier Boyle of Memphis was read. A centennial exposition at Nashville next year is contemplated.

PERSONAL AND MISCELLANEOUS.

Personal Notes.-On April 6, Monday after Easter, the marriage of ex-President Benjamin Harrison to Mrs. Mary Scott Lord Dimmick was celebrated in St. Thomas's church (Protestant Episcopal), New York city. The bride is a niece of the ex-president's first wife, who died in October, 1892 (Vol. 2, p. 409).

A noteworthy incident was the trip across the country, in April, of the great Japanese general and statesman, Field Marshal Count Yamagata, on his way to Europe to attend, as the representative of the Japanese emperor, the coronation of the czar. At numerous points he was received with demonstrations of great respect; and he was the guest of New York city for nearly a week. He sailed from New York for Havre, France, April 18.

Among the distinguished recipients of honorary degrees from the University of Pesth on the occasion of the Hungarian millennial celebration in May, was Dr. John Shaw Billings, recently appointed superintendent of the New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations (p. 154).

Honorary degrees were conferred by the University of Cambridge (Eng.) on Simon Newcomb, professor of mathematics and astronomy in Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., and Francis Andrew March, professor of the English language and comparative philology in Lafayette College, Easton, Penn.

On June 2 William Churchill, of the editorial staff of the Brooklyn (N. Y.) Times, was nominated by President Cleveland to be United States consul-general at Apia, Samoa. David N. Burke, a native of Vermont, consul at Malaga, Spain, was also nominated for promotion to the post of consul-general at Tangier, Morocco.

Civil Service Reform.-President Cleveland issued, May 6, an order extending the provisions of the civil service law to 30,000 government employés, increasing the number of places on the classified lists from 55,736 to 85,135. Thus, with a few minor exceptions, the entire service between those officials whose confirmation by the senate is constitutionally requisite, and mere laborers and workingmen, is included under the civil service rules.

Under this revision the executive civil service is divided into five branches, the Departmental, the Custom House, the Postoffice, the Government Printing, and the Internal Revenue.

In the first are classified all officers and employés except laborers and persons who have been nominated for confirmation in the several executive departments, the commissions, the District of Columbia, the railway mail service, Indian service, pension agencies, steamboatinspection service, marine hospital service, lighthouse service, mints and assay officers, revenue cutter service, sub-treasuries and engineer departments, and the forces employed by custodians of public buildings. The only exception made in the treasury department is in favor of those in the life-saving service.

In the custom-house service are included all officers and employés in any customs district where they number as many as five.

In the postoffice service are included all officers and employés in any free delivery postoffice.

In the internal revenue service are included all officers and employés in every district, with the exception of mere laborers.

The number of classified places exempted from examination is reduced from 2,099 to 775, and these are minor places of cashiers in the different services. Indians employed in minor capacity are in the excepted list. The only classified places in Washington excepted under the new rule will be private secretaries or confidential clerks (not exceeding two) to the president and to the members of the eight executive departments. Non-competitive examination is allowed only in the case of Indians employed as teachers in the Indian service.

Miscellaneous.-A bronze equestrian statue of General Grant, presented to the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., by the Union League Club, was unveiled with appropriate ceremonies, April 25, by Ulysses S. Grant, son of Colonel

Frederick D. Grant and grandson of the dead soldier. The statue, which is the work of William Ordway Partridge, stands in an open space hereafter to be known as "Grant Square," in front of the clubhouse on Bedford avenue.

A similar incident occurred in Washington, D. C., May 12, when a bronze equestrian statue of Major-General W. S. Hancock, the "hero of Gettysburg," was unveiled by Glynn R. Hancock, a cadet at West Point, grandson of General Hancock. President Cleveland presided at the ceremony. The statue, which stands at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Louisiana avenues, is the first statue of an army officer in Washington to be erected wholly at government expense. The sculptor was Henry J. Ellicott. On June 5 another statue of General Hancock, the work of W. E. Elwell, was unveiled on the field of Gettysburg.

Still another incident of military and artistic interest was the unveiling on the battlefield of Gettysburg, June 5, of an equestrian statue of General George G. Meade, erected by the state of Pennsylvania. The statue, the work of H. N. Bush Brown, was unveiled by Master George G. Meade, grandson of General Meade. It stands just in rear of the Bloody Angle."

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On April 29 the statue of Father Marquette, presented to the government by the state of Wisconsin, whose acceptance had been opposed by the A. P. A. (p. 158), was formally accepted by the United States senate. Eulogies of the distinguished missionary and explorer were delivered by Senators Vilas and Mitchell (Wis.), Kyle (S. D.), and Palmer (Ill.).

The Cunard Line steamship Campania, from New York March 28, arrived at Liverpool April 4, and, in connection with the Great Eastern railway of England and the Hook of Holland route, landed passengers in Amsterdam on April 5, under seven days. This is the best time ever made between the two continents.

On May 15 the American Line steamship St. Paul lowered her record from Southampton, Eng., by completing the long course of 3,112 miles in 6 days 9 hours 5 minutes an average of 20.34 miles an hour. The short course of 3,047 miles had been covered by the New York of the same line in 1894, in 6 days 7 hours 14 minutesan average of 20.15 miles an hour (Vol. 4, p. 617).

On May 2 the new site of Columbia University, New York city, in the tract bounded by the Boulevard, Amsterdam avenue, 116th street, and 120th street, was formally