Political and Governmental Notes.

The National Democratic convention, in session at Kansas City last week, unanimously nominated William J. Bryan for President. On the first ballot for Vice-President nearly two-thirds of the votes were cast for Adlai E. Stevenson of Illinois, who was Vice-President during Cleveland's last term. When it was found that Stevenson was so far in the lead, all the states which had voted for other candidates changed their votes for Stevenson and he was thus unanimously nominated on the first ballot. The platform which was adopted begins with a re-affirmation of faith in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States and a denial of the right of one nation to impose upon another a government of force. This part of the platform deals at some length with the issues growing out of the Spanish war. The trust issue is the second plank of the platform, and promises that the party will employ the whole constitutional power of Congress over inter-state commerce, the mails, and all modes of communication, to make such monopolistic trusts unprofitable. The third plank denounces the Dingley tarift law and declares for a tariff framed solely to meet the expenses of the government economically administered. Fourth in order is the currency plank which re-affirms the demand of the Chicago platform for free coinage of both gold and silver at the ratio of 16 to 1 without waiting for the co-operation of any other nation, and an additional clause is attached denouncing the recently enacted currency law. A number of subordinate issues are briefly touched upon. Election of United States Senators by direct vote is favored. Government by injunction is denounced. The establishment of a national department of labor, with a secretary having a seat in the Cabinet is recommended. A liberal pension system is endorsed. The immediate construction of the Nicaraguan canal under the exclusive control of the United States is demanded. Statehood for the territories of Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma is promised.

The National convention of the Silver Republican party, which was held in Kansas City at the same time as the Democratic convention, nominated William J. Bryan for President by acclamation, and referred the nomination for Vice-President to the national committee with power to act. After the convention adjourned the committee met and named Adlai E. Stevenson for Vice-President. The convention endorsed the Democratic platform.

Colorado is in evidence in the nation's political conventions this year. Thomas M. Patterson, a Denver lawyer, was permanent chairman of the Populist convention at Sioux City; Senator Wolcott of Colorado was tem porary chairman of the Republican convention at Philadelphia, and Governor Thomas of Colorado was temporary chairman of the Democratic convention at Kansas City last week.

The United States battleship Oregon ran ashore off the island of Hoo-Kie, in the Miao-Tao group, 35 miles northeast of Chefoo, on June 28, but has been floated off and is expected to reach port safely.

A story is going the rounds of the press that Mr. Bryan predicted his own nomination in 1896 when seated in the convention in Chicago before balloting for the nomination began.

Foreign News.

The uprising in China against foreigners is now believed to be about the most serious affair the great powers have ever had to face. Last week the report of the murder of the German minister was confirmed and fears were entertained for the safety of the ministers and other foreigners in Pekin, which number about one thousand. However, on July 7 there was a change in the character of the reports. The United States consul general cabled to Washington that the foreigners, including Minister Conger and his family, were holding out on July 3, and dispatches at the same time show that the great powers have all agreed to empower Japan to put a large army into China at once, to work in the interests of all nations. On July 9 comes the report that the loyal troops under Prince Ching have started a counter-revolution against Prince Tuan, who is reported to have made way with the Emperor and Empress Dowager and usurped the throne in behalf of his son, the heir-apparent. The report states that Prince Ching has attacked the forces led by Prince Tuan, and this revives hope that the uprising may be checked in time to save the foreigners.

A Berlin dispatch of July 6 says: "Emperor William has telegraphed to the commander of the German squadron in Chinese waters, to the governor-general of Shangtung, to the viceroys, and to others, offering one thousand taels to any one accomplishing the deliverance of any foreigner of any nationality whatever, now shut up in Pekin, who is handed over to any German magistrate, and offering to pay the expenses of the publication of this offer in Pekin.

Count Zeppelin made an experimental trip in his air ship on July 4 from Friedrichs-haven to Immenstadt, a distance of thirtyfive miles, when it descended, owing to the steering apparatus having become deranged. The ship was four hundred feet long and had a carrying capacity of five men. The experiment was not considered very successful.

An equestrian statue of Washington was unveiled in Paris on July 3. The statue was a gift to the French people from an association of American women. The United States Ambassador, General Horace Porter, presided at the ceremonies and Sousa's band furnished music.

Reports of events occurring in the field of war in South Africa were printed under small headlines in the newspapers last week. No important moves were made by either the British or the Boers.

An official ukase was published in the Official Messenger July 3 providing in a large measure for the abolition of banishment to Siberia.

The Khedive of Egypt is on a visit to England. He is receiving much attention.

Industry and Commerce.

The largest railroad tunnel in the world is nearly completed through the Cascade Mountains west of Kalispel, Mont. It is the project of J.J. Hill, president of the Great Northern road, and will save that road twelve miles and several hours in the trans continental run. More than two miles of work is completed, and a third of a mile remains. Almost one thousand men are at work with the latest and most powerful appliances known to rock-drilling and masonry. The sum paid for labor to date is nearly $3,000,000 and the tunnel will cost more than $4,000,000.

Probably the largest mortgage in the world was executed recently, when the Carnegie company made a mortgage to the United States Trust Company, as trustee, for the sum of $160,000,000. This mortgage covers all the properties and securities of the different individual companies which make up the great Carnegie company, to secure the issue of $160,000,000 worth of five per cent 50-year bonds, which have been negotiated abroad.

A Pittsburg dispatch says that the window-glass factions controlled by the American Window-Glass Company, that had been operating since the shut-down on June 15, closed on June 30. Fully ten thousand window-glass makers will be idle during July and August. All the flint, bottle, and chimney glass factories are also closed, the former for two months and the latter for six weeks, leaving ten thousand flint-glass workers idle also.

An agreement between the St. Louis Transit company and its former employes was signed on July 2, and the strike was declared off. The company will retain all the nonunion men, but will add to the force of employes from the ranks of those who were employes of the company on May 7 last.

One Lovell, a rural postman of Luton, Eng., now retiring on a pension after twentysix years of service, is said to have walked in pursuance of his vocation a distance equal to three times around the world, and never to have missed a day from his rounds through illness.

All the union coal miners in Alabama, about ten thousand in number, quit work July 2, pending the settlement of the wage dispute. The old wage contract expired July 1, and the miners demanded a forty per cent raise and other concessions.

The Newfoundland sealing season has been the largest in twenty-five years, 375,000 seals having been captured.

The Los Angeles Express estimates the capital invested in orange growing in California at $44,000,000.

Under British rule, the cotton crop of India has doubled and now amounts to 500,000,000 pounds a year.

General News.

Washington day was celebrated in Cambridge, July 3, the observance commemorating the 125th anniversary of the taking command of the American army by Washington, an event which took place Monday, July 3, 1775, under the famous Washington elm on Garden Street, near the Cambridge Common.

Considering its great, but unknown age, the old elm is fairly well preserved. The tree is believed to be a survivor of the primeval forest. The trunk is six feet in diameter, and the tree reaches to a height of about one hundred feet, with a ninety foot spread of its branches.

The 1,250 Cuban teachers now at Cambridge in attendance at the Harvard summer school, formed in procession on July 4 and marched to the famous Washington elm underneath which they laid a wreath of roses and laurel as a tribute to the memory of Washington and as a mark of grateful courtesy to their American entertainers.

The Government this summer is going to explore the least known region within the limits of the United States—that mysterious country in western Texas, where the old-time adventurer, Coronado, was lost, together with his band of followers, while searching for the golden village of Gran Quivera.