xterm -C not working

2004.04.20 -current, but true for a long time
gnome 2.6 desktop

xtem -C seems not to get console output on the xterm,
though, if i run in non-X, i do get console messages

tested by having dupe lines in syslog.conf, one to a file
and one to /dev/console.  logging happens to file and not to
the xterm with -C

not sure this is related, but i noticed that the kernel
config 
   options         UCONSOLE
is no longer legal (and the handbook on kernel configuration
forgot to remove it).

randy, feeling stupid