The sun. [volume], February 27, 1912, Page 8, Image 8

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THE SUN, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1912.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1012.
Entered at the Post Office at New York as Second
Class Mill Matter.
ftmbtcrlptloni by Mall, Postpaid.
DAILY. Ter Month SO
DAILY, Per Year OO
BUNDAY, Per Year OO
DAILY' AND SUNDAY, Per Year BOO
DAILY AND SUNDAY. Per Month 70
Postage to foreign countries added.
All cheeks, money orders, Ac, to be made pay
able to Tas Strv,
Published dally, Including Sunday, by the Sun
Printing and Publlhlng Asoclatlon at 170 Nassau
street, In the norough ot Manhattan, New York,
President and Treasurer, William C, Itelck. 10
Nassau street; Vice-President, F.dward P. Mitchell.
170 Nassau street: Secretary, Chester S. Lord, 170
Nassau street.
London office, Kfltng ham House, 1 Arundel street.
Strand,
Paris office, a Hue de la Mlchodlrre, oil Rue du
Quatra Septembre.
Washington office, lllbhs Building.
Brooklyn office, loo Livingston street.
It our frttntls uhn fetor us irla manuscript, for
ptiMtcstton irfsn to hare rrlrcltd artielrs returned thru
murtifi all casts lend stamp) for 1111 purrxxt.
Tribute to n Man Who Sacrificed
Self-Interest to Duty.
This striking portrait In words we
put for a certain reason -within quota
tion marks:
TAFT, the most brilliant graduate of
his year at Yale, tho youngest Yale man
upon -whom Yalo ever conferred a de
gree of doctor of laws; a man who, hav
ing won high position at tho bar and
then served as Solicitor-General at Wash
ington, was appointed to tho United
States bench.
He was then asked to sacrifice him
self, to give up his position in order to
go to tho other side of tho world to take
up an infinitely dangerous problem and
do his best to solve it . Ho has done his
beet. Ho came back hero the other day.
The man has always l'tad tho honorable
ambition to get upon the Supreme Court
Ecnch, and when ho was back hero a
few months ago, and there was a ques
tion of vacancy arising, I said to him:
"' Governor, I think I ought to tell you
that if a vacancy comes in the Supreme
Court' (which I knew would put. him
for life in a position which he would
especially like to have) 'I do not sec how
I.could possibly give it to you, for I need
you where you arc.'
'"Ho said to mc:
"'Mr. President, it has always been
my ambition to bo in the Supremo
Court, but if you should offer mc a jus
ticeship now and at the same time Con
gress Should take away entirely my sal
ary as Governor, I should go straight
back to tho Philippines, nevertheless;
for those people need mc and expect me
back, and bcliovo I will not desert them.'
" He has gone back; gone back as a
trong friend among weaker friends to
help that peoplo upward nlong the diffi
cult path of self-government, lie has
gono to do his part and a great part in
making the American name a symbol of
honor and good faith in the Philippine
Islands; to govern with justice and with
that firmness, that absence of weakness
which is only another side of justice. He
has gone back to do all that, because it is
his duty as he sees it.
" We are to be congratulated, we Amer
icans, that we have a fellow American
like Tait."
The foregoing admirable tribute to
President Taft's character, strength
and patriotism, with its incidental reve
lation of a case of self-sacrifice to duty
that was genuino and not fictitious or a
mere play in a game of persona', politics,
is not here presented as an editorial
article of The Sun's. It is taken, with
out change, from Theodouk Roose
velt's address at tho Harvard com
mencement dinner of June 25, 1002.
Italy's Plight.
An explanation of the bombardment
of Beirut which may contribute to clear
up this amazing action is contained
in the British newspapers which havo
arrived since Saturday. All of them
contain a thoroughly circumstantial ac
count of an interview between General
Caneva, commanding Italian forces
in Tripoli, and members of the Ita,' an
Cabinet, which they, in turn, reprint
from o Milan journal.
In the Milan journal the statement is
made that on General Caneva'k return
to Italy after tho early operations ho was
asked the following frank question:
"Ara you In a ponltlon, with the means
now at your disposal, and with all the other
jneacs which you might ask for, and which
'the Government would not hesitate to give
are you in a position to provide that une
quivocal and decisive victory of which Italy
la la need If It is to impose an unconditional
peace upon Turkey?"
To a prompt and emphatic negative
General Caneva is said to havo added
the following statement:
"I cannot give to the nation that victory
which is essential if peace is to be imposed
upon Turkey. All that I for my part can
answer for Is the alow and gradual conquest
of the whole territory of Tripoli nnd Cyre
naica. If you want a brilliant microns you
muat aeek it elsewhere than in Libya, be
cause in a war of an essentially colonial
character such as that which has been en
trusted to me no army could obtain a
brilliant success not'at this moment ; not in
a month's time; not in a year; never,"
To discover in tho bombardment of
Beirut a first attempt on tho part of tho
Italians to find "elsewhere than in Libya"
the "brilliant success" which General
Caneva rcportctl was unattainable in
Tripoli seems a reasonable conclusion.
Jf tho Beirut affair is followed by similar
attacks upon other Turkish cities on
tho Kgcan as well us the Mediterranean
this conjecturu will bo confirmed.
Apparently Italy has now to choose
between a long war devoid of glory but
replete with expense unci loss of life and
bringing the conflict to n closo by an
attack upon Turkey in Europe ami Asia
Minor. But such an attack must pro
voke tho prnti'M and perlmns (ho onen
'Interference of Austria in the Halknng.Y
Germany in Asia Minor, whero tho Bag
dad Railway is endangered, nnd France
in Syria, where I-rcnch interests aro
large. In addition there Is nlwayu tho
risk of losing nil tho good will of the
civilized world by such acts as tho bom
bardment of Beirut.
If all the superficial evidences are
to bo accepted, Italy's second colonial
campaign lias been only lessinglorlous
than her first, and has so far gained her
little beyond the coast towms of Trip
oli, whero her hold is none too secure.
Tripoli seems to promise a repetition
of events which made Algeria a grave
yard for French soldiers and n night
mare for tho French taxpayer for half
n century after the soldiers of Chablkk
X. mado their momentarily glorious
descent upon the city of the pirates.
Enlarging the Metropolitan Museum.
For the man in tho street, whoever he
may be, the application of tho Metropoli
tan Museum to tho Board of Estimate for
new construction of $750,000 may need
some explanation.
This is not the first occasion by more
than ono in which tho munificenco of
Mr. Mono an has for tho moment embar
rassed the trustees of tho Museum and
raised questions in officially estimating
and apportioning minds. At tho same
tlmo no publio benefactor, promoting
tho welfare of his fellow citizens by
Increasing thoso of their unavailable
assets which yet tended to give them col
lectively whatever rank they might bo
entitled to in tho general scale of civil
ization, could be blamed or other than
praised for insisting that they should
show enough appreciation of his bene
factions to provide proper architectural
facilities for the lodgmcnt-and exhibi
tion of tho same.
Tho extension of the Metropolitan
Museum to accommodnto for the pub
lie benefit the art treasures of Mr.
Mohoax is u peculiar case, innsmttch
as to authorize tho project the assent of
tho entire clcctorato as represented In
the Board of Estimate is needed. It is
easy to argue that this should not be so
and that the persons who feel themselves
particularly benefited by the ministra
tions of the Metropolitan Museum should
arrange with themselves by some "vol
untary principle" of hatpassingtodefray
the expenses thereof. Also it is, or was,
easy to arguo that Central Park, re
served and planned for a particular pub
lio purpose, should not be in any part of
it diverted to any other, even public,
purpose. That would be a relevant con
sideration if the Museum were now for
the first time invading Central Park.
In that case the increased public appre
ciation of the uses of public parks, since
the time of its first squatting thereon in
the early '70s, would probably secure
its extrusion.
There is, however, no real question
in anybody's mind that the anomaly
is now established and should be per
mitted not only to stand but to bo ex
tended sufficiently to accommodato the
growth of the collections of the Museum,
of which this latest now awaiting such
accommodation is one of the most im
portant and valuable. The architec
tural history of the Museum has been
very diversified. Tho nuclcal building
of the early '70s, by Wret Mould, was
by no means so successful as the many
minor structures with which its author
adorned the park. The great hall, in
deed, continues to fulfil the purpose of
its erection with dignity and con
venience. But a principal object of
the architects of the subsequent addi
tions has been to efface tho exterior as
much as possible. The central building
fronting the avenue, in which the late
Richard Morris Hunt had the oppor
tunity of applying the studies ho had
made urder Ijzfves in executing tho
then now pr.vilion of the Ixiuvrc, is one
of tho most successful essays in its own
phase of Greco-Roman that aro to bo
seen in this country. It has the very
unusual advantage, for New York, of
stopping a street between the sides of
which its central feature is effectively
framed. In the northward extension, of
Mr. McKim, both the curtain wall and
the terminal colonnaded pavilion aro
seemly additions. It is evident to any one
who looks at the building that tho next
extension will not remove or obscure
any desirable features of park landscape.
Apart from tho immediate exigency of
providing more storage, this extension
is necessary to tho architectural com
pletion of tho building.
With the utmost good will and prompti
tude on the port of the Board of Estimate
a year and a half must elapse before per
manent quarters arc provided for the
new collections, and they must be torn
porarily installed in tho north wing to
less advantage than that at which they
will ultimately be seen. But it is to be
hoped that the Bonad of Estimate will
do justice to the general appreciation in
which this unexampled artistic oppor
tunity is held by their constituents, and
that they will provide for the most ex
peditious construction possible of the
extension so urgently needed.
Where New Yorkers Sleep.
In tho year that ended with December
111 tho number of multiplo family dwell
ing places classified for administrative
ourposes as tenement houses decreased
in the wholo city from 103,828 to 103,093.
This decrease resulted from the'falling
off in so-called "old law" buildings from
85,317 to 82,023, in part balanced by an
increase in tho new law" houses from
18,481 to 20,170. Tho old law houses will
gradually disappear, but there are so
many of them that archaeologists will not
very soon bo reconstructing them for
museum uses.
Tho decrease in the number of tene
ments did not mean a corresponding
loss in housing accommodations. On
tho contrary, on December 31 there were
880,088 upartments in tho flvo borouglis,
against 800,004 at tho beginning of tho
yeur. Of theso 200,080 were in new law
houses, or 24,305 more than were in tho
samo classification on January 1, 1011.
Theso flguroB do not givo exactly tho
number of tenement houses in Now York,
iwcauso not all such establishments nrn
on the MM, I t 1 tit S the Tenement Motion
Commission discovered .105 old law
1...IIJ! . 1 I.. , .
uuiiuiuk" nui previously registered as
under ito juried lotion . These contained
1,202 apartments. -
It is typical of New York that twelve
buildings erected under tho now law,
together with 2,720 known as, old law I
structures, were demolished or with
drawn from tenement uses during tho
year. Tho parents of a child born in
a newly constructed apartment might
reasonably asplro to show him in his
childhood tho placo of his entrance into
tho world, but there is little in the his
tory of Now York building operations
to give them confidence that their hope
would bo fulfilled.
The StitlibstrtibdillHlubliid.
Without pretending to any pr,ivato
peep into thoso mysteries of progres
sive wisdom, tho councils of tho seven
littlo Governors, decent citizens will
hopo and trust that tho Hqn. Walter
Roscoe STrnns of Kansas will bo the
favorito hat in the ring enndidato for
Vice-President, Babb of Now Hamp
shire is too Eastern. Osborn of Michi
gan is too Chestcrfieldian. Glasscock
of West Virginia, Aldrich of Nebraska,
Caret of Wyoming are obscure enough
akcady. Hadlet of Missouri is un
sound on tho recall. Only the only
Stubbs rcmnins, the fated, tho sym
bolical, the born red candidate. But
who aro wjto laud even unworthily
this firo peaked Sunflower saint? A
Kansas poet, tho Hon. Charles Ross
Wkrdk of Walton, has hymned Stubbs
with unapproachable sonority. Amid
this now fierce wagging of the leviathan
jaws of politics find we space for the
Muse to pant:
"The buccaneers haunt our quadrangular
edges,
Not daring to step from the sheltering
ahruba;
The Jointiet nits low In the grim Osage
hedges.
Bewailing the wounds where the thorn
rawly rubs.
We've found us a Ransan of iron kept
pledges;
He's given our language Its grimmest
word-STtrass.
" He's the essence of Kansas, distilled from
the labors
Of the real and redoubtable Kansas that
does.
He's the heart of all Kansas, the spirit that
sabers
Our way to the front by exalting the laws.
He's a king of a Kansan, our friend and our
neighbor.
The manliest man that a man ever was."
The manliest man save one, of courso;
the manliest man in Kansas. Mr.
Wekdb'b Stubbsirubdubdubiad was
written before tho recent invitation to
the peoplo to arise and call. A little
more surge and thunder, if you please:
" The predator bandsTiurled back from our
border,
Though buffeted wait an oocaslon to smite.
For we cannot forevermore keep as our
warder
A spirit so ready to battle for right.
Can we find us a man of the same mighty
- order
To take up his talk and eternally fight?
" For we'll send him on soon to that band
that insurges,
Where Bhistow. his brother, Is fully un
furled. They are smiths that can fashion such
thunderbolt scourges
Aa will shake up the Senate till graft Is
uphurled.
They're eons of the Thunder of old Boa-
NKROES,
They roll up their sleeves and go after the
world." 1
To the Senate; that is, as Vice-Presi
dent, in caso tho peoplo want to indulge
in genuino rule. As Mr. Weede tells
us, Stubbs, "ho lives and he laughs in
tho teeth of battle," a phrase sublimely
apposite. Wc know not what othere
may think, but as for us, give us Stubbs,
unless Mr. Brtan will take the second
place on tho platform which he so
warmly approves.
The New Massachusetts.
How greatly the citizenship of Massa
chusetts must have changed in fibre and
deteriorated in substance if the inter
vention of the Federal Government shall
bo needed to protect the people of that
State in their liberty to move from place
to place as they will and desire! To
what depths of ignominy they have
sunk if for the restraint of the lawless
nets of their own peace officers tho exer
ciso of tho power of tho United States
is required!
If the situation that exists in the city
of Lawrence to-day is actually beyond
the resources of the State to meet, tho
country will wait for no further proof
of the frequently repcatod charge that
New England, whose soul is Massachu
setts, is decadent. Tho confession of
impotence will have been made, and
across the glorious record of ordered
freedom wrought by men -who must now
bo turning in their graveB will be writ
ten tho pitiful story of a community
untruo to its history and dishonored
before tho people.
And by what article of Constitution
or, law will tho United States preserve
the peace in Massachusetts or oversee
the comings and goings of tho people
of that once proud State?
Battleships are the basis of the navy,
There are other ships that wo ought to have,
but If we have the battleships I think wo
can hustle around If war were to come and
get those things that would be needed to
make them useful, Prtndtnl Tatt.
Unfortunately transports and colliers
cannot lie got by hustling around, nor
can destroyers and swift tattle cruisers
be improvised when they are wanted In
an emergency. It is a great pity that the
United States does not haven well rounded
and rational construction plan to follow
year after year.
" I have no plans beyond this night. Tor
to-morrow and afterward no ono known
what la in Bloro, (.oionf t IloosETfLT to
'onion rej'orH r.
No ono knows what Is in store, but thoro
is a genornl and reasonably accurate idea
of what is in stock.
Less than a year ago a considerable
faction of tho ' British Conservatives
adopted ns Ihelr distinguishing ensign
thn letters II M (1, which by Interpretation
meant "IlAl.KOtm must go," Slneo Mr.
Daltoub's departure his successoi, A,
Bonati Law, permitted himself to be
manoeuvred into a flat declaration in
favor of the repeal of tho new insurance
law, with the result that the Tories now
havo a faction which has adopted tho
letters B M R to indicate their convic
tion that "Balfour must return.
A new tangle over the Franco-German
treaty has just been reveatod at Borlin,
where the German Foreign Office insists
that tho islands In the Congo River facing
the territory ceded by France to Germany
were included in tho cession. At Paris
exactly tho opposite view is taken, and
tho argument promises to be prolonged
and sharp. It was upon these islands
that Franco rolled to maintain a kind of
continuity In her African territories of
the Sahara and Gabun. In the present
state of French publio opinion, which Is
not only hostile but bitterly hostllo to all
cessions, resistance to the German con
tention seems inevitable.
THE DEADLIEST OF ALL PAR
ALLELS. President Roosevelt's Derision on No
vember 8, IINI4.
" Under no circumstances will 1 be a
candidate for or accept another nomina
tion "
President Heosrvelt's Decision en Feb
ruary at, 1912.
I will accept the nomination for Presi
dent if It Is tendered to me."
THE ABSESTEE.
Comment on the F-xcurslons of a Cele
brated Peripatetic.
To the Editor or The SON .Sir: I had
been shuffling my left leg a bit to clear It
of a cramp and was about putting down
the right on the first of the broad steps
leading to the State House at Trenton to
day when I fialted Irresoli'te. "What Is It?"
a man asked In a friendly tone. "Is Gov
ernor Wilson In?" said I. "Faith, an' sure
he is," said he; "In bad," "la he Inside there
now?" said I. "I want to ask him the exact
shape of that 'cocked hat' that he was to
push Ilryan Into," "Ah, g'wan." says he;
"don't ye know very well the Governor is
in Tennessee to-day?" "Was he here yes
terday?" says I, "indeed, faith, he wasn't
here yesterday," saya he. "What'd he be
doln' here yesterday? He was in Kansas
yesterday." "But Isn't he the Governor of
New Jersey?" says I. "Is that so?"says he.
"Well, some say he Is, an' some say some
thing else. The day before that again he
was in Illinois. The day before that again
he was In Kentucky. The day before that
again ho was in Washington. The day be
fore that again lie was in New lork
Where could I see him, do you think?" said
1 coaxingly. "Faith, now," says he, "1 think
you might try California, though It's like a
dream to me that he's booked for Maine
before that engagement at the Coast. If I
was you, I'd try Maine." With a heavy
heart I retraced my steps to the railroad
station, keeping my eye on the figure of
Washington away up on the high column as
a sort of bracer.
But why shouldn't the Governor have
been in the .State House attending to the
business or the State. That's what I'd like
to know. Governor Wilson's time isn't
his own, though he acta as though It were.
Ills time belongs to the people of this State,
for which they pay him at the rate of 110,000
a year. What right has he to take the
money of the people for the time spent on
these long excursions, which have now be
come so frequent that they constitute a
public scandal? He a not travelling about
In the Interest of the people of New Jersey:
he's travelling about in the interest of him
self. He's straining after a Job that pays
tss.ooo a year more than he now receives.
not to mention coal, and has become so
obsessed with the pursuit that he is ready
to trample on therightaof anyone whoever
crosses his path, of friend aa well as of foe.
Aa a Republican and in the belief that it
is good to rebuke one's own party when
it wanders away too far, 1 voted for Wilson.
But I am wiser now than I was In Novem
ber, UI0. 1 think the Governor's course In
persisting In these long political excursions
In his own interest and taking the money
ot the citizens ot this State for work which
he does not do is an outrage on decency
I thought, and thought lie thought, that the
office should seek the man. Shade ot
Grover Cleveland, where art thou now?
J. M. Wall.
Bound Broos, N. .1., February 38.
POPULAR
VOTE OX A
DECISIOX.
CERTAIX
The Wisdom of .Marcus Anrrllus.
To TnK Eniron ok Thr Si:n .Sir; (Julie
In keeping with your editorial article under
the heading "An Object or Pity" are the
words of Marcus Aurellus: "Never esteem
anything as of advantage to thee that shall
make thee break thy word or lose thy self,
respect." C. I'. Fatii.
New iori, February :.
The I,ost Hat.
To thk F.niTon or Tns Sun Sir: I havo
never claimed to be a prophet, but at this
auspicious time I wish to make the following
forecast:
Taft is going to sit on that hat and Roose
velt will go bareheaded tho rest of his life.
New Yoita, February 28. ItiNG.nnE.
Ambition.
To thr I'.ni ion ok Till; tir.v Mr : It has
been ald of Theodoro Itoosovcit that "at a
funeral he would want to bo tho corpse."
Adslt omen around nomination time!
Hoiiokus, N. J.. February :n. Honours.
Admiral Seymour and the Sentry.
To thk Kmion or Thk Sun .sir; The Isle
Admiral Seymour of thn nrltlsh navy was one of
the most qiilst and democratic of naval officers,
When he was admiral superintendent of Ports,
mouth dockyard, the largest In the kingdom, he
had the hnlilt of going about In rlvltlan clothes
and serine how things were done. Convict
labor Is used In some parts ot tlx dockyards,
and w prevent an outbreak or escape there Is
various parts where ronvlcts are working.
The military order was to give the usual salute
of present arms to the admiral superintendent
when passing a sentry. One day ai Admiral
.Seymour In civilian attire was passing a sentry,
not getting the salute he was entitled to, he ac
costed the soldier: ".Sentry, why don't you salute
me! I guess you don't know who I am,"
"Who are you, sir?" replied the man.
"I am the admiral superintendent of the dock
yards," said .Seymour,
The soldier, who was used to dealing with cranks
on post, replied: "Well, all I can say l that ou
have got a blamed line Job l( you don't get drunk
and lose It. This way out, please." The old
officer enlojed the loke Immensely and often
spoke of It In the Southsea naval ofneers' mess.
Tosiut Atkins.
ItlciiuoNU Hiia. N, Y Pebruary M,
Criminal Chsaffeur.
To tub Kuitos or Thk Sun Sir: One of (hose
Arltonlrss souls who Would not know a "best
seller" from a Florida hotel advertisement stated
recently that there were !00 rx-convlcts driving
automobiles In the streets of this city.
As I read this at breakfast la my favorite lies
taurant de I'Kafant on the Passage du (Iros lllano
I was convinced that this dryasdust delver In
statistics had not stated Ihe full rase, A vara,
clous reader of Ihe "sellers," I knew the ending was
always better than Ihe frontispiece: and as an
owner of two hnrselrss carriages nnd clultonuus
buyer of gas and repairs (or the last Ave years,
I was sure UryanluH story had an end to It, I
So 1 hurried over to Ihe Public Library, and i
there In Ihe cellar tho engineer shovelled oul for!
me nun liln c a volume ot Ihe United States
i rn-un iwiir. i nrrnn, unurr nmsinu AUtomo -
blle," chanter "Chauffeurs," section "Social War--
fare, subhead "I'mitna," I trml: "Theie he itkl
lulure rnnWrts driving automobllrs lu New York
illy." .
Honk, hnnkl J, a. U,
Mw York, February U.
XEtV POLITICAL DlCTIOXAtlY.
Monumental Work Undertaken to Meet
Present Conditions.
It has for some tlmo been obvious that
much of tho confusion existing lit publio
llfo Is due to the Incorrect values at
tributed by Conservatives to certain
sounds and symbols used by College Men
In Politics, ProRresslvlRte, Radicals, In
surgents and others of reforming minds
and ambitions.
Thero are few misunderstandings when
Conservatives communlcuto orally or In
writing among themselves, for tho reason
that among Conservatives an absurd cus
tom prevails of using words In their
ordinary significations. Neither Is diffi
culty experienced when Radicals, of what
ever clan they may bo members, engage
In conversation or put fheir thoughts on
paper, because Radicals know exactly
how much confidence to put in each
other's expressions of opinion, however
transmitted. Hut trouble inevitably
ensues when a Conservative tries to malso
out what a Radical means, and to remedy
this unhappy condition tho New Political
Dictionary has been designed.
It was at first Intended that tho editor in
chief of the New Political Dictionary should
be Hiram W. Johnson of California, an
eminent New Nationalist, who has already
reaped his reward. Mr. Johnson is said
to Lo excellently qualified for tho post.
His chances were ruined by the suspicion,
declared by him to be groundless, that he
was of the samo blood of the late Dr. Sam
uel Johnson, u lexicographer oi:ce In good
repute but now generally recognized as
a person of reactionary tendenoles.
Mr. Johnson having been declared in
eligible, Dr. Woodrow Wilson, late of
Princeton University, was pitched on to
manage the work, and the suggestion was
enthusiastically received by all tho pro
moters of the project. It was pointed
out that Dr. Wilson's scholastic fame
among the People would be of great value
to the business department of tho enter
prise. His facility In changing his mind
and improvising lifelong convictions at a
moment's notice were urged in his behalf.
After mature consideration It was decided
to Invite him to supervise the editorial
department, and a message notifying him
of this was despatched at once. To the
chagrin of the manageis, he declined the
honor, explaining his refusal thus:
A number of years ago I wrote several
books which were put on sale tin "history."
1 he royillle derived from their sale wero net
sufficient to compensate me for tho damage
done to my political ambition by extracts
from them subsequently circulated mnonc
persons of the loner order, by men of the
meaner vort and conscienceless conservn
tlves. I will lme nothing to do with the
writing, editing or publication of books
of any kind hereafter, '
Thus deprived of tho services of two
men of recognized capacity for inversion
and subversion, the gentlemen at the
head of the undertaking were for somo
tlmo at a loss to nnd the individual best
fitted for the job. They were fortunate
at length in obtaining the services of no
less distinguished an etymologist than the
celebrated Mr. Humpty Dumpty, whose
system of word management, as set forth
in the adventures of Alice in Wonderland,
made instant appeal to all concerned. A
message was promptly sent to Humpty
Dumpty, which brought the subjoined
answer:
Stns: It will give me great pleasure to
get a salary from you for the use of my word
control device, I shall not say that I am
aurprlsed to have you call me to your as
sistance. I have not failed to observe that
many ot you long ago adopted my practice
ot making words mean what the speaker
wanta them to mean. In fact I have been
a little nettled that you should appropriate
the method which I originated and use it
to your own advantage without even the
courtesy of acknowledging my rights as
Its Inventor or a single thought of com
pensation for me.
I conceive It to be only fair that haTlng
definitely selected my scheme for the be
fooling of others you should give me n
share ot the profits, which, 1 understand,
have been large In the past, are satisfactory
now and promise to become enormous in
the immediate future.
One condition only do I make the con
tract between us shall, be drawn in words
as employed among our mutual enemiea
the Conservatives. In matters affecting
my own pocketbook I, like yourselves, am
not alarmingly radical.
The stipulation that the contract with
the editor In chief should bo made In Con
servative and not in Humpty Dumptian
caused some uneasiness at first, because it
was feared that this might ultimately re
sult in the necessity of paying him some
thing. On consideration this possibility
was dismissed as of no consequence, be
cause the money would come out of some
body else's pocket anyway.
The first detail of the publication sst
tied by Mr. Humpty Dumpty was the
makeup of the dictionary, and he decided
that to meet the needs of his patrons and
the necessities of those consulting it an
entirely novel form of page should be
adopted. Instead of being printed on
paper the words will be printed on slips
of cardboard of uniform size. Each pago
of the dictionary will also be of cardboard,
on which the definition will bo printed.
Above, each definition will be a grooved
space, Into which any of the Blips of card
board may be put.
Thus a word may le removed from tho
place it occupies in the dictionary and in
serted above whatever definition Its user
wants it to boar for the time being. Tho
Ingenuity and advantages of this simple
device are patent to every Now National
ist. A single example will suffice. The
word "Pledge," in conservative lexicons
defined as "a promise or agreement by
;whch one hinds oneself to do
or for
bear something," may be slipped from tho
place under the sixteenth letter and In
serted under the "e's" so that It will have
the definition "that which ia oxedient,"
or "characterized by mere utility rather
than principle; conducive to special ad
vantage rather than to what Is universally
right; also, of persons, guided by expedi
ency rather than principle."
Colonel Roosevelt was particularly
pleased when this innovation and the ex
ample were explained to him. He slapped
Humpty Dumpty on the back and shouted
By Godfrey! That is good! It is ex
actly what I noed!"
It was at first feared that the dictionary
might prove too bulky for oonvenlonco
because of the grooved cardboard pages,
but as tho Radicals generally use only a
few words, obtaining their results by
repeating these frequently, this annoy
ance will easily bo ayoided. No strlotly
Conservative words, such ns "gratitude,"
"honor" and tho like, will lie allowed
in tho book.
The Lookout Company hns undertaken
the publication of tho New Political Dic
tionary, nnd Dr. I.abbott yman will write
tho definition of coffee,
.
lllssallsfnrtlon of the Captain's Wife,
Mrs. Noah sighed,
"The hoirld boat has no room for my hat,'
she
i cried.
I-Mlly she regretted Ihe room wasted on lle
animals.
A Horn Statesman,
Who does the baby look UUci
-ULc Uncuui.
Friend
1'aicnt-
r
THE
lrottKMEX's comrEXSA-
TIOX ACT.
Colonel Hoosoelt's Tears Oter a Statute
That Was a Heart Letter.
To the KturciB or Tim Sun Sir; Colo
nel Roosevelt in his speech at Columbus
again bitterly assailed the Court of Appeals
of New York State for Its decision declar
ing unconstitutional the Walnwrlght work
men's compensation act. Thk Bun reports
him as saying;
A typical ease was the decision rendered but
a few months ago by the Court of Appeals of
my own State, the State of New Vork. declaring
unconstitutional the workmen's compensation
act. In their decision the Judges admitted the
wrong and suffering caused by tho practices
against which Ihe law was aimed. They admitted
Ihe other civilized nations had abolished these
wrongs and practices,
I wish I could make you vlsuallte to yourselves
what these derUIons against which I so vehe
mently protest really represent of suffering and
Inlustlre. 1 wish I had the power to bring before
you the maimed or dead, the women and children
left to struggle against bitter poverty because
the breadwinner has gone. I am not thinking of
the terminology of the decision, nor ot wiiat seem
to mc the hairsplitting and meticulous arguments
elaborately worked .out to Justify a great and
terrible mhcarrlsge of Justice. Moreover, I am
not thinking only ot the sufferers In any given
case, but of the tens of thousands of others who
suffer because of the way this case Is decided.
Here Is a case where the gallant Colonel
would at onco atart the rocall of declalona
so that Justice might be done and the will of
the peoplo not be thwarted by a roollsn ana
iniiiultoiisdecision. A more unhappy exam
ple of a wrong dono to the people by the de
cision of a court could not possibly have
been chosen. Were it not for the almost
chronic habit of our modest and gentle hero
to reverse the old saying "Look before you
leap" It would seem almost Incredible that
this decision could bo used by an Intelligent
man to Illustrate his picture of "the women
and children left to struggle against bitter
poverty because the breadwinner has gone.
Not from hearsay but from practical ex
perience and knowledge as an insurance
man In full touch with the workmen's com
pensation law during the time it was In ef
fect, from September I, 1910, to March 15.
nil I. 1 Htate that with the exception ot the
single clause that provided for payment of
13,00(1 In case ot the death of an employee,
though caused by no fault or neglect of the
employer, the law was an absolute dead let
ter from the dry It went Into effect until
Mnrch IS, when it was declared unconstitu
tional, It was repudiated by the labor or
ganizations nnd all working classes affected
by it , advised against by reputable high class
lawyers, condemned by manufacturers be
cause it increased their insurance premiums,
and was only welcome to.the insurance com
panies, as it gnvo them the chance to advance
their rates to a point where they could get
somewhere near the premium required to
carry the liability hazard of the Phillips act
for employers' liability, that went Info effect
on the same day as the workmen's compen
sation act and is still In effect.
Any lawyer or insurance man could have
told tho Colonel thnt the Phillips act, un
restricted as lo the amount of damages that
can be collected as a result of occupational
Injury or death, Is so much more liberal to
the working people In Its provisions that
they would havo naught to do with the
workmen's compensation act nnd didn't
enre a rap whether it was a law or not aa
long as they had a better one. The only
mourners at the bench were the Insurance
companies, who could no longer charge for
workmen s compensation.no matter how
much they needed the extra premium to
meet their losses under the Phillips act.
For once large vested Interests can agree
with T. R, that it was a great mistake to
defeat the law, but the thousands and tens
of thousands who, the Colonel says, will
suffer because of the way this case Is de
cided will not shed any tears, but rather
abuse him for trying to take the bread out
of their mouths.
One word on the decision Itself: The
Court of Appeals made no error. It de
cided the law as unconstitutional primarily
on the ground thai it confiscated property
without clup process of law, and this ruling
is absolutely sound. The Wisconsin court
in declaring a simitar law constitutional
practically apologired for doing so by the
excuse that there was n crying need for
such a law. and they would stretch tho Con
stitution to meet the occasion, and took
pains to slap the New York court for not
having the courage to do the samo. In
other words the Wisconsin court thatT. R.
refers to with pride not only legislated but
committed tho crime of usurpation of power
with the approval of T. R,
Workmen's compensation laws are proper
and just, and undoubtedly within a year or
twoiNew York will have one, na soon an It can
be legally enacted. It is absolutely astound
ing that during all the years "Rig Stick" has
been advancing progressive ideas, most of
them containing a great deal of merit, he
hna never been able to know when, whero
or how to put one of them Into effect with
out doing more harm than good. He has
never yet hit tho head he aimed at, but has
brought disaster upon those whom he so
loudly proclaims he is striving to protect.
His pugnacious and egotistical nature,
rushing in like a bull In a china shop, hia in
ability to keep the ship off the rocks, makes
him altogether too dangerous a captain to
entrust again with the helm.
I. tl. Batterson.
Nrw York, February 38.
The Greatest Club In the World.
To the EniTon or The Spn Sir: If the
coffee argument prevails will the Ananias
Club increase Ita membership or lose its
charter? C. A. F.
Nkw Ha vi n, Conn., February 20.
-
rerplexlly of a Scientific Nntmeg Bachelor.
To THit r.PTTOR or The Sun .sir: A friend
put the question: "What would you do If you
should recelie a.leap year propotalj" Being a
bachelor and Inexperienced In such matters the
question was a "stunner."
Ordinarily 1 would say that nny man lucky
enough to rrcebe a proposal from a good woman
Is ery foolish Indeed to hesitate In the premises.
much less ask for advice, nut this Is an excep
tional case. My friend Is a serious man, whose
mind Is bent on serious matters, who never reads
light literature, hut who U always delving Into the
mybtrrlrs ot astronomy, botany, religions and
other sciences, and I presume he looks upon matri
mony as a serious proposition and wishes to weigh
the matter In all us aspects, pursuing his usual
haMt In this respect.
It two souls that are In harmony, two kindred
Spirits, meet, what difference does It make who
proposes the all Important question, so long as
"All's well that ends weir? In this progressive
age perhaps It makes no difference at all.
John K. Hauuk, Jr.
Cos Cos, Conn., February IS.
The Knfolded Egg,
To thr Cditor or Thb Sou Sir: You have
had all sorts of suggestions regarding the rooking
of eggs, both practical and facetious, mostly from
those who enlby Ihe flavor of an egg rooked la
some way or other.
Now, besides Its appeal to the palate, the egg
has an almost unique position gastronomlcally
In that It Is almost totally digestible and nearly
iuu per cent, iooa value; out mere are some people
to whom Its flavor In any form Is unpleasant, yet
they need thr nutrition therein contained.
This difficulty Is got over by a simple method
which saved the life of an old lady I know of and
Is simply as follows:
Ileal an egg slightly with a fork In your coffee
run and stir It as you add your morning cup of
rnffee, and behold, you have a rich cup ot codes
with an egg enfolded and with no more taste than
It has dimensions, outline or smell when so
treated. I,, rasp SILVERS.
i:mzabktk, N. J February i.
A Regular Illnner, of Course.
To thk ItoiTon or Tim SVNfitr: It was
staled In several lion ion newspapers yesterday
thatonp of the clubs at Harvard (not the Ananias)
was giving a dinner that evening In honor of
Colonel Itoosevrlt, It was not given In his honor,
bui wss the regular February dinner of the cluh,
Mr, lloosevelt's name lielng down merely as that
of an Idi'HUItia! member Intending tone present,
Hoston, l ebruiry M. Harvarp.
Cathay in I'nnxsutawney,
Tomr I'pitor or Thk Hun Sir: In the Mali
of Fame Iheic must certainly be room for 11, O,
Teoganlen, Ihe postmaster of l'unutaney,
Naw Voait, February M. Jossru Havton,
MINERS AliO BOSSES
IN CONFERENCE TO-DAY
Anthracite Men Will Insist
on
Unionism and 20 Per Cent.
More Wages.
NO PROPHECY ON OUTCOME
They Think Knelish Strike. WHI Help
Them Sou Coal Confer
ences Next.
A meeting of the committee of Ihe an-
thracito districts of the United Mine
Workers of America, which Is to begin
conferences to-day at H3 Liberty street
with the anthracite operators reRardliiR
thb demands of the mon in thoso districts,
met yesterday at tho Vlotorla Hotel to
mako arrangements'for tho conferences.
The committee consists or John p.
White, president of tho United Mine
Workers, which takes In the bituminous
as well as the anthracite miners; J. T.
Dempsey, T. Kennedy and John Fahy,
presidents respectively of tho three an
thracito district Nos. 1, 7 and 9, nnd the
executive committees of theso districts
thirty-two men In all.
The situation is more complicated than
It was before the anthracite strike of 1903.
Then only the anthracite miners had made
demands. This year both the anthracite
and soft coal miners havo mado domands
and the agreements of both classes esrrJre
on March 31.
In addition to this all tho coal miners of
Great Britain threaten nn immediate
strike and if all the miners hero strike,
which the operators and the dealers will
not admit is likely, a great part of the
civilized world would be without coal.
The conferences over the bituminous
miners' demands will begin in a week or
two.
It Is admitted by the members of thn
anthracite miners' committee that they
look on the coal strike in England as in
creasing the chances of a favorable settle
ment with the operators.
There has from time to time been talk
that John Mitchell, who was president of
the United Mine Workers when the an
thracite strike took place in 1903 and has
recently given up a salaried position with
the Clvio Federation in order to remain
in the union, would be asked to act on the
committee. President White' said ye
terday, however, that Mitchell would
not bo asked to act, not being an officer ot
the union.
President White was asked if a decision
had been made on the proposal to suspend
work until an agreement was reached in
case the nosotiations extended beyond
April 1.
"That matter was not taken up." he
said, "and will not be taken up until we
have conferred with the operators, W'e
will insist on our demands, including
recognition of the union. I believe, in
view of the Increased cost of living, that
the demand for 30 per cent, increase in
wages is not excessive. The present
situation, with the negotiations over th?
demands of the bituminous miners com
ing on nnd a general coal strike threat
enecTln Fjigland, rather seems to be in
our favor, but I will make no predictions."
as to i no output or antiiMcite in mm
Mr. White admitted it wag larger than
In the preceding year and there was a
larger proportionate increase in the out
put of bituminous coal. In all 80,000,000
tons of anthracite were mined in 1910,
an increase of 3,44,S87 tons over 1909
and 37,330,887 tons of bituminous coal
were mined In 1910 over what was miner
in 1909. In all, Including anthracite and
bituminous coal, 501,598,378 tons went
mined, nn Increase of 40,781,782 tons ovet
the preceding yeor. The anthraciti
mined, however, did little more that
cover t he demand .
The conference committee of the coal
carrying roads and the independent
operators will be in town early to-day
The principal companies represented an
the Philadelphia and Reading, the Cen
tral Railroad of New Jersey, the Dela
ware. Irfiokawanna nnd Western, tho
Erie, the Lehigh Valley, the Lehigh awl
Wilkesbarre Coal Company, the Penn.
sylvania Coal Company, the New YorU
and Susquehanna and the New York,
Ontario and Western. The independent
companies will also be represented on
the committee. It is expected Hut
George F. Baer, president, of the Phila
delphia and Reading and the Central
Railroad of New Jersey, will be be chair
man 'of this committee.
While representatives of some of the
railroads said that on account of the great
increase in the consumption of anthracite
within the past year or two the supply
about met the demand, others said there
was a surplus and that a number of large
concerns had been stocking up for several
montns. The head of one of the largest
firms of wholesale'dealers atd:
"There is not much anthracite on the
market at present, but many large manu
facturing concerns have been laying In
large supplies of nnthraolte.
"There is one t h ing that militates against
a strike and that is the small proportion
of the members of the union who have
been paying their dues recently. After
a long time of peace througn an agree
ment such as the miners have had a large
proportion of members become apathetic
and cease paying dues. Tho dues are
the main thing in keeping up a strike, and
if the miners strike this time 1 believe
they will not be out long."
Ho thought unlikely that n strike ot
the American bituminous and anthracite
miners and the English miners would be
on at'tne same time.
FOIl FACTORY FIRE DRILLS.
Committee on Hafety Would Htren;thrn
Fire Prevention Law.
The Committee on Safety of the City ot
New York has drawn up five amendments
to the fire .reventlOn law, the Sullivan
Hoey statute, and will pressnt them to
the Legislature, this week. The Sullivan
Hoey law, enaoted with tho Triangle
waist factory fire in mind, cre.tod the
fire prevention bureau, and the Com
mittee on Safety seeks to strengthen the
work of this bureau and put more author
ity in the hands of ths Are prevention
chief.
The moat important amendment U on a
providing that tho lire prevention chief
shall have power to order monthly fire
drills in all factories in New York em
ploying more than fifty workers, Ths
second amendment would give the chief
authority to olose all dangerous buildings
after sufficient timo has elapsed following
a warning and the owners have rofuseu
to meet the bureau's requirements. An
other amendment makes all officials of the
bureau peace officers authorised to' serve
processes,
The fourth amendment provide! that
tho members of the boards of survey, to
whom property owners under the present
law appeal from the orders of the bureau,
shall consist of one member appointed
by the Fire Commissioner, one by the
property owner and a third to h desig
nated by theee two, The fifth amend
ment provides for tho establishment of a
bureau of records in eaoh borough to by
operated us a branuh of the bureau of
fire prevention. ,