The sun. [volume], June 26, 1915, Page 6, Image 6

About The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916

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SATURDAY, JUNK 20, 1010.
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tcriplt and illuttraUont lor publication uU
to Aata rejected article returned then muit
i alt cant lend stamp lor that purpon.
Renember the Springbok !
Our nelRhbor the World makes
what seems to us to bo an overhasty
and a too sweeping comment on tho
Character of the Urltish note nbout
the Inspection of cargoes and neutral
ships bound from America to neutral
ports near Germany:
"la there any outrage that one nation
can Inflict upon another at peace more
humiliating- than to subject its legiti
mate commerce to & piratical cenaor-
hlpT
"No matter how many diplomatic
not may be written or how cleverly
,or faltely they may evade the real la
sua, the British Government cannot Jus
tify tha eeliure of neutral shtpa laden
with non-contraband roods bound from
on neutral port to another."
It Is the plain duty nnd, we have
no doubt, the unalterable intention of
the Government at Washington to
hold the Government' at London re
sponsible for every Infraction of the
rights of our commerce.
There must be no difference between
our attitude toward Great Britain and
our attitude toward Germany In this
respect.
At the same time, it may be profit
able for writers on the subject to
keep constantly In mind the fact that
upon occasion our own Government
has not only exercised physically but
also sustained diplomatically and ap
proved Judicially the principle and
practice of acts which our neighbor
might call piratical censorship of le
gitimate commerce.
The doctrine of the continuous voy
age, the question of the ultimate
destination, the question t seizure
on the high seas between neutral
port and neutral port, the question
of the detention of the neutral ship
thus seized for the examination of
Its cargo as to contraband, play a
large part In our own contributions to
the expansion of International law
and the extension of war practice
under stress of circumstance and
pressure of military necessity.
It may be that a discission of the
underlying principles which are not
even hinted at In the memorandum
handed by Lord CarwK to Ambassa
dor Paoe would not be without its
embarrassments.
For Instance. supiwc that the Brit
ish Foreign Olllce, which In the
World opinion "cannot Justify the
selxure of neutral ships laden with
non-contrahand goods bound from
one neutral port to another," should
And such Justification in the opinion
of Chief Justice Chasi: of tho .Supreme
Court of the Wilted States In the
case of the Sprlnnlmk, n lirltlsh ves
sel captured in 1S0.1 between Ixmdon
and Nassau at a point on the At
lantic nbout ITiO tulles east of Nas
sau; nnd likewise In the opinions of
tho Supreme Court of the Fulled
States In the case of the Bermuda
and In cognate cas-es during and after
our civil war.
Higher Price Mysteries.
Two hundred Jobbers who met In
convention In Atlantic City last week
were optimistic. Not mi much be
cause of prosiHM'ts of an increased
demand as because things wero
"going up." Higher prices for every
thing In their particular lines were
reiwrted as being either already here
or In sight.
The articles In which those 200
Jobbers Job happen to lie plumbers'
supplies and It Is Just barely possi
ble that this circumstance may put
a, shade of reslralnl on popular
enthusiasm over this luMunee of
trado optimism. However well or III
founded, there has long been a pretty
widely held opinion Unit prices for
plumbers' supplies have sulllolciit
Inherent tendency toward elevated
levels without any extraordinary
stimulant to expansion. Perhaps
some shnre of the rather overabun
dant satirical humor expended nn the
plumber himself might have been car
ried higher up to the plumber's source
of supplies with a Utile closer ding
nosls of predisposing causes. At nil
g'rents It Is quite within bounds to
anticipate only a very moderately
responsive public rejoicing over the
"going up" of plumbing nnd the Im
plements with which plumbing deeds
are done. But about the upward
tendency of the prices the Jobbers
had no shadow of doubt. Everything
In their line is goings up. Even bath
tubs are to soar, nnd with the soar
lug bathtubs rents will take n sky
ward slant, for rents nnd bathtubs
In these water wagon days are Inti
mately Involved, It seems.
Of course the wnr Is responsible
for It all. The war's responsibility
for things, especially for things that
are not so, Is becoming rather bewil
dering at times. It is puzzling for
the lay mind unlearned In plumbing
lore, for Instance, to try to figure out
Just what the war lias got to do with
bathtubs. Kven the English soldier
does not carry a cast Iron bathtub
lashed lo his knapsack. Besides, the
Englishman's exceptional Intimacy
with the bathtub has long been nn
exploded myth. It cannot le, there
fore, n demand for bathtubs at the
front that 1s to send American tub
prices upward. But here we np
proach the sacred precincts of trade
mysteries barred to the profane.
f
Business Guides for Government.
On February a, 1n an address to
the United Stntcs Chamber of Com
merce In convention nt Washington,
President Wilson discussed at some
length the problems of governmental
nctlon In the business field, especially
In the matter of legislation affecting
business. He seemed to consider tho
Chamber of Commerce a promising
auxiliary of the Government In pro
curing the right legislation:
"It is very Instructive and useful for
the Government of the United State) to
have such means as you are. ready to
supply for Kettlnir. n sort of consensus of
opinion which proceeds from no particu
lar quarter nnd originate with no par
ticular Interest, because information It
the very foundation of all right action
In legislation Men on Vh In
side of business know how business Is
conducted, and they cannot complain If
men on tho outside make mistakes about
business if they do not come from the
Inside and give the kind of advice which
Is necessary."
At this time It Is particularly In
teresting to observe In the light of
President Wilson's February address
to the Chamber of Commerce that the
Government can now avnll Itself of
a very substantial and overwhelming
business consensus obtained by the
Chamber of Commerce regarding the
rehabilitation of the American ship
ping industry. Some seven hundred
nnd eighty manufacturing and com
mercial organizations covering, the
whole country have been canvassed
by the chnmbor and have enst a refer
endum vote on various phases of tho
merchant marine question, with the
following principal results: COS to 82
against. Government ownership and
operation of a merchant fleet; 711 to
54 against Government ownership
nnd private operation; 558 to 186 and
718 to 48 In favor of certain subsi
dies or subventions to Insure a mer
chant marine established and operated
under privnte control.
If the Government as a business
outsider is going to be guided by the
knowledge and advice of men on the
inside of business the United States
Chamber of Commerce has pointed
the dear way to legislation designed
to create anew and foster American
shipbuilding nnd shipping Industrie
It Is n way which leads In the oppo
site direction from that In which the
Administration has been heading, but
by this time It is possible that the
Administration has begun to see bow
dangerous it is to disregard the com
petent Judgment of well Informed
business men.
The task to which It has set itself
In Inquiring into the utterly pern!
clous I.a Follette seamen's luw, en
acted nt the last session of Congress,
because it has already begun to
threaten the country with disastrous
consequences, would have been spared
If the ndvice of business men, who
knew exactly whnt tho law would do,
hiuPnot been flouted.
The business man seems to be In
the way of regaining much of the
prestige of which he has been po
litically deprived to the country'
measureless harm.
One Sensible Art.
Tho first sensible thing the legisla
tive committee which recommended
the dismissal of four Public Service
Commissioners lu this district has
done was Its resolution, arrived at
this week, to abandon the effort to
oust the men against whom it could
not gather sulllclent evidence to ex
cuse Governor Wjiitman in firing
them from olllce.
The committee was conceived in
partisan greed, its deliberations were
conducted In n fashion that allennUsl
from It the respect of sensible men,
and its suggestions were utterly dis
credited because of their source.
Yet the committee served one useful
purpose. It exhibited Its chairman
without disguise, and no voter will
hereafter hnve any difficulty in np
praising tho worth of an enterprise
with which he may be associated.
!o to the Pollre Tournament!
The first jtorforuinnce of the out
door games nrrnnged by the Police
Department Invites to tho Brooklyn
Jockey Club track to-day; and the
exhibition would he worth going far
to sci', regardless of (he object to
which lis proceeds are to lie devoted.
Every branch of the service will strive
to outdo Ihe others In skill displayed
lu the performance of work that falls
In It, and the athletic sports will en
list the most accomplished and highly
trained members of the force.
The policemen would brJNiiHtifled
in expecting a largo attendance, how-
ever, rea If they had not prepared
an excellent entertainment The prof
it earned by the tournament will go
to the treasury of the Honor Boll
Relief Fund, which Is devoted to the
assistance of widows and orphans of
policemen killed in the performance
of their duty. The women and In
fants who are deprived of their de
fence and support because husbands
and fathers arc shot by burglars, suf
focated In attempting to rescue the
helpless, crushed In saving the lives
of others, nppeal peculiarly to all
whom these men have guarded and
whose peace and comfort they nnd
their fellows contribute to so sub
stantially. Tho police do a great deal for all
of us, and patiently stand much un
merited abuse ; and when he can every
New Yorker whose habits do not fur
rtlsh explanation of n thoroughly un
derstandable nntlpnrhy to lnw and
order should do something to aid
their charitable enterprises.
Translation.
Forgive us for recording again
these vibrations and undulations of
the boundless ocean of sound:
"I hava been the repository of inter
national secrets, Representatives of for
eign countries have come to me and
have whispered words into my ears that,
If I had told them, might have caused
national calamities. But because I
would not take newspaper reporters Into
my confidence and tell them these
secrets newspapers hare denounced me,
because I would not surrender myself
Into the hands of Irresponsible editors
who have little rernrd for the lights of
the American people.
"For two years and three months I
had to sit silent while the New Tork
press tried to assassinate me. But now
pounding the railing with his hsnd In
an almost freniled fashion I am ready
to meet them and they shall not assas
sinate me without reply."
O Bottom, Bottom, how art thou
translated Into Boy-Orator-of-the
Platte-Deutsch I Bnt was he silent
for twenty-seven months? Does not
the Constitution, eager as he may be
to change It, protect htm from that
cruel nnd unusual punishment?
President Wilson's Titration.
President Wilson, has earned n rest.
For the first time since he entered
the White House he can enjoy a vaca
tion trip without reservation. On
Ixmg Islnnd or In New Hampshire he
can ease his mind of the cares of of
flee and devote himself to such relaxa
tion and recreation ns appeals to his
mood. His mind may be at peace,
and except when Washington lays be
fore him a message requiring his at
tention, he may be ussured that all
goes well there.
Not the least of Secretary Lan
sino's contributions to his fellow citl
zens Is this relief his presence In the
State Department affords to the Pres
ident. The atmosphere enveloping
the ExecuUve intellectuals Is not
charged with the constant threat of
danger that has hitherto been its
characteristic. The necessity for
Presidential attention to every detail
of departmental activity no longer ex
ists. There li a Secretary on duty
fit to perform the function, a Secre
tary Whose temperament Is not cause
for continuous alarm.
Nobody can doubt that Mr. Wilson
will derive more benefit from the trip
that now breaks the monotony of his
residence on the banks of the Potomac
than he has been able to get from nny
of his previous excursions from tho
White House.
Hrtan says he will work with any
body. llrnMine.
He wouldn't work with Wilson.
The Hartford Rubber Works has
announced that It will pay full wages
to all Its employees who are members
of the Connecticut National duard
when they are absent from Its facto
ries on duty with their regiments.
This Is a practical way to contribute
to real preparedness for the defence of
the country. It encourages the up
building of an accustomed and Inval
uable agency for military training,
and thus proceeds beyond the lecturo
plntform to tho heart of the problem.
It is by such conduct, and not through
perfervld orations, that we shall at
tain a trained militia commensurate
with our needs.
Captain Charles Hallknbeck of
Catsklll Is to be congratulated upon
Ills eaten or a sturgeon weighing 325
pounds In tho upper Hudson, but we
fear tho State will not be encouraged
to purify tho river and restore tho
profitable -fishing industry of the old
days, Tho cost no doubt would be a
high figure, but returns from tha in
vestment would In course of time bo
handsome. In price sturgeon is now
prohibitive ns a food. It should be on
every poor man's table.
Tho report may be true that twenty
four submarines have been launched
nt Hnmliurg recently, but It will take
it long time to find crews nnd train
them for the new boats.
Count rtuvKNTLOw's complaint that
"President Wilson hns not closed tho
Panama Canal In order that transpor
tation of ammunition and other war
materials from eastern hnrbors of tho
United Htntes to Vladivostok for tho
increasing Russian fighting strength
shall not lo Interrupted" proves a re-
mnrknblo Ignorance of the rnllwtiy
system of tho United States from
coast to coast,
Not considering tho question whether
Mr. HitTAN has sufficient knowledge of
political economy to Instruct students,
lias the Indiana faculty, which offers
him n clmlr with a large salary, given
nny thought to the difficulty of keep
ing Mr, liuvAN In the lecttiro room
long enough to earn his salnry?
Tho hope expressed by the Xcursta
Nachnchtun of Munich tliat tho voy
age of u rk'inmn suhmnrlnn from
Wllhclmshaven to tho Dardanelles, a
distance of 4,000 miles, "will mnko the
war party in the United States think
twice," aa only 8,(00 mile separate
THE SUN, SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1915.
Bremen from New York, warrants the
rejoinder that that Journal had bet
ter think twice first. In Turkish wa
ters a base for the German submarine
was available; on this elds of the At
lantic there would be none, and the
venture would bo impracticable.
It Is helpfully suggested to David
Haviland of Cold Spring, Putnam
county, who has laid down his last at
SS years' of age to tako his first vaca
tion, that ho cut bait and fish from a
punt, with a ginirhnm umbrella to
keep off tho sun's rays, every day
when there is a south wind and a rip
ple, for the rest of his life. It Is of
no lmportanco whatever whether tho
fish bite.
THE BULL TERRIER.
An Advocate of the DctII Tries to
Make a Case.
To Tits Epitor oc Tun Hun Sir: A
bull terrier is on Incorrigible onnlno
Idiot, one of those animated atrocities
committed by Dutno Nature when In :i
bilious condition. As the animal hns no
valid excuse for existence nfter survey
ing himself hu should wnddlo In front of
a convenient nuto nnd welcome the. end.
A superbcjowlcd, flea Infected dental
display of Imbecility, associated with
obstinate navagery, Its harboring In tho
city should bo forbidden by law.
Years ago It wan the pet of the
slaughter house, tho stable car those of
the Hill Sykes mental or phyi archi
tecture. Women having adopted It as a
thing of Joy It hns displaced the Intelli
gent nnd complaisant Newfoundland,
the dignified fit. Ilernard and ever Joy
ous and vivacious setter and fox ter
rier. , During the high price of meat for
several years past It has been appro
priating supply from suffering human
It. Occasionally It samples its master
or mistress, for which It Is to be com
mended. A short time ago there was press
mention of an nfternoon tea given by a
Inily to her friends, apparently without
consent of her bull terrier, who mani
fested his displeasure by rummaging tho
limbs uf the guests, and finally fastened
1i!b teeth on the hand of his mistress
during her attempts to dissuade him.
Later observation showed the brute to
be only In normal condition, possibly n
disordered liver, probably had lived too
long. Prescription should have been
blood letting, nbout nil he had would
have been sufficient to effect cure.
Another case Is reported of n muslcnl
affair, during which the beast Ignored
nil the party and its musicians except
the violinist, to' whom he became vio
lently attached. Now we all appreciate
that such nn artist Is more useful to
our civilization than a wrinkled faced
brute revelling In the confidence that
tlw chief mission In life Is to be hid
eously dlsngreeabte. The bull terrier
has lived too long, a "bull" in creation.
Now the executioner. ANn-Tinnim.
New York, June S4.
THE LOGICIAN.
Mr. I.ocke of Montlrello Continues to
Object to the Female Clam.
To TUB Koitob or Tut Bun Sir:
Orace W. Hndgman nays that accord
ing to my "logic" I should be a suf
fragist. The more I rend of suffra
gette writings the moro I wonder If tiny
of them know what logic Is.
night after having answered the same
question In only slightly different form
she retorts again, "If women are all
sorts of unholy things, why not help
change their condition?" Presumably,
with the ballot.
How In tho dickens can the ballot
make women less selfish and deceptive? J
Certainly no one will say It has had
any such effect In suffrngo States.
To ally myself with a femnle class
already embodying nil the virtues would
be about tha most Illogical thing I could
do : It Is the men they seek to "change,"
not women.
Too much education, so called, the
wnnt of babies, love of power and the
desire to bo teen nnd beard nt men Is
Ok tho liottom of all their unfcmlnlne
antics by day nnd their masculine street
corner bowlings by night, which have
made of them the most unsexed and "un
holy" of their sex.
What Is needed to "change conditions"
is an abrogation rather than nn enlarge
ment of woman's rights and a revival
of old fashioned mnacullno methods In
dealing with the sex to make them
more responsible. F, C. Locke.
Monticki.i.o, June 14.
A RAGING LION.
Leo Relinked and the Triumph of
Hurvurd Ilnseball Accounted For.
To the Editor or The Sun Sir: I
wonder If Mr. Wllllnm Leo considers,
when he criticises women for wearing
their hnts nt ball games, that men wear
theirs too.
Hut It Is not unlike man In his wisdom,
equity and majesty to want one rule ror
himself and another for woman.
To nil, however, who believe in the
enrouragement of art, believe In Its In
spiration as bringing the highest nnd
noblest energy from the human being,
tho hnts of women certainly play their
part.
It was one of these beautiful crea
tions of Egyptian blue, turned up n la
Napoleon nnd Just caught there by the
faintest pink roses that ever bloomed
or didn't, ns it faced the Harvard
pitcher In New Haven that so Inspired
him thnt he sent vale down to drre.it.
Hut from thn looks of tlio hnts men
wear at ball games I think they might
Just aa well be taken off; In fnct, If
they wero hidden under the seats It
would be n good thing.
James P. Dkwell, Jr.
New Haven, Conn., June 24,
NOT WICKED.
Charlinlile Judgment of Ihe Men Op
posed to Wnmnn Suffrage.
To tub KuiTouor Tin: Run Sir: Your
correspondent from Hoston has again
misunderstood me. I find It very diffi
cult to decide bow to answer.
I can say, which Is true, but rather
obvious, that no cue considers nntls
wicked. We nre not so uncharitable;
we know they nre only stupid.
I can Kiif with Dr. .hilinum, which Is
undoubtedly statoly nnd appropriate to
Hoston, "I have found you nn argument,
I am not nhllged to find jmi an under
standing," but your correspondent prob
nhly bristles with quotations himself
If I hnd n definite literary style, which
It Is perhaps unnecessary to tell you I
hnve not, tho decision would be made
for mo. Ho will have to choose the an
swer lin likes best. Margaret Nonius.
New York, Juno 25.
And Freedom of Speech Shrieked As
Scott Nearlng Fell.
To the Epitor or Tun Hun K(r: Mny
I inld n few words to tlio condemna
tion of tho University of Pennsylvania
for the dismissal of Professor Nearlng?
Hns tho chair of economics become
n settee so thero will be room for the
truhtee, or do tho trustees wnnt a par
rot disguised ns a "professm" to tell
tho students whnt they think?
The dismissal of Professor Nearlng Is
un-American and n disgrace to a country
which boasts of freedom of speech nnd
liberal education.
I would suggest thnt the University
of Pennsylvania lie tintisferred to
I'etrogrnd or omo dark spot In Siberia
where education nnd liberty are Incom
patible, Mny the Governor of Pennsyl
vania' velo tho smallest appropriation
that mny be offered by thn Legislature
for thn perpetuation of this educutlonul
monstrosity. II. 13.
Auisr, Jims 14.
REFORMING THE STATE.
A Plan for Farther Extension of the
Representative Principle.
To tub Kditob or Tub Sun Sir." Tour
editorial article on "A Short Chapter
From the History of New York State,"
relative to the notion that we would
necessarily gain by making the Gov
ernor the dominant figure in legislation,
as compared with the past and present
conditions, is most timely.
Undoubtedly we need leadership and
cannot get nlong without It, but the vir
tual abandonment of representative gov
ernment by putting tha Governor In a
position where ho would dominate the
Leglslnturo would be merely a change
of external musters from a so-called "In
visible boss" selected by his party by a
natural process of elimination.
It might sometimes be a great im
provement, as when Mr. Hughes was
elected Oovornor, nnd it might nt olhor
times be anything but nn Improvement,
as when Mr. Hulzer was elected (3ov
ernor. The popular cholco In any event
would not bo based upon tried states
manship nnd legislative experience, but
upon somo Incident which made the man
a hero In the popular eyes for the time,
as Mr, HooscvcH's military service in
Cuba, .Mr. Hughes's work In the Insur
ance Investigation or Mr. Whitman's
phenomenal efficiency as a public prose
cutor. In nny case, unless we are to hold s
Governor In office for term nfter term.
It means n change of leaders ever) two
or four years, which Is most profoundly
discouraging, both because it deters men
from making statesmanship a career
nnd also because on that account It Is
exceedingly uneconomical and accord
ingly Inefficient
It has not been my lot to be a mem
ber of the Legislature nor to be very
nctlvo In political matters. During the
last twenty years, however. It has been
my lot and privilege to observe the Leg
islature rather closely In connection first
with the Social Reform Club, and later
with tho committee on freeing Amster
dam avenue of four tracks, the committee
of fifty which attempted to free Eleventh
avenue andi was responsible for thi
Pnxe lnw, the City Club In the same
matter nnd various insurance reform
measures, Including the drafting of tho
so-called Armstrong laws nnd champion
ship of ths same. Concerning all these
matters in nn almost purely public wny
I hnvo had an Interest In what the Leg
islature was doing and opportunities to
observe Its work.
Within the last two or three year
thts has been peculiarly true likewise in
connection with workmen's compensa
tion legislation.
During most of this period the deter
mination regarding what the Legislature
would do when both houses and the Gov
ernor were of the same party was usu
ally in the hands of the so-called "ex
ternal boss," who had to be reached nnd
convinced or else hnd to be fought
openly and the bills forced through, ns
was, for Instance, tho franchise tax law,
over the head of the bo?s. When the
boss was not in entile control and the
Governor was the dominant Influence,
nnd unless bis apprornl In advance could
be obtained, one wns treading on dan
gerous ground to attempt passing legis
lation. Wo encountered this In the ef
fort to free Kleventh avenue even under
Governor Hughes, nnd were compelled
to desist from the final step because of
his strong disinclination to accept the
responsibilities of determining In ad
vance of the bills reaching him what
ought to be done nbout the matter, and
it Is In consequence of that disinclina
tion that a solution was not reached
years ago and carried Into effect before
this time.
No one who has the earnest hope that
representative parliamentary govern
ment should continue In the United
Ptates will desire either that we re
lnrwe Intu tho condition of being bos
iiuucn irum uuieiur, even uimiKn we
miKht Improve the quality of external .
rumen from outside, even though we
leauerslilD. or that wo virtually suimresa
the Legislature nnd merely make It an
engine for registering the determina
tions of the Governor. The conditions
under Governor Glynn nfter the nttempt
of the external leaders to control the
legislature had been abandoned showed
such vision and capacity of leadership
on the part or Senator Wagner nnd
Speaker Smith, ns well as the Gov
ernor, and such ability to cooperate with
a full sense of party responsibility, that
If the fate of the Democratic party had
not already been determined by the dis
gust of tho peoplo at tho exposures of
the evils of externnl leadership and of
the incapacity of Governor Sulrer him-
self, certainly the voters would have
given their npprovnl to the ndmlnlstra--
tlon nt the polls.
Under Governor Whitman likewise,
notwithstanding that the legislative
leaders and thn Governor were not able
to work together In so complete har
mony, and that the thing was wanting
thnt is necessary under such conditions,
viz., thnt one of them bo recognized
ns the responsible lender nnd their dif
ferences be whipped out In conference
among themselves, Instend of In cau
cuses or In the houses of the legisla
ture. It certainly was most refreshing
that whntcver the legislation was,
whether good or had, it was a thing for
which tho dominant party was responsi
ble nnd regarding which neither nn ex
ternnl boss hnd to lie consulted nor the
Governor treated ns If his wilt was final.
The hope for really responsible gov
ernment In the Stnte of New York nnd
in the United Stntes Ilea ,ln the develop
ment from the condition which hns nl
ready been created of real leadership In
the Leglslntures. There should be a life
enrcer or virtually such for the man
who can command tho confidence of hU
own party nnd lead It In determining
what the legislation shall be when thnt
partv ts In jsiwer, and In criticising by
Intelligent opposition, thereby Improving
the qunllty of legislation, measures
which nro brought forward by tho dom
inant pnrty when his party Is not lu
power. Tills has not only been prac
ticable In other countries, ns In Great
Hrltaln, much more than ion years, but
it ban nlsn proved tho snlvntlon of the
French republle."nnd Is tho hopn of de
mocracy throughout Eurupe, having al
ready been introduced in nil the really
democratic countries, such as Norway,
Switzerland, Italy nnd Greece, mid be
ing fought for In the moro nulocrntlo
countries, such nB Russia, Germany and
Austria. It has nlo proved successful
in nil of the Utitlsh colonies, Including
Canada, whero ts success is not con
fined to the Dominion, where Kir John
Macdonald led for n generation, nnd Sir
Wilfrid Laurler for another, but n!so In
nil the provinces f Oanndn, IncliidlnT
Ontario, right on our border, where tho
lato Sir James Whitney was tlio lender
of ills party, whether dominant or In
opposition, through ths larger part of
his long and useful life.
It Is a pity nnd a shame for us to
glvo n certain measure of training tp
men really cnpnble of statesmanship nnd
then after a term or two lu tho Legis
lature, where also they must either be In
opposition to tholr own party or ab
jectly opposed to nn external boss or n
Governor who Is n popular Idol, turn
them out of office when they are In n
wny of becoming generally useful to us.
What Is the remedy? It seems to me
thnt It Is not a revolutionary remedy.
Our parliamentary system must be, like
the parliamentary systems of other
countries, n growth, a development. Tho
only thing wo need to do is to mnko
minor changes which will obviate well
recognized evils and enable responsible
party leadership to bn Introduced If It
will nnturally develop within the Legls
lature. Tho following Is suggested ns
n slmplo und natural means by which
this can be accomplished:
Incrense the terms of office of the
Senators to four years nnd the Assem
blymen to two yoarn, so thnt tho elec
tlon of Assemblymen will be of the
luliire of a "hy-eleetlon" Involving a
temporary rebuke to the party In power
If Its work on tho whole has not been
satisfactory, even though It hns been
nbln to command a majority snd to leg.
iBlate.
Ellmlnnte deadlocks between the two
.houses by providing that the bouse la
which ths bill originates mar, If It is
rejected by the other house, require a
Joint session to be held, at which the bill
will be put upon Its passage, and If
passed at such Joint session It will go
to the Governor on If passed by each
house separately.
Provide for the dissolution of the Leg
islature, which will causo a special elec
tion of all elective officers of the State,
ns well ns all members of the Legisla
ture, to be held not less than three
months nor more than six months nfter
such dissolution, to take place under
either of tho two following considera
tions: In case nt the Joint session called to
pass upon n bill which has passed one
house nnd been rejected by another the
bill Is not passed, the same Joint ses
sion may by a majority vote declare
the Legislature dissolved, this being
equivalent to whnt In called a vote of
want of confidence In the leaders.
In case a bill has been passed and Is
vetoed by the Governor,, nnd upon be
ing voted upoii In the two bosses It Is
not carried by n two-thirds vote, which
two-thirds vote would make It a law
over tho Governor's veto as nt present,
tho houso in which It originated may
require a Joint session to be held; nnd
If the bill In passed nt this Joint ses
sion such passage shall constitute n dis
solution of the Legislature nnd require
special election of the Governor nnd nil
elective Gtficers, ns well ns nil members
of tho Legislature, this being equivalent
to n voto of wnnt of confidence In the
Governor, who under our Constitution Is
n part of the Legislature, since he has
tho veto power.
Under such a system an this men of
the unimpeachable character of the
present legislative lenders who hnve ex
perience in legislative matters nnd com
mand nnd must continue to command
the following of their- fellow partisans
would inevitably become the party lead
ers In the State of New York. They
would stand out In the open where
everybody could soe them nnd get nt
them; their responsibility would be di
rect nnd unescnpable, the dominant
party In the Legislature would be held
accountable for all tho legislation of the
session, and leaders who did not satisfy
the voters as regards the policy of the
Government would Inevitably cither be
repudiated by their respective parties
nnd better leaders be put forward, or
the dominant party Itself would bo re
pudiated by the voters nt the polls.
Under a system which had nn oppor
tunity to develop In this direction we
certainly should hnve n most fortunate
outgrowth of the present relative free
dom of external pressure upon the Leg
islature which otherwise mny be merely
n hlntus, with the old evils returning,
nnd we should also have freedom from
the chaotic conditions which have from
time to time been repeated on nccount
of disagreements of the two houses or
of both houses and the Governor.
In other words, we would nt nil times
hnvo nn ndmlnlstrntlon, nnd if the ad
ministration broke to pieces It would not
result In chaos until the regular time
fixed for a general election, but a mw
ndmlnlstrntlon would shortly be re
turned. Miles M. Dawson.
New YonK, June 23.
LET BEECHER REST.
Hls'nope Was That Ills Bones Should
Be Undisturbed.
To the Kditos or The Bun Sir.' It
Is with greatest Interest that I hnve
Just read the article In The Sun re
garding the opposition to the removal
of Henry Ward Reecher's body from
Green-Wood Cemetery to a building con
nected with Plymouth Church. It
stems strange that this article should
be published almoat on hla birthday,
Juno it.
To mo It seems utterly Incredible that
nnv one having known nnd revered Mr.
Ile'echer can consider this removal of
i.iu twwt.. nmititint tenehlnir wns
,-w,,.. ..... -
so opposed to making anything of the
' eaitniy iiiucrnncie, ui nmnuiK
ennhnima a "sluht to be visited by
tourists, ns If he was In reality within.
It seems to me so directly against his
wishes nn to be simply nn absurdity,
as It does to many others.
While I cannot quote the exact oc
casion or words. I remember distinctly
hearing htm say, In speaking of Shake
speare's epitaph, that he felt "Just that
way." and lie hoped no one would "med
dle with his bones."
To quote Mr Reecher's own published
words, which seem epec!ally appropri
ate now: "O mny the sun pierce tlirougn
the shade of trees, dear to many birds,
to fall In checkered light upon my
I grave! I nsk no stone or word of In-
Hcrlption. May flowers be the only
memorial of my grave, renewed every
spring, nnd malntnJned through the
summer." D. E. T.
Pekkskjll, June 25.
Are Cartridges "Explosives"?
To tub Editor op The Bcn Sir; Tor
years 1 havo felt tho most unbounded
confidence In tho assurance thnt "If you
see It In The Sun It's so," nnd therefore
1 read with unusual Interest the ao
count In The Bun of Tuesday last of
nn explosion of n box of assorted car
tridges In u so-called Junk shop in the
city of New York,
Tho cartridges appear to have been
recklessly handled In the attempt to pull
the bullets out of tholr metal cases, the
result being thnt an explosion took place
which seriously burned the proprietor of
the shop and caused tremendous excite
ment In tho neighborhood. Although at
once tnken to a hospital, the unfortunate
man "was made a prisoner, charged
with violating the tenement house lnw
that deals with the storing of explo
sives." Now, If the tenement house lnw for
bids tho storage of "explosives," and Is
Invoked for tho punishment of a person
who had a quantity of cartridges In his
possession, what bt comes of the defence
set up for tho Lusltnnlo, thnt In carry
ing 5,4ft0 cnes of cartridges she was
not violating a law which prohibits) the
trnnpnrtallon of "explosives" on a pas
senger vessel?
Carroll S, Ttsom.
North East TIarroii, Me,, June 23.
The Man, the Cheek nnd the Pen.
To tub Editor of Tub Si'N' Sir; To
day I overheard a man telling a hard
luck story. "He asked me to ensh his
check for S2.Y Heliuvlng him tu lie nil
right I did so after ho hnd made out
the check with my $ fountain pen. He
put my pen In his pockut without my
noticing it. The check came kick
marked 'No Funds.' I haven't seen the
man nor the pen slnco!"
I had Just paid in rente exchange on a
$1 out of town check myself, which had
made too hot. I felt better after listen
ing to the other fellow. C. J. M.
HnooKi.YN, June 25.
The Brnutlm of the New City Flag.
Knlrker Ilirw do you like the city flag?
Itm'ker Fine, It has the treat whits
way right down the centre of It.
From a Skyscraper Window.
Knch Monday morn when I look down
From etory twenty-five
Upon the tiered nnd towered town,
A seethlns, snaring hive,
rielnw I sen but brick and atone
That house the strife and stresn,
Have one low lying rnf nlnns
That cowers In the pren.
The others shimmer In the un
As arid nn the sand.
Hut nn thn fl.it roof of this on.
lly mi convention banned,
A inodet family ixlilliB flirts
And flaps amid the breeze;
Just sheets and tun els. socks snd shirts,
And homely thlnxa like these.
Who hanss It out I never know,
Who takes It In nhtn dry.
It makes me smile lo see th show,
Hut smiling brings a Huh,
I wonder Is there any spot
Where you could ever roam,
flkj scmpers, pulai ci, what not,
You would not' find a home!
JlABUCa Mosaif,
THE KEYSTONE CONSTITUTION.
A Question as to the Validity of Cer
tain Amendments.
To the Editor or Tits Sun Sir; "No
nmendment or amendments shall be sub
mitted oftcner than once in five years,
enys the Constitution of Pennsylvania,
Article XVIII. The Constitution has been
amended by amendments submitted In
1901 and 1909, but If the constitutional
prohibition first above quoted hns the
plain, ordinary signification of lan
guage, the supposed amendments sub
mitted and voted for by mnjorltlea In
1911 nnd 1913 nro totally Invalid.
If the amendments were unconstitu
tionally submitted In 1P11 nnd 1913,
then treating what was unconstitu
tionally done ns not done at nil, It could
be. considered thnt It Is In constitutional
order to submit cmendments In 1916,
which hns been attempted In n manner
never before tried with nny amendment,
namely submitted by mere "concurrent
resolution of tho Senate nnd House of
Iteprescntntlvew, not by a statute ap
proved by the Governor or passed over
his veto according to law,
Elections re controlled by statutes,
nnd frauds nt elections nro punished,
whenever they nre, under statutes. Votes
being commanded to be taken next No
vember on four constitutional amend
ments by mere concurrent resolution,
could uny election ofilcer be convicted
of crime If he simply Ignored the con
current resolution nnd refused to count
or return truly the votes cast for wom
an suffrage, workmen's compensation
system, Increased borrowing power, title
registration system? Doubtful.
Now, suppose thnt the Supreme Court
should decide that the 1911 and 1913
amendments were properly submitted
nnd valid, then it might ns well be ns
sumcd that the 1915 amendments are
properly submitted nnd others proposed
for 1917 may be properly submitted, and
you seo the prnctlo.il Judicial construc
tion of Article XVIII. would be that any
amendment may be submitted every
time the Legislature meets.
Home people whisper that It means,
will some day be construed by the Su
preme Court to mean, thnt "No one and
tho r-ame nmendment or same set of
amendments shnll b submitted oftener
thnn once In five years," but the nmend
ment of Section 8 of Article IX. In 1911
nnd of the same section nnd also Sec
tion 10 of Article IX. In 1913 and ths
proposed amendment of Section 3 In 1915
nnd still another started by the last
Legislature for 1917, all concern the
sime subject of Increased borrowing
powers of countlen, cities, boroughs,
school districts nnd the tax for sinking
funds to repay. A hundred million dol
lars of new Indebtedness In the next
ten years, all under legislation pf pre
posterously doubtful validity.
James Yearsi.st.
Philadelphia, June 26.
REMEMBER BELGIUM.
A Not Difficult Commercial Service to
no Itendered ITer After the War.
To the Editor of The Son Sir: It
may be a trifle premature at thus time
to outline a course of action to be fol
lowed when the war ts over. But It
ecem.1 to me that one very Important
action should be followed with regard
to the unhappy country of Belgium
when peace Is restored.
Preference should be shown to Bel
gian goods In purchasing Imported ar
ticles, lie fore Its devastation Belgium
wns ,i manufacturer of countless lines
of goods. The civilized world can In
no better way demonstrate Its admira
tion nnd affection for this martyr
among nations than by not only help
ing to reestablish her but by purchas
ing her products.
Belgium's service to mankind in de
laying the German orlve for three
weeks should receive substantial reward
by the rest of the world.
Dean Palmss.
New York, June 25.
The Two Cent Stamp.
To the Epitor or Tits Stw Rtr:
Having rend with much pleisure your
recent nrtlcles on the wretched condi
tion of the postage stamps I tnke this
opportunity to relate the splendid work
ing of the postal system.
After a hnrd dny's work I find my
self In need of stamps. I first proceed
to one of these so-called sub-stations,
where I am more or less polltoly told
that they do not sell five dollars worth
of stamps to one person. I then walk
seven blocks out of my way to that
magnificent structure in Eighth avenue.
As I near the hug pile I view with
awe the long flight of steps I shnll hnve
to climb. Well, the letters have to be
posted, so up I go, footsore nnd weary
My stremiotiH exertions bring me to
the Thirty-first street entrance, where
I am nblo to purchnse the poorest grnde
of stamp Imaginable. I then attempt to
part twenty stamps from the mother
sheet. This operation requires skill
nnd patience of an unattainable degree.
After a few minutes of fuming and fret
ting I manage to separate the stamps
from homo ties, and hold in my hand
a eorry collection of red paper.
Now it Is necessary to lick the frrmsy
things. Why cannot the American
stamps have the sweet taste the Cana
dian stamps have?
After all are prepared I look around
for the letter box and find It In the
centre of the corridor, a full block nway
from the door I entered. Into this slot
I throw the accursed objects and with
n mighty sigh of relief proceed down
the long and dangerous steps out into
tho night. John Howard.
New York, June 28.
The Lay of the Lone Flshball In ISIifi.
To the EniTon ok The Sun Sir: In
tho "Editor's Drawer" of orper's AYt
Monthly .Mnpatinr of July, 185D, occurs
the followliiBi
The hnra rtt TTr,w.MS T..l..i- ... . .
Ulf
following pathe-rto ballad a-going, snd It
Is now a popular song. It records the
melancholy experience of ons of the tu-
ttnrn n .1...- .
..v, p,,.ru rn muiiKas oi ine
I.one Pishball," supplemented by the
iMuiai
Who WOuld hav hrar1
Must get It first or not at all
Who would fWiballs with flln's eat
Must get some friend to stand a treat.
This authentic history runs the "Pish
ball" bark to n full sixty years.
A ponderous matter of this kind should
not be lightly handled. The aboe glvts
It to Harvard and any nttempt to wrest
away the laurels and trnnsfor them to
Ynln should not bo countennrced, unless
backed up with rellnhle data.
KAiiienau N. Fkrrt.
W est Enoi.ewood, N j June 34,
Lloyd (ieorge nnd the Labor Leaders.
To tub Editor ok Tub Hun Sir: Is
not David Lloyd Gvorgc's attitude to
ward thn lnbor lenders of England too
nntngnnlstlc? Surely a few word's of
patriotic encouragement would do vnstly
more to spur the workmen to greater
effort than a notice that It they do not
voluntarily turn out tho required
amount of war munitions their alterna
tive will be compulsory labor,
While Mr. Lloyd (Ieorge may be under
a turrlllc strain, It seems that bis com
mon sense would tell him that tho la
boring class will do moro If they nre
encouraged thnn they will if they nre
driven, Donni-AHs I'kaiison
Nkw York, Juno 25,
The Valedictorian of Trinity,
To Tiir. KniToa or Tn Brs Sir; Will
you allow a collese student to enter ynur
Hull of rams? Hmart Hrand Is valedic
torian of the sraduatlng class at Trinity
College this year. Vai,tb Uoozbts
lUairoxs, Coon., Juaa j.
DRGE GREAT STATE
ENGINEERING BOARD
Enprlnccrs Ask Coiislilutinnal
Convention to Favor TIiito
Man 15ody,
JOBS TO UK FOlf 12 VKMJS
Albant, June 2K. The estiib! s'.mrnt
of a great State lep.it ttneiit of en.
gtnecrlng. nt tho head of w: -h si ."
three men who nro to wrve for ti-!.-
years each, was advocated to-d.i by
representatives of engineering so. jetles
before the canals committee and (Joy
ernor nnd Htate officers commute ot
the constitutional convention. .u h i
department would put an end to the con
tlnual shifting nbout ot engineers cn
public works because of a chnngs In
the political control of the l vernment.
It was argued.
Almet n. Iiton of Brooklyn hu
Introduced an amendment which mu
with the Ideas of the engineers and It
was favored by Ernest P. Ooodrloh,
representing a committee of the munici
pal engineers of the city of New York,
and Nelson P. Lewis for tha Brooklyn
Engineers Club.
The Latsun amendment proposes that
the department should have charga of
the public lands and boundary surveya,
State buildings, parks, highways, canals
and other public works, including their
design, construction, maintenance and
operation, and of the conservation and
development of the State's rcsouues.
Such a department would tnke over
the work of the Jilghwnys Department,
ine state engineer ana surveyor, tn
Superintendent of Public Works and
various engineering bureaus of several
of the State departments, including tt
Conservation Commission.
Pear Great Power of City.
Increased representation In the Legis
lature by New York city, according to
the proposed O'Brien nmendment, was
discussed again to-day. It developed
that many Republicans, Including even
those from New York city, base their
objection to the rlnn on these main
points, which were outlined by one ot
the lenders:
"New York State is as birr as tha
empire of Germany. Something besides
population should control the Stnte. No
one comer with a congested population
should he permitted to ever gain con
trol of the Legislature or any other
branch of the Government,
"New York city Is merely n commer
cial point a huge feaport centre -anl
it would not seem wise In the Interest
of good government to placo In the
control of such a portion of the State
the destinies of the other great po
tions of the State.
"Then thero Is the more delicate rea
son for denying New York's application
for control of tho Government S
York city Is tho place to which the
new citizens come. Many thousands of
the new voters In New York have no
knowledge of the governmental institu
tions, of the needs of the State or of
i:a traditions, and to glvo them full con
trol of the State's affairs would be thl
worst tiling thnt could be done, tt
would tie premature.
"Tho old proviMons of the Constitu
tion which safeguard the Stato from
control by New York city recognize tli
effect of population In tho Assemb)
The lower house of tho Legislature s
made to reflect the population, wh e
the Senate reflects tho localities.
believe It is expedient to continue ' i
restriction on New York."
Leaders Also Approve Plnn.
Some of the leaders also voiced ip.
position to the new O'Hrlen nine !
menu
"The county hns been tha un.' ot
government from time liinnemor a
was declared. "It has alwa ten
recognized anil has been divided in re
apportionments. Thl proposal .j M
O'Hrlen, while no doubt IntencUd "
strengthen tho New York p
would permit gerrymandering of "is
worst aort. It seems to us much lie- er
to preserve the county Inviolate n "it
making up of Sennto districts. '
Thero are two big reasons be nir .el
vnnced for the refusal of the ...r n-
tlon to consider the reapportion!!., i. f
leglslatlvo districts. Tha first s h.it
It is undesirable to have the cnn.o
tlon in Its consideration of o'p.m 1
questions of law stop to entpr ir'o a
bitter, partisan political flnt. t !i
reapportionments always br:ng
The second ronton would hod even
If the first nern swept a wny. It - nt
any new reapportionment shou d h
based on tha Stuto census now 'c
taken at a cost of half n niiilon d- n'
The Federal census of 1 ; l o com i i
used, but that Is sl years beh 1 i
times. The Presidential vote if '''J
could be used, but that Is nlmo"- ' jr
yeara behind, It Is nigued.
The new census figures are i
peeled lo be In nny kind of n
shape before tho middle of Aue ' '
order to prepare a re.ipportio- nf i
these figures tho committee on -tlve
organization would have
night nnd dny for three weeks s
It could present tho reapport.'T ' '
the convention.
This would bring dlm-tiss'on
apportionment Into the i los c '
tho session, when other an ! u
portant subjects will bo U' . -
slon nnd there could be i.., i
discussion of tho reapporr..n. .
lenders fori that they .tl b. i l
thepe contentions by tho cum-
PATRONAGE HIT HARD
BY RULING AT ALBANY
Xinpty-siy. .Tolis in IinliM'i'I
Commission Put in ( im
petitivo Clas,
At.nANT, Juno 2r.- -The f '
Commission lias Just t u! I t1
ninety-six positions In t'i"
Industrial C'ommlH"r, In 'u ' '
three of the drput mmni
be filled by competitive enm't
as a result tho autl or of tho
varUuis others nre In a iii
how they can obtain nnv I
fiom tho scheme of tvoini i.'
consolidating the old Labor I'
nnd Workmen's "'ontien..it "
slon. Instead of nearly I ir'
places tho commission Im , v '
thn llrHt three deputies; the .
and thn counsel.
Speaker Sneet called on !'"
slon to-ilay to sen nbout tin
was Informed thnt the niinn
simply carrying out the pi.t
the law and that If there was
plaint It should be put then
specifies that nil but the eer
positions, shnll l in ""
class, and tho Civil Seri. '
proceeded tn transfer ,i '
llona from tho ei mpt das-
"Somebody must have h
let that go through," it, tin
State official put IU
1
0!.