The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], August 13, 1902, Page 4, Image 4

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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The flGE-tiERfiu)
».W. BAKItn r..Bdltor
HOM C. SMITH.. _ Business Malinger
iJally and Sunday Age-Herald .P* on
Dally and Sunday, per month . 70
jg| Bunday Age-Herald, per annum.2.00
X,, Weekly Age-Herald, per annum. 1 00
Subscriptions payable In advance.
iV W. P Bankston, M. W. Carlisle and
C. H. Allen, Jr., are the only authorized
traveling representatives of The Age
Herald In Its circulating department
Remittances can be made by express,
postolflce money order or draft at current
rate of exchange. Address
THE AOB-HERAtP.
Birmingham. Ala.
Washington Bureau Agc-llerald, 1421 O
Btreet, N. W.
1 Ht ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPIB IB AUBA*\
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.
It la reported to this office that
Jamea T. Allen is traveling through
the state of Alabama and soliciting
subscriptions for The Age-Herald. This
Is to notify the public that J. T. Allen
has never been connected with The
Age-Herald and has no authority to
act as agent.. The names of the au
thorized traveling representatives and
collectors of The Age-Herald are W. D.
Bankston, M. W. Carlisle and C. H.
Allen, Jr.
The amity that wisdom knits not, fol
low may easily untie.
—Trollus and Cressida.
Tennessee Valley History.
A local historical society devoted
to the sentiment, growth and develop
ment of the counties comprising the
Tennessee Valley In this state. Is to
be organized on September 3 at Hunts
ville, and an excellent programme has
been made up and membership in the
new society has been Invited. Each
year a handsome annual volume Is to
be published, and yet the dues of the
society will not exceed two dollars a
year. The temporary secretary to
whom application for membership
should be made is O. D. Street of
Guntersvllle.
* Two similar societies exist In the
state, the one In Washington county,
and the other In Mobile. They serve
a very useful purpose in the collection
of historical material, and In the res
cue from oblivion of many interesting
facts concerning the beginnings of
Anglo-Saxon life In the state, and even
of facts relating to life before the
conquering race come. One of the
papers to be read at Huntsville, for
example, relates to the Lauderdale
county mounds, and another discusses
the formation of counties In the Ten
nessee valley.
In this way much can be gathered
together that should be preserved, en
abling some one in the future to write
the history of the state. No people
can afford to Ignore the past, for from
It many useful as well as Interesting
lessons can be drawn, and the estab
lishment of a department of archives
and history at the capltol is promot
ing In all parts of the state a desire
to collect and preserve historical facts.
Mr. Owen’s hand is to be seen In lo
cal societies, and he will read a paper
at Huntsville on the functions and
obligations of such organizations.
Counties Outside the Law.
The state primary of August 25 Is
a primary called by the democratic
party of the state of Alabama. It will
be held by the democratic party of
the state of Alabama, for party pur
poses and party reasons alone. It is
not an election, but a nominating af
fair in which the democratic party
of the state is alone concerned. No
matter what it may be practically,
this is what it is technically, politi
cally and legally. This is what it is
in the eye of the law.
It is not a county primary at all.
It is a state primary duly called by
the state committee. If a county ex
ecutlve committee desires to place a
box near by for county ballots, that
does not in the least change the na
ture of the state primary. Nor should
any one be led by the noise and
shouting of the spellbinders to con
fuse a nominating affair conducted by
a single party with an election par
ticipated in by all the people.
Keeping the distinctions in mind, it
Is easy to see that Marshall and St.
Clair that have essayed to change
the rules of the state committee have
acted contrary to the primary election
law approved February 8, 1899, and
published in 'the general acts on page
126. This act provides that “all man
agers, inspectors, clerks, and other
officers and returning officers” shall
before entering upon their duties take
the oath administered to election offi
cers, and shall also swear to dischargo
the duties of the office upon which
they are entering in accordance with
the laws of the state "and the rules ot
the party holding such election."
What party other than the demo
cratic party of the state of Alabama
is holding such election? Manifestly
none. The officers in charge of each
precinct on August 25 must therefore
conduct the state primary of August
25 In accordance with the rules of tho
democratic party of the state as pre
scribed by the state executive commit
tee ot that party, and no county com
\
mitteo can lawfully change these rules
a particle. Any such action on the
part of a county committee is unlaw
ful, disorganizing and undemocratic,
and the state commute should not
countenance or permit any such ac
tion.
The general primary law renders
any clerk, manager or inspector or
other officer who conducts the state
primary of August 25 guilty of a mis
demeanor who conducts the primary
in question contrary to the rules of
the state democratic party made by
the state executive committee of that
party, and he may be fined by any
justice of the peace of the county not
less than twenty-five nor more than
one hundred dollars.
Always a Democrat,
The tide of misrepresentation rolls
on, being chiefly directed against Gov
ernor Jelks, but in every case it is
met by the truth and sent rolling
back, covering its inventors with con
fusion and shame. The most per
sistent of these misrepresentations,
perhaps, relates to tho campaign of
1896, when Mr. Bryan first ran against
tho late President McKinley. It is
asserted by the Johnston-Waller com
bine that Governor Jelks did not sup
port Mr. Bryan at that time, but this
assertion is met directly by Governor
Jelks, who says: “I supported Bryan
personally and with tny newspaper,
and did so vigorously. There is no
excuse for the charge.” This settles
•
it.
It was never unsettled for that mat
ter, for Governor Jelks' position in
both 1896 and 1900 and in the inter
vening years is known to all news
paper men in the state. He has ever
been a consistent supporter of the
democratic party in all sorts of
weather and under all circumstances.
He has never bolted, and he has never
attempted to become a factional
leader. He has been one of the rank
and file, serving the party of white
supremacy loyally and faithfully, and
commanding the respect of his fellow
men in all -walks of life.
The Johnston-Waller combine will
have to select a new line of attack,
for not a flaw in his relations to the
democratic party can be found in
Governor Jelks’ record.
Failures in July.
Only once in ten years -was there
fewer failures in July than occurred
last month, and that time was the
July of 1899, the first boom year. In
that July there were 744 failures, and
in the July just ended there were
775. In July, 1893, there -were 1892.
Not only were there fewer failures,
but their liabilities were less. We
add the July record of the last ten
years:
Years. Number. Assets. Llabilitlles.
1902 . 775 $3,083,073 $ 6,762,080
1901. 841 8,498,290 16,120,204
1900 . 819 4,170,491 9,458,267
1899 . 744 1.912,746 5,763,048
1898 . 965 5,085,4o6 9,796,419
1897. 1.037 6.201.117 9,266,690
1896. 1,203 9,806,749 17,321,664
1895. 1.135 7,245,531 12,373,257
1894 . 903 4,674.844 9,123,805
1893. 1,892 77,663,842 89.559,384
In the south in July there were 97
failures as against 99 in July of last
year, and the liabilities were corre
spondingly less. There were more fail
ures in New York city last month
than there were in July of last year,
but elsewhere in the country there
were fewer failures. Over speculation
led no doubt to a higher number in
New York city, while the rest of the
country shows an improvement. Good
crops may give the entire year a rec
ord even better than that of 1900,
which stands unequalled thus far.
The Isle of Pines, one of our new
possessions, is to have still another
tariff schedule. The assortment of
new possession schedules is become
variegated.
Injunctions cannot stay Old Father
Time with his scythe, thus again prov
ing that Death is the only democratic
institution that the trusts cannot sup
press.
The leaning tower of Pisa is still
doing business at the old stand, nei
ther inclining more nor less. It has
no desire to imitate the Campanile.
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat says
Captain Hobson will certainly become
wealthy, because ho saves something
every day.
The elevated railroad strike in New
York would afford Santos-Dumont a
fine opportunity to start his airship
line.
It is a long ways to Jefferson's horse
hitched to a pest at the capitol, to
President Roosevelt's fleet of yachts.
The coronation lost through post
ponement some of its scenic features,
but it lost none of its effectiveness.
Gen. Jake Smith neither speaks dis
creetly nor indiscreetly. He has be
come the champion silent man.
The trust magnates at Atlantic City
were a little bolder and franker than
their colleagues—that was all.
---
The oats corner was very fattening
in the case of the Chicago lawyers.
They began forty-five suits.
Philander Knox's solar-plexus blow
has made him the hero of the hour.
Attorney General Knox Is also a dis
ciple of strenuusity.
J. P. Morgan as the coming ruler of
the seas was entitled to a at the
coronation, and he got it.
One who dances from 10 o’clock to
daylight takes 56,000 steps,'the equiv
alent of thirty miles.
In the beef business the race for
profits Is evidently to the Swift—and
to Armour as well.
Peter Power is In a peck of trouble.
He should study the story of Peter
Piper.
Explorer Baldwin is coming home
full of rhetoric and unexploded rage.
Aguinaldo seems to have been over
looked in the water cure shuffle.
Count Castellane still holds the rec
ord as the expensive husband.
Lord Kitchener refuses to surrender
even to Cupid.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.
From the Tuscaloosa Gazette.
George Washington refused a third
term but Governor Johnston wants to
change the precedent. But then there is
some difference between George and
Joe.
WHAT JELKS HAS DONE.
From the Mobile Herald.
What has Jelks done? He has smash
ed to smithereens the cliques, combines
and ‘'big i s" which flourished in every
county in Alabama under the reign of
Joseph F. Johnston.
THE BIG TREE BUSINESS.
From the Hartford Courant.
A dispatch printed In a recent issue of
the New York Sun announced that "far
up In the Sierras" some lumbermen had
discovered a tree measuring 154 feet 8
inches in circumference at six feet
from the ground, and that undoubtedly
this is the "largest known tree in the
world." Well, if the measurements are
exact, perhaps It Is. They have been
well chosen, for the well-known "big
tree of Tule," in Mexico measures 154
feet 2 inches, also at Just six feet from
the ground. It is an interesting circum
stance that these men. while out discov
ering the biggest tree in the world, should
have found it just six inches ahead in the
race. To the skeptical mind of the Cou
rant this makes the whole story seem
suspicious. The big tree of Tule is one
of the wonders of the wrorld. Baron von
Humboldt wrote a tablet descriptive of
his amazement at its size, and this was
set into the trunk and has been grown
about so that It seems blocked in there.
The tree is of the cypress variety, but it
Is no collection of trunks or composite
scheme. It is genuine and solid, but sim
ply monstrous. We write somewhat posi
tively of It, because some years ago Mr.
Warner and one of his associates on the
Courant visited the tree on the way to
Mitla and took measurements of it, and
we happen to have the information at
first hand. Nobody who has not seen
the tree can easily imagine any such im
mense mass of growing wood all In one
piece.
AMERICAN PLAN.
Special Ambassador Curry Discusses
Situation in France.
Special to New Orleans Picayune.
Paris, August 1/).—Dr. J. L. M. Curry,
ambassador extraordinary of the United
States of America, on special mission to
Spain, left Paris yesterday for America,
accompanied by Mrs. Curry and by his
niece, Mrs. Connolly Coxe, the brilliant
young woman whom the King of Spain
paid unwonted attention at the Madrid
festivities. Dr. Curry said to the Ameri
can correspondent:
"It is a singular and significant coin
cidence that the same question, namely,
that of the schools, should simultaneous
ly disturb such different countries as
Spain, France and England. The strug
gle Is another form of the old quarrel
between church and state.
"The agitation in England, while it in
no way beats upon the throne, is more
| violent than either that of France or
Spain. And yet the statesmen of all
these countries are only tinkering with
the question. They are only lopping off
branches of the upas tree. There is
only one way of settling this school ques
tion. That is on the American plan.
"This means the complete separation
of church and state, leaving each per
fectly free within its own sphere. The
state has no right to discriminate against
the religious opinions of any man.
Though a believer in God and in the
inspiration of the Scriptures, I would,
nevertheless, respect the belief or non
belief of an Ingersoll. There is such a
thing os honest doubt.
"The present situation in France is
particularly distressing. The half meas
ures of Minister Combes seem only to
Irritate the people. He has ordered 2,
500 schools to be closed; he has dimin
ished the riches of the country by occa
sioning the exile of 20,000 hard-working
people. Yet when his work will have
been finished, even the thin end of the
■wedge of separation of church and state
will not have been introduced, and the
problem will have been left where it
was.
"France has too many titles and weak
ens itself by tinkering with religious
i questions instead of disposing of these
j latter once and for all by abolishing
I concordants and let church and state re
main separate. Frenchmen should not
tell us Americans to mind our own busi
ness. As long as France is a republic its
weal or woe Is a matter of more than
platonic interest to the United States.
Frenchmen may laugh at present pre
tenders. Napoleon III was laughable
when he landed at Boulogne with his
[ tame eagle. Later he arrived. It Is bad
policy for a republic to keep on irritating
the people. Some one may arrive."
Annoying Rhymes.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Scribbler—I’m disgusted with poetry.
Scrawler—What’s the matter?
Scribbler—I started to write a sonnet
to my lady's dimple, and the only rhymes
I could get were pimple and simple.
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.
j From the New York Press.
Philosophy Is the slave of disappoint
ment.
Girls pwlm overhand almost as natur
ally as they ride horseback straddle.
A man bets on reason and loses; a
woman doesn’t bet on Instinct, but she
j wins with it.
Mental science never cured a girl of n
stitch in her side right after she had
been out on a dark piazza with her best
beau.
A woman will try nine different cooks
in a month and take it as a matter of
course, but when a man has to be shaved
by a new barber he thinks he is a
martyr*
The Difference.
“There Is just as much interest In
baseball among New York people as
there la among Birmingham people, but
one hears more baseball talk In this city
In a day than would be heard in New'
York in a week,” said a New Yorker
who has recently taken up his residence
In Birmingham.
“It seems that every man. woman and
child here is a baseball enthusiast. The
game is talked morning, noon and night.
One meets fans on the streets, In the
hotel lobbies, in business offices. In ma
chine shops, in the coal mines, about the
Iron furnaces, at social receptions, and, I
take it for granted, at Sunday school
and church. Fans indeed seem to dom
inate the community and as for Blr
Ingham rooters they seem to be the
fiercest lot a-going. Well baseball is a
great sport and it is a healthy sign to
see the people worked up to an enthus
iastic pitch over it.
“Now in New York, the fans are very
eloquent but a man might go about
town for a half a day, or even longer
and not encounter one of them. I ac
count for the difference between New
York and Birmingham in this way:
Sports in the big city are numerous,
while in baseball Birmingham it Is the
game or nothing.
“Horse racing and prize fights are of
absorbing interest in New York. The
stock market also has a place in the
list of diversions. Nearly every merchant
and office man has a ‘flyer* on the stock
market. Go into any counting room and
the first question asked will be, ‘Have
you heard how Louisville and Nashville
is?’’ or how this stuck or that stock is?
And it is safe to say that half the peo
ple in New' York slip off to the races
occasionally and get full of horse talk.
But coming back to baseball the ety
mology of the word fan is perhaps not
known to the average lover oi the sport.
It is simply an abreviation of fanatic.”
Cotton for the Orient.
"English trade has suffered another
blow In the diversion of cotton buying
on the part of China and Japan to this
country direct," said a cotton merchant.
"Formerly cotton buying for the orient
was all done in Liverpool. Japan's con
sumption of raw cotton has been vastly
increased since her adoption of improved
machinery in manufacturing. China finds
an inducement to trade with us directly
in the greatly extended financial facili
ties that we now possess. Daily reports
of the American markets are sent to Kobe
and Hong Kong. The Pacific cable may
be expected to stimulate this growing
commercial intercourse still more."
4 Greatest Cereal Crop.
"Nature and the farmers of the United
States have outdone themselves in the
wheat, corn and oats crops of 1902," said
a crop statistican.
"The most bountiful harvest in the his
tory of the nation has already been gar
nered or is practically immune against
damage by bad weather. From a compil
ation of figures of crop economists it is
estimated that the profits for the farmers
this year will be $2,000,000,000 or more,
most of which has been realized on corn
and wheat. The calculation is based on an
average of the estimates of statisticians.
This average gives approximately the
following results:
Wheat 633,500,000 bushels, corn 2,539,951,
000 bushels, barley 320.900,850 bushels, rye
30.350,800 bushels, oats 750,528,724 bushels;
total, 4.076.233,374.
"All along the line from the states in
the great grain-growing bolt come cheer
ing messages. Wisconsin announces that
she has the biggest oat crop she ever
raised and that her corn is in excellent
condition. Indiana calls her corn crop
'phenomenal' and submits the figures—
370,000,000 bushels—to prove it. Nebraska
declares she has 40,000,000 bushels more
corn in her fields than she ever had be
fore; Illinois hopes to add nearly 300,000,
000 to her last crop of that cereal. Ohio
makes her wheat crop practically the
same as last year’s and raises her corn
limit 35,000,000 bushels.
"Ivansas will not raise more than half
as much wheat as she did in 3901, but she
compensates for this loss with a corn
crop five times as large—unofficially es
timated at 300,000.000 bushels, virtually the
government figures of a month ago."
summer business.
“The jobbing trade of Birmingham has
been quite large this summer — larger
than usual, perhaps,” said a wholesale
merchant yesterday, "and so far as 1 can
learn the retail trade has been satisfac
tory.
"The trade of this city is not depen
dent upon crops, as is that of other cities.
When the mines and furnaces of Jeffer
son county are in operation business with
merchants, wholesale and retail, is
good. The volume of sales here in the
year 1902 will probably be larger than in
any previous year.”
Vacations.
‘'Most every man who takes an annual
vacation arranges to get away in July
I or August, but I prefer to have my rest
j in September,” said an Industrious pro
fessional man.
“I work hard in July and August, but
when September comes I feel the need of
a vacation. September heat is more ener
vating than that c.f any other month. If
I spend September in the mountains I
get a new' lease on life and return to my
work in vigorous condition.”
About Persons.
S. F. Seale of Selma Is at the Morris.
F. L. Hood of Nashville is at the Mor
ris.
4 * •
Frank N. Julian, the well known poli
tician of Tuscumbia is registered at the
Metropolitan.
m m m
R. W. Eatman, wife and children are
at the Morris, enroute from the moun
tains to their home at Eutaw.
• * *
Frank Fitch of Bibb county, is reg
istered at the Morris.
• • m
John W. McKee of Lafayette Is at the
Metropolitan.
• * 4
J. J. Atkinson of Atlanta is registered
at the Metropolitan.
• • •
Henry Boylan of Montgomery is in the
city and stopping at the Metropolitan.
■ a *
H. L. Cahall of Mobile is at the Metro
politan.
• • ■
J. C. Hunter of Atlanta is at the Metro
politan.
Highwaymen Are Successful.
Guthrie, Okla., Apgust 12.—Four out
laws held up ten vehicles containing from
one to six persons each on the highway
near Chlckasha, I. T., and relieved them
of over $400, watches and other valuables
and then compelled them at the point of
guns to stand together until the high
waymen were out of sight. A number of
the most prominent men of Chickasha
w'ere among the victims.
COMPLETE THE PAYMENT8.
Trust Company of the Republic Has
Shipbuilding Plants.
New York. August 12.—The Trust
Company of the republic today complet
ed the payments for all the shipbuilding
plants held under the options of the
United States Ship Building company,
including the Bethlehem Steel company,
Union Iron Works. San Francisco, Bath
Iron Works and Hyde Windlass com
pany, Bath Maine; Eastern Ship Build
ing company. New London, Conn.; Har
lan and Hollingsworth company, Wil
mington. Del.; Crescent Ship Yards,
Elizabeth. N. J.; Samuel L. Moore &
Sons company, Elizabeth, N. J., and the
Canadian Manufacturing company, Car
ter, N. J. This consummates the trans
action and the business of the organiza
tion will begin at once by contracting in
different yards, different types of ves
sels and introducing economics which ore
expected to result in increased profits
over those of the independent companies
before they were brought together. Ca
niel L. Dressen. president of the Trust
company of the Republic, says;
"There have been no negotiations
whatever between the Vloker-Maxim
company and the United States Ship
Building company."
Mr. Nixon was asked as to the report
that the new company had acquired the
Vlckers-Maxlm and Vickers plants in
England. He said:
"Our desire is to put American ship
building establishments upon such a
basis that we can build foreign ships
here. No steps looking to the taking in
of English plants have been taken."
RESULTS ARE SATISFACTORY.
Colonial Conference Has Done Well
as Far as It Goes.
London, August 12.—While the results
of the colonial conference which ended
yesterday are generally considered sat
isfactory as far as they go It must be
understood that their enforcement de
pends -ultimately upon action by the col- |
onial legislatures and by the imperial I
ministers whose departments they con
cern.
In addition to the Australian naval ar
rangements by which the Australian con
tributions are to be largely Increased
on condition that certain vessels be of
ficered and manned entirely by Austra
lians, a general Increase in colonial naval
subsidies was agreed to. The scheme also
provides that some colonies shall allot
part of their local military forces to im
perial defense In case of emergency, but
Canada and Australia contented them
selves with agreeing to keep their local
forces in a state of efficiency, relying
on volunteers in case of Imperial need
as was done In South Africa. The con
tribution of Cape Colony to the imperial
navy was fixed at $250,000 annually and
Natals at $175,000. The preferential tariff
arrangement is In a nebulous condition,
depending entirely on future arrange
ments between the mother country and
each Individual colony.
POPULISTS IN TEXAS.
Many of Former Leaders Not Present
at the Convention.
Fort Worth, Tex., August 2.—When the
populist state convention was called to
order by Chairman Milton A. Park of
Dallas today there were some fifty dele
gates present. Many of the leaders of
former days were absent. Several dis
tricts were not represented. After a wel
coming address by Mayor Powell of Fort
Worth and a response by Dr. G. E. Mai
com of Henderson county, temporary or
ganization was perfected, with J. M. Mal
lette of Johnson county as chairman and
Bryan Barber of Mineral Wells secretary.
The calling of the roll was interrupted
by a noon recess.
At the afternoon session the convention
proceeded with the selection of commit
tees. National Chairman Jo A. Parker
of Louisville was called on for a speech,
but was busy with committee reports and
did not respond. It was unanimously
decided to place a full state ticket in the
field.
GEORGIA POPULISTS ACT.
Judge James K. Hines of Atlanta Is
Nominated for Governor.
Atlanta, August 12.—The populist state
executive committee met here today and
named Judge James K. Hines, of At
lanta for governor. Judge Hines, how
ever, positively declined to run and a
committee of three was thereupon nam
ed to make a nomination.
Nominations for the other offices on
the state ticket were made as follows:
State treasurer, J. II. Taylor, Troup
county; comptroller, Gen. W- W. Wilson,
Gwinnett county: attorney general, P. H.
Larey, Bartow county; commissioner of
agriculture, W. L. Peek, Rockdale coun
j ty; school commissioner, S. H. Zellner,
I Forsythe county.
Anarchist Commits Suicide.
Rome, August 12.—The Italian steam
er Citta di Milano from New York, July
22, which arrived at Genoa August 6, re
ports that an anarchist named Sgangza
of New York, committed suicide by
Jumping overboard while the vessel was
off Gibraltar. It is alleged Sgangza had
been commissioned to murder a Eu
ropean royal personage and that he was
on ills way to Europe for this purpose
but weakened at the last moment and
killed himself. Two of his companions
disappeared upon the arrival of the Citta
di Milano at Genoa.
Hogg's Oil Deal Closed.
London, August 12.—The contract for
the amalgamation of the Texas oil prop
erties on Spindle Top. belonging to the
| Hogg-Swayne syndicate, with the Texas
! Oil Fields company of England, for $2,
500,000, was closed tonight In London
j by Judge Richard E. Brooks of Beaumont,
Tex., who Is a member of the Hogg
| Swayne syndicate.
Iron Workers Advance Prices.
London, August 12.—The scotch Malle
! able Iron Workers advanced prices to
night $1.20 per ton, tho steel makers ad
vanced prices sixty cents per ton and
the sheet workers made an advance of
$1.20 per ton. These advances have caus
ed an increase in the price of raw ma
terial.
___
Arranging President’s Trip.
Oyster Bay, N. Y'., August 12.—Secre
tary Cortelyou today came over from
Hempstead, where he has a cottage, and
spent some time with the president. He
is at work on the itinerary of the trip to
the northwest which the President is to
take next month. The itinerary probably
will be completed in a short time.
King Edward Bestows Honors.
London, August 12.—King Edward In
the course of the day granted audiences
and presented gold coronation medals to
live of the colonial premiers who are now
in London.
GAMBLING PROPENSITY
IN THE FAR AWAY PAST
From the New York Press.
Man is the only animal which, arriv
ing at an adult age, still requires amuse
ment. And with the desire for entertain
ment there is also a longing for excite
ment, which seems imbred in human na
ture. Ping-pong or tlddle-de-wlnks may
satisfy this longing for excitement in
i some men, but most of us thirst for
| something of less tameness.
And with the proclivities for playing
games man also possesses an innate de
sire to risk something on the chance of
his winning. Be the game one of skill
or absolute chance he wants to wager
something. He is a gambling animal.
The only living thing in creation that
is foolish enough to venture his own
property on the chance of winning that
of another is Plato’s “featherless biped.”
The most sheepish of sheep will not
draw lots for choice of pasture, and the
silliest cur would not be tempted to risk
his dinner at “odd and even.” Man Is
the unique animal content to stake his
Aoney and happiness on the treacherous
turn of a dice or the chance deal of
pack of cards.
inow, gamDiing is a iasnion oy no
mfans new. The good people who were
horrified over the state of affairs In New
York, for instance, when a ring of pro
fessional gamblers pretty nearly ran the
town, should have lived back a few hun
dred years when every ruler, every no
ble, and even the scum of humanity It
self, w’ere inveterate gamblers.
The convulsions of nature which de
stroyed Pompeii' surprised a party of
men at the hazard table, w’here they
were discovered 2,000 years later with
the dice firmly clutched in their fingers.
If one may credit Horace they could
cog a die in the Augustlan age as well
as in the English Georgian. Sophocles
says of Palanedes that he invented dice
to serve instead of dinner, which office
they fulfill to this day for many a man
whom they have robbed of the means
of paying for his dinner.
The Emperor Claudius, who was “so
exceedingly prodigal in his play that he
adventured 400,000 sesterces on the cast
of a die,” wrote a treatise upon gaming
In those hours which he spared from the
pursuit itself; for which fact Seneca, in
his sarcastic relation of the emperor’s
apotheosis, fetches him, after many ad
ventures, to hell, where he is condemned
to play with a bottomless dice box with
out any cessation; in this wray his hopes
were to be fed continually, but never
satisfied.
Perhaps there might have been good
cause for this supposed punishment of a
ruler who so fostered gambling, for
cheating and chance are twin sisters.
There may be honor among thieves, but
among professional gamblers there is
little of it. The man who “welches”—
turns on his partners or tricks them—
is greatly decried by his associates; but
together they will fleece the unwary by
every art known to the profession.
“It is told of the Italian gamester, Pi
metal, who flourished at the end of the
sixteenth century and the beginning of
tho seventeenth, that in 1603) 'hearing
that a humor of play reigned at the
French court,’ he caused a great number
of false dice to be made and secretly
conveyed them to Paris, he only knowing
the secret, lie then by means of emis
saries bought up all the dice in the mar
ket and supplied his own in their stead.
Thi3 done, he obtained an introduction
at court and gambled to such good pur
pose that he cleaned out a great part
of the nobility’s pockets. Lord De Ros,
one of the most respectable of the
gambling element in England under the
Georges, was accused of practicing a
certain trick at whist. When in 1837 the
matter came up for trial it was proved
that he cheated habitually and that some
of his noble associates, knowing this,
prudently played with him rather than
against him. The noble lord did not long
survive his disgrace. After his death
Theodore Hook proposed as his epitaph;
‘Here lies England's premier baron, pa
tiently awajting the last trump.’
“But to return to the older records to
show what a hold gambling has had
upon men from the highest to the lowest,
in all ages, it may be mentioned that
Caius Caligula once converted his mag
nificent palace into a gambling house,
where, the chroniclers tell us, he fleeced
the young nobility of his times, and it is
well known that Nero was the most in
fatuated gambler of his days. Plutarch
records that the Romans matched quails
for wagers and describes Antony laugh
ing for w'agers and describes Antony
lamenting before the battle of Actlum as
though his genius .cowered before that
of his adversary, that the quail of Au
gustus were superior to his.
| lr dice have gained an evil repute be
cause of their associations, cards surpass
them In the. minds of many. And yet the
modern playing cards were Invented by
the monks of the fourteenth century,
and were used, as they may be now, in
the playing of very innocent games. But
they had not long been introduced before
gambling with them became the rage. At
the beginning of the fifteenth century we
read that this passion was so prevalent
in France that persons who were ad
dicted to It were forced to restrain and
guard themselves by voluntary bonds,
i resembling modern temperance pledges,
' with the exception, however, that there
| was a penalty for breaking the pledge,
illustrated manuscripts of that period
show that not only the women played,
but that the players stood instead of sit
ting around the table.
Henry Cheney, created by Queen Eliza
beth baron of Tudlington, played at dice
once with Henry II of France and won
from him a diamond of great price at
one cast. When the king asked what he
would have done had he lost he replied
with true British brag: "I have sheep's
tails enough In Kent with their wool to
buy a beter diamond than this.”
But It was not the French court alone
that was possessed of the "gambling
rage.” In England as early as the reign
of John Lackland the changes of the
dice constituted the chief amusement of
the great. Matthew Paris reproached the
barons who wrested magna charta from
King John for spending their time In
luxury and gambling with dice when
their presence was required in the field.
Later the young Englishmen of fashion
were ill the habit of losing £5000, £10,000
and £15,000 an evening at Alraack’s. Lord
Stavordale, not then of age, lost £11,000
in one night, but won it all back at one
throw of the dice. He thereupon swore a
great oath: "Now, if I had been playing
deep I might have won millions.” And
one evening the marquis of Hertford
said to the croupier at White’s: "Pay
£1500 to Lord -the loss on one rub
ber at whist.
Toward the close of. the eighteenth
century the gaming houses of London—
known to the general public as clubs and
to the gamsters as hells—were fitted up ^
In most extraordinary style. Fishmon
gers’ hall cost £40.000 to furnish. The ex
pense, however, does not seem so great
when It is known that the proprietor
netted in one year £150,000. The law
prohibited the opening of such houses,
but the proprietor of Fishmongers’
boasted that he was in no danger, as
he counted among his patrons most of
the men who made the law.
At this time, too, it became the fashion
in England for titled ladles to have
Bhares In the principal gaming tables
and faro banks in London. The grand
sons of the Duchess of Marlborough had
ft rule "never to dirty their fingers with
silver,’’ and when they went to the gam
ing clubs were in the habit of throwing a
guinea to the chairman to be fought for.
The passion for frequenting these house®
brought about some singular social
anomalies in England.
NEW PREMIER'S FAMILY.
From the New York World.
Arthur James UaUour, Britain's new
prime minister, is being much written
about as belonging to the old patrician
class. In fact, the Balfour family Is only
two generations old as the British reckon
family history. He has no great-grand
father. The founder of his greatness was
James Balfour, who made a large fortune
In India, brought It back to Scotland and
purchased the estate of Whittinghame In
1817. It Is now one of the finest In East
Lothian. Grandfather Balfour further
paved the way for his grandson's present
fame and good prospects by marrying
a daughter of the Earl of Lauderdale,
which put the Balfours right in the middle
of the road for anything that was worth
having In the three kingdoms. Grand
father Balfour's eldest son clinched mat
ters by marrying a Cecil, a sister of Lord
Salisbury, She Just retired prime minister.
And, of course, they all went to parlia
ment.
The late Lord Beaeonsfleld, when he
came home from Berlin In 1881, after ne
gotiating the famous treaty which secur
ed "peace with honor," was met by a
tory delegation from Lancashire and ask
ed to name a good candidate for parlia
ment for the City of Manchester. Bea
consfield replied: "Take Arthur Balfour;
he will be a second Pitt." Beaconsfield's
prophecy Is now half realized by the
succession of Balfour to the premiership.
Whether he will prove a "second Pitt’
remains to be seen. Beaeonsfleld was a
great flatterer when he cared to be.
To List Rent Certificates.
New York, August 12.—Application has
been made to the stock exchange to list
2,310,000.000 roubles four per cent certifi
cates for rent of the Imperial Russian
government. The application, it ts known
has the support of J. P. Morgan A Co.,
who are interested in the issue. There
is little doubt that the application will
be granted. Other foreign bonds are
regularly listed in the stock exchange
Including a recent external loan of the
Mexican government and bonds issued
by the municipalities of Frankfort-on
the-Maln, Germany, and Quebec, Can
ada.
Gates Will Gain Control.
New York, August 12.—Harris, Gates A
Co. state that T. T. Mitchell, John W.
Gates and James A. Blair r.s a commit
tee have received proxies for about 200,
000 shares of Colorado Fuel and Iron
stock out of a total of 260,000 shares.
According to this the Gates faction is
quite certain to gain control of the com
pany at the annual meeting to be held
In Denver the latter part of this month.
ALFRED AUSTIN’S CORONATION
POEM.
What do we crown and celebrate today T
Empire and kingship, throned on peace
ful power,
Since to be weak Is to endure the sway
Of every threatening hour.
Kingship, symbolic of the people’s will.
Themselves born kingly, Bceptered by
the sea.
And, like the Bea—let what so tempest*
shrill—
Are world-wide feared and free.
For ’tis not crown nor purple men re
vere.
But the majestic mind and regal soul
That amid clashing clamors, help to
steer
A realm unto Its goal.
Kings—who than wisest counselors p.oro
wise.
Because of the clear height from which
they scan
The orbit of their empire—can surmise
God's destiny for man.
We heed not whether flattery fawn or
frown.
But keep the flag of honor still un
furled.
Who reverence conscience as both sword
and crown
And warden of the world.
Who walk in step with onward wendlr.*
time,
Their senses sealed to Inharmonious
strife,
And heed alone the discipline sublime
And death-attuned solemnity or life.
Kingllke the realm they serve, serenely
great.
Who court not popular breath por
feebly fear;
Priesthood may bless and poets celebrat*
With conscience clean and clear.
Whose many hearts feel tenderly for
Pa,n . .
And more for the people s woe or weal.
And deem the noble record of their reign
Is to console and heal.
Who, themselves stricken with the wees
that steal
Darkly alike to pallet and to throne,
Face them with princely fortitude and
feel
More for a nation's sorrow than their
own.
Who with the nations blend their life
and share
Its virile joys, pastimes, sun and
shower.
Close at their side one loveable as fair—
Of womanhood the flower.
Who when the scepter passes to their
hand
Receive assembled 'round their Island
throne
Homage that only free men understand
From every sea and zone.
Whom neither pomp nor paean can be
fool.
To blot the escutcheon of their ancient
line—
Transmitters of a race whose right to
rule
Shall seem and be divine.
So may a throne-knit people long who
crown
Kingship and kings, who, ns the nges
run,
Heirs to Victoria’s wisdom, handed duwa
From sire to son and son.