The times dispatch. [volume], November 01, 1911, Page 4, Image 4

About The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
DAILY-WEEKLY-SUNDAY.
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Entered January Tl. 1?05. at Richmond,
Vs.. as second-class matter under act of
Congress of March 3, 157?.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1. ion
Til K CUT IX PENSIONS.
"Neither gods nor men know how
Kreut a revenue economy if." said the
?Romans some twenty-live centuries
ago. If neither gods nor men knew J
the value of cheeseparings then, how
many more beings must be ignorant
In this day of extravagance an<j ex- |
cess? Look at Virginia, for example. ]
The Income of this State hns Increased
beyond the wildest expectations of the
men who set about rebuilding her i
shattered fortunes after Appomattox. i
We have abounding wealth now where
only gaunt poverty once was. and yet:
as that wise man Solomon once said.
"If riches be Increased so are they |
Increased which use them, and what
profit Is there to the owner thereof
save the beholding of them with his I
?y??'.'" Certainly that has been Vir
glnia'S experience with respect to her
pensions, for what have the State's
Confederate heroes received of late but
kind words and delayed or reduced
payments? What good has It done the
thinning ranks of grray to he told that
the railroad tavos have been trebled
1n twentv years, or that the income
of Virginia Is now 11,000,000 a year
more than it was In Governor Swan-j
son's administration, und that he re?
ceived far more than his predecessor.
Governor Montague? "Why all this
t3lk of wealth?" fTie old soldiers may
well say. "Why all this parade of
prosperity, seeing that the State is
still unable to be Just or generous?
And why Should we applaud a situa?
tion In which, although tl.000,000 In
additional taxes have been laid on the
shoulders of Virginians, it Is yet
found necessary to cut the pension^ of
Virginia Confederates 10 per cent ?"
It wtll he hard to answer these
questions?for neither States nor citi?
zens have yet fovtnd the way to wealth
hv spending more than Is received.
This condition recalls the letter of
Governor Mann in January, Uli, in !
which the Governor expressed the j
opinion that by this fall the Stato1
would he free from the embarrass- (
ment of past extravagances. Wo are '
sorry to note that in the particular of:
pensions Virginia hus not yet caught:
up, and we hope that the Legislature j
will restore to the pensioners the de- j
dXotiona which Auditor Donohoe wnsj
compelled to make. And perhaps the
Legislature, under Governor - Mann's
direction, will so administer the State's!
finances that a similar condition will |
not arise hereafter.
Till: MONETARY COMMISSION AM)
CONGRESS.
Mr. Taft's own pet Idea of a Tariff!
Hoard will return to plague him when '
Congress meets, lor. with n report from j
OXpertS before him, if. Indeed, there be
any experts tarifQ-matters, the Pres?
ident will liave to take sides and once
more explain his. position on Schedule
K. There Is consolation for the bus?
iness world in the record made by the
Democrats in dealing with the tariff at
the last session, und every assuranae
that the House at least will not haggle
or delay unnecessarily over the final
draft of h .tariff measure. All tarilf
legislation is. however, a threat to bus?
iness and an effective brake on new
rnterprlse. ft is the uncertainty that
hurts, and so all except the tnlqultoutily
favored friends end beneficiaries of
protection will welcome a tariff r>et
llement that will stand for some ses?
sions.
Unfortunately, the tariff is not the
only question hansring heavily over the
head of business, for there remains the
list usslon of our banking and currency
problems, and these we fear will hardly
be touched al the next session of Con
press. This paper is no friend or ad?
mirer of Senator Aldrlch, but he Is at
least entitled to full credit for the part
he has played In making the bankers
and public also understand the need
for radically bettering our finar.clnl
t-ystem. The old nationr,! bank act has
outlived Its usefulness. The war needs
?e.'hlch brought it Into being are over
nnd past, but the laws of business are
Mill unchanged, and the people of the
1'nlted States at last are beginning to
pee that this country cannot live, in
the dark ages of monetary science and
compete with nations whose banking
systems are modernized.
For the b;,r.kcrs to see a problem
does not by any means insure Congress
from blindness, &v<\ the process of con?
version may requlr? a good deal of
campaign oratory before the light
finally beats into the Senate ar.d Houre
Of Representatives. If the session of
IS11-M2 can settle this "oanklng prob?
lem of the United States, business will
Vo grfatly stimulated, but It Ij. far more
'ibable that the Monetary Commits
report will not be considered un?
ter Mr. T.aft has learned hl? fate
'ember, 1S12.
WE RAVE MORE EFFICIENT
GOVEIUVMEN'l :
/?ant better city government
'. or do we wish to drag
^ld way. seeing millions go
come In? Do we de
sire to Rupport r.n army of officeholders
and placemon. or do we wish our
money spent for better health, bettor
streets, bettor schools and bettor pulj- :
He utilities?
These are the Issues which are to
come squarely before the Council when
it receives the report of the special
Committee on Changes in the Form of
City Government. Tho fate of this re
port will be awaited with keen interest
In the city by those citizens who are
mindful of the progress und better?
ment of Richmond. There are hlgh
mtnded men In the Council, whose con?
trolling motive Is the public welfare,
but there are also In that body men
of narrow vision and less commendable
motives Which faction will dominate
In this move for a better government
for Richmond 1 n'-' final vote alone can ?
tell.
To understand clearly the proposed
new government, it is necessary to ;
examine the present government and
its defects. A clear comprehension of
the vicious elements of tho present
government must be had before the
merits of the system proposed can :
fully present themselves.
Richmond is now governed by a !
Council of 61 members, divided into
two "branches and elected from eight
wards. Under the city charter, the |
Council Is vested with both legislative
and administrative powers, and In this
very fact lies the defect which the pro?
posed system of government would
cure. Members of tho Council net In
the dual capucltles of legislator and
administrator; they determine policies
as members of the Council and lafer as !
members of committees execute these
policies.
This dual duty forces upon the mem- ;
ber of the Council administrativ
work, for which he is unpaid, and to
which he cannot give due considera?
tion. The wonderful growth of the |
municipality and the complexities of
its agencies and enterprises have ;
brought about such n condition of at- j
fairs t at the sort of men who make
the best Council members cannot af?
ford the personal sacrifice of time to j
the city which a proper discharge oX j
councilman!? duties demands. The re- I
suit Is that, after a term or two many
good members cannot conscientiously
offer for re-election, and In this way J
the city loses tho tremendous benefit
of experienced and efficient servants.
Jt Is a remarkable commentary on
the character of tho Richmond Council
that not In years has any charge of
graft been made or sustained against
any Councilman, and it should be said
here that the proposed change carries
with it no Imputation of wronguolng
on the part of any one In 1 .e Council, I
but would merely substitute efficiency
and business-like methods where, by j
no fault of the Counctlmen, they do j
tiot now obtain, The members of tho
fourteen standing committees having
control of the several city departments
are burdened with countless details,
which would be harassing even to men
who had nothing to do but serve as
Counollmen. Committee meetings are
held but twice a month, and then ut
night. In many cases members neces- j
sarlly vote blindly and without having
had any opportunity of personal In
vestlgatton, NO one who has attended
a meeting of the Committee on streets
can fall to bo Impressed with the
amount of detail, delayed for two
weeks and then voted on hurriedly and
confusedly, which that committee
regularly passes upon.
He who runs may read from this
that the vice of tho present system
consists In the double function of the
Council. A mixture of legislative and
administrative duties and powers in a j
single body, in the opinion of the Com- I
j mittee on Changes lu the Form of
City Government, Is responsible for the
defects in the system now In opera?
tion. Were this tho Richmond of
I 1S20 or 1S65, the same criticism would ;
I not apply, perhaps, but this city has
outgrown its antiquated governmental ?
system. Why travel In the horse car ,
i when the electric car Is at hand?
I It should be noted that the new
form proposed Is not the commission
form of government. Under the Vir?
ginia, Constitution, a commission form
of government for cities is impossible.
The Committed on Changes in the
Form of City Government does not
favor a commission, because it holds
that the same vicious admixture of
legislative und administrative powers
and duties would be present In a com?
mission form of government.
.To meet the difficulties of the situa?
tion, tho Committee bus made two sep?
arate and distinct recommendations
?which have no direct connection with i
each other, except In their effect.
The first of these recommendations
!? that the city bo red!stricte<i Into ]
j four wards of equ:,l population, each I
j having Its own proportion of outlying j
territory. This would reduce the num- j
ber of members of the Common Coun?
cil from 40 to 20 and of the Board
of Aldermen from 14 to 12. The adop?
tion of this, proposition would, of
course, legisltite some Councilmen out
r.f office, but the people will not forget
those who place their love of the city
above their love of office.
The second recommendation of tho
special commltteo Is more far-reach?
ing In Its scope. It proposes
that the Council request the General
Assembly at Its next session to pass
such amendments to the city charter
as will provide for the employment
of at? Administrative Board of five
tr.embors. Each member of this Board
is to receive not less than Jl.ooo per
annum. This Board Is to bo elected
by th? people, from the city at large,
and the members of the Board will
devote nil their time to odmlnlaterlng
the affairs of the city. By so doing,
they will take over all the business
now transacted In a more or less desul- i
too' fashion by the fourteen Council
committees. This Board is to sit daily,'
Just as do the commissioners tn cities
which have the commission form of
government. It Is to elect all admin
Istrativo offices and employes nn<l will
supervlso all contracts, audit all ac?
counts, and generally will have the
supervision; care and Improvement of
streets, sewers, onrlts. cemeteries and
all such city utilities as the gas, watsr
and electric plants.
The Council, <on the other hand,
would, in tho event of the establish?
ment of this Administrative Hoard, re?
tain the right to enact ordinances, to
levy taxes, to create city offices, to
grant franchises, and. in general, to
legislate for the city, appropriate
money and issue bonds. It is clear
from this that the Council will retain
all of Its real rights and powers, and
Will divest Itself only of Incidental
duties. It is provided that the Coun?
cil shall. In an annual budget, appro?
priate certain lump sums to the vari?
ous departments, in accordance with
their requests and the expected reve?
nues, nnd that such lump sums may he
apportioned and expended by the Ad?
ministrative Board as it deems to tho
best advantage of the city.
? This plan has been carefully worked
out in every detail by the special com?
mittee, with the critical advice of City
Attorney Pollard and former City At?
torney Meredith. By placing tho do-j
partment heads directly under this
Hoard, both as to their election and
ns to the quality of their work, and
with the power in tho board to remove:
Inellicient otllcers or employes, tho!
vital defect of divided responsibility?
which so often Is no responsibility at
all?will be cured. This sort of re
sponslblllty has long cursed the city
service and caused immeasurable
waste. /'
The people would elect this Board
and to the people It would be respon?
sible. No popular opposition will bo
manifested; the attack comes only |
from the politicians and lesser officials'
who cower at the thought that such a
board might require an honest dollar
In work In return for every dollar
In salary. The city officials who are;
on the Job have nothing to fear: un
der the new system, real mint is!
more llke'.y to be recognized anil re
warded than It can be now.
City government will never b3 per-1
feet, but the new plnn proposed for
Richmond offers many advantages'
over the antiquated system of the
present. It Is Inevltnble In any plan
of reduction of membership some must
retire?for that reason the plnn nf
fords a fine opportunity for real
patriotism. The movement for change,
originated In the Council. It Is in- '
dorsed by the tnx-payors of Richmond.'
The Issue Is clear-cut: shall the pri?
vate Interests of placemen and poli?
ticians prevail over the progress and
betterment of Richmond?
THE WHITING ON Til 11 WALL,
Surprise may have been felt by some
who read yesterday that Mr. Taft In
Chicago had said something which
was generally construed as an ad?
mission of the possibility of Repub?
lican defeat In next year's national :
campaign. To those who have watched
the drift of political affairs of late
there was nothing unexpected In so
pessimistic a statement. In fact, Mr.
Tnft'a utterance came as a logical
diagnosis based upon his stothoscoplc
soundings of the political heart of
tho people he has been traveling
among these weary, woeful weeks.
It was only natural that after a long
serifs of stops in almost a score of
States he should have sold In Chicago
Monday:
"If . . they (the people) de- i
sire, to make a change, we shall |
loyally support the new government
tinder any conditions, with the hope
It will inure to the benefit of the i
country, but with the consolation*that ]
If after one trial the people think
they ought to go bnck to the old
party that has served them so well
In the progressive days of the nation,
they will do ho. We can bear thit,
my friends, that Is nil."
Tt Is very significant that Mr. Taft
should have chosen his Journey's end
as the time to say that. It looks
very much as if his Junket has con?
vinced him of what many were sure it
would long ago. it Is not a triumph- j
ant Trtft who conies out of the West. I
HANGING IN THH BALANCE.
With which party will New Mexico
nnd Arizona nllgn themselves? The
solution of this problem Is of pecu?
liar Importance at this time to both
Republicans and Democrats, for the
admission of these two Western
States may keenly affect the balance
of power In the Senate of the United
States, In Washington there is much
speculation ns to the probable out?
come of the elections for the four
senatorial seats created by the en?
trance of New Mexico and Arizona into
the Union. It has -been generally
assumed that New Mexico would go
Republican and Arizona Democratic, so
that tho party strength In tho upper
house of Congress would remain
unchanged. From recent elections,
however. It seems that there Is noth?
ing really certain about the course of
politics in either of these States. They ?
will bo good battling ground for both
parties.
From a general viewpoint. the
chances in New Mexico favor the Re?
publicans, but on the election returns
the margin of safety Is small. New
Mexico has now In Congress n Re?
publican delegate us her sole repre?
sentative, but his plurality wss only
8SS. The vote on candidates for the
constitutional convention showed a
greater margin, for the Republicans
mustered 81,577 votes and the Demo?
crats 17,528.
In Arizona, the Democrats had con?
trol of the constitutional convention,
and, generally speaking, have for
many years elected all the territorial
olllclals, yet in 19')S the Republican
candidate for delegate In Congress
was elected by 12,435 votes against
11.727.
There uro fifty Republican Senators
ami forty-one Democrats. A Colorado
; seat Is vacant, but it will be lllled by
j a Democrat, bringing the Democratic
j total to forty-two. If New Mexico and
i Arizona go Democratic, there will be
a difference of only four votes in favoi
i of the Republicans, which would bring
about a radical change in the votln 5
strength of the Senate. With the Re?
publican Progressives In the Semit
already disobedient to the command
of Penrose, the Standpatter whip, and
aligning themselves pretty much as
they please, the Democrats, with
, forty-six votes, could materially af?
fect legislation In a manner to be
; feared by the present majority party
In the Senate.
STANDING PAT IX GERMANY.
Standpat arguments vary very i
throughout the world. Chancellor von
Hothmann-Hollweg's speech In the
German Reichstag some days igo,
?'might.says the Boston Globe, "v. it
few changes have been delivered in
the United States Senate by Mr.
Lodge." The German Radicals and
clallsts had demanded revision down?
ward on foodstuffs, so that a c h
might he put upon the ever-lncreai
cost of living. Here were seme ol
the reasons the chancellor gave foi re?
sisting the demand:
Changes in the economic system
not essential because the present stv
Is hut temporary. The middleman,
Instead of the consumer, would b< ?
from a reduction of the dull- s n
foodstuffs. Conditions are not essen
Rally evil, and the blame for hi| i
prices should be placed partly
the retailers and partly upon the Si
tutors who have encouraged the di ti?
ers to raise prices. Germany s oul 1
secure her meat supply from 'within
her own borders. The farmers should
raise more cattle. Relief would a: o
be derived from the ventures of muni
clpalltles In selling to the con'urner
direct. Anyway, Germane must "be
prepared to pay for a great economic
development and a better stand I d if
living with a higher cost."
As the Globe says, the Chancellor
would require little coaching to quali?
fy as a standpat member of the United
state? Senate. He would be persona!
gratisslrhit at the White House.
William Winter, the dean of dramatic
critics, was tendered a great ' inner
last week in New York or the
occasion of his seventy-fifth birth?
day. After the glasses had been
lifted to his very good health.
Mr. Winter drew a contrast between the
life of to-day and that of a generation
ago. He declared that he spoke with?
out disparagement of the present civ?
ilization, but he said:
"While countless Conveniences and
luxuries are In existence now which
sixty years ago wcro unknown, card
now sits by every pillow; hon.e life'
has become almost Impossible tine
manners have nearly vanished, and tu?
mult and vulgarity have well-nigh ob?
literated the sacred lntlueuco ot iell
gion?by which I do not mean cr.-e.ds?
and the soothing charms of romance."
That was a keen criticism, well con?
sidered before It was spoken, and Wil?
liam Winter knows whereof ho speaks.
The tender grace of the day that he
know has faded.
Mrs. Candy, of St. Louis, has secured
n divorce from her husband, but It Is
not stated who will get possession of
the Candy kids.
Dr. Franz Bergman, of Berlin, de?
clares that rapid transit elevators are
cutting short the lives of their users
at the rate of one minute pei trip.
This seems to be a fast way to slow
death.
Mips Katherlne Ottororrtem_-ents
chenfelder, of Tern Haute. Indiana,
has lately been married. No condor
she wanted to change her name.
Why Is It that every time some?
body's house burns down in N irfolk
It Is referred to as "n palatial resi?
dence"?
Mrs. UorgeJ Szewezyk is bei:.g de?
tained at an Immigration station be?
cause she has forgotten her hu: band's
address. She did well to remember
his name.
What the Attorney-General o: North
Carolina snld to the Attorney-' leneral
of South Carolina?and of Vir :lnia?
may become as famous as th< ante?
diluvian remark of one Carolina execu?
tive to the other.
I Voice of the People |
Tree ScItOOl Jlook?.
To the Editor <?! The Times-Dispatch:
Sir,?1 am glad to note an aquation
In our Stan- In regard to text books
used In the public schools. Our schools
>aro not free as conditions now exist.
A considerable number of poor chil?
dren are kept out of school lecutlSO
their parents are luo poor to .tiy the
book* required. Why furni.-n f reo I
teachers and free schoolhousos and.
then debar the poor child from 'ne ben- !
eilt? our schools are for the ei ucattohl
of our childn-ii. If we fall In this
we full in the one purpose of o ir pub?
lic school system. Why Is It not us
reasonable to furnish free books as to
ifurnl-sh free teachers? I do not believe
the book list would be changed so of
[ ten If the Stute had to purchase the
books. Great Injustice has been dono
in the past by tanking unnecessary1
changes, Our people have been robbed
of hard-earned money, and still, in spite
of opposition, unreasonable changes
are made. The only remedy for this
unnecessary graft is for the state to
'furnish everj scholar with the nec?
essary books.
That there will be additional cost to
the State is not denied, but tfctr? will
bo a saving to the people of the State
even though an Increase is r.-ceBsary
In school tax.
instead of buying books u we do
now und paying a proiit to th. dealers,]
why not, as S unit, buy the .ooks ot
much lower rate through the State?
If oiir government In Virginl relatlvo
to our public schools in lo bi "by the
people and for the t.pl< ? M)?Js,nBt not
shut the schoolhouse am-" fuco
bf our poor and needy h ffi We
must give all nn i.|'.':'Hulty. A
Democratic - State should i ~ Hce the
doctrine It preaches. To Hie free
1 oks In our Stute In yT legislate
gainst the poor und licoiklund 'n fa?
vor, of Ignorance and ull\\ts baneful
?suits. Two hundred thoMe.ind chll
?rojl of school age In the'rural dis
ficlb of our State on an average- ouc
oi school every school day Is un ulurin
lug' fact Something must he done,
hy not do It now? Free hooks and
? State-wide, reasonable, compulsory
lioul attendance provision will solve
i ie problem. Wo noed State-wtdo pro
I Ibltlon of ignorance. Some- day we
ill have It. Away with the cry of
! Ltcrnallatnl Liberty und democracy
? ut the enactment of such law:-.' as
:liall be for the greatest good of our
lople and obedience thereto. Shall Ro
? Ubllcan States outstrip us In providing
>r ths. masses along educational linos '
Irglnlu must not full or falter. The
? rant of Ignorance must not abide in
ur midst. We must have some day
? the near future schools that ??< i u
re,?education that is public, caching
very child in our State. Let us rally
o the standard and stand like a
Stonewall" until we win.
B. W. FELTNEK.
Highland Springs.
"I'll Ith I n 1 I nto Dcntb."
l'o tho Kditnr of The Times-Dispatch:
Sir.?On yesterday three of us. e.x
iliembers of. the Second Company of
Richmond Howitzers during tho late
war, honored out selves by attending
i he funeral services of Aleck K.-an.
which look place near Green Springs,
in l*oujsa county. The career of Aleok
.tb an honest, upright, faithful servant
and man was so conspicuous and
unique that it deserves this public no?
tice.
When the war broke out John Henry
> eat, a son of the lute .lames M. Vest,
of Louisa, entered the Confederate
army us u private In the Second Com?
pany of Richmond Howitzers, und took
Aleck ulong as his body servuni and
cook, us wus customary In those days.
The "Renfrew" mess was soon formed,
with Aleck us the cook, and, without
I hesitation, 1 affirm that he was the
I most faithful and efficient man in the
performance of every duly pertaining
to his sphere thut I have ever known.
His whole mind and soul Beemed bent
'on trying to get and prepare some*
.thing for his mess to eat, und 1!' there {
j was anything to be gotten honestly.
(Aleck always got the share whl h wus i
! coming to his mess, and always had
;that share prepared In the si.ortest i
I time possible and in the most dell-I
' clous way In which it could hive been ;
j prepared In camp. The comfort ot
I navlng 6uch n man as Aleck around
us In those trying times can scarcely!
I be described, and certainly cannot b ?
oxaggera led.
V'oung Mr. Vest (Aleck's young ms ;
iterj died in the fall of 1*1:1. and whilst
N.fter that Aleck had offers to go to
I other3 or to return to his home, he
I had become so attached to the otli.-r ,
members of the "Renfrew" mess that
; he refused to leave them, and, with his,
: master's consent, remained with that i
mess up to the very last, and sur- i
,1'endered at or near Appomattox. Iloi
was always loyal, honest and faithful.,
?and not only wus so recognised by;
. the members of his mess, but by every
man In the Second and Thud llowit
zers, all of whom knew and resp-cted
him for his fidelity and devotion t<-?
I duty.
When the war ended he went hick
to his old home. Ii: old master,J tmes
M. Vest, gove him a little plnce a
short distance from his own home,
und it was at that humble home, with?
in hearing of his own poople, and el
ways ready and willing to do their
bidding, that he spent the rest of hi?
life, which terminated only on Fri?
day last. Ills life was that of an
humble Christian, doing whatever he
could to help others with whom ho
came In contact, ami it mnv be safely
said that no man in that community
was more respected for his honesty
nnd good demeanor than Aleck.
Nearly every year since the forma?
tion of the "Howitzer Association" an
Invitation to Its annual banquet Ins
been sent to Aleck, nnd whenever lie
was able to do so he intended. Every
member of the association knew ? :
respected him. and was glad to extend
to him the cordial greeting which he
received at these annual gatherings
GEORGE L, CHRISTIAN,
Automobile- Warning Signals.
To the Editor of The Times-Dispatch:
Sir,?The item which you print about
the Injury of a newsboy by a car fur?
nishes food for thought. You say i)i<
car wa3 slovly proceeding. a,nd that
the boy darted out In front of lt. AI- i
though I did not seo this aeddent. I '.
will venture to say that I can truth- !
fully state that the probable reuson j
for this unfortunate happening was 1
the fact that tho car In the case was j
not equipped with an adequate warn- !
lng signal. That Is the crying need
of the automobile traffic to-day. the
luck of a warning signal of such a
nature that It really warns Instead of
rather mystifying a' person as to what
the noise It gives forth means.
Children are thoughtless, naturally
so. We cannot expect them to rem? m
ber all about the safeguards Which
the adult constantly considers. There?
fore, one very excellent reason for
equipping one's ear with a warning
signal that command-- attention by Its
harsh note Is the precaution taken,
the additional safeguard, in the Inter?
est of the lives of the children, who
frequent thoroughfares, or who live on
such thoroughfares, where the motor
car Is a constant visitor.
The subject of automobile warning
signals Is one which ouuat to be stud
led by both motorist and non-motor?
ists. It Is a matter which calls for
study, for careful thought, for daily
consideration. If those who take an
interest in tills matter, and It Is hoped
that there are many, many thousands
who do, would occasionally send to the'
newspapors their ideas of the need
of a warning signal that really warns. ,
it might help us to solve the problem |
that to-day seems to.be more evident
than ever! because the Irresponsible
clement in motoring has not yet been
gotten under control as it will be In
the future. _ _?
CHARLES JOHNSON.
New York._
Kicks Agnlnst WeHtlimnpton Cur St-1
vice.
To the F.ditor Of The Times-Dispatch: !
sir,?permit me to register an hum?
ble, but vigorous kl.-k ngatnsl the ser?
vice on the WoBthUmpton car line.
Several weeks ago several of us long
suffering suburbanites were caught in
B hi avy downpour nt the city terminus.
Robinson and Floyd. Wo had to "beat
it" for the nearest r.tore. about three
quarters of a block away. Among the
tarty was a delicate working gin. who
did not have an umbrella or raincoat
We got "pretty" wet. Tf the owners
of the. cur line could have witnessed;
the above scene I believe they would
wtllinglv arrange to have a waiting i
room or shelter of some kind for Just j
such occasions.
Then, too, the half-hour schedule Is
entirely Inadequate tor this growing:
and beautiful section. Last year four
of my children came to the city euch
day eight of us on Sunday. This year
I made other arrangements, as there !s
no protection for the little ones at
Robinson Street.
I believe the real owners would rem?
edy these evils at once if they wore
aware of the true condition.
Rio Vista. RLTST1CTJS,
THE I.AX-KOfl WAT.
It you' had a modlclne that would
strengthen the liver, thn stomach, th? kfd- j
Doy? and the bowels, and at ths same time I
make you strong with a systemic tonto,
don't you believe you would soon be welll
That's "The Lax-Fos Way."
We ask you to buy the first bottle on the
money-back plan, nnd you will ask your
?rue?l*t t0 1011 r*u tbe >?coad
It keeps your whole imiples rlirht.
There Is nothing else mftde like Lax-Foe,
Xleniambar t*i* luuno?UAX-FOd,
We Want Your Account
National State & City Bank
- ' niCHMOXD, VA.
Wm. Hi Palmer. President: John S. Kllett.
Vice-President; Wm. M. Hill, Vice-Presi?
dent-, J. W, Simon, Vlc?-I rjsldeoi; Julien
11. Ulli, Cashier,
Where the finest biscuit,
cake, hot-breads, crusts
or puddings are required
Royal is indispensable.
Royal is equally valuable
in the preparation of plain,
substantial, every-day
foods, for all occasions.
Tfce ?n3y baking powder made
from RcyaKirapeCreerii oi Tartar
No Alum ?No LZmo Phosphates
Daily Queries and flnswers
l(<-\uiiitlonnry Material.
In the uppendlx of the war ii the
Southern Department, United Statds, by
Henry Lee; Vltevlalon and Biography,'
by Robort B. Lee; on pagtr 801. from
a letter written by Nath. Greene: "The
Virginian's consisted of two battalions,
commanded by Major Bnead and by
Captain Edmonds, und the who e by
Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, und post?
ed In the centre.?' Can you tell me
the name of this Captain Edmonda
and from what county he came? Ii.
tVrit.. to the War Department, Wash?
ington, for thli information
Gotham und r;o?n?.
1 Tell me why New York Is iome
tlr.-..-h called Gotham
-. Who was Au.inemnon's wife?
Explain to tne whut the different
colored hoods and decorations on oca
detn.e gowns Indicate. CJ. l-t D.
1. Gotham la ;i | urlsh In Notllng .iim
shlre. Kneland. the name of whl b 1?
suggestive of simple or foolish p. iple.
Wushlugton Irving In his "Salm.'^un
_,_I
dt" api ti< -i the name Oothmnlte to tho
Inhabitants ol New York.
-. Ol ti mneHtra.
In '- <is country, there are three
typea <f jowna and hoods?for bachel?
ors, mi Bters and doctors. The bachel?
or's g< .-. : has bint?, pointed sleeves;
the mmt< r'e. long, closed sleeve, squaro
ut the 01 1. falling below the knee; th?
doctor esembjef the familiar pulpit
or jcii c gown, with full, round, open
^Ii eves, ind Is faced with velvet, of
which :t also bears three bars on the
ill ? res. The two latter are of silk, tho
bachelor i of worsted stuff. The hoods
nr. llnei with silk of the olllclal col
I ors of t'e institution granting the de?
gree an trimmed with velvet of the
color tf it represents the department ,
of leaning In which It Is conferred.
The foil iwing ure the colors used for
this purpose: Arts and letters, white;
theolog:, scarlet; laws, purple; philos?
ophy, l lue; science, gold yellow; tine
arts, b own; medicine, green; music,
pink; pharmacy, olive; dentistry, lilac;
forestn. russet; veterinary science,
gray; 1 brary science, lemon.
WILL TAKE HIS BRIDE
TO CLAYDON HOUSE
nV I.A .11A HCl I IM! DB FQNTBNQY.
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE'S g. tmi
nephew, sir Many Verney, t irtli
t.aronvl 01 hi* line, 1? about to
wtrl Lady Rachel Bruce. Oi-. ;ht
er of ttie Karl of Klgin. formerly Vic?
eroy of India, und will place upoti her
linger at the maritage ceremon: In
accordance with family custom and
tradition, an ancient ting, with a ::. ila
ture of Charles I., Bet in diamonds It
Is a historic gem. It belonged t( Sir'
Edmund Verney, the stundcrd hr irer
or the King at the battle of Edgttilll.
He fell In that battle. Stru:. ;ely
enough, his body was never recov. red,
despite the search that was made lor
1:. All that was found was a sevtred ]
hand, still grasping a piece of the
Uagstuff of the standard, and w ich
was Identified by the ring on the i inl
linger, which hud been presented t< Sir
Edmund by King Charles. The hand
was reverently interred at Cla- Ion
House, the ancestral home of the .-r
neys, In Buckinghamshire, and ti -re.
according to family tradition, the g >st
of the old Cavalier frequently appears,
notably on the night of Octobet yi,
which is the anniversary of the battle
of Edgehlil, searching for his ost
hand.
Clay don House, to which Sir IK-ry
Verney will bring his bride on iie
termination of their honeymoon, ins
been the home Of the Verneys i ice
the beginning of the thirteenth u
tury, and one of Ub most notable o n
ers in olden times, was Sir Ralph Ver?
ney, who wuh Kord Mayor of Ko:. on
In M'?j, uiid member of Pali lament or
the metropolis for several years after
wards.
Sir Harry Verney is, strictly spi k
Ing. a member of the Calvert far ly,
whicii played so Important a ro'.t on
this side of the Atlantic in old >1
onlal days, and Is indebted for he
nume and arms of the. Verneys, to ho
terms of the will by which the ' t
rieya bequeathed their estates to he
Culverts. In fact, Sir Harry cai ot
claim descent, even in the female ic
from Klnj; Charles's Standard b? er
at the battle of Kdgehlll. The so: of
this standard bearer was create, a
baronet by Charles II.. Immediately f.
Ur the restoration. His son In : n,
Sir John Verney, was raised to he
peei ige as Viscount Fermanajgh, nil i
Iiis son was advanced to tho Kurl up
of Verney. The second Barl of YeT-I
liey died without Issue, his honors . e- |
ng extinct, while Claydbn Ho ie,
and ibe other estates In Bucklngh n
shire, went to his niece, daugliter of1
an elder brother who had predecei ad
him. She, too, died without Issue he- I
queathing the estates to her half- s
ter, Catherine divert, who also d> ,g
Without issue, left the Verney est es ?
t.i her cousin. Sir Hurry Calvert, \ .-- .
tlriglifshed general, who lied rece: gd I
a baronetcy for his military sefvl s, ;
and who was married to a daughter i
of Thomas Hammersley, of Pali .V u,
London, of the same family as the II i- i
thersleys, of New York.
Genot'SI Sir Harry Calvert, on t c-:
ceeditiK to the Verney estates, assui d ,
iiv tin- permission of tho crown liter]
name and the arms of Verney, in c-i
cordance with the terms of the im
by which he inherited tho prop, i \
His eldest son. Sir Harry Verney, <
died as recently as in isoi, and 30
in his ninety-second year still
to hounds, und acted as master of ,^
hunt, married a sister of T/lore e
Nightingale, bearing the odd Chris-: n
name of Purthcnope. Parthenope o?;d 1
her queer Christian name to the fact
that she had bean born nt Naples, :
while her sister Florence was sft nan id
through having been bom In the capi?
tal city of Flowers, on (he Bank) ol
the illvor Arno. In their younger days,
both sisters bore the patronymic .it
Shore. Their father was a certain Mil-..
Ham Shore, and it was only after n- j
herlting the estate of I^ea Hurst, a'
beautiful place In Derbyshire, from his.
Uncle I'eter Nightingale, that he in
accordance, with the terms of his e- I
latlve's will, assumed the name nd
armorial bearings of the testator.
The one great grlof In the life of
the late Sir Harry Verney, ns also in
that of his wife, Kady Verney. ami of
h'.s sistor-tn-la w, Florence Nightlng de. |
wuh the disgrace of his eldest son. :hcj
late baronet, Sir Kdmund Vermiy, ;.n?i
which I would not mention bore, v ire
It not for tho tact that it cost Sir Jld
mund, and his son, the presint St.
Harry Verney, a fortune of se.v?rnl
millions of dollars. Tho late Sir lid
tnund. in 1S91. was expelled from, thli
House >i Commons, was dismissed from
the royal navy. In which he held tho
rank o: captain, forfeited all the medals
which he aad won lu the Crimean War,
In lh< Indian Mutiny, and underwent
a sentence of two years' imprisonment,
with hard labor, for conviction of a
crime in which u young girl under ago
was concerned. Sir Edmund had up to
that time been designated as the heir
Of th: very large fortune of his uncle.
Fred? rick Culvert, Q. C, member ot
Puthimeni for Aylesbury. When, how
ever, sir Edmund wus convicted, Fred?
erick Culvert altered his will, and left
his property instead to Edmund's
yourrcer brother, Harry Lloyd Verney,
depu'.y master of King George's house?
hold, and brother-in-law of tho late
WiUUm Bayard Cutting, of New York,
who, like him. hud married a daughter
of t ie Earl of liesart. Harry Lloyd
Verney is at the present time heir pre
sum tlve to the Verney baronetcjv ?
The actual owner of the Verney es?
tates', Sir Harry Culvert Verney, Is a
mar of thirty, is member of ParU*
men for North Burklngn>?.rr.siiire, and
wai private secretary to Lord Elgin
wh in the latter was Secretary of State
tor the Colonies. It was then that ho
made the acquaintance of his chief's
youngest daughter, Lady Kachel Bruce,
juit twenty years of age, who Ib now
to become his wife.
:>ord Elgin, who three years ago re
fi?i the olter of advancement to the
rank of marquis, Is chief of that great
Scottish house of Bruce which furn
Ished Robert Bruce to the throne of
Scotland, ua Its most famous King, and
wai born on this side of the Atlantic,
hiving first seen the light of day at
Ottawa, during his father's term ot
o'hee as Governor-General of Canada.
Liord Elgin, at Broomhall, Ms ances?
tral seal In Scotland, preserves many
historic relics. Including the sword and
helmet of King Robert Bruce. His
grandfather was the man who presented
to the British nation those master?
pieces of ancient Oreok sculpture
known as ihe "Elgin Marbles," and
Which now figure lu the British Mus?
sum: while his father was that Earl
of Elgin who was special ambassador
to this country some sixty years ago,
md who concluded u commercial treaty
with the United States, which Is de?
scribed as having been "floated through
the s. nate on champagne." But that
wus fur from being the only title to
fame of the late Earl of Elgin. For
Englishmen regard him as having
saved India for the empire, at the
time of the great mutiny, half a cen?
tury ago. He died at his post ap vlc
eroy, and lies burled, not in tho faml- j
i mausoleum in Scotland, but In the)
Hill Station In India, where he breathed i
his last. f
The present Lord Elgin Is not ant
Impressive man, ami does not In his'
appearance suggest the knightly graces,
01 iJuvid, Earl of Huntingdon, grand-c
son of David 1. of Scotland, of thai
Norman chevaliers, of the English,!
barons, and of the Scottish Kings, who
were all among his ancestors. Worstf,
of all. he Is a very indlfferont horse-)
man, which was great/y to his dlsad-a
vantage when Viceroy of India, where!
i:II sorts of funny stories were current*
about his equestrian detlclencles. ThuaA
on one occasion, when,, at Simla, hep
was taking horseback exercls* along
the fashionable promenade of the lo?
cality, one of the most Important digni?
taries of tho government wanted t<
discuss a matter of Imperial lmportanc?
with him, and sent an alde-de-oamp t(
ask him if be might Join His Excellent;:
Iii his ride. Tho aide-de-camp captorei
up alongside of the viceroy, and ex
claimed "Your Excellency!"
No answer was vouchsafed. A llttl
nonplussed, the aide-de-camp trie)
again, with no better results.
In desperation he returned to the at
tack, with, "Your Excellency! Sir Sc
and-So requests . . ." Whereupon Lor
Elgin turned upon him furiously, wit
this unique, but. to his mind all-suff n
clent excuse, for his preoccupation: v
"Great God, Blr! Can't you see tht
r am riding?"
(Copyright, 1911, by the Brentwooiiij
Company.)
Cry
Children
' FOR FLETCHER'S
OAS TO R I