Colfax Chronicle.
Published by Chronicle Ptg. Co., Ltd.
H. G. GOODWYN, Managing Editor.
COLFAX. - LOU ISIANA.
THE STAY AT HOME.
To travel with a well-filled purse,
a well-stocked mind, a sharp and Intel
ligent curiosity-that is a delight To
take a sea trip as a tonic-that is ra
tional, too. But to go abroad, as cer
tabin persons do by the shipload, for
the mere sake of locomotion; to be
able to say they have crosed the water
(often at the cost of unspeakable agon
esu); to stand ignorant upon historic
battlefields, dumb and unappreciative
before the great shrines of art; to
pass from city to city without knowl
edge of their teeming past, from state
to state, oblivious of their political re
lations, their polity, their economic
condition-that is incarnate folly
atoot. They were better off at home
in a hammock. Dr. Samuel Johnson
views the matter shrewdly. "The use
of traveling," he says, "is to regulate
imagination by reality, and instead of
thinking how things may be, to see
them as they are," says the Philadel
phia Press. The doctor lived long be
fore the days of the perfected camera
and moving picture. To make the
grand tour in his time was almost re
quisite to a polite and liberal educa
tion. It is still desirable, though rath
er a perquisite. The stay-at-home
man and woman, if established in hap
py environment, occupied with conge
nial and profitable duties, and unmo
lested by the diabolic spirit which
Urges contented folk to roam, have
all the best of life at hand and only
happiness to lose by roving. Gold
smith found it so and cried: "The
Brst, best country ever is at home."
After deep thought Prof. Prentias C.
Hoyt, of Clark College, propounds the
epinion that there is no such thing
as American humor. It is not Ameri
ema, but Just individual and personal,
thinks the professor. It may argue
some temerity to contradict a college
professor. We seem to remember
that one newspaper which so far for.
got the properties and eternal verities
as to "get gay with Prof. Oscar Lov
eI Triggs, of Chicago, was haled into
court for it, says the Milwaukee Sen
tliel. But really Professor Clark gets
ea debatable ground in denying the ex
!stence of that commonly recognised
entity, American humor. Surely there
Is a distinctively American twang to
the drollery of our typical American
humorists, and a family resemblance
that makes their productions recog
nisable as American in a moment.
Artemus Ward and Mark Twain had
their separate individualities; but they
had their common national character
btic, and their tun is racy of the soil
it sprang from.
Back of the royal pageantry at the
opening of the British Parliament, in
which the royal family, the court dig
nitaries, the peers and the peeresses
had front places, with all the splendor
of attire and adornment which beits
such occasions, there stands the plain
fact that after all the people rule.
This is signified by the announcement
that the Liberal government has ob
tained from the king a guarantee that
"in a certain contingency" there will
be created a suficient number of new
peers to give the government control
of the House of Lords. The "certain
contingency" means the omissiuon or
refusal of the Lords to accept the veto
provisialon which the Liberal govern
meat has preparqd and which has the
indorsement of two general elections,
direct appeal having been made to
the people.
American schools get another com
pliment, this time at the conference of
the British Institute for Social Serv
ice in London, when Charles P. Tre
velyan, Parliamentary Secretary for
Education, speaking of the importance
of physical training of youths as a
foundation for national health, de
clared the United States to be far
ahead of England in providing public
playgrounds and in affording oppor
tunities of exercise for the young.
Mr. Trevelyan showed the sincerity
of hise sentiment by urging England to
follow the American example. The
tribute to the excellence of American
practice is all the more significant in
view of the fact that England is re
garded uas a great "outdoor" country.
A Frenchman who is in jail has
challenged a Frenchman who is out
of jail to fight a duel, and the chal
lengee has asked the authorities to let
the challenger loose long enough for
a meeting on the field of honor. You
simply cannot beat the French for po
liteness.
Dr. Copp of the Pennsylvania hos
pital for the insane says every one is
casy now and then. The moments of
derangement generally come when the
butcher or the grocer gets through
Lootlg up the bill.
The ow Yorker who gave a theater
ptte eigbht damsels whom he had
 alt ilast dUeerves a Carneie
i I- .
PRESIDENT TAFT'S NEW SECRETARY.
een chosen by President Taft to nll the position made vacant by the
resignation of Private Secretary Charles D. Norton. Mr. Hilles will be the
third incumbent of the responsible position in question. The first private
secretary under the present administration was Fred Warner Carpenter.
Mr. Hilles will be succeeded In the treasury department by Robert O.
Baley, who has beSen private secretary to Secretary of the Treasury Mae
Veagh. Mr. Hiles Is a young, forceful and lidefatigable man, who, by
temperament and trainlL is well fitted to discharge the delleat duties the
his post.ncumbent o
S TA TUS OF CANCER
Results of Second International
Congress Are Discussed.
Important Committee Work Has Been
Carried Out and Matter of Re.
search Has Been Organized
Throughout World.
New York.-The present status at
eaneer is discussed in the Medical
Record. The comments of the writer
are based an the second international
conference for the study of cancer,
which was held recently in Paris. The
first conference was held in Heidel
berg and Frankfort In 1906. The
writer says:
"During the interim important com
mittee work has been carried out, the
matter of research has been organized
throughout the world, and now in this
second meeting we are in position to
understand something of what has
been done along the lines projected
during the last four years. The special
papers read and the transactions as a
whole will naturally be slow in reach
ing the public. But the Munchener
Medilinische Wochenschrift published
Von Czerny's inaugural address. This
was delivered before a large and dis
tinguashed audience of laymen and
physicians alike. Official Paris also
was largely represented.
"Statistics, despite their fallacious.
ness, were first discussed by the
speaker. The disease seems to be on
the increase among all cultured folk.
But certain limited localities report a
notable decrease. This discrepancy is
highly significant, for it involves the
whole subject of the incidence of can
cer. Thus we find, say, a 30 per cent.
increase in recent years in certain
countries; yet if we consider only re
stricted localities we may be justified
in concluding that the disease is not
only on the wane, but actually extinct,
(for example, in many restricted lo
calities, not a single cancer death has
occurred for twenty-five years).
"Surely this absence of cancer in
certain out-of-the-way localities cannot
be an accident. From such data near
ly every theory of cancer might re
ceive support--especially those of con
tagion, food, soil, inheritance, not to
mention many others. Of great signit
ficance in the collection of statistics is
the anatomical incidence of the dis
ease; but to this is opposed the fact
that in localities where cancer Is espe
cially prevalent we are likely to and
all locations of the disease.
"Von Czerny admits the cogency of
a parasitic theory of cancer as long
as we follow statistics. If we pursue
this plan there is as much support of
such a theory as in the case of any in
fectious disease. Aside from the ar
gument furnished by statistics the
bulk of the evidence tends to antag
onize a parasitic theory. We find a
wide line of demarkation between two
groups, each of which is histologically
and clinically malignant.
"The former may be described as
superficial, external, slowly growing,
originating in epidermal tissue---with
an antecedent stage of Inflammation or
irritation--causing local metastases
only, and hence largely amenable to
prompt surgical treatment. But the
other type consists chiefly of deeply
placed cancers. attacking the viscera.
bones, etc., rapidly growing, and high
ly disposed to cause metastases and
eachexia. Treatment of such cases is
important.
"The two types of cancer can not
be sharply separated clinically. Many
growths which are technically super
ficial and epitheliomatous may, ac
cording to their location, grow rapidly,
and with the aid of their acute local
metastases may quickly wear out the
patient. Certain growing technically
local, but inacqessible because of lo
cation, may interfere with life indi
rectly by causing stricture and the
like.
"In fact what would be termed a
relatively mild, localized and operable
cancer on the surface may have the
most dire effects if it occur deep in
the digestive tube. It may completely
interrupt the digestive processes, cause
stricture of the digestive tube, and its
metastases, even when local, will be
of an inoperable and fatal character.
"Our victories over cancer through
surgical procedures apply purely to
one of these general types-to wit,
that which is of slow growth and ex
COMET IS A HARMLESS HQBO
Scientist Enabled to Announce New
Results In Cosmic Evolution in.
dorsed by Others.
Vallejo, Cal.-In concluding a series
of lectures on astronomy Prof. T. J. J.
See, U. 8. N., astronomer in charge
of Mare Island observatory, announced
that the new theory of comets result
ing from his long researches in cos
mic evolution had been confirmed by
the Investigations of Prof. A. O.
Leuschner of the University of Call
fornia, and of Prof. Ellis 8tromgren
of the Royal observatory at Copen
hagen,' Dnmark.
"At the time the tall of Halley's
comet came so near the earth in last
May," said Professor See, "I was able
to conclude that the comets as a class
are surviving fragments of our old
nebula, but some additional points re
lating to a few comets remained to
be cleared up. This has now been
effected by Leuschner and Stromgren,
who ind, as I assumed last year, that
all the comet orbits are elliptical, not
one being really hyperbolic or para
bolic, as generally believed since the
days of Kepler.
"What was so mysterious to Kepler
and Newton was the high eccentricity
and great length of the major axis of
the orbit of the comets, and the pres
ent solution of this difficulty thus defi
nitely settles one of the great prob
lems of the century.
"The comets are now proved to be
survivals of the ancient nebula which
formed our solar system, the frag
ments coming to us chiefly from the
outer spherical shell of this nebula,
the inner portion having been eaten
out and rendered vacant through the
capture and absorption of nebulosity
by the planets.
"In fact, the planets have been
built up out of the matter of comets
which have been destroyed. Even our
earth was made up of matter once
existing in our nebula in the form of
comets. When, therefore, we see a
comet in the future, it will have no
terror for anyone, for we may say,
for the most part, it is mere dust, like
ternally located, without tendency to
more than accessible metastases. But
cancers which come thus to operation
represent ag tnsitntScant mindrty.
The remainder are made up of neg
lected operable cancers and those
which were inoperable from the out.
set
"To come back to the original sub
Sect, It Is well to forget all we know
and go back to school In very recez
years it has been shown that with ap
propriate nutriment cancer tissue may
attain huge development These cul
tural pecularitles are checked up In
part by the role played by marked to
cal irritation In ordinary tissues. It
must not be forgotten that many Ir
ritants may camse the same or a simi
lar effect Hence, a special germ, or
any germ at all, might at times cause
a phenomenon analogous to cancer
proliferation."
GIRLS' CLUB MAY CHEW GUM
Constitution Is Prepared by Young
Ladles Pfovldlig for Expulsion
of Bold Members.
New York.--One hundred young
women at the Labor temple, Second
avenue and Fourteenth street. with
the approval of Rev. Charles Stelale,
superintendent of the department of
labor of the Presbyterian church, have
formed the Girls' Diversity club and
prepared their own constitution.
When Mr. Stelsle and Rev. R. P.
Vaughan inspected the constitution
they were puzzled by the words,
"chewing allowed." "
An Investigatiou disclosed the true
situation. They simply meant chew
ing gum, said Miss Panaytota Alexan
drakis, the club leader. Part of the
constitution follows:
'"The rules should be kept honestly.
Dues, a penny a week; no matter,
present or absent, the penny must be
paid. All are allowed to speak, but
none must be bold. If a girl is spoken
to more than twice for being bold she
must be expelled. Chewing allowed.
Stories and singing must not go on
while we are working."
WIRELESS WORKS UNDER SEA
French Navy Carries Out Interesting
Experiments by Transmitting
Submarine Messages.
Parts.-Intereting experiments have
been carried out with submarine and
wireless telegraphy by the submarine
flotilla at Cherheurg. By mesas oa
submarine bells messages were on-o
veyed quite distinctly to the battl4
ship Bouvines by four submarines,
each at a distance of seven miles. As
a result of this experiment the min
ister of marine has given lastructions
that all submarines shall be provided
with these bells.
The submersible Prairial was also
successful In signaling to the Boa
vines by wireless telegraphy, all the
vessels met by her between St.
Wasat, Cape de Ia Hogue and Cher
bourg, and announcing her arrival Ia
sight of the forts of Cherbourg.
French submarines will In future be
provided with wireless telegraphy ap
paratus.
Would Spurn Dancing Girl.
Denver, Col.-"If I were a bachelor
I would not want to marry a girl who
has been bugged for the last ten years
by every man in her set," exclaimed
Dr. Herbert Howe, dean of Denver uni
versity, at chapel exercises, in pro
testing against dances In the univer
sity gymnasium. Dean Howe charae
tertlad dancing as "hugging set to
music."
the meteoric dust falling on the earth,
and therefore harmless."
FOR FLESHY WOMEN ONLY
Bathing Suits at Chicago Beaches, Ap'
proved by Park Commissioners,
Not Adapted to S11m Ones.
Chicago.-It is not the slender, sin
uous, sylphlike, willowy, wasp-walsted
maid who really goes near the water.
If slim princesses, however, would
enjoy the pleasures of the north side
bathing beaches this summer, they
had better provide their own bathing
garments. For the Lineoln park comn
missioners, in solemn conclave, have
ordered next summer's supply of
bathing suits, and 27 inches at the
waist is -the smallest thing ordered.
And not many of the 27-inch sizes
were ordered; the majority of the
suits are fitted for more embenpoint.
Investigation by the commission
showed that surf bathing was regard
ed as a fat reducer, Indulged In only
by large women. The bloomer skirts
for the municipal bathing suits will
be of the standard type-no hobbles
and no lavish colors being permitted
polka dots even being barred as mak
ing stout women appear larger.
Wireless Carries 4,492 Miles.
San Francisco.-It is claimed that a
world's record for wireless commual.
cation between ship and shore was
made when a message was received at
a local station from the steamer
Korea 4,492 miles away. The local
operator heard a faint call from the
Korea. The message could be distin
guished: "Steamer Korea, 4,491 oat;
all well." The operator repeated the
message and received an '". K."
France increases Navy.
Parms.-By a vote of 461 to 78. the
chamber of deputies has agreed oe
the construction of two battleships at
private yards. The understanding is
that later units will be built at gov
ernment arsenals.
H IIher qCt Man
Pln Towers Over
Plane country Cousin
Bf ADA MAY K33C335
LTHOUGH there is much said and written. of the return to
A nature and the call of the country and of the wild, the people
after all are collecting more numerously than ever into the
cities. And this although metropolitan life nearly always
entails the sacrifce of many favorite creature comforts.
For the every-day person the city means flats instead of
houses and public sidewalks for lawns and shade trees and
smoke and dust for tonic pure fresh air and sundry other
equally untoward exchanges. Country people often are startled
at the inconveniences the cily folk put up with, the little quar
ters they live in and the makeshifts they have for beds, bed chambers and
other apartments and other furniture.
They miss their fresh milk and eggs and large rooms and porches and
sunshine and gardens and flowers. They are saddened by the wan, fur
rowed faces of the city people. The city girls look faded to them and the
men look worried, and everybody seems rushed and flurried and nervous.
Things are bleak and unkempt. There is too little green. There is
too much that is big and unsightly and noisy and grimy.
Many people of course regard his daily program as distinctly un
wholesome and make a great many uncomplimentary observations on his
habits. They think he should go to bed earlier and not do so much in
a day nor play so late at night nor choose the diversions that furnish his
recreation. They think he is losing vitality and stamina, bodily and men
tally and morally.
And yet with all his faults the city man stands a stage higher in
civilization and in evolution than his hearty country cousin. He has more
than vegetable necessities and animal enjoyments. He needs superphysical
pleasures. His life is pitched to a higher key. His vibrations are less
sluggish. Hence his rapid pace, his tense life. Hence his willingness to
forego sleeping room and cream and sunlight.
The relish of the city man for his art, music and drama, be they as
erude as they will, is simply an extension of the sphere of superphysical
enjoyments. It is only when vitality is below par
that he feels the call to the rural life and its bucolic
animal delights. Then he lapses from the higher
mental level of consciousness which is a compara
tively recent achievement of the race down to the
the heavy mindless brute existence which preceded the
thought life by incalculable ages and therefore is by
that measure the stronger. He wishes then to be as
one world weary Chicago girl phrased it, "a human
potato."
Thirty-six hundred dollars a day, or
$1,098,000 a year, is to be given' to the
Steel steel trust by the new hicago building
Steel code. This sum is to be required of the
Used In builders of small Asts.
In every new two-story brick flat build
Sm all Flat ing to be erected in Chicago steel beam
Bu di ngs supporters, columns and girer are re
quired for each Abor and roof, which re
quires an extra expetditure of .about $300
" in each building. No exceptions are made
in the new code.
The man who builds a brick two flat
building, 22 feet by 50 feet, must put in
these steel supports, where formerly wood posts and girders through the
basement with the partitions above have been considered suficiently strong
for buildings of this kind.
The additional expense for this steel work will average about $300
each for two-tory flat buildings of various dimensions and on an average
of 18 buildings a day means $3,600 a day, or for S05 days in the year
$1,098,000 a year--to be expended for steel for the benefit of the steel
trust
This is an unnecessary expense in most cases for builders of the mod
erate priced flat buildings.
Who is to blame? This will bear investigating.
A letter recently published, signed by
"Carrots," eloses with an unkind fling at
Unkind the "maiden lady." But why the "old
maid" jest ? When one sees on every hand
such "mortal homely" and utterly unit
t the tractive women who are married it is difB
44 l cult to believe that any woman, if she.
cared to, might not wed.
Lady" The men who would be at all desirable
E as life partners see to me to be ex-eed
bi . I. YAss ingly scarce.
. Pal. _ l . So it should be more commendable
___________ than otherwise when a wostan of discrimi.
nation ehaeoses single lssedness to yoking
up with some man. Although married and never having belonged to the
class mentioned, I always am indignant when I hear that term applied
derisively. I contend that women have as.good right to their liberty and
the single life as has one of the masculine gender.
Anyway, these are perilous times for the married folk.
A wife never knows what morning bhe'll wake up and find herself
beaten to a pulp or some kind of widow (eod or grss) with perhaps sev
eral helpless offspring to be supported. by her own labor.
But, as one girl remarked: "A woman will stop rubbing the place
whoere her husband struck her long eiongh to ridicrle an 'old maid!'"
Maknldg jokes at the expense of the
farmer may appear amusing, but, after all,
the countryman .has the cleverest of them
kin "backed up an alley" when it comes to gen
Jokes e fun, an easy living ad a god strong
bank roll.
at E ense The farmer happens just now to be in
Of Farm er position to enjoy the fan immensely, for
s _._ _ .. is it not he who is producing the 4O-cent
nu isi bacon and butter that the city man buys?
The city people may be able to trim
SC. r. (aO ro Uncle Hiram when he eomes to town, but
" a s let them come out to the tall gra and he
will "put em over" on tham, "by crichey."