Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, January 7, 1902, Page 6

THE OMAHA DAILY BEF: TUESDAY., JANUARY 7 1902 'I‘H_r, OMAHA DAILY BEE E. ROSEWATER, EDITOR PUBLISHED —_— TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION Pally Bee (without Sunday), One Year..$6.00 Datly Bee and Sunday, One Year U800 Allustrated Bee, One Year zm Bunday Bee, Orie Year 20 Baturday Bee, ( v 150 Twentleth Centur rmer, One Year... 1.00 DELIVERED BY CARRIER Dally Bee (without Sunday), per copy . Daily Bee (without Sunday).per week .1 Dally Bee (neluding Sunday), periweek. . 17¢ Bunday Bee, per copy i Evening Bee (without Sunday), per week . 10¢ L\tnlilu( Bee (including Sunday), p o w 4 2 irregularities in delivery 1 to City Circulation De- EVERY MORNING. plaints " of #hould be address partment OFFICES Omaha—~The Bee Bullding. South Omaha—City Hall Building, Twen ty-fifth and M Strects Councll IBhiffs—10 Pear] Street, *hicago—1640 Unity Buflding, New York—Temple Court Washington—501 CORRE Communications relating to news and edi- torfal matter should he addressed: Omaha Bee, Editorial Department BUSINESS LETTERS Business letters remittances should ha addressed: The Publishing Company, . express or postal order, Bee Publishing Company opted in payment of ul checks, except on Omahn or eastern | not aceepted, THE BEE PUBLISHING' COMPANY. BTATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. Btate of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss. George B. Tzschuck, secretary of The Hes Publishing’ Compuny, being duly sworn, #ays that the actual number of full and complets coples of The Dally, Morning, pvening and Sunday Hee printed during IM month of December, 191, was as fol- ows: The nly 2-cent stam all accounts .40,100 1 18 1 2 80,000 30,300 L..80,010 30,450 $0,440 80,420 V43,255 10,098 Less unsold and returned copfes.. Net total sales Net dally average y . GEO. B, TZSCHUCK. Bubscribed n_my presence before me this 218t Jay of Dec 1. M. B (Seal.) Bt. Juckson's day is coming. out for sticks dronped from sl of uncorked oratory. Wateh rockets Put it down that a market house only forty feet wide will hardly come up to modern requirements, ———— It will be a cold day when the fire Insurance companies fing themselves avithout an excuse for ralsing rates where they want to raise them, E———— Sending iu false alarms of fire is no Joke for the firemen. When the jokers find the joke Is on them they will think twice before repeating their foollshness, The Nebraska press is so nearly unanimous in condemning the pardon of Bartley that the few who uphold the actlon of the governor must feel lone- sowe. It seems that Brooklyn also has some police . magistrates who fnsist on the perpetual right to hold office. Tt Brook- Iyn succeeds in getting them out Omaha will afford a Iy market for the plan, Although the Northwestern Canadian Editorlal association is visiting this sec- tlon, it is not incumbent upon the weather bureau to supply them with Winnlpeg weather., They have plenty of that at home — The office of the county auditor s an expensive luxury., The powers of the county auditor should either be enlarged to correspond with those now exercised by the city comptroller or the office should be abolished, —_— The profits of the state saloons in Bouth Carolina amounted to $545,248 during the year just closed. This is not ® very remarkable showing. South Carollua dispensary artists must have Jost the art of dilution, Captain Richmond Hobson of the Xavy Is credited with a desire to quit the service and run for cougress in Alabama. If he proves as good at kiss- 4ng babies as he did at kissing maids it Will be useless to try to beat him, Paris Is greatly agltated over the re- port that the Rockefellers are after the &Aas franchise in that city. No complaint should be entered if American mil- Uonalres want something in France anore substantial than impecunious hus- ‘bands for their daughters. The plan for consolidating Omaha with the towns and villages within a radius of ten miles and segregating Greater Omaha from the balance of the county, prepared by five eminent at- torneys and citizens, has been cavefully wrapped, labeled and filed away in its flual resting place. Some one has discovered that the king of England borrowed $15,000,000 in 1340 from Florentine bankers and that the loan has never been repaid. Computa- tioh of prineipal and interest shows that 4 now amounts to more than all the money ‘in the world. This may be in- teresting to mathematiclans, but as the debt has been outlawed for several years it is not llkely to bother any oue else, ET———— The Pan-American congress has taken up the question of sanitary regulation and will recommend concerted action to prevent the outbreak aund spread of epldemics, The success of the United States In practically stamping out yel- low fever In Cuba has demonstrated what can be done by Intelligent action along these lines and if the nations of South and Central America can be in duced to follaw the example it will be only a matter of a few years when such epldemics will be a thing of the past, ¥ THEY OPPOSE THE MERGER. The receut conference of the gover- nors and attorneys general of the seven northwestern states fo devise means for preventing the consolidation of the Northern Pacific, Great Northern and Burlington systems of rallways has pro- mulgated a declaration explanatory of the motives that have impelled their opposition to the proposed merger. The first of these Is as follows: In our opinion the threatened consolida- tion of these systems In the several states through which they run as parallel and competing lines Is contrary to sound pub- le policy, and, with the exception of Idaho, 1s in violation of the contitutions and laws of sald states The hostility to the amalgamation of » rallway systems of the northwest i8, however, not merely Inspired by the fact that it is contrary to public poliey and in confliet with the provisions of the constitutions of the several states represented in the conference, but be cause of the excessive and diseriminat Ing transportation rates charged by some of these roads, The refusal of Governom White of th North Dakota to take part in the con ference called by Governor Van Sant of Minnesota has drawn fire upon him from leading newspapers that have de- nounced the merger as a conspiracy against the well-being of the producers of that section. The Minneapolls Times, for example, propounds the following questions: Does Governor White of North Dakota know that the Great Nerthern rate on North Dakota wheat from Ross to Minneapolis, 566 miles, equals the Minneapolis rate to Liverpool? Does he know that the Great Northern grain rate from Fargo to Minneapolls, 233 milles, equals the Chicago rate to New York, four times the haul? Does he know that for a haul of 600 miles into either Minneapolis or Duluth J. J. Hill charges North Dakota farmers three times the rate trom Chicago to Baltimore? Does he know that for a haul of 300 miles from the twin | clties into North Dakota the Great North- ern charges 80 per cent higher merchandise rates than for the same distance southwest to Sloux City points? Does he know that the Great Northern merchandise rates from Minneapolis or Duluth to Fargo equal the rates from Minneapolis to Kansas City or Chicago to Omaha? If Governor White knows these tacts what appeal from these rates does he think the people of North Dakota will have when the two competitive rallroads have been merged into the North- ern Securities trust of New Jersey? How are these roads to be better able to give North Daketa relief in rates after they re saddled with an 8 per cent guaranty on Burlington stock and have interest to meet upon $400,000,000 in New Jersey mer- ger stock? These Interrogatories are certainly pertinent as well as pointed. They are not only suggestive of arbitrary and unreas- onable sexactions to which the farmers and merchants of the northwest are he- ing sujected, but they are also sugges- tive of the helpless condition In which these shippers and producers will he when all the public earriers upon which they depend for transporting their prod- uce to market are consolidated and made subservient to the interests of one unless that right be forfeited by the commission of erime. But the right to vote is a privilege coupled with obligations. The right to vote carries with it certain duties, such as the enforcement of law and order in various capacities, clvil and military, and those who by nature are incapable of fultilling these duties cannot justly claim the privilege, ' MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP IN CHICAGO. .\lllllh'l‘):ll ownership is one of the Is- sues to be fought out in the next spring city election campaign at Chicago. Three weeks ago a committee of the city council to which had been referred a proposition for the exteusion of the franchise of the street railways, re- ported in favor of a tenyear extension. In making this recommendation the committee expressed the opinion that munieipal ownership was at this time Impracticable for want of legislative enactment that would authorize the enormonus increase in the municipal debt which would necessarily Ve to precede the purchase of the street rail roads. Whether these objections to Imme- dlate municipalization are well founded or not, Mayor Harrison appears deter- mined to submit the question to the voters of Chicago. In order to bring the issne squarely before the people a petition, signed by not less than 104,000 voters, s necessary. More than 60,000 signatures have already been procured and no difficulty Is anticipated In secur- fug many signatures than the law requires, Public sentiment among the great masses (n Chicago favors municipal ownership, not because any material re- duction in street car fare is expected, but because of a demand for an im- provement in the service. In Chicago, as in all of the principal cities of the country, crowding of street raliway cars at certain hours of the day and the frequent accldents in conse- quence of this overcrowding has created an intense feeling of discontent that will doubtless make itself manifest at the coming election by an overwhelm- ing expression in favor of municipal ownership. The popular demand for municipal ownership has furthermore recelved a strong lmpetus from the fntrusion of the managers of street railways into the domain of politics, and the corrupting influence exerted by them in securing special privileges and concessions from legislatures, city councils, boards of equalization and the courts. The im- pression also prevails that these favored and privileged corporations frequently tamper with juries and influence the courts whenever questions affecting thelr income or the taxation of their holdings are involved. These abuses will doubtless furnish the chief topic of discussion in the coming municipal campaign at Chicago. Whether the city will be able to ac- quire the strect railways in the event gigantic syndicate pledged to exact divi- dends and interest charges upon a capi- tal of $400,000,000. WOMAN SUFFRAGS IN [0WA. Towa woman suffragists are preparing for an organized assault upon the legis- lature, with a view to securing the sub- mission of a constitutional amendment granting lowa women the right to vote at all elections. The advance guard of the woman's suffrage lobby is already on the ground at the state capitol and the first onslaught is to be made by a bombardment with petitions now being circulated throughout the state. If woman suffragists could bring any tangible proof that the standard of po- litlcal morals will be elevated and a higher grade of public officlals will be tished out of the political sea than Iowa has ever had under manhood suffrage, an enlargement of the ballot boxes and the doubling of the number of voters might be looked upon with favor. But all theories must be tested by experi- ence, and experience has demonstrated that no material improvement in the breed of officeholders - has yet been brought about by woman suffrage In the states where It has been tried, nor has the admission of women to equal suffrage brought ahout any compensat- ing or beneficlal results to offset the brutalizing effect produced by project- ing women into.the political cesspool. Woman suffrage prevalled in Utah during the rule of Brigham Young, but, notwithstanding the fact that there were seven women voters to every man voter, the women voters of Utah utterly failed In the suppression of that twin relle of barbarism—polygamy. Woman suffrage has prevailed in Wyo- ming ever since Its organization as a territory, but woman suffrage has not diminished the number or bad of Wyoming saloons, dance halls and gumbling houses. Colorado has been blessed by woman suffrage for a number of years, but the women of Colorado have not raised the of a decisive vote In favor of municipal ownership remains to be seen. Chicago business men have been called together to discuss the threatened clos- ing of the public schools in that city by ‘reason of a large deficit in the school fund. e primary gause of the over- lap Is said to be the fondness gor fads nd high-salaried parasites that have been folsted upon the pay roll by the superintendent and members of the board interested in retaining spectal favorites and relatives in positions ex- pressly created for them, The fads and special studies in the Chicago schools are estimated to cost $400,000 a year. Of this amonnt $30,000 is pald for draw- ing, $30,000 for music, $15,000 for house- hold arts, $10,000 for physical culture, $5,000 for child study and $00,000 for kindergartens. In view of the fact that Chicago has 216,000 school children in attendance and Omaha has only one- fourteenth of that number, these tigures would indicate that Chlcago is not as extravagant, comparatively, as Omaha in the matter of school fads, e Secretary Gage has recently Issued an order that clerks and other employes of the Treasury department must pay thelr just debts or leave the public serv- ice. The secretary declares that when a clerk or other employe recelving a stated salary neglects or pleads Inability to pay debts for the mecessary support of self and family without presenting satisfactory reasons therefor, the de- partment will regard such clerk or em- ploye as gullty of Improper practice and one who ought not to be continued in the public service, This is eminently proper and should not only apply to the em- ployes and clerks of the Treasury de- partment, but to all branches of the public service, It would be amusing, were it not dis- gusting, to note the outery of the local self-styled organs of moral, reform agalnst what they designate as the despotic action of the mayor and police commission in refusing to reissue a - standard of social or political morals in Denver or Cripple Creek or contributed in any way toward the suppression of tolerated vice and crime in the Cen- tennial state, So far as we can observe the standard of morals in Iowa is much higher than in Colorado and the character of public officials in lowa will stand favorable comparison with that of the public of- ficlals of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, The contention that woman suffrage is an inherent right has long since been exploded. The right to life and freedom Is inherent at birth. If the right to vote were lnherent in man and woman, like the right to life and liberty, it would be inherent to all, whether born on_ American soil or born in forelgn lands. Every human being has a right to life, liberty and the enjoyment of the fruits of his labor, whether it be an infant or a matured man or woman, whether they are born and reared in darkest Africa or i lightest America; every humen being bas a right to be | l cense to the saloon keeper whose place the police reported to be the resort of disorderly and questionable characters, It the mayor and police commission would exercise more tyranny in the same direction no law-ablding citizen would have any ground for complaint, It all taxpayers in Douglas county are to be taxed for the construction of South Omaha's pest house, the pest house ought to be freely open to the use of all smallpox cases in the county, whether they originate in South Omaha, Omaha, or outside of both, That ought to be a stipulated condition before the money voted by the county board for this purpose is taken out of the county treasury. —_—— Old Liberty Bell has started on an- other tour of the country and will be the argument that an object held so dear by all the people of the country should not be jeopardized by being carted over the country. —_— The fight between the Sugar trust and the beet sugar representatives is to be resumed before congress. In the mean- time the Sugar trust has planted 150 carloads of cane sugar at Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee, Red Wing, Winona, LaCrosse and other points in the north west in order to block the sale of the beet sugar and make its manufacture unprofitable, Star chamber methods In the transac- tlon of the business of any public body are always reprehensible, The people are entitled to the fullest information concerning the transaction of public business by their servants and the widest publicity is the only safeguard against corrupt practices and unbusi- ness-like method It is announced that the representa tive of this country at the coronation of King Edward must have in the neigh- borhood of $25,000 which he s willing to spend In return for the privilege. At this rate the average citizen will prefer to wait and view the moving picture show from a 25-cent geat in the theater, — Litigation & Drawn Out. Philadelphia Ledger. The railroad combine is te be fought in the courts. By the time that contest is de- cided the combine will be either dead or invincible, — ¥y Resul Indfanapolls News, It begins to look as if the Pan-Ameri- can conference now meeting in Mexico will be about as effective for peace as the con- ference at The Hague, —— Greateat of Marked-Down Sales, Chicago Post The Panama Canal company i3 sald to have decided that Uncle Sam can have its isthmian property, bag and baggage, for $40,000,000. And it may be added that Uncle Sam knows when te take advantage of a marked-down sale. —— Hot Letter Looked For, Philadelphia Record. Hon, J. Sterling Morton has been ap- rointed to represent Nebraska at the St. Louis Exposition. As the distinguished agrostologist is opposed to expositions in general, tkis appointment ought to be good for a red-hot letter of declination. —— New Jersey Put to the Teat, Washington . Post There is no better test of the quality of @ party than the selections it is able to make of the men who may speak for it with authority. The republicans of New Jersey will be put to an immediate test when they shall fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of the lamented Sewell. As the state 18, 80 are its senators. — Trade Oftscts Policte: Portland Oregonlan. They put & duty on sugar in Great Brit- ain to raise money for the Boer war, but 80 briskly does Germany pump her bounty- fed beet sugar into Britain that the price keeps coming down in spite of the import tax. To use a Hibernicism, with one hand Germany rebukes England for suppressing the Boers and with the other she contrib- utes bountles to carry on the war. As an exhibit in statesmanship this is wonderful, my masters, wonderful! —— exhibited at the Charleston exposition. There is much in the theory that op- portunities for people to see the patriotic lic are valuable, but there 1s wore o A Type of Combines. Boston Pos! The aephalt trust is a typlcal trust, and 60 {8 the manner of its collapse typical of the ending of inflated corporations. It was built upon the accumulated stock of cor- porations really doing business. For Mself the asphalt trust did no business dividends. It owned neither asphalt nor working plant. It was a fiction created for the purpose of preventing competition, maintaining prices and, in ehort, restraining trade. In this 1t differed at no essential point from the sugar trust, the tobacco trust, the teles phone trust, the steel trust, or any other of the modern combinations for monopoly which we designate by the generic name of trusts. —_— Postal Savings Banks. 8t. Louls Republic, Advocates of postal savings banks are compelled to answer the objection that the placing of so much money into the hands of government officials would be a tempta- tion to defalcation. During the past fiscal year of the money order department the only loss was $174, this amount belng pald to a man who had the same name as the rightful owner of the order. Considering that this branch of the government's bust- mess exceeds $1,000,000 a day, it will be hard to find any private busin with such a clear record. There is no reason why the Postoffice department could not operate a postal savings bank with as little loss. SHE IS A HELPER, Southern Qu Commendation for ties of Mra. L. M. Shaw. Atlanta Constitution. Mrs. Shaw, wife of the new cabinet mem- ber, s going to be heard from during her husband’'s term in office. She has been tell- Ing the newspaper correspondents what she thinks, and it may be sald for her that she ‘“‘thinks in a straight line.” She has let it be known that Governor Shaw did not agree to accept the Treasury portfollo until he had consulted her, and when the gov~ ernor sald he did not want to go anywhere his wife and children could no go with honor and comfort, Mrs. Shaw says she realized it was too great an honor to de- cline, and so decided he should accept. Governor Shaw 1s eald to be worth but $350,000, and when Mrs. Shaw was told that Secretary Gage spent $100,000 more than his salary, she sald: “I've always done my best wherever I've been and 1'm not at all frightened. I know they say Mr. Gage spent $100,000 more than bis salary, owing to the demands of wo- clety, but that seems to me needless and a trifle foollsh. Mr. Shaw told me Senator Allison assured him we would be able to go out in soclety all that is necessary on $5,000 @& year more than his ealary and I guess maybe we can stand that for & fow years. 1 don’t want to make Mr. Shaw bard up, and I shall not, but you know I've alwa; borne my share of society work, and I ex« pect T shall in Washington. They say It nearly wrecked Mrs, Gage's health, but I ehall not be alarmed on that account, as I'm so well and strong." That is the way for a woman to talk, The chances are that Governor Shaw owes as much of his success to his wife he owes to his own abilities. She must be a regular steam tug of energy. There 18 nothing that boosts a man along In thls world more than a loyal, sensible wife who “is not at all frightened,” who is ready to do the best she can, who cheers him om and when opportunity offers tells him to “go ia aad wia" . United States Inv The newspapers have recently quoted prominent railroad officlals as saying that in their opinion, the crest of the wave ‘n rallroad prosperity has been reached The question which naturally suggests itself to us on reading these Interviews, is this what will be the effect of lessened rail road earnings on the great ri ad deals of 19017 Take the case of the Northe Securities company. This company i talized at $400,000,000, based on the owner ship of the capital stock of the Northern and Northern Pacific companies, The amount was placed at this figure cause it was the avowed bellef of the pro moters of the scheme that the earnings of the acquired roads would admit of 4 per cent dividends on such a sum. The com bined earnings of the two ads, Judging by their published annual reports, did ‘not equal 4 per cent on $400,000,000 during the last fiscal year, but t came 80 near it that Messrs. Hill and Morgan may have actually assum that the full amount would be reached hereafter. But if they apparently adopted a very irrational line of argument. In the first pl on general ' principles they ehould have averaged the earnings of the combined properties for a long series of years in order to determine what would be thelr probable earning power in the future in atead of capitalizing thelr new proprietary company om the basis of a single year of extraordinary prosperity. Then, again, at the time the mew project was outlined, it was an established fact that the corn crop of 1901 was a failure and that eventually the general prosperity of the country must be affected to a greater or less extent thereby. Furthermore, men {n their posi- tion could not have ignoramt of the fact that our exports to foreign countries were falling from the high level touched in recent years. Despite all these condi tions, however, they went ahead and re capitalized the Great Northern and North- ern Pacific railroads on @ basls which necessitates permanemt earnings consider- ably in excess of those for 1901 Can they attain this end? 1f every cent earned by the two roads during the last fiscal year had been applicable to dividends on the $400,000,000 stock of the Northern Securities company, nothing belog carried to surplus, the amount would have been $15,780,054, or less than 4 per cent. Taking the figures as they stand, this would be safling altogether too close to the wind for safety. An average charge to surplus, in addition to 4 per cent on $400,000,000 of cap- ital, necessitates net earnings by the two Grea Can It Keep the Pace? January 4 roads in the combine considerably in ex- cesa of the amount stated above as having been earned last year. But the real nature of the situation is not discerned until we look more deeply into the facts Last year the Northern Pacific earned ' applicable to dividends, but, to mind at least, the force of this con- clusion 1s broken when we discover that in order to buplish such a result it was necessary to operate the property at 51 per cent of gross carnings. During the sam period the Great Northern earned $8,386,435 applicable to dividends, and operating ex- penses w .30 per cent of gross earnings. Now, it must be apparent at a glance, to anyone acquainted with railroad accounts, that the operating expense of the Northern ific canuot be maintained at anywhere near 61 per cent without perma- nently impairing the interests of the securs ity holders. And it may very gravely be questioned If the 59.30 per cent reported by the Great Northern last year {s a conserva- tive showing We know of no better way of arriving at a satietactory opinion on this point than by comparing the showings of the two roads In question, iu the matter of operating ex- penses, with those of other aystems of a similar standing. Consequently we have compiled the following table, indicating the percentages of operating expenses reported for the lnst flecal year by a number of the great western rafiroad systems Per Cent Y Northern Pacific orther Chicago, Burlington & Quinc 8t. Paul Northwest Rock Island Atchizon . Missouri Pacific is not included in above table, for the reason that the figures for 1901 are not yet obtainable, but wo may state that for the calendar year 1900 this road was operated at about 66 per cent of gross earninge. Bmploying the comparative method, we reach the conclusion that, on thelr face, the showings made by the Northern Pacific and Great Northern in the matter of operating expenees are not con- ducive to confidence in the managements of these properties. There is certainly £ood ground for distrust of tho ability of the Northern Securities company to pay a satisfactory return to its stockholders, even it groes earnings keep up to the level of last year, What will be the effect on the company it earnings actually fall off, is a matter about which epeculation s bound te busy ftsel?, D ABOUT NEW YORK. Ripp! e Carrent of Life in the One of the notable soclal functions pe- cullar to Gotham is “Chuck’* Connor's an- nual ball. It happens around the holi- days. The last one was “pulled off"" De- cember 31. “Chuck” Connor is a typical Bowery character. As a concession to the relgning spirit of reform he moved his soclal headquarters up to Fourteenth street for the occasiom and held court in Tammany Hall. There was a generous showing of police about the entrance and in the corridors, writes Polly Pry, while in the ball room itself, several bluecoated officers lounging in conspicuous’ positions, gave promiso of order and an absense of trouble which was reassuring to the timid, “George,” the gentlemanly hotel barber, who was our guide, chaperone and pro- tector, led us through the maze of people who encircled the cleared space where several hundred couples were dancing with a vigor and abandon that was hilariously intectious, and directly 1 had my elbows on the front rall of & box and looking down at a couple who were whirling dizzlly around on a spot not much bigger tham a table top. He was & short, broad-shouldered youth, with his hair curled down over his fore- head in an ofled bang, his pug nose,seemed in a state of open revolt with his sneering | upper 1ip and the stub of a cigar which he carried im one corner of his mouth. His | black, double-breasted coat, edged with wide black braid, was buttoned close up to his glaring blue tie, and his flat derby hat sat far back on his bullet-shaped head, He held the girl's right arm straight out, and with the left hand he grabbed the middle of her back. She was a thin, black-eyed crea- | ture in a faded red waist and saggy black skirt, and they were locked together so | closely that her chin protruded over his shoulder as in a sort of trance they whirled swiftly round like a couple of dancing der- vishes. When the music ceased he let go of | her so suddenly that she whirled around and | fell flat on the floor, whereat he laughed | and sal “Hully gee, Min, look out or youse ‘ill bust de floo And she scrambled up with: “Youse a beaut, youse is; I don't tin “Aw, go ahn! Say, but I got a tirst dat's a dalsy. Come on an’ I'll blow youse to a suds!” And they joined the rush toward the ba The scene was & type of the night's whirl, The vital statistics for 1901 of the city of New York show some Interesting figures. There was a decrease in the death rate. “In other words,” says the report, “over 1,800 lives have been saved in the popula- tien of the greater city, and this notwith- standing the large increase in the number of deaths from sunstroke, 1,274 people hav ing succumbed during the intense hot spell of last summer; and also the large Increase in tho number of deaths from smallpox, 410 deaths being reported in 1501, Contagious diseases, except scarlet fover, show & re- markable decrease. The greatest decrease has occurred among the discases of. the respiratory system, this being especlally true of pneumonia. There were fewer births than during the year before, and an increased number of marrfages. The totals of death from some diseases are as follows: Tubercular di seases, 9,396; pneumonia, 9,128; diphtheria and croup, 2,067; scarlet fever, 1,154; ty- phold fever, 720; measles, 440. It will be noted that smallpox carried off only ten more than measles. Whooping cough influenza, 858; accidents, ; sulcide, 701; homicides, 105; cancer, ; deaths under five years, 4,273 The total deaths have been 70,808; births, 80,736; marrlages, 33,485, Death rate, 20,02, Occasionally some man or woman in s0- clety gives a dinner which costs $50 or §70 or even $100 a cover, and when the news- papers get hold of it they exploit it as & wonderfully costly feast. But such en- tertainments as the modish world gives pale into dullness beside the festivities of the tashionable half-world. These, of course, do not get into the papers. Last week there was given at a restaurant more ele- gant than respectable, a little dinner party ot & dozen people, which cost something more than $5,000. The host was & young tellow, & recent graduate of Yale, and his men guests were the most brilliantly gilded youth of Wall street. The women guests included & very famous vaufleville beauty, & hardly less famous artists’ model, and & | signer of some reputation, whose name | 18 generally heard in connection with that of a certaln trust magnate, the other three belak motable beautitul women, each with & | aluirs reputation for cleverness. The dinner favors for them were woven gold purses, costing probably $400 apiece. The men got gold- handled pocket knives, worth $30 or $40 each. The private room, dinner, wines, de orations and music may be reckoned at more. The room was speclally draped and decorated and the walters were dressed in Louls XV costumes to match the scheme of the room. It is sald that the feast was given to celebrate a “killing"’ which the young host had made in Amalgamated Cop- er. Jn his annual report Chlet Eagineer Mar- tin of the Brooklyn bridge says that it 1s estimated that during the eighteen years of service 660,000,000 passengers have been carried with unparalleled regularity and safety and but one passenger killed through accident to the trains. During this period of service both the New York and Brook- Iyn terminal stations have been rebullt and are now twice thelr original capacity, and also a double railroad track bas been lald across the, bridge, all of which was accomplished with only a partial inter- ruption of trafiic for half of one day. Dur- ing the whole eighteen years there has not been a delay of a single day that was due to any defect in or breakage of any part of the bridge itself until July last, whes there was a partial interruption of travel for thirty-six hours THE ASPH T COLLAPSE Severe Punishment Meted Gullible Investors, Philadelphia Press. The collapse of the asphalt companies is one of the most serious of the many cor- porate delinquencies which have come to light in this city during the last ten years There have beem by far too many of them and this, partially at least, accounts for the high state of chagrin and Indignation which exists in the financlal community over the asphalt recelvership. The companies were promoted and formed at a time when the public was in a greatly excited and susceptible state over such creations, and the securitles were placed easily and om the most favorable terms for the promoters. Of all the many schemes launched in this city during that period none was more successful than as- phalt. Leading corporations and old and experienced investors vied with the veriest tyro in the effort to become the owner of the American company's 6 per cent bomds at 90 or better. It was insisted that the company had a monopoly of its product and a pull with the authorities of the leading eities of the unlon which would lead to an enormously profitable busines: Not only was it urged that the bonds were a perfectly wafe investment, but it was con- fidentially sald that the stock, which was Ing at $10 per share or more, was des- tlued to be a sure 10 per cent dividend payer in & very short time, After the securities were placed the com- pany was apparently successtul for a time, but it soon met with reverses, and it was known months ago that there was compe- tition In the asphalt business, as in every- thing else. Things went from bad to worse rapidly and the value of the securi- tles depreclated, but all was yet sereme in high asphalt circles. The holders of tha securities were glvensno particular. infor- mation as to the condition of the com- panies, but it was freely reported in a general way that the interest on the bonds and the sinking fund was being earned; and this quieted the fears of the main body of the holders of the bonds until the market quotations plainly told the story of disaster. There is the strongest feeling against those who are responsible for the optimistic repckts at a time when the company wWas borrowing money to pay its Interest and a receivership was imminent This was the position of affairs after last July The result was a decline in the American 5 per cents to 28% and In the National Gs to 12. There is no support of the securities even at these figures, and the unfortunate holders have elther sold out at a loss er are entirely in the dark as to the future of the properties The Interest of the bond holders are being looked after by two committees, but it is not believed that there whll be any definite Information for a month, and meantime receivers will care for the prop- erty, Pending an official statement as to the position of the companies, Jt can be sald that there has rarely been an In- stance of more ready and severe punlsh- ment to gullible investors, or a more wan- ton exhibition of an utter lack of appreci- ation of responsibility by the promoters and corporate officials, The only thing for the owners of the property to do Is to wet together and save what can be saved from the wreck and appoint competent aud WHERE DOCTORS FAIL To Cure Woman’s Ills, Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegeuf-lo Com- gonncl Succeeds. Mrs. Panline udson Writes : “DrAR MRs. PINKRAM : —Soon after my marriage two years n¥a 1 found myself in constant pain. The dootor said my womb was turned, and this caused the pain with considerable in- flammation, He prescribed for me for Blcnnr%nl Schermerhorn Golf Clab, rooklyn, New York. four months, when my husband became impatient because I grew worse instead of better, and in speaking to the dryg- Im he advised him to get l,ydlnr“ ’inkham’s Vegetable Compound and Sanative sh. How I wish I had taken that at first; it would have saved me weeks of suffering. It took three long months to restors me, but it is @ happy relief, and we are both most grateful to you. Your Compound has brought jn& to_our home and health to me. "~ Mns. PAvLINE JUDSON, 47 Hoyt Street, Brooklyn, N. Y, — #6000 forfelt If above testimonial i mot genulme, It would seemr by this state« ment that women would save time and much sickness if they would grt Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound at once, and also write to Mrs. Pinkham ot Lynn, Mass., for special ad- vice. It is free and always belps. PERSONAL NOTES, The Cubans have gone ahead of thelr American preceptors already. We hoyeott the primaries, but they boycotted the polls themselves, New York's forelgn corporation tax law proved disappointing. 1t was expected to bring in $250,000, but realized only one-fifth of that sum Empress Eugenle fs busy preparing her memoirs. A complete record of her reign s to be left after her death to the public lbrary of Paris. The empress has carefully filed every personal letter since the day of her marriage. Artist Robert Reid's beautifal painting of “James Otis making his famous argu- ment against the writs of assist- ants in the old town house in Boston, Fen ruary, 1761,” has been hung in the state house, Boston, and was unveiled New Yes day. Ex-President Harrison's old law offices {n Indianapolis, from which many political bat- tles were planned, have been vacated by his successors, Messrs. Miller, Elam, Feslor & Miller. The offices were first taken by Gen- eral Harrison and his assoclates October 1, 1874, 1+ was particularly noticed at the recent New England dinner in Philadelphia that the &peech of Chinese Minister Wu easily outshone all the others so far as good Eng- lish {8 concerned. Among the orators of the evening were Justice Brewer, Mr. Ham- 1in, Mr. Hill and Mr. Cockran. Edward North, who had been Greek pro- fessor of Hamilton college for fifty-seven years, but resigned a month ago, recelved 700 letters appropriate to the day on Christ- mas morning from the alumni of the in- stitution. Tho idea was suggested to the alumni by a St. Louls “grad” and among the letters were one from Secrotary of War Root, who graduated In 1864, and ono from ex-Attorney General W. I1. H. Miller of the class of 1862, T. B. Minahan, formerly of Omaha, now a resident of Columbus, 0., Is cutting quite a swathe In the east. He fs one of the pillars of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal or- ganization of considerable strength, and was chosen president of the mnewly-formed American Federation of Catholle Societies. The latest of Mr. Minahan's efforts is a contribution to the discussion raging in New York City, “How to Make an Ideal Sunday for a Cosmopolitan American City.” In other words, open or closed saloons on Sunday. Mr. Minahan believes the question will be solved when the American people “abolish the utterly senseless custom of saloon treat- ing." Chicago Tribune: Anxfous Young Man— Gamilla, is your love for mo absolutely dead? Beautiful Malden—It s, Phillp. T have applied the eyanide of potassium test, - it does not respond. Cleveland Plain Dealor: “Two managers are wquabbling for the possession of the young violinist who recently came to this country.” “What's the boy doing about 17 fe doesn’'t mind. It's all play for him, no matter how it's decided.” Philadelphia Pres; ‘She has Improved ier singing and she knows it, teo.” “Think #0? I noticed 1t didn't require Y, much applauso to induce her to sing agin.’ “No, but there was a time when it aidn't require any applause at il Brooklyn Li come to_d you not? not be many {n in Mrs. Gatterson—You will anyway, Mr. tter, will am’ afraid there will ting peoplo present. What difference does that mak 18 alwiys sure of a good square meal at your house Star: It {s appallng to contompliste the effects that this hereany in the price of corn may lead to,” sald the panfcky person. "It may lead to some- thing like a_famine. “Worse than that,”” returned Colonel Stiliwell, solemnly; ‘“®orso than that, In my opinfon the pangs of thirst are even more terrible than those of starvation,” Washington Boston Transcript: Harrls—1 say, Chur- ley, you've got a tremendous cold, How in time’ did you get jt? Thompson—Standing on the sidewalk while Yawler gave me directions how to prevent taking cold, Chicago Post: ““There is nothing i choosing the TIght timo for an Arument iow 807 “Well, for instance, this would seem to be o Bood ococasion' to put forward. (hy theory that the i 1s losing 1ts heag b LB UL S LULLABY, Somerville Journal, I “Sleep, baby, sleept* (Confound the squalling brat!) “The angels vigls keep,’ (You pexky little rat father 18 shaking tree,"” (A5 hig father did!) “To shake down little dreams on thee," (8hut up, you kid!) 1 Rest, baby, rest!” (I'll gag you pretty soon') “Bufe In your downy nest (Here! #uck this tablespoon ! “Thy father 18 watching his baby wee," “ohy the dreamiang faithful men to conduct the comvuny‘ll (Yes Ui.!u y?ur lhlilmh'h) \ “And mother {8 coming home to thee,™ (Thank God, ghe's come!) "