6
The Commoner
boufder monument !n Lincoln park, Chicago. A
Chicago dispatch says: "The stone occupies a po
sition near the spot where Kennison was buried
in 1852, in what was then the City cemetery of
Chicago. Tho ceremonies attending the unveil
ing were conducted by tho Sons of tho Revolution,
Sons of tho American Revolution and Daughters
of the American Revolution, which societies are
tho donors of the monument. The boulder was
scoured m northern Wisconsin by Henry Dudley,
chairman of the joint committee of the societies
that depict to perpetuate tho name of Kennison.
It is seven feot in length, about four feet in
breadth, stands three feot above the ground and
weighs several tons. A bronze plate upon it
bears the names of tho societies and the date of
Konnison's death, which occurred in the one hun
dredth and sixteenth year of his life."
AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY COMES FROM
Penrhyn in "Wales, and although it is
vouched for by the London correspondent of tho
Chicago Inter-Ocean, it is not generally accepted.
Tho Inter-Ocean correspondent says: "The wife
of a quarryman was bathing her three-months-old
babe, when she was thunderstruck to hear the
child say plainly in "Welsh: 'Next year will be a
terrible year, mother.' The mother rushed in ter
ror to the next door and told what she had heard
to a neighbor, who ran immediately back, picked
up the infant, and, as she soothed and caressed it,
coaxingly asked it if it had told its mother that
next year would be a terrible year. To her as
tonishment, the child looked at her, said 4Yes,'
and fell back dead. The story has been discussed
far and wide, and the two women have oeen
cross-questioned without shaking their story. At
Penrhyn, where the people are rather primitive
and religious, there is much foreboding."
r it
THE GREAT ECHOES OF THE "WORLD ARE
described by a writer In the New York Her- ,
aid in this way: "The suspension bridge across
tho Menai Straits, in "Wales, produces one of the
most remarkable echoes in the world.. The sound
of a blow with a hammer on one of the main
piers is returned in succession from each of the
cross beams which support the roadway, and
from the opposite pier at the distance of 576
feet, in addition to which the sound is many
times repeated between tho water and roadway at
the rate of twenty-eight times in Ave seconds.
An equally remarkable echo is that of the Castle
of Simonetta, a nobleman's seat, about two miles
from Milan. The report of a pistol is repeated by
this echo sixty times. A singular echo is also
heard in a grotto near Castle Comber, in Ireland.
In the garden of the Tuilleries, in Paris, is an ar
tificial echo, which repeats a whole verse without
the loss of a single syllable. Another wonderful
echo is heard outside the Shipley church, In Sus
sex, which echoes some twenty syllables in the
most perfect manner. The well-known echo at
"Woodstock reperts itself no fewer than fifty
times. In one part of the Pantheon so great is
the echo that the striking together of the palms of
the hands is said to make a report equal to that
of a twelve-pound cannon."
ft.'
A GENUINE ALBINO BLACKBIRD WAS RE
cently shot near Catterlck oridge, York
shire. The Pall Mall Gazette says: "Scientific
.ornithologists have clearly enough explained tho
physiological nature of albinism in birds, but it
is still a mystery what originates these physiol
ogical conditions, and also why it is that very
dark-plumaged birds, such as blackbirds, rooks,
etc., are more liable to albinism, pure or partial,
than any others. It is strange, for instance, that
white robins are rare, and it is notable that the
last found in this country was obtained in York
shire (Sedborgh district). Last summer a per
fectly white sand martin was seen by hundreds in
the Betham (Yorkshire) district, and three or
four in other parts of tho north of England.
House martins, also barn swallows, are liable to
assume albinism, and many records are preserved
in Yorkshire. As for 'pied' blackbirds, rooks and
such like, they are as common as the proverbial
blackberries, whereas in the whole of England
there are probably not more than two records of
albino woodcocks."
rHE GERMAN GOVERNMENT HAS ESTAB
llshed a system of insurance for working
men and it is clear that the results are satisfac
tory to all concerned. A writer in the Chicago
Chronicle, 'referring to this system, says: "In
1902, on account of sickness, 4,800,QOO persons re
ceived sick benefits amounting to $51,500,000; for
accidents; 384,566 persons received $26,800,000;
for infirmity, 1,100,000 persons received $32,250,
000 a total of 6,735,000 persons benefited to the
extent of $108,500,000. Of tho total amount $10,
350,000 was contributed by the government, $52,
500,000 by employers and $45,500,000 by the in
sured. That is to say, tho working classes re
ceived over tz,000,000 beyond the amount of their
own contribution to the cost of their insurance
against sickness and Infirmity, and this amount
is increasing With great rapidity. It has already
increased tenfold in the eleven years. An in
cidental effect has been an immense impetus to
the work of public sanitation. There is a direct
economy in providing healthful living conditions
for tho working classes which acts as a constant
spur upon the authorities. As consumption was
found to be tho worst enemy to tho health of the
workers, a law was passed in 1899 providing for
tho establishment of sanitariums in connection
with infirmity insurance and there are now be
tween seventy and eighty sanitariums, contain
ing 7,000 beds, for the accommodation of work
ing class patients under the insurance laws. The
open-air cure is employed with great success, over
67 per cent of the patients being fully restored to
working capacity and over 21 per cent additional
are partially restored. Another marked effect of
the system is that it has greatly promoted peace
ful relations between trades unions and employ
ers. Instead of aiming at workshop control the.
unions take to politics, and this has J)een a great
factor in the enormous growth of the social demo
cratic party. This is a curious reverse of-the
original expectation with which state insurance
was introduced. It was intended to disarm so
cialism by attaching the working classes to tho
government. It has promoted socialism by teach
ing the working classes to look to the exercise of
state authority for the promotion of their inter
ests. It has given the labor movement in Ger
many a thoroughly political character, recognizing
and upholding public authority, because itcxpects
eventually to wield that authority. Hence there
is a powerful force at work counteracting anar
chical tendencies."
f? ST
THE WORLD'S RICHEST MAN, JOHN D.
Rockefeller, attended his sons Sunday
school recently, and listened to a sermon delivered
by Rev. R. P. Johnston and entitled "Money Mad
ness." The New York World tells the story in
this way: "The church was crowded. All list
ened intently, dividing their time between watch
ing the pastor and scanning for the effect of his
words tho face of Mr. Rockefeller. Every onceMn
a while the trust builder nodded his head in In
dorsement of the speaker's sentiments, after
wnich he glanced around apparently to see the
effect upon the audience. The effect was marked,
and even John D. Rockefeller made no pretence
of ignoring it. The audience was there to be
affected. It began gathering early, and was pre
pared to stay late, for the pastor had advertised
his intention of telling the evils of sacrificing all
to greed. 'For the love of money is the root of
all. evil,' the good man -read from Timothy 6-10,
wherqupon Mr. Rockefeller nodded again in ac
quiescence, 'which some, reaching after, had been
led astray from the faith and have pierced them
selves through with many sorrows.' The rich
pewholder leaned forward to let no word escape
him. The throng leaned forward to let no move
ment of his escape them. A smile was upon the
face of the observed of all. 'The age in which we
live is not wholly good nor wholly evil,' said the
pastor, and with an almost imperceptible nod,
not lost upon audience or preacher, Mr. Rocke
feller indorsed it. 'Yet,' continued the man in
the pulpit, 'I cannot even call it a happy me
dium.' Slowly the magnate shook his head. 'I
cannot but say,' observed Dr. Johnson, 'that the
passion for gain is stronger in the hearts of men
today than ever before. I believe it to be the
duty of some men to make money' a nod of ap
proval from Mr. Rockefeller. 'God intended them,
to do it and to use it to His glory.' Again the
rich man smiled and nodded. 'I despise a man
who fawns to wealth,' came from the lips in tho
pulpit another nod of approval, and thus the
dialogue a dialogue of speech and pantomime
continued, and with the benediction all arose to
go. 'An excellent sermon, most excellent,' Mr.
Rockefeller exclaimed, as he shook hands with a
score of friends. 'I indorse every word of it.
Such an example for young men. It is true, there
is no happiness in the possession of great wealth.
The happiness is in the good the possessor does
with it. The good pastor is right "
SOME QUEER PURCHASES ARE MADE BY
the United States government for the ben
efit of the senators. These are revealed In the
official report made by the secretary of the sen-
... VOLUME 3, NO. 50.
ate, and among tho items Is "260 tons of best
timothy hay for use of the United States senate'
Another item is "one oak refrigerator and pan fa
committee on women's suffrage;" also, "for re
pairing three electric stoves;" also, "for one year'
subscription to the Ladies' Home Journal "iv,
report shows that five dozen hair brushes were
bought and paid for out of the contingent fund
of the senate, also nine dozen combs, forty noimri.,
of camphor, 109 pounds of sponges, aside from
one dozen bath sponges, the latter $20 a dozen
The secretary's report shows that considerable"
sums of money were spent by the government in
order to purchase for the use of senators attar of
roses, oil of bergamont, glycerine, hair tonics
bay rum, vaseline, dandruff cures, a gallon of
cologne, fourteen different kinds of soap feather
dusters, twenty-five pounds of horehound candy
6,000 quinine tablets, and also $6,000 worth of
mineral waters; also two dozen corkscrew knives
$21.60; two wrist bags, $10; four manicure sets'
$12; one year's subscription to the Delineator
one year's subscription to St. Nicholas; one year's
subscription to the Youths' Companion. Thpso
purchases were paid for out of what is called tbe
contingent fund. v
THE GOVERNOR OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IS
having his share of troubles these days. A
correspondent for the New York Tribune says:
"Nahum J. Batchelder, the present chief of the
Granite State, holds four offices, being his own
subordinate in three instances. Now, offices are
by no means so many up among the quarrymen,
nor anywhere else for that matter, that four for
one man seems to the patriot an equitable ar
rangement. The governor is not his own ap
pointee. When he was elected he held several
lucrative positions: He. is secretary of the state
board of agriculture, which pays an annual salary
of $1,500, besides dork hire and other necessary
expenses. He is also cattle commissioner of tho
state, his compensation being fixed by the gov
ernor and council vand paid from the state treas
ury, the total compensation and expense of the
board of two not to exceed $10,000 a year. He is
also commissioner of immigration, with an allow
ance not exceeding $2,000 annually, as audited
and allowed by the governor's council. Mr. Mee
han, editor of the Concord Patriot, has asked tho
courts to oust the governor from the secretary
ship of agriculture."
PROFESSOR GEORGE C. COMSTOCK, DIREU
tor of Washburn observatory, and professor
of astronomy in tne University of Wisconsin, has
created a sensation among scientists. The Madi
son, Wis., correspondent for the Chicago Chronicle
says that Professor Comstock declares that, ac
cording to exhaustive experiments made by bim
for a period of years, the ideas held by astron
omers about the telescopic range of vision and
photography are enormously exaggerated per
haps 2,000 times. Heretofore it has been held
that astronomers could see through their toie
. scopes stars the light from which took 2,000,000
years" to reach the earth. Professor Comstock de
clares that it is, in his opinion, impossible to see
a star with the best telescope in existence the
light of which star takes more than 1,000 years
to reach the earth. "Modern investigation," Pro
fessor Comstock said in an address before a gath
ering of scientists and students, "proves that the
statement of the astronomer who said a century
or so ago that with his telescope he could see
stars from which It took the light 2,000,000 years
to reach the earth was enormously exaggerated.
Modern astronomers claim to be able to see stars
from which the transmission, of light takes 20,0(10
to 30,000 years, but I believe that we cannot see
farther than the stars whose light is transmitted
in 1,000 years, nor do I believe we .will be able to
get beyond that distance."
r
THOMAS JEFFERSON'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN
the line of invention are referred to in an
interesting way by a writer in the St. Louis Post
Dispatch. According to this writer Mr. Jefferson
invented many articles of every-day use. He de
vised a three-legged folding camp stool that is
the basis of all camp stools of that kind today.
Tho stool ho had made for his own use was his
constant companion on occasions of outings. The
revolving chair was his invention. He designed
a light wagon. A copying press was devised by
him and came Into general use. He also invented
an instrument for measuring the distance he
walked. A plow and a hernp cultivator showed
that his thoughts were often on agricultural mat
ters. His plow received agpld medal in France
in 1790. Jefferson never benefited financially oy
his inventions, but believed they should be tor
tho use of every ono without cost.
