m
The Commoner,
DECEMBER 18. 1908
9
esting man he had ever,ialked with. Mr. Myers
told the attorney that before he left New York
he. was stone broke, and rode on the circles of
the underground railways all night, as 3ie had
no money to pay for a bed. In Pittsburg today
two brothers named Fitzpatrick wero arrested
on suspicion of being accomplices of Mr. Myers
in the latter's alleged frauds."
THE SOUTHERN Society of New York held
its annual dinner recently. Addresses
were delivered by Martin W. Littleton and
Woodrow Wilson, president of Princeton. New
York dispatches say that these gentlemen plead
ed for "a national organization to rehabilitate
the democratic party." An Associated PreBS
dispatch says: "Mr. Littleton's plea, definite
in suggestion and expressed with intense earn
estness, was frequently interrupted by cheer
ing, while President Wilson's thoughtful words
were listened to with closest attention. Mr.
Littleton in his speech answered the current
speculation as to the probable future of the
democratic party by declaring that its future,
if it was to be one worth while, could be that
only through the speedy adoption of some defi
nite policy for which the party should persist
ently and consistently stand. 'You ask how shall
we do this? This Southern Society stands for
that section of the country whose democracy
has never failed. I am sure all southern men
are tired of being made to stand against things
which are inevitable and for things which are
impossible, and would like to be able to fur
nish a good reason for their democracy. Why
can not this society select an advisory commit
tee from among its democratic members, whose
business it will be to ask some good, hard-headed
democrat from each state to confer, to the
end that an organization shall be perfected in
each state whose business it will be to put ques
tions and get answers from the government?
Where do you get the money to run your gov
ernment? Is your taxation just and equal?
How do you spend it? To the end that at Wash
ington we shall 'keep and maintain a perfectly
organized, well-equipped and couragepus bureau
which shall put the same, questions and secure
the answers to them there If We do this we
will become, first, a live opposition party armed
with the kridwledge of 'facts and practice upon
questions which are almost vital, and, second,
we will deserve the .support of the thinking peo
ple of the country, and we will get it.' Presi
dent Wilson in his speech called for a return
to true conservatism, which he said consisted
'in re-examining old principles and seeking such
reformulation of them as would adapt them to
the circumstances of a new time. The true
way to 'keep our principles is to keep our heads;
is not to' be confused by new circumstances.' "
REAR ADMIRAL Joseph B. Coghlan, who
died recently, entered the service as en
sign in 1863. Referring to Admiral Coghlan
a writer in the New York World says: "He
participated in the battle of Manila bay, but
nothing in his naval service gave him a fraction
of the fame he earned when he recited 'Me und
Gott' at a Union League club banquet in 1899.
It was an international' episode which threat
ened to become serious, but after a half apology
to Germany, couched in highly diplomatic lan
guage, by the late John Hay, then secretary of
state, the incident was laughed out of serious
consideration. The slip did not break the rear
admiral as was expected, but it fastened on
him the reputation of a humorist and the sobri
quet of 'Hoch der kaiser' Coghlan for the rest
of his life."
DELAVAN SMITH, owner of the Indianapolis
News, who was assailed by President
Roosevelt, is a republican and a first cousin of
Vice President Fairbanks. The New York
World says: "In September, 1904, he was
championing the candidacy of Mr. Roosevelt for
president, and went to Sagamore Hill to assure
the president that he would carry Indiana, in
November, 1907, when a committee from the
American Newspaper Publishers' Association
called at the White House to urge the abolition
of the tariff on print paper and wood pulp, Smith
was one of the delegates welcomed by the presi
dent, who promised to recommend such action
to congress. But as early as June, 1900, In
dianapolis News editorials had begun to ranKie
in the bosoms of various public men Wash
ington. Secretaries Taft and Shaw, Senator
Foraker and Speaker Cannon, al aspians ;
the presidency, were pilloried. Vice President
Fairbanks was' appealed to, and Promised to ?
his influence with his cousin, but not only were
the attacks continued, but President Roosevolt
was included. Long before the Chicago con
vention Editor Smith was hammering at tho
use. of federal patronage that oven then it was
apparent would procure the nomination for Taft.
Delavan Smith is widely known in the business
world throughout tho country. Besides his news
paper, he is interested in typewriter manufac
turing, street railways, advertising and news
paper machinery. He is a member of tho Amer
ican Historical Association and the Chicago
Historical Society. Ills New York club is the
City. He is a bachelor, living in Indianapolis."
SPEAKING OF the new democratic leader in
the house a writer in tho New York World
says: "Everything about Champ Clark, tho
new minority leader of the house, Is big. Ho
is big in avoirdupois, big of heart, big of voice
and he has a big and abiding faith in the demo
cratic party. Outside of the democratic party
he loves Missouri best. A few years ago he
was on the lecture platform in Kansas when
he became ill and was told he had only an even
chance to live. 'What more does a man want?'
he demanded. 'Just put me in a car and start
me back to Missouri. Going back homo is
enough to make any man well.' Before the
train reached Kansas City he was on tho road
to recovery. The biggest thing about Clark is
his voice. Ills oratory is the noisiest in con
gress. As a hired hand on a farm he learned
how to yell for the cattle. He practices, this
art on the republicans now. As a lawyer he is
at home as a cross-examiner. He can brow
beat and bulldoze a witness to the point where
the witness will tell the truth if it kills him.
Mr. Clark was chairman of the democratic na
tional convention in 1904 and chairman of the
committee which notified Alton B. Parker of
his nomination for tho presidency. He once
held the distinction of being the youngest col
lege president in Ameridk. Thti new minority
leader is fifty-eight years old and was born in
Kentucky. He is a tall, handsome man with
square shoulders and a big, deep chest. He
takes up three or four aisles and most of the
spade in the well of the house when he makes
a speech. When he is through ho is blowing
like a porpoise and mopping his bald head with
a red-bordered handkerchief."
CONCERNING the guaranteed deposits plan
a writer in the New York Evening Post
says: "Whatever may be the fault of the bank
guaranty system, it seems to inspire confidence
enough among the misers to bring out some of
their hidden wealth. A stockholder in a new
state bank just organized in eastern Oklahoma
tells of its experience. 'At the end 'of the first
day I estimated that the deposits would be
$10,000. A friend guessed $20,000. We in
vestigated and found they were $80,000. I
asked the cashier whence it all came.' 'About
$25,000 came from the other three banks, two
of them nationals, he replied, 'and we received
$18,000 from Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas,
sent here probably, because of the guaranty
law. Then for the rest, look at this.' He showed
a package of worn bills, all brought in by a
farmer well outside the town. 'I know that
none of tills was ever in a bank since he gath
ered it little by little there is $14,000 in that
bunch.' Up In central Kansas last week a man
sold a farm and went early one morning to
deliver the deed. The farmer who was the
buyer excused himself and went out to the barn;
he was watched and was seen to pick a tin can
from a corner of a hog lot and take from it
$1 500 in bills. Land agents say the experience
of 'receiving packages of musty bills, evidently
buried for a time, is not unusual, indicat ing
that large sums are probably thus concealed
among the farming communities."
THE ANNUAL report of Lawrence O. Murray,
comptroller of the currency, shows that
there were in operation on July 15 1908 6,824
national banking associations, with capital of
$019 100.850, individual deposits of $4,374,5ol,
208 ' On or about June 30, 1908, there were in
oneration 14,522 state, savings and private banks
-md loan and trust companies, reporting aggre
gate capital and deposits of $838,058,353 and
$8 409,959,961, respectively, and non-reporting
banks to the number of 3,654, with capital and
pnosits estimated at $76,646,000 and $485,
988 831 respectively; or a total of 25,000 banks
III hanking institutions, witli capital of $1,
?? 805 203 and deposits of $13,270,500,000.
The tanking power of the United States in 1908,
represented by capital, surplus and other
profits, deposits, and circulation of national "and
other reporting banks, together with estimated
amount. of funds of this character in 'tho non
reporting banks, Is shown to be $17,042,705,
274, an nmount exceeding tho world's banking
power in 1890. From the latest and most re
liable data obtainable the banklilg powor of for
eign countries Ik estimated at $28.107;600,000.
The worlds banking power In 1890, according
to Mulhall, was $15,985,000,000, tho United
States being credited with $5,150,000,000 of
this amount. Qincq that year the banking power
of tho United States halt Increased to tho extent
of $12,192,700,000, or over 2 12 per cent; that
of foreign countries $17,272,600,000, or 159 por
cent; and the combined banking power $29,
765,300,000, or 186 per qont. Tho nggrogato
banking power of tho world Is x'fltlmatod at
$45,750,300,000 Of tho thlrty-thrco banks for
which receivers wero appointed during tho year
ondod October 31, 1908, nine banks, with aggre
gate capital of $1,290,000, were restored to sol
vency and authorized to resume business, while
recel vers proceeded to liquidate tho assots of
twenty-four banks found to bo irretrievably In
solvent. Tho nominal value of assets taken
charge of by tho receivers of thoso twonty-four
banks was $31,415,511, tho liabilities, so far as
reported, being $19,342,610, Dividends to tho
amount of $7,994,066 have been paid to crodl
torB of the banks which failed during tho yoar,
and tho affairs of one such bank having been
finally settled the receivership was terminated.
Noting the cause of failure of banks placed in
charge of receivers during tho yoar, It appears
that seven banks wero wrecked by tho cashier,
one by defalcation of officers, and throo chipfly
through fraudulent management, among" other
causes. Of tho remainder, fouv failed from ex
cessive loaiiB to others and depreciation of se
curities, etc.; throo by reason of Injudicious
banking; two from excessivo loans to directors
and others, and two from depreciation of securi
ties; one from failure of large debtors, and ono
from general stringency In tho money market."
O
A WRITER In the Now York World says:
"Robert Burns did not writo 'Auld Lang
Syne,' and v what's more ho never claimed that
he had written it. In a letter to a frlond ho
says that ho first heard an old man singing tho
song and reproduced it, because ho thought it
was too good to be lost to tho world. The dis
covery was made by Prof. Simkovitch, who has
charge of tho Morgan collection of original man
uscript; now on exhibition at Columbia Univer
sity, and who a few daysngo startled the world
by announcing that wlso old Sir Isaac Newton
was wont to amuse himself by making tho birds
drunk and then watching them try -to find (heir
way home. 'Auld Lang Sync' is known and
sung wherever the English language is spoken.
From time to time a few advanced students of
English literature have expressed their doubts
as to whether Burns really did pen this famous
gem, but it was generally conceded that he was
the author, and in every edition of his poems
'Auld Lang Sylie' Is printed as his work. The
letter referred to was written by Burns to
George Thompson. In it he says: 'One more
song and I have done 'Auld Lang Sync' Tho
air is but mediocre; but the following song,, tho
old song of the olden times and which has never
been in print, nor even in manuscript, until I
took it down from an old man's singing, is
enough to recommend any air.' Then follows
'Auld Lang Syne,' just as it is sung today. A.n
unpublished poem by Abraham Lincoln attracted
almost as much attention as tho Burns letter.
While it is known that Lincoln sometimes 'dal
lied with the muses,' this piece of poetry was
very interesting because it had never been pub
lished and also because J. P. Morgan had given
strict orders that no one be allowed to copy It.
But even Mr. Morgan can not prevent pooplo
from memorizing it, so long as he leaves it on
exhibition, and the following are throe of tho
seven verses, memorized by a reporter for tho
World :
BEAR HUNT
A wild bear chase, didst never see?
Then thou hast lived In vain.
Thy richest bump of glorious glee
Lies desert in thy brain.
When first my father settled here,
'Twas thdn the frontier line;
The panther's scream filled night with fear
And bears preyed on the swine.
But woo for Bruin's short-lived fun
When rose the squealing cry;
Now man and horse, with dog and gun,
For vengeance at him fly.
H
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"