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MENACE TO SOCIETY.
John Alexander Dowie, King of Re
ligious Confidence Men.
Riilcn His Follower M'Kh Iron Ilnnd,
1'ookctM the LIoii'm Khtire of
Their Kttruliius and AIiunci
All the World.
Special Chlcaso Letter.
THE religious confidence game is
u money-maker par excellence.
From time immemorial there
have arisen so-called prophets and sons
of prophets. Every nation and every
sect have paid tribute or given follow
ers to one or more impostors who
posed as Clod-sent apostles and
preached recognition and social re
form by simply
"Stamping God's name upon a He just
made,
To turn a penny in the way of trade."
The religious confidence man is a
cosmopolitan sort of chap; and that
is why the United States, with its
mixed and somewhat nomadic popula
tion, has been his favorite field of
operation. And of the cities in the
United States, Chicago has been his
Mecca.
The oily Schweinfurth established
his headquarters in the modern Baby
lon at the foot of Lake Michigan, after
he had been driven out of Michigan,
where he began operations, and his
Bomcwhnt Jess notorious imitator,
Teed, likewise selected Chicago as his
headquarters. Both of these oleagin
ous individuals found hundreds of dis
ciples; especially Schweinfurth, who
proclaimed himself as the Messiah.
Hysterical women flocked to hear him,
JOHN ALEXANDER DOWIE,
and transferred everything they had in
the world to the "community" of which
he was the hend the whole thing, in
fact. He might have ended his days as
a very rich man had not his baser na
ture triumphed over his by no means
inferior intellectual and business at
tainments. But in nn hour, evil to
himself and beneficial to his dupes,
he established a community house near
Rockford, 111., which he called
"Heaven," but which, according to oth
ers, was nothing but a harem. The
people of Rockford forced him to leave
their town, nnd in the course of time
Schweinfurth disappeared altogether
from public view. It has been stated
that he has turned over a new leaf and
is leading an exemplary life. For the
truth of this rumor the writer cannot
vouch, although it comes from a fair
ly reliable source.
Before the Schweinfurth excitement
had subsided there appeared in Chi
cago another prophet, whose name has
since become familiar to the newspa
per readers the world over John Alex
ander Dowie. He came from Australia,
spoke with an oily tongue, called him
self a doctor of divinity nnd the found
er of a new faith cure system of heat
ing nil diseases. His assumed humil
ity secured immediate recognition.
Several churches opened their doors to
him, and his first proselytes were made
in houses of worship whose people he
hns since denounced as "children of
the devil." lie made some remarkable
"cures" and preached a series of pow
erful sermons. Within a short time the
pauper immigrant from the Antipodes
had accumulated enough capital to
buy a handsome pair of horses and n
carriage and to equip a large taber
nacle, printing house and sanitarium in
Woodlnwn, the world's fnir district of
Chicago. These outwnrd manifesta
tions of prosperity wcre'iollowed by
the founding of the Christian Catholic
Church of Zion, of which he made him
self "general overseer." His "hospital"
soon degenerated Into a public nui
sance; and the property owners of
"Woodlnwn, under the leadership of
George. Y. Riggs, instituted a series of
mmmm Willi
L- ki
legal proceedings which terminated In
a victory for Ikw and order, ns far as
the location of the sanitarium was con
cerned, but also resulted in advantage
to Howie, who posed ns a martyr be
fore his dupes, and Induced them to
buy a valuable piece of property at the
corner of Twelfth street and Michigan
boulevard, then known as the Imperial
hotel. He renamed it "Zion," refur
nished it throughout, and advertised It
far and wide as the headquarters of
the new religion. Subsequently ad
ditional real estate purchases were
made and new buildings erected, and a
year or so ago his people sanctioned
the purchase of a valuable tract of
land near Waukegan, 111., where a mod
ern city, to be known as Zion, is to be
built.
The Christian Catholic church claims
a membership of 10,000; and as each
communicant is supposed to contribute
a lion's share of his or her income to
the overseer in the form of tithes, it is
not surprising that Dowle can live in
the lap of luxury. The humble- exile
of ten years ago assumes nil the dig
nity of an Indian nabob and for a
stranger to approach him is about as
difficult as to secure an audience with
the pope. He still preaches, but evi
dently only for the purpose of abusing
those who do not agree with him.
Many of his remarks arc positively
libidinous, others would do credit to
a Hamburg fishwife. In word and ac
tion he is puffed up by nrrogance, and
although so far nothing has been said
against his personal life his actions
would indicate. that he is the slave of
some drug or else on the verge of in
sanity. Looking at the man from n purely
commercial point of view it cannot be
denied that as an organizer and finan
cier ho has few superiors. Starting
GENERAL OVERSEER OF ZION.
with nothing, he accumulated $1,000,
000 worth of property in less than a
decade, founded a bank conducted for
his personal benefit, and laid the foun
dation of what may become a pros
perous and important manufacturing
town. In spite of opposition from
press nnd pulpit he is holding together
thousands of men and women who
would prefer death to the loss of their
faith. That such devotion should turn
the head of any mnn is not unnatural;
nor is it surprising that Dowie consid
ers himself a second Elijah and the ob
ject of many of the prophecies of the
Old and New Testament. As the head
of the most perfect religious oligar
chy of our day he occupies a position
without parallel in the history of this
or any other country.
Much' of his success is due to hyp
notic power, which he possesses in a
remarkable degree. A vast percentage
of the so-called "cures" performed in
the early days of the movement were
due to this force, nnd to it he owes his
fame as a healer. His unprecedented
financial triumphs are the result of
nerve and the gift of selecting compe
tent assistants. It is said, that in em
ploying heads for the various depart
ments of Zion he hns not made a single
mistake, which, if true, stamps him as
a wise judge of human nnture. The
men intrusted with the management
of the vast machinery of the Zion or
ganization arc paid liberal salaries
more than they could earn elsewhere
and thus self-interest is made an
ally of religious prejudice.
Attempts to bring the Zion bank un
der state supervision have been foiled
by the clever managers of the institu
tion, as well as honest endeavors to
4
secure a statement jjf its resources and
deposits.
The numberless slaughter of inno
cents men, women and children, who
die by the score, nnd might have been
saved by rational medical treatment
has attracted considerable attention,
but thus far the law has not been able
to protect the victims of Zion fanati
cism, o
G. W. WEIPPIERT.
NAMING THE STREETS
A Task That Is Puzzling Washing
ton Qity Officials.
They Arc In Favor of Huplionlotin
Nomenclature, lint the "Old
Settlor" Protest AKiilnnt
Acnthctlc Innovation.
Special Washington Letter.
WE RECENTLY had a talk about
the development of Greater
Washington, according to plans
nnd purposes of the executive and
legislative branches of the federal gov
ernment; and this is supplementary to
that statement of current history.
The citizens who have opportunity
to visit the capital city of this repub
lic take occasion always to express
their pride in its beauty, but they do
not realize the fact that its grandeur
is due primarily to the genius of L'En
fnnt, the man whose brain conceived
and whose skilled fingers drafted the
plan upon which it has been bullded.
As a matter of fact, this city has
been a gradual growth, from decade to
decade, and but for the commands of
Washington, requiring that every de
velopment should be in accordance
with the original designs of L'Enfnnt,
this city would be ns zig-zag and un
symmetrienl as cow-paths could have
made It. But every city government
hns carefully adhered to the original
plans, so that out of domestic condi
tions symmetry has resulted. Within
the memory of the writer, far,m lands
have been invaded, subdivided and
builded upon, by street and avenue ex
tension of the plans made so many,
many years ago.
Now that the congress has author
ized a complete system of extension
of the highways, in accordance with
L'Enfant's plan, the gentlemen in
charge in the work, which will stand
for u century of city development, are
bothered by street and locality no
menclature. The people have hereto
fore paid little attention to this sub
ject, but it is very interesting.
In its beginning every town is more
or less crude and uncouth. Only as it
grows Into pretentious proportions
the civic pride of its people develops.
Early conditions and events have a
way of leaving their traces in names;
thi4 being apparently the principal
means of linking past with present
conditions and environments. His
tory shows us that many secrets are
unraveled in names of locations and
individuals.
There is no other way probably in
which people put themselves on rec
ord in a more spontaneous manner
than the names they give to things
about them. So it hnppens that the
residents of new towns sum up many
of the picturesque, unhappy, ludicrous
or grotesque incidents and conditions
of the early days by the names which
they give their cities, streets, build
ings and environs.
As n town grows older its early
names are replaced by new ones, fre
quently much more euphonious and
conventional, but iseldom as full of
meaning. Thus it seems that people
who have been content to have their
mail addressed Head Man's Gulch,
Snakeville, Cowtown or Windy Gap,
eventually begin to feel an aesthetic
longing in their souls which leads them
to have the names of their post of
fices changed to Bucna Vista, Lake
side, Glendower or Idlewild. This is
usually accomplished against the
STUDYING THE PLANS.
)
wishes of the "old-timers," who feel it
a sacrilege to dishonor local tradi
tions. But although the name of a town be
changed, and its streets reehristened,
the old traditions will be kept up in the
names of its alleys, and of particular
localities of doubtful desirability.
The reason for this is becan.se the
progress which sweeps the old things
away elsewhere doesn't penetrate
these places. Hence in every large
city, where the landmarks of its found
ing are nnnualh disappearing, many
of the old trnditions will be found
preserved In the names of it alleys
and less improved localities.
Washington is no exception in this,
nnd n htudy of the names of its alleys
must convince one that this is a mat
ter in which very little interest has
been taken by the citizens. In almost
every section of the city alleys arc to
be found with amusing and surprising
panics, behind many of which therr
Is doubtless n wealth of local history,
while in others nothing more than a
vagrant whim or a passing fancy is ex
pressed. It was not without meaning that a
certain section of Washington be
tween the capltol and the Potoinno
river came to be known, and is still
called "Bloodfield." The mune is less
deserved now than it once was, but In
the popular mind it will live on long
after the reason for it has lapsed;
just as few people could recon
cile themselves to speaking of the
stream that used to flow from the
north of Washington down past the
capltol by Its official name. That noble
stream, which was turned Into n sewer
some years ago, stood on the maps
since the city was laid out as the Tiber
river, but thoughtless people were al
ways letting the cat out of the bag, and J
revenung the plebeian origin of the
THEY FAVOR THE OLD NAMES.
sparkling waters by referring to it ns
"Goose creek."
Few people who know much about
Washington have failed to hear of
"Hell's bottom," although the condi
tions which gave rise to that unkind
designation pns'scd away years ago.
Without question, however, the im
mediate neighborhood where the
notorious Triangle saloon used to
stand will go down among the police
men of Washington as "Hell's bot
tom," nnd the stories that the name
recalls will serve to keep fresh a chap
ter in Washington history which might
otherwise be forgotten. There Is a
surprising tenacity about names.
Long after they have left the plate on
the front door, they lead a contented
and impersonal life on the alley door.
The oiliclals who are rejuvenating
Greater Washington in this matter of
street and avenue extension are both
ered with the names of the thorough
fares which are being extended. They
have concluded that "Blood alley"
should be called "Broad alley," and
that "Fighting alley," "Ambush al
ley" and "Savage alley" shall be named
after less disreputable historic events
of their localities, and they are to be
called streets instead of alleys.
It has been deeided thnt there shall
be no change made in the paved alleys,
which will continue to be known as
Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist,
Catholic and Grace alleys; because
their names are suggestive of good
things and good people. Moreover,
their denizens arc typical of the re
ligious beliefs indicated by their ap
pellations. There are two Pig alleys, three Hog
alleys and five Bacon alleys, which will
keep their names, just as Cow alley
will be allowed to hold its own. The
porcines and bovines whose peregrina
tions to the sledge and knife of the
butcher gave names to their highways
no longer reach the tables of epicures
in thnt way; but the names of the
pathways will be retained by these
wise officials who think that a growing
city should retain, for at least a time,
a part of its local traditions. Par
enthetically, it might be said, that it
is a pity Chicago might not retain
some of the names of itse'owpathsand
pigpaths, instead of the names of pres
idents which have been assumed dur
ing these later years, since
"The flro fiend threw back his red mantle,
From off Ills IjIjj blood-dappled vest,
And Jeered In the fuce of ChlcnBo,
The queen of the north and the west."
But this is not a talk about Chicago,
although a reference to that capital
city of the commercial center of our
republic is not out of place by way of
illustration of this street nomencla
ture theme concerning the capital
city of the republic in which all of us
are intently and intensely interested.
The officials charged with response
bility in this work for greater Wash
ington are bending over their desks
studying the plans and maps. They
have already decided upon certain
streets nnd avenues which shall bear
the names of presidents, cities and
momentous events. It is quite likely
that they will manifest sufficient
acumen and comprehension to take
care of these alleys also; albeit there
are scores of gray-haired and bald
headed old men who are making their
lives a burden by clamors in vehement
behalf of the retention of the names
of hitherto almost unheard-of obscure
paths which are open according to the
common law as "commons of way."
Greater Washington is following in
the footsteps of Greater New York and
Greater Chicago; but it is toddling
along with its difficulties and house
hold troubles, as herein slightly indi
cated. SMITH D. P'HY.
ywii nSL
COOLING DRINKS OF CUBA.
IHniiy of the Mont Popular Are Not
Alcoholic ami Contain the
I'urcNt Fruit .luleeii.
AmerleaiiH have long enjoyed the
distinction throughout the world ol
being the most skillful of nil com
pounders of liquid beverages, yet they
have been compelled to acknowledge
that they do not know all that is to
bo learned In that line. Tho dis
pensers of liquid refreshment In Culm
have been nblo to teach them a lesson
or two, says the Chicago Chronicle.
Our soldiers In Cuba were not lonj
In testifying their appreciation of the
cooling beverages peculiar to tho In
land. The Cubans are temperate.
Many of their most popular drinks
nro nonalcoholic. In time many of
them will probably become common.
The native Island rum and brandy are
practically the only intoxicating bever
nges used. Light wines arc drunk, but
only with meuls. The popular drinks,
however, arc the "refrccos," which urc
long, soft and cooling. The most pop
ular is tho "nnranjnda," composed of
slices of orange, u little lime, seltzer,
ice and sugar.
A popular variation consists of n
stew of cold fruits, containing sliced
pine, mango, orange, lime, penr, seltz
er, ice nnd sugar. Accustomed to
drinks of this nature the Cubans ob
serve the whisky drinking of the
Americans with disgust.
In the interior of the Island the pop
ular drink Is tho "ccbada," made of
sweetened barley water slightly fer
mented. "Agraz," another drink con
sumed in lnrgu quantities, is made of
the. Juice of unripe grapes, sweetened
with honey and diluted with seltzer.
Drinhs slightly fermented are used In
a great variety of fiavors. "Goripen'n,"
which goes in this class, is n pungent
fermented mixture of pinenpplo rind
sweetened with honey. "Yaciunnyn"
is a strong, heavy eider used in com
paratively small quantities.
No list of Cuban drinks would be
eomplclc without tho mention of the
"pantile." This drink was one of the
first adopted by tho American soldiers.
It consists of the whites of eggs
beaten with sugar, dried and served in
little cakes or rolls. Every bakery
shop in Cuba displays a pile of these
frothy little cakes. A glass of "paniae"
is made by putting one or more of
these cakes in a glass of milk.
Tho best of the regular alcoholic
drinks made in Cuba is "Bocardl"runu
It Is a thin, pale, amber-colored Uquor
and is claimed to bo particularly
adapted to warm climates. It is drunk
with seltzer nnd is said to leave no
unpleasant after effects in the hottest,
weather.
WHERE CAPT. COOK DIED.
IlltOrCKtlllKT ncNciiiitlon of IClKMVIlIOft
Taken from "Ulnry In the
I'ltulllc."
And later we have come to a great
bank of black rock running out to
sea, and precipices of black, spotted
with a green all of one color, which is
where Cook was killed and where thcyi
have put up a little monument to him.
Tills is Knawaloa. We try the land,
for the roll of the ship is dlsagrri able
as it waits and we run in over tho
transparent water. It is too deep just
by the landing for anchorage. The sea
jumps from light aquamarine to tho
color of a peacock's breast in tho
shadow. We go up the black lava that
looks as if it had been run out on tho
road, not under it, and sit In the shade
a moment, and exchange a few words
witli our fellow passengers now on
land a little flock of tired children
and mother and our "chiefess." And
it is hot the heights have shut oil' the
wind and all is baking. Horses and
donkeys, saddled, stand about near tho
shadow of fences, left to themselves,
while the cargo is landed. Higher up
on the heights, some planters tell us,
it is cool. They wear enormous hats
and have a planterlike appearance
that suggests our being different.
As 1 look around on this green nnd
black, and the few cocoanuts, and tho
dark blue-green olive water, I think
Unit it is not an unlikely place for
a mnn to have been killed in, writes
John La Fargc in Scribner's. The
place has, for Hawaiians, another in
terest it was once a great place, and
the high dill's have many holes where
chiefs were buried, inaccessible ami
hidden. And a little wny beyond was
n city of refuge that is to say, a sa
cred city where none who took ref
uge would be injured. Even though
the enemy came rushing up to the
last outlying landmark, the moment
that it had been passed, the pursued
was safe, and, after having sojourned
according to due rite, could depart in
pence and safety.
What hho Thought Upon.
Jack l culled on Miss Loveigh last
night und found her absorbed vith
thoughts of you.
Chollie Delighted to henh it, deah
boy! Hid she tell you so?
"Well, she said she was thinking of
nothing in particular." Harlem Life.
A Xew Feellntr,
Clara It seems so strange to be in.
love.
Maud Why, haven't you ever ex
perienced HiaUfeeling?
"Oil, yes, but not for several weeks.'
Detroit Free Press,
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