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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (July 17, 1913)
. How One Woman Feels About The Question of Polygamy — Viola Gillette Relates Incidents of Mormonism In Her Fam ily—Says It Aims at Extinction of Selfishness Which Is Impossible. _ Marguerite Mooers Marshall In the New York Evening World. •‘As a woman I feel that polygamy la Intolerably unfair and unjust to my •ex and ever since I've been able to think for myself I’ve known that I. for one, could never stand for it. But feminine prejudice aside, the system is absolutely impracticable because it as sumes at; a starting point the complete extinction of all human selfishness and human cruelty.” That’s a Mormon woman's honest analysis of plural marriage. She is Miss Viola Gillette, who plays the title role in “Iolanthe." She was born and brought up in the shadow of the great temple in Salt Lake City. Her grund fathers were personal followers of Brig ham Young, and one of them, Orson Pratt, was the first man to enter Salt Iztke valley. An uncle, Ben Rich, is in charge of the Mormon missionary headquarters In this city. Although Miss Gillette Is a member of the Mormon church, and the most cordial relations exist between her and her people, she discusses their early theory of doVnestielty with remarkable detachment and a keen sense of humor. She opened tho conversation by humming that bit of "Pinafore,” about. His slsti^s and his cousins and his aunts, Arid hisllstera and his cousins, whom he reckons up by dozens. And his aunts! Has Ninety-Three Aunts end Uncles. "More truth than poetry in that for me!” she laughted. "You see, on one side of the family I have 52 aunts and uncles. And on the other side I have 41 uncles and aunts. And as for cousins, I never had time enough to count ‘em> "I had an invitation a few months ago to attend a reunion of my mother's family, the Riches. There were only 16,000 thousand! We couldn't find a building to hold us and hud to meet on the shores or tho Great Bear lake in Idaho. And these were Just the rela tives on my mother’s side. When I play in Salt Rake City I gave two spe cial matinees for my relatives and even then they can’t all hear me.” "Good gracious!” I gasped. It was not a particularly brilliant remark, but what can you expect from a person wiio has only one uncle, one aunt and one coiiHtn to her name. There's room for my close relatives in one small birch bark canoe. “You see both my grandfathers were polygami3ts," Miss Gillette continued, Imperturbably. "They believed in a large family circle.” “I wonder how your grandmothers felt about it?” I mused. Wife Did the Proposing. "I asked one of them," replied Miss Gillette, “One day, when my grandmother and I were quite alone, I said; ‘Now, dear, tell me truly just exactly how you felt when my grandfather told you that he wanted to take other wives.' My grand mother was a first wife. She looked me squarely in the eye and answered: ‘I was so convinced that it was absolutely right for my husband to marry several times that I myself did the proposing for him In the case of other wives, and made all tho domestic arrangements.' “I looked at my grandmother,” ended the granddaughter, "and said, ‘Is it possible that you and I are of the same flesh?' "That was one side of It. On the other hand, I know my mother would have been absolutely wretched if my father had 'aken another wife, though plural marriages were still performed In their youth. Father never could stay out late without mother’s putting him through a regular catechism when he returned. I remember hearing him tell her he knew with her temperament it would bo most unwiBe for him to con tract other domestic obligations and he had no Intention of such a thing, so she needn’t worry. I "Ono of my uncles was very much In love with his wife and didn’t want any tiody else. But she was so religious she insisted on his raising two families to the glory of God. He refused until she proposed to a young woman in his be half and actually built and furnished a house for No. 2. Then he yielded. But about 2 o’clock in the morning after the wedding hb heard a great thump ing on the door of his new house, and when he answered there was my aunt, ng, ‘John! John! Come home! I tl;..ught I could stand It, but I can’t!’ “A man was supposed always to con sult his first wife In choosing the others, and. If she seriously objected, to refrain from other unions. Of course, there were those who didn't live up to this Ideal.” Girls Have Right to Refuse. *U3ut how about the girls?” I asked. "Were they allowed to refuse to be come second or third or fourth wives, if they were unwilling?” "Certainly, I knew of a Mormon elder who wont to a young girl and said that in a dream he had seen himself united to her, and he hoped she would recognize the omen. She said, 'Now, elder, please go home, and If I dream about you, which, I haven't done yet, I'll accept your offer.’ “I am absolutely certain that In ac cordance with the law of the land, no plural marriages are being contracted among the Mormons now, although you could hardly expect the older men to desert women who had been faithful to them for years, and whom they had al ways regarded as their wives. "When I was a little girl I was a firm believer In polygamy,” concluded Miss Gillette, laughing. “The children in Mormon famllTes are nearly always well treated and happy. In the old days they visited back and forth among all the wives of their father, calling th<$m 'aunts.’ But I think there were always unhappy women, although pride In duced them to conceal their feeling, and I am glad the practice is given up." CREDITORS DIG UP FUND TO HUNT MAN WHO STOLE MILLION Victims of George Wagner, Missing Clubman, Start World Wide Search. LONG PRACTICED DECEIT Many Women Say Thay Ware Laft Ponnilas By tha Speculations of So-Called “Model Lawyer.” Philadelphia—George M. Wagner, at torney and member of the Union Lehgue club and other high class organ Ixatlons, lost *1.000,000 In speculation, according to Joseph Carson, receiver in charge of the fugitive’s affairs. None escaped ills rapacity; relatives and friends suffered the same as atrangers, but the big losers are wom en, widows of men who were wealthy or in moderate circumstances, accord ing to Receiver Carson. And the money Just passed through the hands of Wagner, according ot the meagre ac count he left, and was Immediately thrown into the maw of stock specula tion in which lie became interested 21 years ago. Mr. Carson sorrowfully Informed the creditors that he had searched safety deposit boxes and the onlv thing he could find was worthless paper. An inventory shows that Wagner robbed the estate of Esther W. Schmueker, an aunt, of *16,665 in per sonal property and *11,150 in real estate. Tills became known when the aged aunt bravely made the announcement that anything she possessed was at the disposal of her nephew to assist him in straightening out ills difficul ties. Two warrants for Wagner have been Issued, one charging him with looting an estate of *5,000 and the other with looting an estate of *25,000. A hundred other warrants might be Issued, but the creditors who have de cided to subscribe to a fund to have a world-wide hunt for the attorney think two warrants are enough. In the list of creditors names of widows predominate. Eight estutes, under his charge show a loss of *560, 000. and in almost every case the bene xiclartes of the estate are left home less. One report places Wagner In Eu rope. another In a sanatorium. Mrs. Henrietta Wertz. SO, who loses about $83.WO through his peculations, lived with her two daughters on the Interest of the money supposed to be safe with Wagner. "After ray husband died." she said, "and It seemed as If an angel had been sent me In my affliction." A11 the other women seem to have 1 felt the same way about Wagner. He was 66. suave, kindly and always In terested. He never drunk, gambled with cards, or pmoked But the record he left behind shows he was a stock gambler of the heav iest kind, and had been from the age of 32. when he took his first flyer Into the market. He robbed Peter to pay Paul—took from one estate to keep up payments on another. His book* show he saw his doom ap proaching. He kept up his speculation until the last In the Inst few years, when he saw the financial flood getting deeper and deeper, he told the persons of whose estates he had charge that investments were bad. that the Interest rates were being cut In half and In stead of paying the Income he should have had paid he) only paid half of the amount. And still the womon he was swind ling believed him. Shadows. From the Woman's World. It Is the shadows that make the beauty of life. They make the richness of life. If you could be always perfectly happy you would miss the sweetest secret of existence, for that secret is hidden In sorrow. It Is the shadows that make us human. It is well to bo happy. It Is better t*o be human. "The shadows!” exclaims Augustus Rodin, as he gazes upon the Venus do Milo in the Louvre. “The divtne play of shadows on antique marbles! One might say that shadows love master pieces. They hang upon them, they make, for them adornment. I find only among the Gothics and with Rem brandt such orchestras of shadows. They surround beauty with mystery; they pour peace over .us.” Suffering alonw can lead souls Into the high majesty of living. 7 No man could have amassed enough treasures of feeling and of divine humanity to becomo master of the world, except "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Postpone tho Harmony. From the Kansas City Star. The debate between Henry J. Allen and Charles F. Scott at Yates Center yester day was the first of the series to be held In Kansas during the summer. The report of the debate In the Star of this morning Bhows that the fear of the republican leaders as to Its effect upon Kansas was not altogether groundless. With Mr. Scott contending that there Is no place In the grand old party for the progressives, and Mr. Allen presenting the reason why no progressive should be classed as a republican, the debates are certain to Increase the discomfort of the old party leaders during the hot summer iTloilths. But the debates themselves will be a real source of pleasure to the people of Kansas. Two of Its very ablest young men are contending for their political principles In these debates, and the big crowd that heard them yesterday Is evi dence of the fact that they will be the topic of chief Interest In Kansas this summer. The standpatters who are wasting time "cooing a love song" to the progressives, ns Mr. Scott put It yesterday, had as well postpone their harmony movement until tho big political show has closed— and then It may be too late. Japanese and the Philippines. In a recent issue of Harper's Weekly appears an Interesting article by Vic tor Rousseau, in which this author takes the view that Japan must soon acquire the Philippines or sturve. He goes on to show that the Philippines aro in the direct path of Japan’s south ern expansion, and that they are the only territory in which Japan can ade quately settle its surplus people. These islands have an area slightly larger than Japan, and a population of fewer than 8,000.000. This article concludes with the following paragraph: “A Phil ippine republic is an unrealizable as piration, nor could it survive; nor could we carry out our guarantee of protec tion. To set up one would be\to invite reoccupation within a term of years. But to approach Japan, offering her the protectorate over the islands, would convert an Inevitable enemy into a friend and ally whoso assistance would be of Incalculable value in the devel opment of our Chinese trade, the rec ognition of our title to the Hawaiian Islands, and our security upon our western shores." Mrs. Twicksmbury. From the Christian Register, i “Mr. Green’s youngest son,” said Mrs. i Twlckembury, "hasn’t done aetroke of i work for six months. Just living on hi* i father! I'm afraid he going to t« noth 1 ing but a parrlcida." m-MINISTER y POLICE By HENRY MONTJOY Cap* right, 1912. The Bobba-McrriO Company. Synopsis. •‘THE MINISTER OF POLICE,” by Henry Mountjoy, is a romance of Paris during the Louis XV reign, a period when Europe was In a condition of foment and unrest; when Voltaire was breaking to pieces the shackles of religion; when Rousseau at the Cafe de Regenanoe was preaching the right to think; and when a* thousand men, some In the gutter, some near the throne, were preparing the great explosion of the revolution. Madame Linden, an Austrian lady, fcfter completing a simple mission to the French country, lingers on in Paris, en joying the gay life there. De Sartines, the minister of police, thinks she has some pther motive than pleasure in delaying her departure and surrounds her with spies to discover, if possible, whether she |s dabbling in state plots. De Lussac is a noble of exceptional fcharacter of that period. Handsome, with fell the elegance of a man of the court, there is stilt about him something that stamps him as a man apart, something of the visionary, the enthusiast and the poet, fare in that age of animal lust, chilling wit and embroidered brutality. He is, In fact, steeped* in the philosophy of Rous feau and is trying to put this philosophy ;nto practice through his connection with il secret society that is plotting the down fall of the state Before he has gone far enough to incriminate himself hd* falls In love with the beautiful Austrian, who per suades him his method of righting the wrongs of humanity is Impracticable, and fends by promising to go to Vienna with her to live. As he leaves her house a fellow con spirator, his chief, joins him, says several of their members are arrested, and en trusts the secret,articles of the association to him. He then explains to De Lussac that their only hope is to Intimidate the minister of police. This can be accom plished only by obtaining an incriininat (ng contract signed by the minister of po ice and in the possession and safe kcep ng of De Richelieu, De Lussac’s cousin. With thls contract in their possession they •an dictate terms to the minister of po lice, obtain the release of the members already imprisoned and be safe them lelves. De Lussac goes home, buries the papers he has just received, writes Madame Lin den that he is attempting one last missldh for the society, and also writes an asso ciate telling him where the papers may be found in case of his death. Then he en ters Richelieu’s home and almost succeeds In getting the document, but is surprised and leaves it in a drawer which he has unlocked. Before he can make another attempt he is arrested and taken to the Bastile but not before he has told Madame Linden how nearly he succeeded in get ;lng the document. She, realizing how Sesperato her lover’s position is, visits Richelieu’s home and succeeds where her lover has failed. CHAPTER IV (Continued). A knock came to the door and tho same Bervant who had brought the let ter from the king entered. "Monsieur," said the lackey, ‘‘a lady to see you.” “A lady at this hour? What is her name?” “Madame la Earonne Linden, mon sieur.” "Mordleu!” said the marechal. “’Tis late for a visit of this sort. “Show her In. Raffe began to move toward the door. “You are going?” “Yes, monsieur, but I leave a piece of advice behind me. This is a woman to beware of.” Eveh as he spoke tho door reopened, and Madame Linden was shown in. As she entered Raffe made his escape. De Richelieu, who had risen, bowed to the baroness. “This Is an unexpected pleasure, madame.” "Not to me, monsieur,” replied the baroness, taking the chair indicated by him, "since I have come from Paris with the express purpose of seeing you.” “I feel honored,” replied the couHly old marechal; “deeply honored, charmed. And -to what motive may I attribute so long a Journey at such an hour?—for Paris is five leagues from my gates, madame.” The baroness laughted in almost an hysterical manner. "Five! Why, monsieur, it seemed to mo 50, alone, shut up in the darkness of my carriage, with no companion oth er than my own thoughts and the fear of bandits.” “Yes, yes; but the motive, dear lady, that forced you to confront these fears?” The motive, monsieur, was to make a confession and to ask a favor.” “And the confession? I will take that first,” laughed monsieur le marechal sitting down In an easy chair close to her and producing his snuff box. “Monsieur, I am in love.” Be Richelieu opened the lid of his snuff box, laughing slightly as if a lit tle Joke had escaped from it. “Then, madame,” said he, "there .is at least one man living who can say with truth, ‘I am the happiest man in France! ’ ” "Alas, monsieur, no; far from being happy, he is the most miserable.” She watched his hands playing with tho snuff box; hands still beautiful de spite .wars and years, and white, al most, as the ruffles of Mechlin lace that half hid them. “The most miserable!” “Alas, yes, monsieur.” “And his name,. this extraordinary person?" The Comte Armand de Dussac, mon sieur. your kinsman.” She had no hope at all of Immediate help from Do Richelieu, yet, as she ■poke tho words, anxiety almost to suf focation seized her, for she knew that by the manner of the marechal when he heard De Lussae's name she wbuld know whether he had opened the drawer and discovered that it had been tampered will}. De Richelieu, however, showed no sign at all of anger at the name, and she knew by his manner that all was still right. She could have laughed alound, so great was her relief. Hope, the water of t’’o strong and the wine of the week, sent the blood coursing more rapidly through her veins, heightening tho color of her cheek and the brightness of her eyes and lending the last touch of perfection to her beauty. "Well, mudame.” said the old warrler warming to her charms, "what will you have? You love a philosopher, that Is to say, a creature who Is miserable when other men are happy, and happyi when other men are miserable: who lives in a tub like Monsieur Diogenes when other men live In houses." “Monsieur.” replied she, "Monsieur de Lussae today, at the order of Monsieur de Sar-tines, has been seized and Im prisoned In the fortress of the bastile." De Richelieu started and almost dropped the snuff box with which he was still toying. "Armand Imprisoned In the bastile! Why. he is still my guest! We had dejeuner together today; It U true, he went to Parts this afternoon, but I ex pected him to return tonight." "Monsieur, what I have said Is true, for I had It from the lips of Monsieur de Kartlnea hlrrself.” The marechal took another pinch of snuff. The news did not altogether dis please him nor did It altogether aston ish him. The king had given him very uirect hints as to the political health of his kinsman; there was no disgrace In Imprisonment under a lettre de cachet, and he felt that a course of severe treatment was Just the medicine required to bring his cousin from philosophy to reason. Profoundly sel fish, he had no pity at all for the per sonal feelings of the captive on the matter. "Well, madams," said he, “now that I have heard your confession, I can guess your request. You wish me to intercede for this unfortunate philoso pher. Well, you may rest assured that I will place the whole matter before the king. It will take a few days, no doubt. I do not know. De Sartines’ rea son for this act. Armand, I believe, has been mixing himself up with those confounded philosophers, but he is a gentleman, and I am sure has done nothing of a nature that will preclude mo from pressing his claims before the king.” The baroness tried to imagine the marechal's face had he known that here, but a few hours ago, De Dussac had tried to rob him of a document in volving the honor of the king. She knew that all hope of help from De Richelieu was vain; days must elapse in the most favorable circumstances before the young man could be-freed, and during those days the marechal would most certainly discover that some one had been to his drawer, found the secret pane!, and attempt to abstract the document. His keen mind would at once know who the culplt was, and De Dussnc’s fate would be impri sonment for life. De Richelieu, for his own sake, would be compelled to act in the matter in such a way that there would be no chance of the scandal against the king ever escaping. The baroness had used her appeal for De kussac only as the opening gambit *n *J>e desperate and dangerous game for his life which was now beginning". “Thank you, monsieur," said she. "I knew that in appealing to you I shbuld not be wrong.” Then, seeming to dis miss De Dussac from her mind "but monsieur, I had another motive for my Journey tonight—” she paused. “Yes, madame?” ‘‘Monsieur, I will be frank with you That motive was—myself.” ”A more charming motive, but on.; which I can not, yet fully under stand—" “I had more truly said self—and more truly, selfish. Surely, monsieur, that is a motive that any politician can understand? You see I am frank.” "I hear you say so, madame, and you alarm me.” “In what way?” “Why, madame,” daughted De Riche lieu. “you are the first women I have ever heard admitting the fact of her selfishness. It does not seem natural.” “And it seems to me,” replied the baroness with a little grimace, “that I am the first human being to whom Monsieur le Marechal Due de Richelieu has admitted the fact that he is capa ble of being frightened.” She rose to her feet. "Monsieur, I will go, for at this rate we shall soon have no secrets to hide from one another. You are dangerous to me. I am dangerous to you.” She moved toward the door. “Stay, madame,” cried De Richelieu, perplexed and fascinated, feeling that there -was something more personal to him in the visit of the charming crea ture than an attempt to enlist him in the cause of De Lussac. “One moment." He had risen with her. "For what?” asked she, pausing. “For what? Petite mysterleusel For what did you corns these five leagues? Why did you face the darkhess, the fear of bandits?" "Ma foi,” replied she, her hand upon the door handle. ‘‘It seems to me I came to confess that I was selfish, to make you confess that you were cap able of fear, and all in the first few minutes of our interview. Heavens! Monsieur, as I said a few mofnents.ago, if our interview \«sre to last an hour, at this rate, we should have nothing to hide one from the other.” “You perplex me," said the marechal, now completely fascinated but not knowing how to take her. She laughed. “There you are again, monsieur! More admissions of weak ness. Monsieur de Richelieu, who reads women as other men read books, Monsieur de Richelieu, the most, astute man in France, perplexed by an adven turess!" "Adventuress!” "There, again!” cried the baroness, opening the door as if to escape. “An-, other confession! Oh, monsieur, let me go, for if we remain longer to gether this interview will be destruc tive to both our self-respects.” De Richelieu took her firmly by the hand, closed the door and led her back to her chair. "Rxtraordtnary and charming wom an,” said the old warrior as she let herself be led like a child. ‘‘You are not now talking to Monsieur de Rich elieu, but to the marechal pf France, who Is at your commands, and who commands you.” "I obey the conqueror of Mahon.” i “Then madame, as a good soldier, I command you to speak. Why did you come to me tonight?" "Monsieur, I have forgotten.” “Forgotten!” “I ought to say. I do not choose to remember. I would rather forget. Monsieur, X have changed my mind. When I came to you tonight I came on account of poor Monsieur de Lus sac, but I admit I had the thought of asking for a favor for myeslf at the all but royal hands of Monsieur le Due de Richelieu. Well, monsieur, when it comes to the point, my cour age is not there to meet me. And 1 say to myself. ‘Why should I ask a favor of one who scarcely knows mo?1 Monsieur, spare my feelings." "Madame, spare mine. I bum to be of service to you. Speak.” "Well, then, monsieur." said she, as though suddenly making up her mind, “I would ask your help.” “Against whom?” "Monsieur, I am beset by cats.” “Cats?” “Madame d’Harlancourt hates me.” “Aha!” “Madame de Stenlis insulted me to day.” “Yes?” _. "Monsieur de Joyeuse flung his mud at me.” "But he is not a cat.” “No, monsieur, he is a cur.” De Richelieu laughed. “Well, ma dame, and how can I help you against these people?” "Oh, monsieur, you have only to raise your voice and all these creatures will fly. But wait! I said to myself, who is there in all France that I can ask for a word of friendliness? All the men of the court are men of the world who would not understand me. There is only one, the Due de Richelieu, a great soldier, a courtier, and a man whose age places him above the fu tilities of the world." De Richelieu made a little grimace. "I came here tonight and I found myself face to face with a man who, whatever his age may be, is not an old man, and—you see I am quite frank with you—I feared—” “Oh, madame, why should you fear?” "Alas! Monsieur—an unprotected woman—” De Richelieu drew his chair close to hers and took her hand. "Madame,” said he, "you have sought my protection. Why, then, should you fear your protector?" "Why—I fear myself too. Now, you see, I am making more confessions. Believe me, it were better I should go. The women of the court who at tack me are better, perhaps, than the men who would defend me. I shall leave France. Monsieur, release my hand.” "A moment." “Ah, yes, a moment—that is what men always say when they can think of nothing better. Monsieur, the mo ment has passed." De Richelieu, instead of releasing her hand, slipped down on one knee beside her; the fire in the old mare chal's blood had broken into flame, taking the captured hand in his left hand, his right arm slipped round her waist. “Monsieur,” said she, drawing slight ly away, “that is encroachment.” “No, madame, it is the smallest waist in the world.” “Monsieur, if I were a designing woman I might, now, turn you round my finger. Oh, how weak are men!' "Yes, madame, men are weak, always, before loveliness.” “Then, monsieur, be strong.” “I am; at. the moment, perhaps, I am the strongest man in France.” “Then have pity on the weakest wo man. “I am all pity for weakness; though I hold you like this, it is only to symbolize that protection which is at your service. You say you have wom en enemies who are pressing you hard—” “No, monsieur, it Is you who are pressing me hard and when hard pressed, a woman cries out. Monsieur, I am about to cry out.” “A truce, then," cried De Richelieu, releasing her and rising to his feet. The baroness also rose up. “The conqueror of Mahon calling for a truce! Monsieur, you are defeated!" “I acknowledge it.” “I have wound you round my finger." “Then, cherie, wind me round again," cried Richelieu, laughing, half piqued fire in his eye, and advancing vic toriously, upon her. This was the real attack, and Madame Linden, with a little scream, such as women give when they see a mouse, outstretched her hands and held him off. Struggling with him, half laughing, panting, she suddenly drew back. "Monsieur,” said she in a low voice, “a moment—there is some one at the door.” De Richelieu, flushed and almost triumphant, turned to the door with a terrible oath. He opened it. There was no one. ' “Ah, monsieur, but there was,” said she, still in that muted voice that led ‘the hopes of the old man heavenward. “I heard some one. Go into the cor ridor and see that we are alone." He went into the corridor and in stantly she closed the door and locked it on him. She flashed across the room to the bureau. The blood surging to her face, ringing in her ears, she seized the handle of the top right-hand drawer; it yielded. The drawer was still open; she pulled It out; on the top of a number of papers lay a folded document. “Madame, madame!” came De Rich elieu’s vtilce from the other side of the door, as he tapped lightly with his knuckles. “Open! Think if any of the servants were to come!" “Monsieur,” cried she In an even voice, as she unfolded and glanced at the document. "Before I let you in I must dictate terms.’’ "Anything,” replied the voice of the due. “Only open.” She saw De Sartlnes’ signature, folded the document and gently closed the drawer. All the time she was speaking to him In that wonderful level voice that told nothing of her emo tions or her triumph. “Well, monsieur, my terms ape simple. You must promise me solemnly not to molest me.” "Yes, yes, I promise.” "Not to touch me.” As she advanced toward the door she was putting the document In her pocket. “I promise.” “On your word?” “On my word.” "Well, then monsieur. I will open." She opened the door. (Continued next week.) Amending the Erdman Act. From the Washington Star. Efforts to amend the Erdman act in such a manner as to make dt more surely operative in the prevention of strike* through arbitration promise immediate success under the stimulus of a desire to prevent a new threatened railroad strike. This is to be accomplished by enlarging the number of arbitrators and the appoint ment of a mediator by the president, in dependent of all government bureaus. But this amendment does not reach the vital point of the situation. There is no pro vision which makes submission to arbi tration on the part of two sides to a labor controversy compulsory. The ob jection to the Erdman act as It stands Is that tho number of arbitrators Is not enough to decide the complicated Issues Involved In a railroad dispute. The amend ment will Increase the number to six, with the mediator serving as the seventh member. It will still be possible for either the railroads or the operatives In a dls -pute to object to Submission of a case to arbitration, on the ground of the num ber of arbitrators or any other ground they may wish to advance. Thus the pub lic welfare Is made dependent upon the willingness of one side or tile other to go to the arbitration court. Strikes are still possible. Strikes should be made Impos sible by providing for the assured refer ence of such disputes as affect the car rying of the people and their goods of necessity to a final trlbunaJ for determi nation. H is Business. From Llpplncott's. "You Insist that the officer arrested you while you were quietly attending to your own business?” ^ "Yes. your honor. He c*.ught me suddenly by the collar, and threatened to strike me with his club unless I accompanied him to the station house." “You say you were quietly attending to your own business, making no nolae or commotion of any kind?” "Yes, your honor.” ‘What Is your business T~ Tm a burglar.” CROP CONDITIONS ll\T WESTERN CANADA ARE THE MOST PROMISING FOR, MANY YEARS. The deepest Interest Is attached to the condition of the grain crops ia Western Canada, especially among the thousands in the United States who are financially Interested in lands in that country. This Interest is fully as great among those who hare friends there following farming and growing of grain. The reports from Canadian govern ment officials convey the Information that the area under crop this year Id the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatche wan and Alberta will probably be no greater than that of last year. Last fall the weather wae such that there was not as much fall plowing as had been hoped for. The getting ready of land this spring made a considerable j port ion of the grain late in seeding. (Notwithstanding this, wheat, oats> barley and flax were got in in good shape, although from a week to ten 'days later than last year. On ths 27th of June the reports regarding crop conditions generally in Western Canada were: “Abundant sunshine with timely and copious rain through out Western Canada gives every as surance of generous harvest. Climatic conditions in recent weeks have been absolutely ideal. Western correspon dents agree in predicting every indi cation of a bumper crop under favop able conditions. Wheat should ba headed out in Manitoba between July 10th and 12th, and in Saskatchewan and Alberta from 15th to 17th. The oat crop is looking well, although lata ind rather short in straw.” This ie followed by a report July 5th: “Crop conditions continue in Bame satisfactory condition as last week. Plenteous rains have fallen all over prairie provinces, followed by general warm and splefSjid growing weather. Experts agrefe sufficient Moisture for many weeks, while crop s ten to fifteen days late, prospects are extremely favorable and condi :lonal upon reasonable weather for next four weeks. Splendid western srop is assured.” There is, therefore, the best reasoiv to anticipate most magnificent crop* Jhroughout Western Canada in 1913.— Advertisement. How to See Through Paper. A very remarkable experiment which any one can repeat with very little trouble has been unearthed by a German. Take a piece of paper of «uch thickness that, when it is laid npon a piece of printed matter, the tharacters just show through, but can* tot be read. Placing it over a printed sheet, impart to it a circular motion lo and fro, and to your surprise you will find that now yoij can read the print below the paper.1 It is rather difficult to explain this peculiar effect. The explanation of fered is that the paper has thin places in it, and by rapidly moving it over Ihe pript, every part of the printed matter is exposed in turn underneath one or the other of the thin places in ihe paper, and thus the entire print can be read. However that may be, the experiment is interesting and very jimple, requiring for its performance inly the simplest means imaginable. In the Making of Mirrors. A chemical action of the ultravio let rays, applicable to the making of! mirrors, was recently demonstrated' at the French Academy of Sciences., This action consists in decomposing t gaseous metallic compounds and pre cipitating the metal in finely divided j particles on glass to form a reflecting j iurface. By this method it is possible \ to produce mirrors backed by a re-! reflecting layers of zinc, antimony and ather nonprecious metals. It is said 1 that the result compares favorably j with the silvered mirror.—Popular I Mechanics. Real Diplomacy. In the silk department a woman was j in great agitation. She had bought a, 3!>cent rejnnant, found she couldn’t | use it and wanted it taken back. She, was in fear and trembling, and ready; to get much excited if they wouldn’t.. But they did. "You wonder why we, exchanged that?” asked the buyer. "True, we may not be able to sell it again, for she’s had it a week, but if we didn’t she might never come in the store again. Some are so easily offended. Didn’t you see how pleased Bhe was? She might give us a big order now. Yes, women are queer. Some day I’m going to write a book about ’em.” Warm Enough? While coaching a class of children for a little play, the teacher told the. .hoys that In the third act they would! have to wear their heavy overcoats, as that would be the snow scene. Af ter a short silence a little fellow about seven years old raised his hand and said; “Teacher, father can’t finish my overcoat In time because he works late; but will it be all right If I wear my heavy underwear?" Day of Sailing Ship Ended. Apparently, the foreign type sailing ship has practically disappeared for good from lnternatldnal trade in the Pacific ocean. The Hong Kong har 'bor statistics for 1912 return just one sailing ship entered for that year— t the sole survivor of the great clipper ship trade of half a century and more ago. This lone ship, the large four-roaster Comet of the Standard Oil company, was the last of'a con siderable fleet employed In the oil trade between the east coast of tb% United States and Hong Kong.