The Commoner.
misstatements concerning the property they
-hold subject to taxation. Every community
inr the United States suffers because many of
its citizens have fallen into the bad habit of
making a deliberate misrepresentation to the
tax assessor. Two remedies suggest them
solrea for this evil: One is the persistent cul
trvation of a public sentiment that will
frown upon misrepresentations of this char
acter that will condemn tho tax dodger to a
discreditable position. The other is tho elec
tron to the office of tax assessor of a man who
'will make no discrimination' between individ
uals but who will use every effort to have all
property listed for taxation, and to expose any
man, high or low, who adoptd the roll of the
fax-dodger: Both remedies ought to be em
ployed. w
Children Not Burdensome.
Alderman "Wente and Mrs. Wentz of
Brooklyn, have given their names to fame
and have set an admirable example to those
people who are inclined to regard children as
burdens.
Alderman and Mr Wentz are the parents
of seventeen children. It was like the leaving
. of aa emigrant, train when tho Wentz family
went on a trip to the Buffalo fairr and the
newspaper reporters were attracted to the spec-
tacle. The reporters appeared to be surprised
thatr this father and mother were really enjoy
ing life while at the same time having the re-
jrponstbility for seventeen, children. But some
. of the thjngs that the Aid erinaji said" are worthy
. of preservation. Among other things Mr.
Wentz said:
"It's a great thitg to go home at night and find
nineteen or twenty pairs of shoes waiting in the
hallway to he cleaned. You can't come home
f e'elng lively with the danger df waking up twenty
ttiree people.
"I think if people knew the satisfaction of hav
ing babies about the house they would not want
small families. I don't feel old as the little ones
multiply. I feel younger and younger, and think
" 11! become a child again myself some day'
And when Mrs. Wentz was approached for
An opinion as to her: manifold responsibilities,
that good woman had this to say.
"It's a great time getting the children off to
schdol. i line them up like an inspector of rifle
practice.
"I don't think our family could get along on
one of those dollar dinners provided for in the
oyehing papers,
"We let the babies have lots of fresh air, and
r when they come in at evening they are anxious to
Ngd to bech Every one helps here or it would be a
task boyond my powers. ,
"I'm very happy with tho little ones about,
the work doesn't Beem to tire me. 1 love every one
of them and they love me, and there is omethiag
. in that.
"We don't spoii our children by pampering.
"Wo expect them to bo little men and women, and
they are. They are placed upon their honor to be-
have, and they da so Without much rod,"
The largo family Is not common in this
country today. It has come to bo tho excop
tion,although it is true that nowhere do general
- content and happiness appear to rest more se
curely than in th centers "of these Jiargc fam
- ilics. A few years ago the largo, family was
not" tho exception. Fifty years ago, the sight
of a family of seventeen children would not
have provoked extraordinary comment, while
that of twelve or thirteen children would hardly
have attracted attention.
It is worthy of comment that one may find
more nervousness, more care, more anxiety and .
more weariness in the home graced, by a single
child, than in the household to which, a large
number of children have come. Where pov
erty does not prevail in such a home, happi
ness, contentment and health are generally
noticeable.
In the city of South Omaha, Nebraska,
lives one of tho best physicians in tho west.
There are in his home thirteen children. The
mother would readily pass for a woman of
twenty-eight or thirty, while the father would
not be suspected of being far above the age of
thirty-five. This home is famous, not only for
its hospitality to the stranger, but for tho
peace, love, contentment and happiness that
abound in its every day life. The father and
mother are among tho most Jovial and compan
ionable people of the city and althongh tho
professional cares of the father and. the house
hold duties of the mother are large, they both
find some time to devote to the social pastimes
of their neighborhood.
If it was desired to establish the claim that
children are burdensome, neither this South
Omaha familyr nor the Wentz family of Brook
lyn, nor any other family that may properly
claim a place in the list of large ones, could be
used as witnesses in the affirmative.
Money Problem in Philippines.
In his annual report recently made public,
General Maorthur recommends for the Phil
ippine Islands a monetary system described as
follows:
"First The American gold standard to he
established by authorising the coinage of a peso
containing twelve and nine-tenths grains, nine
tenths fine,; to be represented in the circulation by
coins containing such multiple of the standard
peso as may be regarded as most convenient of
mintage.
"Second A table of equivalents, to he de
clared by law, between Philippine gold money
and United State3 money In all Its various forms,
including national bank notes, on tho basis of 2
to 1;' that is to say, one United States gold is
equivalent to two Philippine gold pesos, as herein
prescribed.
"Third A subsidiary Philippine coinage; em
bracing such subdivisions of the peso as are most
convenient, conforming as much as possible to tho
subsidiary coin of the United States, and with an
established rateof equivalents as in the case of
gold; that is to say, one United States coin is
equivalent to two Philippine coins of the same de
nomination. "Fourth The establishment of Filipina na
tional banks, precisely the same in all respects
ap now authorized in tho United States, including
Unite Stales bonds as a basis of circulation.
"Fifth All curroncy issued under the fore
going systems to have full legal tender function
t in the Philippine islands for all public duties and
' private debts; and the equivalent United States
currency and subsidiary coinage, as authorized in
the foregoing section 2 and 3, to havo legal tender
qualities in tho Philippines to tho same extent
and precisely the same as in the United States."
A Budget From France.
The national financial outlook grows steadily
worse. Never before has' there been sucli an
euormous shrinkage in revenue, and never before
has there been such an increase In expenditures,
The; candle is' burning- at both ends. On Thursday
the official announcement was. made that the re
ceipts from indirect taxation during June fell
$2,990,000 below the budget estimates from that
source for that month, and were $5,400,000 less
than the actual receipts from, the same source for
June, 1900. This- seemed- bad enough, but it is
now revealed, that the real deficiency falls below
Jthe budget estimates for the. month- of June by no
"less than $4,077,000, while tho deficiency during
the last six months is $10,700,000 below the esti
mates, ft there Is added to this the supplemen
tary credits- yoted by parliament since January 1,
1901, it will' be seen that the actual deficit for tho
half year which has just elapsed is- more than
$16,000,000;, and this does not include extra credits
before the chamber, favored by the budget com
mittee, nor the $16,000,000 already spent on the
China expedftionv The cause of this unprecedented
discrepancy between estimates and actual receipts
is largely due to the diminution of the wine tax,
for which compensation was expected from tho
Increased tax on spirits and alcohol. The result,
however, proved exactly contrary to what was
hoped for. Moreover, there has been a, vast amount
of unscientific experimenting with the taxation
laws. This; chaotic conditfon of the budget pre
sents no cause of serious alarm, for the welfare of
the country, but will furnish a powerful weapon
diring the coming electrons for those who are
striving, to upset the present regime1. Paris Cor
respondent New York Tribune.
Viscogen, a New Milk Adulterant
Housekeepers and pure food commissioners
have a new foe to fight. It is viscogen as a milk
adulterant. It has been found by inspectors of the
dairy department in Minnesota, and, so far as
known, its ue is yet Confined to that state. When
its properties become generally known, however,
it may confidently be looked for,elsewhere. It is a
syrup composed of sugar, lime and water, about
the color of water, and is used chiefly to make the
millc appear richer than it really is. When vis
cogen is placed in milk or cream the lactic acid
turns the lime in the flued into a white, thick sub
st: :ce, which, assimilating with the milk, gives it
an appearance and taste of great richness. It is-
possible through, its use to' palm off upon custo
mers milk and cream whicb is far below standard
Fortunately, the adulterant, according to Minne
sota authorities, is not injurious to .health. New
York Evening Post
An Appendix.
Senator Foraker wants Secretary Long to kick
Historian Maclay out of the navy department. It
would doubtless be a popular way of adding a.
footnote to history Denver Republican.
Little four-year-old Mabel, coming into the
room one day and finding the baby with one end
of a door-key in his1 mouth, exclaimed: "Baby,
take that key right out of your mouth or the first
thing you know you will have the lockjaw!" Chi
cago News.
"They have a new- coachman at the Rippea
bongerSf" .
What's the matter with the old one?" .
''He let the horses run away."
"Did they run faiT' . -.
"Clear out into tho suburbs."
"Anybody with him?"
"Yes, Mamie Rippenbanger. She and the
coachman haven't got back yet." Cleveland Plain.
Dealer.
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