The Commoner.
Aug. 29, 190a
13
American and Japanese officials as to
the good faith of each, and 'ho hai
monious adjustment of thi: question
relating to Marcus Island
Much Interest Is being taken In the
mimic naval war, which Is to take
place on the Atlantic coast between
Cape Cod and Portland, Me., a distance
of 100 miles. These "maneuvers aro
intended to test the skill of the various
ships and also to show the strength of
harbor defenses. Admiral HIgglnson
and Commander Plllsbury are in com
mand of the rival fleets, the latter
having charge of the attacking force.
An explosion In the Delaware Pulp
Mills at Wilmington, Del., on August
20, resulted in the death of eight men,
three are hurt, and six missing. The
monetary loss is estimated at $35,000.
A special dispatch to the Omaha
World-Herald from Plattsmouth, Neb.,
reports that a cloudburst again visited
the city on August 20, entailing a loss
of many thousands of dollars to the
business men .and the city. Two and a
fourth inches of rain fell in the course
of an hour, and the damage is esti
mated at $25,000.
Joseph Shirk, the inventor of the
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Colt revolver and of the grain cradle,
died at his home in East Earl town
ship, Pa., on August 20. He was 83
years old and besides being a noted
inventor, was also a surveyor.
General Franz Sigel died in New
York on August 21. He was in his 78th
year. A New York dispatch says o
him: General Sigel fought with the
revolutionists in the German insur
rection of 1849, became commander-in-chief
of the revolutionist army, and
was made minister of war. He came to
this country In 1852, making his home
in St. Louis, whore he organized a
regiment of infantry at the outbreak of
tho civil war. Ho came to Now York
in 1867 and was twice a candidate for
secretary of state on the republican
ticket. He was appointed pension
agent in 1880 by President Cleveland.
It is reported that vast forest fires
are raging in Colorado, and much val-
uauie umoer nas ueen destroyed, sim
ilar calamities have visited Wyoming,'
and Acting Commissioner Richards of
the general laud office at Washington,
D. C, has ordered three additional
special agents to Saratoga, Wyo
where the fife Is raging the worst. Tho
agents have authority to employ all
the help needed to check the progress
of the flames.
Rev. Dr. J. K. Hazen, who for twenty-five
years has been secretary of
the Southern Presbyterian general as
sembly, died at Richmond, Va., on
August 22, at the age of G9 years.
On August 22 a cable car accident
took place at Kansas City, Mo. Tho
gripman in charge of the car lost con
trol of It, and it dashed down a steep
Incline into a train that was stalled
at a crossing. As a result, the grip
man lost his life and at least twenty
persons wcro injured.
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A dispatch from Louisville, Ky., un
der date of August 22, says: Charles
D. Gates, president and general man
ager of the lurnor, Day & Wool
worth Handle company, has returned
from New York, whero he conferred
with capitalists who are promoting a
$25 000,000 trust to take in all tho ax
factories, handle factories and grind
stone factories in this country and
Canada, the plants to be operated un
der one management.
It is reported by officers "of tho
stcamei Dahome that another severe
eruption of Mont Peleo on the Island
of Martinique took place on August 21."
The eruption wjis followed by total
darkness five miles away, a darkness
tvhlch lasted five minutes. A great
amount o? volcanic dust fell.
It is reported that Jules Cambon,
French ambassador to the United
States, will be appointed ambassador
at Madrid, and that his successor in
this country will be M. Jusserand, at
present French minister at Copenhagen.
A cablegram from Manila reports
that Lieutenant Hickman, one of those
against whom Major Gardiner made
charges, Is to be subjected to a court
martial. Ho is charged with practicing
medicine without a license, and with
giving stimulants to natives in tho
province of Tayabas.
It is announced that Sir Robert
Bond, the premier and colonial secre
tary of Newfoundland, is on his way
to Washington with full powers from
the Imperial government to carry the
negotiations through for the ratifica
tion of, the Bond-Blaine convention.
The Bond-Blaine convention was a
special agreement entered into bout
ten years ago between James G. Blaine,
then secretary of state, and the pre
mier of Newfoundland. The conven
tion on "the part of Newfoundland,
granted to United States fishermen
considerable privileges in regard to
purchasing bait, and largely reduced
tho duties on a considerable class of
American imports into Newfoundland.
Tho United States on its sldo, opened
Its markets to Newfoundland fish and
raw products and confirmed tho privileges-
of transportation of fresh fish
in bond to the United States market.
A Washington dispatch under dato
of August 19 says: The war depart
ment has In course of preparation an
order for the army maneuvors to take
place at Fort Riley, Kas., In the latter
part of Soptembor. The maneuvers
will bo timed to suit tho president,
who will review tho troops that par
ticipate in them. Several thousand
regular and volunteer soldiers will ap
pear in tho maneuvers, including two
regiments of United States infantry,
one rcgimont of United States cavalry,
several batteries of Unitod States in
fantry and tho militia organizations of
Kansas and Nobraska.
Tho week's report regarding oventa
In Vonozuola all point to nn approach
ing crisis in tho situation. At presont
England, Germany and tho United
States all havo warships near- the
scene of trouble, and havo made an
agreement with tho commandant of
Puerto Cabello that In tho ovent of tho
town bolng 'captured by tho revolu
tionists, tho forts shall not fire on that
portion where the property of the for
eigners is situated, and twenty-four
hours' notice must bo given of intend
ed bombardment. Many of tho troops
are concentrated at tho slcgo of Agiia
Dulco, whero Intrenchmonts havo been
dug, and an engagement Is dally ox
An Astounding Proposition.
Louis F. Post, In The Chicago Public
An astonishing proposition, consid
ering its source, was made last week
by tho Chicago Chronicle. It is aston
ishing because proposed by a profess
edly democratic newspaper; but inas
much as this newspaper is controlled
by one of tho financial barons of Chi
cago, who wears the democratic label
but votes tho republican ticket, the
matter is after all not so very sur
prising. It is nothing less than a sug
gestion that the city of Chicago sell Its
waterworks to a private corporation.
The suggestion is offered nominally
with a view of relieving the finances
of the city, which cannot meet its
debts nor even its current expenses.
Here is tho argument.
If a wise man owned more money
than ho could pay from his cash In
sight and had salable property worth
twice tho amount of his debts he
would sell enough property to pay
what ho owed and start anew with
clean books. Ho would still lmvo vnl-
uable assets to sustain his credit.
What would be business common
sense for an individual would be busi
ness common sense for a municipal
corporation. Tho samo commercial
rules should govern the city that would
bo best for ono of its citizens.
The Chronicle then proposes' the sale
of the city waterworks to a private
corporation, and naively expresses the
opinion that private capital could be
induced to invest in that city asset.
The -suggestion may bo on the whole
a good one, from the business point of
view, but it Is certainly open to criti
cism in one important particular.
Though a wise man in the predica
ment described, would doubtless turn
some of his salable property in cash,
he would not sell income-producing
property so long as he could find a
market for unprofitable holdings. Wh?
should not this example of the wise
business man be followed by a mu
nicipal corporation if it is to imitate
him at all? Of course it should be.
Then the property for the city of Chi
cago to sell is not the waterworks,
which yield a net annual revenue of
$3,000,000. It is tho public parka,
which not only yield no revenue, but
are the cause of heavy annual expen
ditures. They would be quite as sal
able as tho ..waterworks. Purchasers
might come forward willing to take
and use them as parks, charging a
small gate fee; but if not, they would
at any rate go off like hot cakes if cut
into building lots. Is it not the part
of business sense, then, to sell the
parks, which are expensive and yield
no income, before parting with the
waterworks, which pay for themselves
and return a, profit? And does the
same reasoning apply to the public
schools? Here is an unprofitable as
set which a wise man would unload.
Why should not thaclty do the same?
If the city is to he governed by busi
ness rules, lot it apply thorn unflinch
ingly. The absurd notion of selling off tho
waterworks Is another product of thn
fallacious catch phrase that "munici
pal government Is business, not poll
tics." Though municipal admlni7lra
tion is properly business and not poll
tics, municipal government Is politics
and not business. Like all other gov
ernment, it is politics abovo evpry
thing else politics in the broad so
ciological sense, and not in the nar
row partisan sense. It Is not tho part
of municipal government to gain
profit in order to make a living. That
is a business function, but it is not a
municipal function. Municipal govern
ment gets its living, as do all other
forms of government, not from busi
ness enterprise and profit, but from
taxation. If it cannot pay Its debts
and meet current expenses, the rea
son must bo either that its expenses
aro exceeding its just income from
taxation, or that it is neglecting to
collect its income. Tho latter Is of
course the true reason. In this predica
ment the first thing for tho city of
Chicago to do is not to sell off public
property; it Is to collect its income
more sharply. If just taxes were paid
In Chicago it could soon rid, itself of
debt and have an abundant Income
for current expenditures. Then let it
"go for" the tax-dodgers. That would
be a great note if the tax-dodging plu
tocrata could first cripple the city's
finances, and then use its condition as
an excuse for enabling them to buy
up the waterworks, and possibly why
not? the parks, the public schools
and tho city hall.
National Issues,
You cannot eliminate national Issues
in state politics and hope to win. The
people never have and they never will
trust a party in state affairs that does
not have the courage of its convic
tions on national questions. By un
dertaking to dodge the issue, you dis
credit your party, and that is what
ails the democratic party today. There
aro too many democrats who are con
stantly showing their lack of faith in
their own party. If you are ashamed
of your principles, keep your mouth
shut. Let the platform-makers this
fall remember that a party which
apologizes for Its national existence
can never maintain a decent state or
ganization. Windle's Gatling Gun.
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