The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, April 17, 1903, Page 7, Image 7

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Commoner.
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J&.PRIL 17j 1903. - - -
to hold a broom and,' how to sweep. They are
taught, with the use of a doll's house and toy
furniture in it, how artistically to arrange the
furniture in a r6om and how to hang pictures.
The more advanced pupils; are unexpectedly given
a room in the Union Bethel some afternoon and
are requested to scs that it is properly madcclean
and neat The knowledge wliidh they have been
given with the doll's .furniture' then, comes into -play.
They know how"to make up big beds from
learning how to make up small dolls? beds. In
two weeks' time the kitchen gardening class has
become one of the most popular of the Union
Bethel. The children like to learn because the
dolls' fiTrnlture interests them and the mothers
say that a child who is learning in the class is
of the greatest assistance about the house, since
interest in housekeeping is aroused."
THE BRONZE STATUE CALLED ' HERMES
after lying at the bottom of the Ionian sea
for nearly , two thousand years, was brought-, to
the surface by divers two years ago and has now
been, restored by a French artist The Athens
correspondent of the Chicago inter-Ocean, referr
ing to this statue, says: "Apart from its great
beauty, the statue is practically unique, and is,
consequently, of priceless wortn, for it is an un
doubted work of one of the great masters of the
fourth century B. C. The question of its origin,
its author, and its motive (i. o., whom it repre
sents) are still being hotly discussed by the arch
eologists. One thing is tolerably certain that al
though it is commonly known as the Hermes of
Anticythera, it does not represent that god. The
statue is now on view in the Athens national mu
seum, where a special room is being prepared
fpr it."
THE COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY
has recently Issued an interesting statement
showing the organization of the national banks
since the passage, of the act of March 14, 1900. In
this statement it is shown that on March 31, 1903,
th law in relation to the organization of banks
with a minimum capital of $25,000 has been in
operation three years and seventeen days. Dur
ing that period there have been added to the na
tional banking system 1,422 associations, with an
aggregate capital stock of $86,135,000. The ad
ditions to the system by conversions of state
banks and reorganizations of state or private
banks were 179 and 443, respectively, the capital
of the converted banks amounting to $12,226,000,
and of the reorganized associations $20,740,000.
The banks organized during the period in ques
tion deposited as surety for circulation bonds to
the amount of only ,u,o,500, or a fraction less
than 24 per cent of the capital. During the month
Uuarch) fifty-six national banks were organized,
with a capital stock of $2,170,000 and bond de
posit of $642,550. On March 31, 1903, the number
of national banks was 4,869 and their authorized
capital stock was $739,178,695. The amount of
bonds on deposit as security for circulation has
increased since March 14, 1900, from $244,611,570
to $342,160,770, or $97,549,200, and national bank
circulation shows an- increase during this period
tof $128,116,528.
. & tf"
A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY
of the treasury shows that on March 31 the
total national debt 'less cash in the treasury
amounted to $939,603,919. ,This represented an in
crease, during themonth of March amounting to
$1,631,021. In this statement the national debt
is recapitulated as follows: Interest-bearing debt,
$914,451,870; debt on which interest has ceased
since maturity, $1,230,100; debt bearing no in
terest, $396,754,437; total, $1,312,515,907. This
amount, however, does not include $890,007,069 in
certificates and treasury notes outstanding, which
are offset-by an equal amount of coin on hand,
held for their redemption.. TIiq cash in the treas
ury is classified as follows: Reserve fund, $150,
000,000; trust funds, $890,007,069; general fund,
$165,217,767; in national bank depositories, $160,
150,488; total, $1,355,375,325; against which there
are demand liabilities outstanding amounting to
$982,453,336, leaving a cash balance on hand of
$372,921,988. The comparative statement of the
government receipts and expenditures show that
for the month of March, 1903, the total receipts
were $45,435,434, and the disbursements $44,987,
587, leaving a surplus for the month of $447,874.
The receipts from the several sources of revenue
are given as follows: Customs $23,709,968, in
crease $2,000,000; internal revenue $18,823,751, de
crease $3,000,000; miscellaneous $2,901,715, in
crease $4,000. The expenditures on account of the
war department were $12,278,918, increase $2,000,
000; .jiavy $7,374,844 increase $1,200,000. For the
last nine months the receipts exceeded the ex
penditures by $33,829,225.
AMONG THE NEW POSTAGE STAMPS IS A
thirteen-cent stdmp bearing tlio portrait of
the late Benjamin Harrison. This stamp was in
tended to cover single postage to foreign coun
.tries with the fee for registering tho letter. This
is the second issuo of a stamp of odd denomina
tion, tho first being in 1870 when a 7-cent stamp
was issued bearing tho portrait of Secretary of
War Stanton.
DESCRIBING THE NEW ISSUE OF UNITED
States postage stamps, a writer in tho Chi
cago Tribune says: "The series of 1902 will in
clude fifteen stamps, only seven of which havo
yet been issued, including tho 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and
13-cent stamps. There will also be stamps of 6,
10, 15, and 50 cents, $1, $2, and $5, and a special
delivery stamp of new pattern. The colors and
portraits selected for this series are as follows:
1-cent, green, Benjamin Franklin; 2-cent, red,
George Washington; 3-cent, purple, Andrew Jack
son; 4-cent, dark.brown, U. S. Grant; 5-cent, blue,
Abraham Lincoln; 6-cent, magenta, James A.
Garfield; 8-cent, dark lilac, Martha Washington;
,10-ceht, light brown, Daniel Webster; 13-cent,
slate, Benjamin Harrison; 15-cent, olive, Henry
Clay; 50-cent, orange, Thomas Jefferson; $1, black,
D. G. Farragut; $2, sapphire blue, James Madison;
$5,- dark green, John Marshall; special delivery,
light blue, boy on bicycle. Every stamp gives the
name of the person whose portrait adorns it and
the years of their birth and death. Frames in
cluding the portraits are different for every de
nomination." THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT HAS ADVER
tised for bids for the removal of the wreck
of the battleship Maine in Havana harbor and
the wrecks of two Spanish warships sunk off
Santiago and Manzanillo. It is stipulated that
everything found in the wrecks will become tho
property of the contractors. It is further ex
pressly stated that explosives are not to be used
in the removal of the Maine wreck.
FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE CENSUS, W.
R. Mcrriam, writing in tho April Century,
. says: "Tho differences between tho cost of se
curing the returns from the six simple questions
asked in 1790, and that of the extended Inquiry
made a century later, is illustrated by tho per
capita cost, which in 1790 was 1.13 cents, and
1900 15.5 cents. In 1790 Virginia was the most
populous state in the union, having 747,610 in
habitants. Tho records of the treasury depart
ment show that at the first census tho cost of
making the enumeration in that state was $7,
553.90. Moreover, at that enumeration the un
derpaid assistant marsnals supplied their own
blanks, an item which was of considerable import
ance in the days when all paper was made labor
iously by hand. In 1900 tho population of Maine
about 700,000 most nearly approximated that
of Virginia in 1790. At the twelfth census the cost
of actuarenumeration in Maine, including the pay
' of supervisors, was $34,560.90, or more than three
fcurths of the amount expended for the enumera
tion of the entire United States in 1790, though
the pay of an enumerator in 1900 did not exceed
the wages of an intelligent day laborer."
jo a?
A CONTINUOUS CITY FROM LYNN, MASS.,
to Washington, D. C, is. predicted by Dr.
Franklin H. Giddings of Columbia university.
Speaking to tho Now York correspondent of the
Chicago Chronicle, Dr. Giddings said: "Tho
twelfth census shows a succession of large cities,
each with an elaborate system of suburban vil
lages or offshoots, stretching along the belt I
have indicated. Between Lynn and Boston are
several large towns and villages and between
Boston and Fall River and Providence are a ser
ies of large towns, the suburbs of one running
into those of the other. The same is true of the
country between Providence, New London, Ston
ington, New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport, New
York, Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth, Trenton,
Philadelphia, Chester, Wilmington, Baltimore and
Washington. The distances between these cities
are so small that practically all the villages that
lie between them are suburban points of one city
or the other, and now tho trolley companies are
connecting these points in suoh fashion that we
shall soon be able to ride by trolley from Lynn
to Washington." .
IT IS NOT GENERALLY' KNOWN THAT NINE
different cities have enjoyed the distinction
of being capitals of the United States since indc--
m f
pendonce was. declared. Referring to this jfolnt,
a Writer in tho Chlnnen flhrnnlnlo nva "TM0rt
cities aro Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis,
in Maryland r Tronton and Princeton, in New Jer
sey; Philadelphia, Lancaster and York, in Penn
sylvania; and New York city. Tho first session
of tho continental congress was hold in Carpen
ter s hall, Philadelphia, September 5, 1774. There
after the American congress was for a long time
something like tho Philippine congress while tho
latter was dodging American troops and for mtich
tho samo reason.' Fearing to remain in Philadel
phia after tho defeat on Long Island, congress,
W(mt to Baltimoro and voted George Washington
dictatorial power for six months. Congress re
turned .to Philadelphia two months later, February
27, 1777. Lancaster and York got their sessions
after the defeat at Brandywine, congress again re
treating. Nino montbs tho lawmakers remained
in York; the news of Burgoyno's surrendor was
received there. Then six months In New York
and another term in Philadelphia. Menaced by
unpaid troops, congress wont over to New Jor
sey. Sessions wero held in Princeton collogo li
brary. Annapolis next, where General Washing
ton resigned his commission. Trenton had a trial
then, with Henry Leo as presldont. Hero La
fayette took leave of his American allies."
THE SEARCH FOR THE CORNER STONE OF
tho old United States mint at Philadelphia
was recently rewarded by tho discovery of that
historic, block of marble on tho Juniper street
side of tho structure, about forty feet north of
Chestnut street The Philadelphia Public Ledger
says: "Tho stone, which weighs 300 pounds, was
found to conceal an old-fashioned candy jar,
whoso cork had become as hard as stone. In tho
jar were found three coins and two newspapers,
tho former consisting of a dimo of 1829, a half
cent dated 1828, and a largo copper cent of 1829.
Tho newspapers aro Tho Aurora and Pennsyl
vania Gazette, dated July 4, 1829, and Tho Demo
cratic Press, dated Friday evoning, July 3, 1829."
AGAR LOAD OF GREEN BAY AND BOX
trees which will be used In decorating tho
White house arrived In Washington April 2. Re
ferring to those purchases, the Washington cor
respondent of tho New York World says: "There
are four green bay trees imported from Holland
which will be placed in tho north portico. They
cost nearly $300 each. They aro about twelve feet
high. Two hundred box trees, from five to twelve
feet high, will decorate the east and west colon
nades, giving them tho appearance of summer gar
dens. Another carload of box trees Is on the way.
They come from Now Jersey. Tho arrival of tho
trees' caused surprise, as It was not generally
known that the White house improvements in
cluded the purchase of shrubbery."
THOSE WHO REMEMBER THAT-' YOUNG
Rockefeller said that tho best thing to give
a man who asked for alms is a kind word will bo
interested in reading a dispatch to the Chicago
Record-Herald under date of Oaxaca, Mex., March
31. This dispatch is as follows: "The peons of
southern Mexico are singing tho praises of John
D. Rockefeller, jr., and wife, because of tho
prodigality with which they have scattered bal&
eagles, eagles and double eagles among them.
Wherever they go they leave a trail of gold be
hind. When they crossed the Rio Grande they
brought with them several sacks of silver, dollars,
which soon found their way Into the hands of
the peons. When tho City of Mexico was reached,
impressed with the suffering that existed among
the poor, they obtained from the banks sacks of
gold coin and en route to this city at every place
at which the train stopped distributed $5, $10 and
$20' gold pieces among supplicants for alms. Nev
er before in the history of Mexico has there been
so much gold in circulation in this part . of tho
republic."
SOME STUDENTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY
will bo interested in the statement positive
ly made by Edmund Gosse before tho Royal
Geographical society at London recently. This
authority declared: "Walter Raleigh never set
foot in North America, yet so pertinacious is the
legend connecting him with Virginia that I doubt
if any one, even in this learned assembly, is not '
4 satisfied that ho did. But in spirit he was there,
through good and evil estate. His was the brain
that planned, the persistence that carried out, the
courage that would never relinquish the design,
and .the promised land Virginia is in history, al
though he only gazed at it from the fringes of the
cloud." - f 7
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