The Commoner.
JULY 17, 1903.
ing -with the empire's fiscal .policy. All that was
lacking in the complete Toilt of the protectionist
cabinet ministers was Mr. Balfour's official pro
nouncement, as premier and on behalf of the
government, that the cabinet as a whole refused to
adopt Mr. Chamberlain's views. Both the pro
nouncement and the premier were absent from
the debate because, according to report, Mr. Bal
four was endeavoring to persuade the colonial
secretary to remain in the cabinet, notwithstand
ing his differences with his colleagues,"
ac 5
MR. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN IS AN INTER
esting character and many people will bo
entertained by reading an article written by Lord
Coleridge and printed in the North American Re
view, in which article an evidently very accur
ate description of Mr. Chamberlain is presented.
Lord Coleridge says: "The gusty winds of Im
perialism are calming down. The war fever is
over, and people are now counting and feeling
the cost. The colonies do not seem willing to
bear any proportional burden of imperial de
fense nor to enter into any league for free trade
within the empire and protection agalnet the
world, a scheme much advocated by Mr. Cham
berlain. For this decision the free trader's at homo
are grateful to the colonies, though the reasons of
tho colonies for their decision namely, that they
do not wish to abandon protective duties against
the mother country may not bo that which in
spires our gratitude. It is difficult to forecast the
aim of the fiiture energies of Mr. Chamberlain. His
Industry, his tenacity, his powor of lucid exposi
tion, his ready and merciless if unconvincing pow
er of debate, will always make him tho most dis
cussed inanipon the political stage. The British
like the fighting animal. But admiration of his
powers and not affection for tho man is tho source
of his popularity; and ho has never cast the deep
spell which draws men to those who can make
great sacrifices to high ideals, and to wLom suc
cess seems to be as nothing compared with that
faithfulness without which human -effort loses
half its charm."
A famous Expression is, "where am
I at?" Its author, former Congressman James
Cobb of Tuskegee, Ala., died June 4 at East Las
.Vegas, N. M. Mr. Cobb represented the Fifth
'Alabama district in congress for twelve years.
The, Now York, yorld explains the origin, of tho
famous expression in this way: "Congressman
Cobb, held the center of the stage in 189u, through
a controversy with Congressman Thomas E.
Watson, of Georgia, who charged him wllh be
ing intoxicated during the debr.to on the Rock-jvell-Noyes
contested election case, when Mr. Cobb
asked the chair, in a bewildered way, "Where am
I at?" Mr. Watson said that Mr. Cobb drank out
of a private bottle and was badly mixed. A long
congressional Investigation, with many humorous
aspects, resulted In finding that Mr. Cobb drank
only cold tea, was not intoxicated, and did not
reel in the aisles as charged."
&g aft
A NOVEL PLAN OF INSURANCE IS AN
nounced in an Indianapolis, Ind., dispatch
to the Now York World. In this dispatch It is
said: "One of tho greatest Insurance companies
in the world Is about to be formed by the Na
tional Association of Manufacturers. The com
pany will protect Its members from loss arising
from strikes and will also insure free labor against
physical injuries and financial loss arising from
the coercion ct strikers. The company will have
a -backing of $100,000,000. The executive com
mittee held a secret meeting in New York re
cently. Plans were formulated and now are al
most complete with a company organized and
practically unlimited capital. D. M. Parry, presi
dent of the National Association of Manufacturers,
confirmed the above outline. 'While the plans are
comewhat in a formative stage,' he said, 'yet I
3iave little doubt that they will be worked out
to a feasible basis and I have confidence in the
new company being able to accomplish much good.
lAblo gentlemen are taking the initiative in the
matter and I think that whatever they attempt
to do will be certain of success.' " Mr. Parry ex
plains the objects of tho association to be to pro
tect policy-holders against Iobs arising from
Btrikes and also "to protect Independent workmen
who care to exercise the privilege of working for
whom they please and for what they please." Ho
eays that in order to accomplish this result, a
considerable fund must be accumulated and that
this will be dono.
IT IS ANNOUNCED FROM WASHINGTON
that Monday, November 9, has been chosen
l the president as the date for the assembling
of congress In extra session. Tho oxtra session
will bo called particularly for action by tho hnso
on tho Cuban treaty and discussion of such other
matters as may bo submitted. Tho Washington
correspondent for the St. Louis Republic says:
'This will give congress nearly a month to work
in boforo tho dato for tho regular session of that
body. Tho first Monday in December, the tlmo
fixed by law for regular sessions to begin, falls
on December 7 this year. By beginning on No
vember 9 there is believed to bo plenty of time
to dispose of tho Cuban tariff matter. Tho pro
gram of tho republican leaders In congress will
bo to permit all tho opportunity desired during
tho extra session for debate on the tariff reciproc
ity and kindred subjects. After tho regular ses
sion begins littlo opportunity will bo allowed, and
the republican leaders and committees will work
together to prevent the tariff taking up any tlmo
or holding any placo of importance in legislative
business. The republican policy will bo to keep
tho tariff from attaining a top-notch place from
December until tho closo of congress. Tho policy
and attitude on tho tariff in tho presidential elec
tion will depend on future developments and on
the position of tho democrats noxt year."
AN INTERESTING DOCUMENT WHICH IS
tho oldest plan of tho ancient city of Rome
in existence is yet preserved. A writer in tho
Scientific American, referring to this document,
says: "The Forma Urbis, as it is called, was cut
upon 140 piece's of marble of "various sizes, and
covers a superficial area of 2G6 squaro meters.
It was made durlpg tho reign of Septimus Sov
orus, between 203 and 211 A. D., and was attached
to a wall of tho Templum Sacrao Urbls, tho pros
ent church of SS. Cosma e Damlano. Tho most
curious feature of this map is that somo sections
or divisions of the city are roprpsented upon a
much larger scale than tho other parts. This is
notably the case respecting tho Palatine and Ro
man Forum. The reason for this distinction anti
quarians and archaeologists have failed to adduce,
and the peculiarity rendered It a difficult matter
to piece the fragments of the map together cor
rectly. It is atoo evident that tho relic is the
product of several different hands, sinc.o some
portions are very skillfully and diligently prepared
whilo others aro very negligently made. The
map was also permitted to fall into disrepair, and
fell to pieces in course of time. Tho first frag
ments were found In 1562 and roughly placed to
gether by Antonio Cosio, but the work of build
ing up the map has been diligently continued ever
since, until now 1.049 pieces have been found and
joined together. That tho map was originally of
a tremendous size is testified by the fact that
according to Prof. Lanciani, the present portion
of tho plan Is but a fifteenth of the whole. This
Forma Urbis is of immense value to archaeol
ogists, since by Its aid several parts of ancient
Rome hitherto unknown have been found."
JT IS
THE MOODY CHURCH IN CHICAGO HAS IN
augurated a novel idea in posting Bible
texts in the street cars in such a conspicuous way
as to attract the attention of many whom no
clergyman could reach. The Columbus Press says
that passengers li the North State street trolley
cars aro now giving an opportunity to refresh
their knowledge of the Bible. In among tho
various advertisements of food, clothing, and
medicines that--line the cars have appeared cards
whose only printed matter is a Bible text "Tho
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is life
everlasting," is the quotation printed in one of
tho cars. In another the passengers' attention
was caught by tuj following: "Whoso comraitteth
sin transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgres
sion of the law." A man going to his ctfice yes
terday morning noticed this text: "Forls make
a mock of sin." Returning home from bIness in
the evening he read tho following: "Ho that
hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the
Son of God hath not life."
THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRINTING Es
tablishment, otherwise known as tho gov
ernment printing office, has been moved from
its old quarters to a now building. The Wash
ington correspondent for tho Chicago Tribune says
that tho moving of tho big office was the most
stupendous undertaking of the times ever exper
ienced by the government The type, presses and
every character of machinery were to he moved,
but It is almost impossible to estimate the, weight
Of type along there are mill long of pounds, there
being moro than 500,000 pounds of nonpareil im
tho last now "dress" bought for tho big estab
lishment Of ovory letter, flguro, punctuation
point, and other character there is more than a
bushel measure, this largo supply being absolute
ly necessary in order that there may bo no delay
in rushing work through on schedulo time. It
sometimes happens that a failure of congress to
act promptly on ? mattor will "tio up" hundreds
of pages of matter for wooks at a tlmo, and, again,
tho departments arc not Infrequently slow in re
turning proofs, and thoro is another wait for type
to bo roloased.
BESIDES THE TONS OF TYPE TO BE MOVED
thoro arc nearly ono hdhdrcd large and
small presses, folders, stitchers, pasting and other
Kinds of machines to say nothing of hundieds of
machines- used in tho bindery which arc nor of a
heavy typo. Tho Tribune correspondent says:
Tho now homo of the world's greatest
printing office is a model of beauty and conven
ience, with a floor space of moro than 400,000
square fc:t The building is of steel frame filled
in with granite and brick, and spreads itself over
nearly ten acres of ground. It Is 408x175 feet,
seven stories, with basoment and attic, with
vaults running under tho entire length of the side
walks. In tho building thoro are 375 steel col
umns, onabling tho floors to stand a weight of
85,000,000 pounds. It is estimated that there Is
enough steol in r j building, if wrought into rails,
to lay a railway track for forty-three miles, and
from tho other iron and brass fittings seventy-four
large locomotives could bo built Tho building Is
flroproof and is equipped with Its own heating
and lighting plants. There will be moro than
7,000 incandescent electric "lights and twelve elec
tric clovators; a completo telephone system; ico
plant to furnish drinking water; crematory for
disposing of rofuso and for neating tho 'vast
quantities of water that will bo needed for the
bindery and for other purposes. In ract, every
convenience necessary for tho rapid turning out
of work and for tho comfort of more than 4,000
employes aro to bo supplied. Tho new plant will
cost something over $2,429,000."
V? C
THE TITLE WHICH A WRITER IN THE
Now York World bestows upon tho recent
report of tho interstate commerce commission is,
"A Tale of Marvels." After having1 digested that
official report, tho World writer says: "Wo have
282,741 miles of track, of which about 82,000
miles aro doubled track and sidings. All the rest
of tho world has but thrco miles to our two. Thia
country has eighteen feet of railway for every
inhabitant; in tho world outside there are eighteen
inches per Inhabitant. It has probably cost to
build and equip our railways about ?30,000 per
mile, represented by six billions in bonds. Pro
moters' profit and other original and Incidental
'water aro roprpsented by six billions in stock.
Nearly half this stock pays no dividends, but tho
remaining portion yields enough so that the av
erage for tho whole is 3 1-2 per cent a fine profit
considering tho origin of the securities."
DURING THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN
Ohio held during tho month of April, one
village elected a man as mayor of the town as a
joko, but tho villagers are now finding out that
it was after all a serious matter. Tho mayor
elected is named Alonzo Weed and the village Is
Amesvllle in Athens county, Ohio. Immediately
after his election tho village council, the clerk,
and the marshal joined In a petition to Governor
Nash for the removal of the mayor, declaring his
utter unfitness for the office, and stating that ho
was a tramp and had drifted Into the village from
California. Tho governor appointed a hearing of
the case and at this hearing It was shown that
the misconduct charged by tho prosecutors of tho
mayor had all occurred before his election. A
Columbus (O.) dispatch to the St Louis Post-Dispatch
gives the governor's answer in this inter
esting case, Governor Nash being quoted as say
ing: "Then, this case is dismissed. The statute
giving me power to remove mayors does not con
template that I shall inquire into their corfduct
prior to their election, but during their term of
office. I refuse to remove Mayor Weed, and now
vacate the order which I made suspending him
from office pending the hearing. As nearly as I
can learn, the electors knew as much about him
when they voted for him as they do now. They
have made their own bed and they shall now Ho
In it In the meantime they can learn also that
the election of a mayor is not a Joke, but a very
ftrion matter."
