FOR GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.
* 7nloni t UrRTG Consolidation of Tel
egraph with Pontal Sytcm.
President Small of the Commercial
telegraphers' Union has called on the
United States and Canada to take over
the control of the telegraph lines now
owned by the Western Union and
Postal Telegraph companies. At the
ame time he began a campaign to se-
curc a congressional Investigation of
'the conduct of those companies in this
country. To this end the union has es
tablished two funds one for the direct
support of the strike and the other to
.pay the expenses of the government
owner-ship campaign. He asks tnat
trade unionists in general and telegra
phers In particular begin at once to
Braise § 2,000,000 for these purposes.
The strike was further strengthened
t > y the calling out of leased wire op
erators In many brokers' offices , and it
was expected that the cable operators
-would also join. On the otht * hand ,
ithe telegraph companies claimed to be
'taking care of all business offered , and
isay that the strike is a closed incident
350 far as they arc concerned. Wash
ington heard that Commissioner Neill
was about to submit a report regarding
the telegraph strike to the PresfUent.
"The strikers charge that the companies
-are taking most of their business sub
ject to delay , and that the dispatches ,
instead of being put on the wires , are
6ent by messengers in suit cases from
-9ne cit " to another , t be copied and
delivered by local messengers.
, Jl is said that a bill is to be Intro
duced at the coining session by Con
gressman Samuel Smith , of Michigan ,
which will authorize postal telegraph
systems operated by the Post Oflice De-
jpartinent.
Congressman Smith says : "We pro
vide for carrying the mails by the
swiftest known method , steam , electric
railways and pneumatic tubes. Why
deny the right to the use of the tele
graph ? We carry the mails at a loss.
Why not use the telegraph not only as
* 2. convenience and blessing to all our
jjpeople , but to help wipe out the an
nual postal deficit ? Who doubts that
-the telegraph is an essential part of an
efficient postal service ? "
The constitutional right to establish
ia postal telegraph system is unques
tioned. The government started out by
Downing the telegraph system. In 184,5
the government had built a telegraph
'
NELSON MORRIS DIES.
Pioneer Chi en pro Packer and Millioa *
nlre I'a.sse * Away.
Nelson Morris , pioneer Chicago packer
and multimillionaire , died Tuesday. 1TW-
son Morris was the third member of Ore
famous "big four" packers. Philip D.
Armour and Gustavns F. Srrift preceded
him to the grave , and Michael Oodahy
is the only survivor o the city's piooer3
in the packing industry. Mr. Morris'
death was due to chronic Affection of the
heart , with a kidney compJkxtion ,
had its origin some time ago.
Nelson Morris was born in the Black
Forest , Germany , Jan. 7. " ISiO. His fath
er originally waa a wealthy cattle dealer ,
but he became reduced to poverty after
joining the revolutionary movement to
unite the Black Forest to Switzerland.
The father was an exile until the son
paid his ransom twenty years ago.- Carl
Schurz was a fellow exile of young Mor
ris , jvho , whenliejande in Philadelphia
penniless' vvalTll years old ,
The young man walked to Now York ,
\yhere he hired out to haul charcoal in
Lakeville , Conn. , for ? 5 a month and
board. Later he worked his way on a
cnnalboat to Buffalo , thence walking to
Chicago. Here he went to work in the
old stocl ards. Five dollars a month
was his salary the first year , increased
to $40 the second year. All he
saved from his earnings he sent to his
relatives across the ocean. He began to
buy hogs when he was 15 , making enough
to start himself in tlie cattle business a
year later. The packer used to tell how
at first he killed and dressed his own
cattle. He slept on the slaughter house
floor at night in order to be on hand early
in the morning with his beef aud perk.
His first financial reverse came when h
\vas IS years old. When lie was 25 years
old Morris suffered another reverse. He
indorsed papers for creditors who went
back on him. Within a year , however ,
lie had recovered from his loss.
lie started his packing house in 1SG2
and during the latter part of the war sup
plied the army of the West with beef.
Mr. Morris was the first to export live
cattle from this country to Europe. He
received the first contract ever given to
supply a government with beef. He ob
tained important and profitable contracts
with France , England and Germany. .
Uestriclecl IJirtfi Rate Desirable.
Prof. Edward A. Ross , head of the So
ciology Deportment of the University of
Wisconsin , in a lecture to the students ,
said that "restriction in the birth rate Is
a movement which at the bottom is sal
utary , and the evils in its train appear to
) e minor or transient or self-limiting or
curable , " thus taking direct issue with
President Roosevelt's well-known idea aa
-i
'
IT'S COMING TO THIS ?
iine between Washington and Balti-
.unore , costing $30,000.
Two years later , under a notion of
-economy , it was turned over to pri
vate ownership. Among the public
. .statesmen who protested against this
. course were Henry Clay and Cave
. .Johnson. Prof. S. F. B. Morse also
prophesied the evils of private owner
ship.
Justice Brown , of the United States
.Supreme Court , has said : "If the gov
ernment may be safely intrusted with
the transmission of our letters and papers -
; pers , I see no reason why it should not
ialso be intrusted with the transmis
sion of our telegrams , as is almost universally -
versally the case in Europe. "
of Seagrulls Found.
John B. Watson , professor of psychol
ogy in the University of Chicago , has
.just returned from the Dry Tortugas
"islands , off the lower coast of Florida ,
where he carried on investigations at the
.Andrew Carnegie station. He says that
.he has found that the sea gulls ihave a
language of their own -which can be imi
tated by a human being. He finds that
they live in family groups in houses con
sciously built for their purpose , and he
"believes that they have politics in their
.governmental affairs. For several months
Prof. Watson has lived in a hut of boughs
. on these tropical islands , taming the great
- ocean birds and getting close to them.
He thinks that these birds converse with
each , other by means of the volume , tone
. and duration of their vocal sounds.
Board Favors Octupus. '
The Naval Submarine Board , which
. conducted competitive tests at Newport ,
has reported unanimously that the Octu-
pus is the superior of the boats tested and
- the equal of the best now owned by the
United States or under contract The
- opinion is also expressed that a boat simi
lar to the OctupiK , but larger , would be a
- superior naval weapon.
The Oregon Trust and Savings bank ,
? ; Portland , with deposits of $3,200,000 and
Pliabilities of $3,200,000 , closed its doors.
to race suicide. Prof. Ross says he is
'with those who liate famine , war , saber-
toothed competition , class antagonism ,
degradation of the masses , wasting oi
children , dwarfing of women and cheap
ening of men , " and asks if the time will
come when the mother of more than three
is "regarded as a public benefactor and
placed on the pay roll of the State. " .
Prof. Ross himself is the father of three
children.
Free Employment Agencies. I
The Massachusetts Labor Bulletin ,
digested in American Industries , shows
that fifteen Strtfes now have free public
employment agencies in operation , as fol
lows : California , Connecticut , Illinois ,
Kansas. Maryland , Massachusetts , Michi
gan , Minnesota. Missouri , Montana , Ne
braska. Ohio , Washington , West Virginia
and Wisconsin. Eleven of these have
State systems , with twenty-eight offices in
twenty-six cities , and five States have
eight municipal offices. The motives advanced
"
vanced to justify these agencies are the
belief that State competition would drive
unscrupulous private agencies out of busi
ness , the need of assisting the unemployed ,
and the bringing together of laborer and
employer with the result of reducing tha
army of unemployed.
Is
Sliort Ne va Notes.
A girl bab\ was born to Gov. and Mrs as
Charles E. Hughes at Albany the other
day , it being their fourth child. P
William W. Presser , St. Louis , city t3W
passenger agent of the Clover Leaf ilute , t3a
died at Laporte , Ind. , while visiting rela a
tives.
Three Japanese belonging to a traveling
acrobatic troupe have been arrested in
Russia with plans of fortifications and
other secret military documents in their P <
possession.
A foreign government , supposed to be bi
Russia , says the London Chronicle haa
awarded to a British firm of shipbuilders ,
a contract for several battleships , cruisers
and gunboats.
Nelson Morris , the Chicago packer , haa ill
leased 750,000 acres of grazing land in be
the Standing Rock reservation , South Da
kota , comprising one of the finest cattle
tracts in the Northwest. IE :
IT you have anything to say to a
mule , say It to his face. Chicago
Dally Nervs.
Anthropology Instructor What effect
has the climate on the Eskimo ? Stu
dent Cold feet. Harvard Lampoon.
Officer Seen anything of my bag
gage , sentry ? Sentry She's"waitin'
hwmd the corner for ye , sir ! Regl-
merit
"Did I tell you the story of the old
church bell ? " "No. Let's hear ML"
"Sorry , but it can be tolled only on
Sunday. " Cleveland Plain Dealer.
, He So they got married and went
off in their new motor car. She And
where did they spend their honey
moon ? He In the hospital. London
Tit-B'its.
Foote LIghte Has your sister a
strong part in the new piece ? Miss Sue
Brette Why , yes ; she has to carry
around one of those heavy spears !
Yonkers Statesman.
Mrs. Kelly 'TIs another of thim
soovyneer post cyards from me darter
Maggie the foorth this month , be-
gerry ! Bhe slnds me wan every toime
ahe changes her place. Puck.
Anxious Mothe ? ; .hope you axe not
thinking of marrying young Clarkson.
He spends every cent he earns. Pretty
Daughter Oh , well , he doesn't earn
very much. Chicago Daily News.
MDo you ever talk back to your
wife ? " asked the solicitous friend.
"Sometimes , " answered Mr. Meekton ;
Ma very little ; Just to show her that I
have not gone to sleep. " Chicago Daily i
News. j
Tommy Does it make any difference
If baby takes all his medicine at once ?
Baby's Mother ( In horror ) Good heav
ens ! Of course it does ! Tommy
But It hasn't made any difference.
Punch.
Mrs. Wickwire If you go first , you |
will wait for me on the other shore , i
won't you , dear ? Mr. Wickwire I suppose - j
pose so. I never went anywhere yet !
without having to wait for you. Illustrated - '
trated Bits. j
"Any accident iu your motor trip
through Italy and France , Morgan ? " i
"Nothing worth mentioning. My wife ,
was thrown out and bruised a bit , but J
the machine never got so much as a
scratch. " Life. j
"So Jack's been made secretary and '
treasurer of the company , has he ? " .
"Yes. He has to copy all the letters , '
and take all the deposits to the bank , '
and , oh , Mary , I'm so proud of him. "
Harper's Bazaar.
Church I like to see a man who can
forget an Injury. Gotham Well , there's
that neighbor of mine ; he's suing the
railroad company for an injured leg ,
and every once in a while he forgets to
limp ! Yonkera Statesman. j
A kind old gentleman , seeing a small
boy who was carrying a lot of news
papers under his arm , said : "Don't
all those papers make you tired , my , '
boy ? " "Naw ; I don't read 'em , " re-
piled the lad. Canadian Courier. i
"But to my mind , " said the clerical ,
tourist from the East , "a plurality of ;
vrlves Is unspeakable. " "Huh , " snorted - (
ed the good-natured Mormon. "I never
even heard of one wife that was uhfl
speakable. " Philadelphia Press. ' ti
Young Lady -You are a wonderful
(
master of the piano , I hear. Professor p
von Spieler ( hired for the occasion ) tL
I blay aggompaniments zometimes. "Acpc
'companlmenfs to singing ? " "Aggom-
panknents to gonversations. " Tattler. '
Walter Mr. Brown's left Lis umbrella - m
la again , sir. I do believe he'd leave te
his head If it were loose. Robinson Is
I dare say you're right. I heard him tv
say only yesterday he was going to Is
Switzerland for his lungs. Ally Sloper. th
Church See that man going along th
with his head in the\air , sniffing with BE
his nose ? Gotham Yes ; I know him. v
.
Church I suppose he believes in taking t
In the good , pure ozone ? Gotham No ; go
he's hunting for an automobile garage ,
believe. Yonkers Statesman. w
"I cracked a lawyer's house the otnbr
er night , " said the first burglar , disgustedly -
gustedly , "and the lawyer was there fct
with a gun all ready for me. He ada
rised me ter git out. " "You got off
easy , " replied the other. "Not much I FC
didn't ! He charged me $25 for de adJo )
vice. " Philadelphia Press. i > u
"In the summer , " remarked the obese
passenger with the big diamond stud ,
"people should eat nothing but cold
food and drink the coldest water ob-
tainable. " "Ah ! " exclaimed the rail-
ivay detective , "you are evidently a doctor -
tor ? " "Not me , " replied the o. p. "I'm
an Ice dealer. " Chicago News. *
Parson ( on a bicycling trip ) Where
the other man who used to be here !
keeper ? Park Gatekeeper He'f !
dead , sir. Parson ( with feeling ) Dead I
Poor fellow ! Joined the great major-
, eh ? Park Gatekeeper Oh , I
wouldn't like to say that , sir. He waa
good enough man , as far as I know , W
Punch.
The Book and Its Contents.
'Gracious ! " exclaimed Mrs. Schop. Bi
pen , "I've lost my pocketbook. ' an
"Never inind , dear , " replied her hue- Hy
band. "I'll , get you another pocketbook
and you can easily collect -more dresi [
joods samples. " Philadelphia Press. wl
When the visiting team wins , about'
the credit It gets Is a reputation for
telng lucky.
Every old timer will tell you thert bo > :
sn't much grace In the , modern done * "Y
t
"Cheer - -dl * " up . . , " advised the good-
latured man. "You look as if you
lidn't ] have a dollar or a friend on
arth. What's the matter with you ? "
"Oh , nothing much , " replied the lu-
ubrlous individual. "I've got a lit-
le neuralgia that5s kept me In agony
or the last few days and It's Just
omlng on again. That's all. "
"Well , well , " said the good-natured
mn , sympathetically. "Too bad ! In-
snuittent , eh ? It's a good thing it
> n't : troubling you all the time. That
rould be even worse , eh ? D.ucky it
> n't toothache , too. I generally find
lat neuralgia yields to treatment , but
iiere's no cure for toothache. Don't
Qcourage it by looking dis nal , any-
ray. ; It may pass off. I thought when
saw you that something had been
oing. wrong with your business. "
"Something's been going wrong
'ith : it for a time , " said the lugu-
rious individual. "It's going to the
Ickens. Where we sold a carload
bout ten years ago we aren't selling
couple of crates today. "
"You save on freight then , don't
on ? " said the good-natured man ,
cularly. "I guess you're making it
it a little worse than it is. But you
now what goes up conies down and
ya. may be doing business on a car-
tad basis again in a month or two. "
"There wouldn't be much in it if
e were , " said the lugubrious indi-
xiuaJ. "Competition's too keen. Ifs
itthroat , by Jinks ! But we've got to
ieet it if we don't make expenses ,
alk about competition being the life
business ! It's going to be the death
mine. "
"Anybody in your line's doing
Jghty well if he does pay expenses , "
lid the good-natured , man. "I know
70 or three aren't doing that and
1cks has gone into the hands of a
sceiver. How'd" you like that ? I
less you'd have some excuse for
eking if you had got into that shape ,
race up , old man. Sell your crates
id be thankful. How's your fam-
rr
"Wife's sick , " replied the lugubrious
dividual. She's been threatened
1th nervous prostration for the last
sar and she's killing herself now
irslng our little girl through the
hooping cough , "
"There's scarlet fever In our neigh-
rhood , " said the good-natured man.
You're fortunate that the little one
uwx't got that Yes , sir ! I met oar
OPINIONS OF GREAT PAPERS ON IMPORTANT SUBJECTS I
THE END 0 ? THE LOTTERY.
vBATII-beds are not usually places for re
joicing , nor it is often that the old rule
about speaking noting but good of the dead
may be broken. A recent scene in the
United States District Court for the South
ern District of Alabama gave a fitting oppor
tunity for making exception to both these
rules. It was the death-bed of the old Louisiana Lottery ,
and the decedent is befieved to have left no heirs , few
mourners , and a memory that it is most charitable to
forget
The end came through the acceptance of a plea of
guilty offered by thirty-seven defendants , from several
different States , to the charge of conspiring to cause the
Interstate carriage of lottery advertising.
This is the culmination of a legal fight which the gov
ernment has carried on for forty years , and a moral
fight which the American people have carried on for a
much longer time. The mails were closed to lotteries
in I860. The companies turned &t once to transportation
by express , and it was not until .1895 that a law was
secured which forbade interstate transportation of lot
tery tickets or advertisements. Tkis drove the Louisiana
company from the United States to Honduras , and caused
8 cfcaasa ia its ttam * > . The constitutionality of the law
was at once attacked , and Vaa foujat through the courts
until 1906 , when the Supreme Court decided against the
lottery company.
Since then the .business of distributing tickets and
advertisemeats has been by messenger , but agents of
the government were able to present BO strong case of
conspiracy to use the express companies , too , that the re
cent conviction resulted.
The lottery , then , Is dead. Let us hope that It will
stay dead. It was conceived in the falsehood that a few
should profit at the expense of the many. It robbed
the wldew and the orphan , and fattened on the work
man's slender wages. It bred false hopes , broke down
self-reliance and steadiness of character , and furnished a
convenient cloak for dishonesty. Youth's Companion.
ADVISING THE GRADUATES.
y
HE baccalaureate a-tklresses to college grad
uates were attuned to one key that the
young men going forth to battle in the world
should find it imperative to take part in
and elevate the standards of political life.
There is too much laxity In office-holding ;
there Is some dishonesty , and there is too
much Indifference among the people. From these causes
ecandals arise which are a reproach to our system of
government , and which are costly to those levied upon
for Its support
The youths who have devoted four years to acquiring
a classical education have by this very training fitted
themselves to become leaders In the parties to which
they elect themselves. They can be of marked service
in making these agencies serve the people what they
were called into being for instead of being perverted to
base ends to become the tool of selfish politicians In ad
vancing personal Interests and thereby preying upon the
people.
The univerglty or college graduate knows that honesty
in politics is quite as necessary as in the other walks of
life. The dead-beat Is here as he Is In tradeTo get
a living without paying for It , which , means possessing
a sinecure , is the role of the worthless hanger-on In poli
tics. His presence is proof that graft holds a strong
hand in the game and that the taxpayers are belnj
fleeced by dishonest guardians of the public funds.
To drive out these cormorants ought to appeal to tbo
well-educated man leaving his books to make a record be
fore men. By voice and pen he can aid in the overthrow
of conscienceless officials. It Is a noble work to engage
in. To do good in the community ought to be the aim
of every man and woman. In the sterner field of politics
there Is need for all the watchfulness and energy possible
to prevent Incompetent and dishonest office-holding.
After finding a place in the community where he can
be assured of an honorable living , the next step in the
career of the educated man is to dedicate himself to the
cause of the people and see to It that , as far as his Influ
ence extends , the taxpayers are not imposed upon by
officials intent solely upon their own enrichment UUca
Globe.
SAFETY IN RAILWAY TRAVEL.
HE National Union of Railway Traekmea
has filed complaints before the railroad com
missioners of various States In regard to
dangerous conditions the trackmen some
times contend with. This question has re
cently become more urgent on account of
the serious increase in railroad fatalities.
In the last three months of 190G there were In the
United States , according to reports published by the
Interstate Commission , 1,739 derailments , with a list of
146 persons killed and 1,517 injured. Recently the
average of derailments and casualties has been far be
yond the former figures. In four years the derailments
and tragic list nave grown beyond the expansion of rail
road systems &nd the population. Proportionately , there
are more accidents and greater resulting damage to life
and property.
It is represented by the trackmen that In some cases
the rails and roadbeds are defective , and that the force
maintained to watch and repair them Is Insufficient.
They state that more rails are broken on account of Im
proper support by ties than by faulty manufacture In the
steel mills. It is further claimed that the patrol of
tracks by day and night is not enforced as thoroughly aa
in former years , and that government or" State Inspection
of tracks has become a necessity. As the trackmen are
in close touch with roadbeds physically , their statement ,
it may be assumed , will be carefuly weighed by railroad
officials , who desire , as much as any class , that tracks ,
and all branches of the service , shall be safe and efficient
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
doctor this morning and he told me of
three cases he had. That's a bad
thing , scarlet fever. Whooping cough
isn't pleasant , I know , but it's some
thing all children have some time. "
"And our cook has left right in the
middle of it , " said the lugubrious in
dividual. "Didn't give us a word of
warning. Packed her trunk and then
came downstairs with her hat and
Jacket on and said that her family
wanted her back and would we please
pay her wages and let the expressman
take her baggage when he called. "
"We had a girl played us a worse
trick than that , " said ( the good-natured
man.
"Then don't tell me about If
snapped the lugubrious Individual. "I
don't want to hear it"
"I didn't mean to be unsympa
thetic , " said the good-natured man. "I
was only trying to show you that
things might be a great deal worse. "
"But you don't seem to realize that
they might be a darned sight better , "
said the lugubrious individual. "That's
what makes me sore. " Chicago Daily-
News.
Tne Hygriene of Underwear.
The average person wearing two sets
of underclothing a week , says the
Youth's Companion , will make tfoe
change in the middle of the week , but
it would ibe far better if the two sets
were kept going the entire week on al
ternate days. With the bi-weekly
change , the clothes worn during the
d < ay are aired only for seven or eight
hours in the twenty-four and never
have the .purifying process of a sun
ning. With two sets going on alter
nate days , one set can ibe aired two
nights and one day , and , if possible ,
should -be hung up where they can re
ceive the direct rays of the sun for
some ihours. They should not -be kept
in a dark closet
"What's His
"After all , you know ; " said Dubley ,
'
"a man/Is only as old'as he feels. "
"Yes ? " replied Wise. "How about
the fellow who feels like a 2-year-
old ? ' " Philadelphia Press.
Many a man who hasn't a good
horse now will pat his old family
horse on the back , and say : "I tell
you , this old plug has been a mighty
fine horse in his time. "
Sometimes a man loses his head at
the same time his heart is captured.
PLAGUE OP BIRDS IN ENGLAND 1
Result of Crusade for Protection - |
Battues of Sparrows and Finches. ,
Tne protection of birds In England ;
has reached such a stage that they hava
becprne a _ nuisance and now it Is ix #
unlikely that a systematic war will be
waged on them. The complaint lsnoti _
of the gameTirdsT ) which p1fy 5 spoH :
and in the market It Is the little'
feathered creatures that are bothering
the farmers and gardeners. " 7
Of course , the sparrows are the' '
worst. They have grown to millions
in the southern part of England nr fj'
the Kentish farmers have had to organize
ize battues to reduce their numbers , a34
they were devouring seed and grain and
destroying fruit to a ruinous extent
Tens of thousands of them have been
shot or caught with birdlime.
In Herefordshire , Just north of Lon
don , the bullfinches are the worst of
fenders , swarms of them darken the
air and settle down on the fields and
In the orchard. The statement mada
is that they absolutely denude the trees
of fruit
Each apple or pear has only a little
peck taken from It , but It is thrown to
the ground and rendered totally unmar
ketable. The farmers and fruit rais
ers here talk of organizing formal hunts
to thin out the flocks of birds. Starlingi
nave also become extremely numerous
and are badly In need of slaughter , the
country people say.
The' pigeons are the only birds con
stantly shot all the year around In
England , and In spite of this their num
ber never seems to diminish. In one
farm outside of London the proprietor
reports that he shot recently 340 pig
eons in a single day.
Farmers and gardeners and fruit
growers are proposing to memorialize
the government for the establishment' '
of a scientific system to combat the In
crease of sparrows , finches , starlings ,
crows and pigeons in the interest of
husbandry and horticulture. New York ;
Sun.
A Wonderful Cataract.
The falls of Iguazu , situate near
where Argentina , Paraguay and Bra
zil meet , form one of the most wonderful - ,
ful cataracts In the world , being great
er in extent and more varied in charao-
ter than the better known falls of Ni- ;
agara. The first plunge of the Iguazu ,
falls is 210 feet followed by two others - '
ers of 100feet each , while ibetween the
two series of falls there are cataracts !
and rapids covering a vast expanse and !
surrounding .picturesque Islands.
When a woman Is superstitious , it ,
doesn't mean anything , but if a man !
is superstitious it usually means that
his business undertakings become fail
ures.
The first step toward a widow's second
end trip to the matrimonial altar is her
announcement that she will never
ry again ,
