THE COURIER
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Kcade is u man of strong convictions,
and as I said of mediaeval opinions
about his relations to the people to
whom he preaches and administers
the sacraments of the church.
During the bural services, last
week held over the body of a woman
who had neglected confession Father
llcitde is charged with having fright
ened her relatives by saying that on
account of her neglect of confession
he could not assure them that she
had reached Paradise.
The speech if he made it, is an in
teresting cxamp!cof a survival of an
epoch forever past and impossible of
recall.
Dangerous Initiations.
It is not of very great use but the
editors of the country are moralizing
upon young Berkley's death who was
drowned while attempting to obey the
orders of a fellow named Dickinson
who was putting him through the
first horse play of an initiation into
Kappa Alpha fraternity. Berkley had
been told that his admission into the
fraternity depended on the fidelity
with whbh he obeyed Dickinscn's
orders, and when the latter handed
him a note and told him to pin it on
to a bridge in the distance, Berkley
took it and when he found that a
canal interrupted his progress to
wards the bridge, he plunged in and
was drowned. The vicious part of
the fraternity initiations is that the
novice is instructed to obey without
questioning and that no real harm
will be done him Ordinarily Berkley,
not knowing how to swim, would
scarcely have walked into water he
did not know the depth of, but having
been ordered to p n the note on the
railroad bridge and there being no
bridge over the canal lie doubtless be
lieved that if the water were over his
head the initiator would not have dis
patched him to a point beyond the
canal. He had faitli greater than
Saint Peters' but it was misplaced and
he was drowned. This is the second
violent deatli occurring in the severe
preliminaries of an initiation into the
Kappa Alpha fraternity in the Cornell
chapter. A few years ago a Kappa
Alp';a initiate was pushed off a prec
ipice in Ithaca. He struck his head
against a reck and he died within a
few minutes. The correspondent of
the Sun says the Kappa Alpha men
expect to sec the fraternity expelled
by the authorities of Cornell univer
sity. The father of young Berkley, not
having been taught the strength and
saerednessof the bonds uniting fra
tcrnity members, and knowing noth
ing at all about the fidelity paid them,
lias gone to Cornell shaking his gray
bereaved head and exclaiming that
Ills son was murdered and that so long
as God gives him breath lie will not
cease his elicits to bring his murderer
to justice. But lie is only an unlet
tered, hardworking business man, who
cannot be expected to understand
the brilliant wit and ingenious de
vices forenjoylng life that distinguish
the Kappa Alpha's of Cornell.
''Woman."
The man who is most a man is not
afraid of the competition of women.
Tiie man who is most a man and
able to do a man's part in the world
is not afraid that woman will lose her
interest in him or her children be
cause she is allowed to earn her living
and vote. Tins is what Tlieodoro
Roosevelt said recently in his address
to the New York state assembly of
mothers:
'I boiicvo the mother must be more
than a cross between the head nurse
and the housekeeper. She must have
an interest in outside tilings to keep
her own self-respect; and when she
loses that self-respect, she loses the re
spect of her children. We know of a
mother, good and kind, sacrificing
herself to her children, who, through
that sacrifice, has sacrificed her power
of doing good. 1 wonder If you have
read Aiary E. Wilton's 'Revolt ot
Mother.' You should read It, Tor it
contains profound moral lessons."
Th s Is the story of a long-suffering
wife, tyrannized over by a husband
who was thoughtless rather than bad,
and describes her final rebellion and
its good results.
Another favorite objection to equal
suffrage is the "division of labor"
the idea that the mother ought to at
tend to everything within the home
and the father to everything outside
it. Governor Roosevelt said:
"I do not think it is right for the
father to let the mother have all the
care of home life. No family can be
come all that itsliould be if the father
does not do his share, or if the mother
does not keep in touch witli outside
interests and what is going on in the
world sutllclently to become an intel
lectual stimulus to her children.
"Many persons have a feeling that
education and intelligent interest in
public affairs tend to make a woman
unwomanly. Governor Roosevelt sa d:
"There are women who develop the
intellectual side to the dwarficg of
the womanly, but it is not necessary.
Educate the girl to be Just as much of
a woman y heroine as the heroines of
any of the romances :T the last cen
tury, yet have her wise, with well
trained mind, thoroughly awake to
all that Is goiDg on in the world.''
"The real objection to suffrage, in
the mi. ds of many fash onable and
fastidious women.' is the fear that the
ballot might br ng them in contact
wlili something rough and unpleasant.
Governor Roosevelt said:
'I ttiink all these people who are
bringing up the boys and girls who
will naturally be ihe leaders of the
next century should keep peculiarly
in mind to train those children to
have not only the negative motives,'
but to cultivate the pos tive. As one
who sees Infinitely much of the wick
edness in the world. 1 h ve grown to
count the want of intelligent and
strong effort for righteousness to rep
resent a positive misdemeanor. We
can't afford it We need all the effort
toward righteousness possible. Your
children ire the people who will shape
the questions of the next century, In
which there will be a coming togeth
er of the nations and a gather ng of
problenisgreatertlian ever before. In
the next century we shall need every
ounce of morality, of firm courage, of
steady purpose. We need not only
the nice people, the people who wou d
sit at home, who would confine their
efforts to piissing resolutions, but we
shall need the people who reel a burn
ing sense of indignation at corruption,
at wrongs, ut injustices, at foul I vlng
people who will go out and work to
set the world aright ''
It is peculiarly appropriate that
these words should have been spoken
hi Albany, the headquarters of the
antls, who 'wou d sit at home.' and
whos'iud'ierat the idea of crystalliz
ing their disapproval of any evil into
the concrete form of a ballot cast
against it."
Animal Biographies.
Ernest Seton Thompson Is a worthy
rival of Kipling in animal stories.
The Biography of a Grizzly, begun in
the NoveniberCo tury Is a fascinating
story or an orphaned grizzly cub.
When his mother dies all the world
snarls at him and b tcs hun. His
light for existence in the midst of bear
traps and forest enemies is told with
a real biographer's sympathy and ap
preciation of the standpoint and
the d'lllcultles of a grizzly. No one
doubts any longer that animal think
and reason. For a long time children
and naturalists were bullied and snub
bed by the word Instinct which is sup
posed to be the name or the Inherited
gift which furnishes the plan of a
nest to a bird, the directions fur the
cunning traps the spider sets and the
outline to the ants of their complex
social system. The word is defective
hocause it does not explain the clever
ness shown by cats, dogs, horses, and
other familiar quadrupeds In evading
sudden dangers and discomforts in
which knowing how to build a nest,
seta trap, or organize a community
will not help them. Doubtless in
Mr Kipling's and Mr. Thompson's In
terpretation of animal life from the
standpoint of the animal rather than
from the alien human standpoint
their subjects arc idealized. But
every successful biographer creates an
atmosphere for the man whose diary
and private letters lie has read. Fol
lowing In the footsteps of a bear,
living in the forest and marking the
habits and tastes of individuals of
the bear family, Mr. Thompson's bi
ography hah none of the characters
tics of a general history and all the
charm of a life Napoleon or Poe.
Horse dealers have long known that
there were not two horses that
thought alike or could be handled
alike; but a horse dealer's opinions
have not been able to produce the
revolution in our opinions of the
dumb world that these two writers
have accomplished. They were of
course preceded by Burrows and other
painstaking naturalists willing to lie
all day and night inu blind in order
to identify b'rds and verify conclus
ions in regard to their employment
of vertaln notes to express fear, love,
or the discovery of food The begin
nings in literature of this rational
view of animal life and experience
has taken place in the last quarter of
a century. It is to literature the
discovery of a new world. Only the
patient man without prejudice can
find out the secret of the biographies
we are so anxious to read. "Some
Animals IhaveKnown"by Mr.Thomp
son was written b a friend of his
life-long friends who are more jealous
of their loves and hates, who guard
family secrets and skeletons with a
fidelity unknown to men and women.
In revealing the difficulties of animal
life Mr. 'Ihompson and Mr. Kipling
have enlarged our sympathies and
widened our horizon as much or more
than Columbus did at the end of the
fifteenth century,
Congratulations.
The undisguised and sincere satis
faction with which the news of Ad
miral Dewey's engagement is received
Is a proof the real affection with
which he is regarded by Americans.
The sense of ownership that the
nation feels is like nothing so much
as the interestthatsubjects feel in the
family of the reigning monarch. If
the English ever Lecome sentimental
It is when the heir apparent is en
gaged and during the celebration of
the wedding festivities. The poetry
written on these occasions is truly
dreadful, but it is also touching as
the effort of lire long stoics to ex
press an emotion which is actually
choking them. When Prince George
was betrothed and finally married to
the Princess May the poet laureate
and other untitled English poets were
moved to express the emotion which
was really disturbing them and their
fellow countrymen. It may have
answered Its purpose and sat'sfled
loyal hearts but it certainly added
nothing to the poet cal treasure of
the world
In spite of tbo satisfaction with
which the Admiral's communication is
received I confess adread of the news
paper gossip and gloat that will
record Mrs, Hazen's movements and
efforts to collect a trousseau sub rosa.
There is no far laud to which she and
her fiance may flee where their dally
movements will not bo photographed.
And when the wedding actually takes
place, no yellow newspaper will bo
yellow. enough to portray the trifling
detais It Is shocking that we have
progressed so far In the road of vul
gar! t opened and paved for us by
the yellow newspapers that the news
of the engagement of an Idolized
American at first suggests only weari
ness, !n anticipation of newspaper
enterprise In securing the bride's
picture and that of all her family.
There Is not the shadow of a doubt
that tomorrow's New York papers
will contain pictures of Admiral
Dewey and Mrs. Hazen enclosed in
an immense heart and on the same
page a vignette of poor General
Hazen. The Admiral knows he is
loved by the nation and I think he is
fully determined to excuse the very
worst Impertinence we can commit.
The Vanderbilt Millions.
lb is frequently stated for the bene
fit of socialists who are clamoring for
a redistribution that the sons, and if
not the sons, the grandsons of mil
'.ionalres waste the money made and
hoarded by the founder of the family's
fortunes. But neither the Astor nor
the Vanderbilt fortune has been dis
sipated in four generations. The
original sura held by the heirs of
three generations is increasing,
though as each head of the family
passes away the legacies to minor
heirs make a large draft upon the
still increasing nucleus.
The original Vanderbilt called
Commodore left the bulk of his for
tune of $50,000,000 to his eldest son
William II. Vanderbilt, leaving his
other children comparatively modest
sums. The will was contested chiefly
by two of his daughters and a settle
ment was effected whereby a much
larger sum was settled upon all the
younger sons and daughters.
William II. Vanderbilt multiplied
more than three times the sum his
father left, and he left the most of
his savings to Cornelius H. who has
just died. He was devoted to business
and a man of large but unostentatious
charities. His will left legacies to
all the old servants and clerks. In
stead of leaving the bulk of his for
tune to Ills eldest son Cornelius who
had dlsp'eascdhim in the selection of a
wife Cornelius II. loft It to his young
est son Albert. He gave to ills son
Reginald and to his daughter.
Gertrude and Gladys 87,500000 each;
to Cornelius the wayward and oldest,
son, he gave $1,500,000, and to Alfred
tiie second son, the residue of the
estate, amounting to some $50,000,000.
When the father died, Alfred, who is
now the chief legatee under the will
and designated by the father as the
head of the family, was in Japan.
The will was not admitted to probate
until his return a few days ago. Be
fore the will was offered for probate
another Vunderbilt. will contest was
avoided by Alfred voluntarily giving
to his brother Cornelius the sum of
80.000,000 to make him equal with tbo
other less favored members of the
family.
'lh us the feudal system of keeping
a largo fortune intact has ta'cen root in
this country. Though the fortuua do
Bcends, not to the oldest ton invariably
and unalterably, but to the one whom
tho pitnarch of tht family and tho
hereditary conBorver of its fortun se
lects ub the hoir moat likoly to keep the
ftrtune together and' to increiso it bo
that tbo next subdivision to hie sons
aud daughters may not decrease tho
transmitted treasure. By this system
the fortune is less likely to fajl into
careless and unworthy hands. Whor
tho astute father can select his own
heir, tho chances of keeping the log icy
intact are largely increased.. Whereas
in England the estate Ib entailed und
must go to tbo eldest son if he have in
tellect enough to Bign his name. A
foolhh heir ia unavoidable and if
fortunoie once starlod down hill, by tho
horedity which visits the Bins of tho
fathers upon the sons of the third and
fourth generations, the cumulative
cutbo distributes it more und nurd
rapidly among tho people.
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