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VIEWS ABOUT TAXATION.
OUGHT ITS BURDENS TO BE SHIFT
ED TO THE RICH ?
Elgned Statements by Charles a.
Dana, Thomas L. James, J. Edward
Simmons, May or Washburn e, Charles
B. Jones and Harry L. Cannon.
(Copyright, 1893.)
Nbw York, March 11.—In the con gross
which 1* soon to open questions of taxation
will almost absorb attention. The old fight
between direct and indirect taxation will be
lo the fore again, and if the national reve
nues from duties are to any extent cut off
Ihere will be a determined effort on the
part of advanced thinkers in congress to so
adjust the burdens of taxation that they
will fall with greater weight upon the
shoulders of the rich than upon those of the
poor. Representative opinions upon the
wisdom, justioe and expediency of
(a) A graduated income tax,
(b) A graduated tax on bequests,
(c) Taxes on luxuries,
Are here appended.
CHARLIES A. DANA’S ANSWER 18 SHORT AND
EMPHATIC.
All sohemes of confiscation; against re
publican principles. Charles a. Dana.
BY J. EDWARD SIMMONS, PRESIDENT OF THE
FOURTH NATIONAL BANK.
I do not favor the Imposition of an income
tax. TVe have tried that once iD this coun
try and have found that it put a premium
on lying, was difficult to collect, and was
thoroughly unsatisfactory iu every way.
I am rather inclined to favor a tax on be
quests, though Ido not speak so positively
upon this point as I might upon longer re
flection. It cannot be evaded like the in
come tax, and upon first thought Ido not
see how it oould drive property out of the
state. Certainly it oould not if such taxa
tion were federal or were made uniform by
the states.
lam in favor of taxing luxuries, though
definitions of luxuries might differ some
what. I regard liquor and tobacco as luxu
ries and proper subjects of taxation. I
would not like to tee pianos or music in any
form taxed. You might as well impose a
tax on sunshine or auy other influence that
makes home bright and cheery. 1 see no
objection to taxing private carriages or to
the general principle that those who enjoy
luxuries should pay for them.
I think that Mayor Washburno is right in
saying that legislation intended to shift the
burdens of taxation would do much to allay
social discontent.
BY THOMAS L. JAMES, SX-PO6TMASTER
GENERAL AND PRESIDE NT OF THE LIN
COLN NATIONAL BANK.
I do not favor an income tax of any
kind. It operates to put a premium on
perjury, and under it the unprincipled
would be favored at the expense of others.
We tried toe income tax in war time and
it proved intensely unpopular. It is so still.
It would Bend to “kingdom come” any
party which dare father it. And yet,
strictly speaking, the income tax should be
the fairest way to collect a revenue if it
were possible to so collect it without the
encouragement of lying and much actual
injustice.
1 rather ooncur in the suggestion of a tax
on bequests. A man is generally willing—
and always Bhould be—when he is getting
something for nothing to yield up a fair
and just share of it to the state which has
protected him and it.
It would be a mistake to tax oarriagee, I
think. Certainly pianos should not be
taxed, for they are a means of education.
Liquor and tobacco ought to bear a por
tion, and a large one, of the public burdens.
The best government la that which gov
erns least. The honest payment of full
taxes, levied or which should be levied
under the present systems, if t.hat
could be enforced, would strike at the
root of the difficulty, and do more to allay
discontent than anything else which could
be proposed. It is not favoritism which
poor tax-payors want, but justice. Cor
porations are in this state taxed fully up to
the limit of their holdings. Their capital
is known. They cannot evade payment.
It is right that corporations should pay for
the privileges they enjoy, but as it Is they
;>ay more in proportion than individuals—
in this state, at least. If every man in
business had to make such a statement of
his resources aod transactions as corpora
tions do, and could be taxed upon that
statement, the problem of taxation would
be greatly simplified.
I do not agree with Mr. Jones that land
should be relieved from taxation. If we
choose to get into the condition in which
England is to-day. we ueed only take the
taxes off land, when rich men will here as
there seek to monopolize the land because
of that exemption, and comparative free
dom from taxation will be enjoyed, not by
millions of Americans, but by a small set
of men owning all the land in the country
We cannot afford to enact the mistakes
which have made Great Britain a nation of
landed arristoorats where wealth accumu
lates and men decay. Wo want quite the
contrary—for all equal rights, equal priv
ileges and no monopoly.
Thomas L. James.
BY MAYOR HEMPSTEAD WASHBURNE OF
CHICAGO.
Ma yor’s Office, Chicago.
Your communication asking what is my
opinion of the various measures now sug
gested for equalizing the burdens of taxa
tion, such as
“ (a) Graduated income tax,
(b) Graduated tax on bequests,
(o) Taxes on luxuries (carriages, pianos,
etc.),
Are these measures wise, just and politic?”
is received.
I have never given the speciflo matter any
especial consideration. Asa general propo
sition, however, I believe in a graduated
income tax, in a graduated tax oa
bequests and In a tax upon luxuries.
My reason for this belief is that tax
ation would become more equitable and
just and would not fali most heavily, as it
now does, upon the poor and those iu mod
erate circumstances. At the present time
our large corporations and largest proDerty
holders by some unknown process avoid
payment of their fair proportion of the
taxes. If incomes of corporations and in
dividuals were taxed upon a graduated scale
it would meet the present shortage of assess
ment in a large degree, and by reason of the
houest payment of full taxes by wealth and
corpoiatlons the tax upon the poor and mid
dle classes would be thereby reduced, as the
exigencies of government would not require
the full limit raised on the basis of present
taxation.
I believe that taxation, as you have sug
gested, would have a deeper significance
ttan the mere equalization of tax. A fair
and equitable tax, honestly collected, would,
•n my opinion, go far toward removing tbe
rising spirit of discontent among the labor
ing classes of this country. They have many
grievances, and one of the principal griev
ances is the power of money to override
equity and justice and avoid its fair propor
tion of the burdens of state. A poor man
"nth a little home, partially paid for, with
otn influence or power, realizing that he is
obliged to pay the full limit of taxation or
~a veJ 'ls property sold over his head, and
that his taxation is large as It is because of
the avoidance of taxation by the wealtny
•na the corporations, carries about with
mm a meritorious grievance which breeds
“satisfaction w ith law and government,
especially where the government is p>e
utnea to be constructed for an impartial
regardless of wealth or posi
- and every law which may now be
taT° • t 0 wi l ie out such evils as the present
drive away those questions
if v , < ** n F !abor and capital and wnich,
adjusted in the next half century,
anri ,t* ut ln a°cial and political revolution
the arbitrary enforcement of equity
Snl!r i ". K,t,tute law or statute law
corruptly administered.
Hempstead Washburnb.
BY CHARLES H. JONEB, EDITOR OF THE ST'
LOUIS REPUBLIC.
lam in faver of a graded incotre tax. I
Delieve it to be pre-eminently a just tax
because it taxes from the taxpayer In pro-!
portion to his means of paying, and as a
general rule in proportion to tbe benefits
he derives from government. Ido not be
lieve there would be any more difficultv in
collecting it than there is in collecting any
other personal tax. The repeal of this tax
at the close of the war sh. ws how little
vigilance was exercised by congress in pro
tacting the interests of tbe people, ami how
vigilant the rich were in getting legislation
enacted that shifted tbe burden of taxatiou
from their own shoulders.
I also favor the tax on bequests, on 1 ixu
ns and special corporation taxes. Corpo
rations receive special privileges which are
of great value or they would not be so much
sought after. The community should enact
full value for all the privileges it grants.
Instead of the whole burden of taxation
being imposed upon land I favor the Penn
sylvania system, under which land is
practically free from taxation.
C. H. Jones.
BY HARRY W. CANNON, AMERICAN DELE
GATE TO THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY
CONFERENCE.
Equitable taxation is a very difficult
problem aud none of the great nations ap
pear to have satisfactorily solved it as yet
Very likely if a tax could be levied upon
lucomes it might solve the question, but
whether or not this country has reaohed
a point where legislation can be bad look
ing to such taxatiou is, to my mind, doubt
ful. 1 ossibly the levying of a tax upon
luxuries, and, perhaps, upon horses,
carriages, etc., used bv the wealty
for their oomfort and pleas
ure might have a tendency to make some of
our people more content with their lot in
ll.e, but the experience of countries where
this has teen tried is against it; for in
stance, in Belgium, horses, car: iages and
ocher luxuries used by the rich are taxed,
but the socialistic element is at present verv
strong in that oountry, and is making
much trouble to the Belgian government.
lam Informed that in England the tax
laws are being carefully investigated with
a view to making oertain changes. This
matter is receiving much attention
from the London common counoil
at present, which is inquiring into
methods of taxation more particu
larly in France, Germany and Bel
gium, haying in view the making of oer
tain changes in the tax laws of Euglaud,
and especially the tax upon real estate.
There is an impression prevalent in England
that our laws are more simple than theirs
and quite as effective, although they have
an income tax.
As to a tax on bequests, it seems to me
reasonabie that when capital comes to the
the notice of the publio, as it does upon the
death of its owner, aud tbe consequent
change in ownership, an equitable tax
should be placed upon it, regulated, of
course, in fair proportion to the amount of
the bequest and not so excessive as to make
it au object to make misstatements iu wills,
or seek to avoid the tax in other ways.
Harry VV. Cannon.
WHY “JAPS” ARE DWARFED.
They Don’t Get Enough Sleep, Bays
Miss Malles, the Missionary.
From ths San Francisco Chronicle.
A slight, fair young lady with keen gray
eyes nod a bright, intelligent face, arrived
in the city oa Sunday morning from Bos
ton. registering at the Occidental hotel as
Miss Mailes of Osaka, Japan. Those who
take an interest in missionary work in
Japan will at onoe recognize this as the well
known Mary Mailes who has done such
noble work in tbe remote districts of the
mikado’s kingdom. Over eigbt years ago
she started for Japan on behalf of the Epis
copalian church of Boston, determined to
devote the best years of her life, aud possi
bly alt of it, to the enlightenment of the
people in the interior of Japan.
Speaking of her work yesterday Miss
Malles Bail: “When I landed in Japan, iu
1885, I found that at Osaka aud in the sur
rounding district I tad a mammoth under
taking on my hands, for the twin sisters,
ignorance and vice, held full sway. I had a
pleasant house erected, to which it was my
object to attract the womeu and girls, and
when attracted teach them the common
principles of Christianity. I found many
obstacles in my way, but in time I made an
impression uj on the better sort of women,
and before long had several converts.
The best of these I ohuse to help
me and made Bible, teachers of
them, thus enhancing my ability to dissem
inate Christian knowledge. I confined my
work entirely to the women, and did not
saek to go beyond religious teaching. So
far from cities where Europeans eongregate
1 determined that the labor of giving an
English education to those people was un
necessary. Moreover, there are schools at
all points throughout Japan where the
natives can procure a European education.
Where I live, at Osaka, we are almost en
tirely out off from European Influence and
society, the result being that the people re
tain their native habits, unoontaminated or
unimproved, as the case may be, by contaot
with the white races of the west.
£“1 us n d to find the remarkable politeness
of the Japs quite trying and it took me con
siderable time to perfect myself iu the
various matters of etiquette, to violate
which is au unpardonable sin. Here are
two instanoes. On entering a bouse it is
essential tbat tbe vi-.itor shall sit meekly on
the floor near the door until requested by
tbe hostess to take the seat of honor opposite
the door, which Is raised a few inches from
the ground. Tbe invitation must be
politely refused twice and accented on the
third asking, with a show of reluctance. In
asking the visitor to take tea tbe same per
formance is gone through. Only when the
cups have been proffered the third time do
you accept them.
“As to the diminutive stature of tbe Jap
anese my theory 1s tbat it is the result of
insufficient sleep and rest when children.
The babies and little ones are allowed to
remain up just as long as their parents do,
aud I have seen numberless cases where
fathers aud mothers who do with little
sleep themselves will keep their children up
until 2 aud 3 o’clock iu the morning. Wheu
I told them that it was tbe custom iu
America to pack tbs little ones off to bed
early in the evenings they expressed great
horror of what they called such cruelty.
“Notwithstanding the statements made by
various travelers. I do not think that the
Japanese ara a happy people. How can
they be when cruel immorality f rms the
principal feature of their everyday exist
ence? To give his son an education or pro
vide the meansof his advancement, a father
will unhesitatingly sell his daughter to a
life of shame and degradation. This sort
of thing is quite the custom of the o< untry,
and should a parent be in want tbe daugh
ters will voluntarily sacrifice tnemselves to
provide the means to relieve their necessi
ties.
“The nearest European residences to
Osaka are about twen y mile 9 away, but by
the railway It is scarcely an hour’s journey.
This road runs right through to Yokohama,
a distance of 400 miles, which is oovered In
about nineteeu hours. Tbe European offi
cials who used to do all the railway work
are being graiually displaced by tbe
natives, who are much cheaper, of oourse.
“The climate in my part of Japan is very
inclement aud after seven years’ constant
work in Nasoka I left for a vacation. Bince
returning, eighteen months ago, I have
lectured in most of the eastern states upon
Japan and the missionary work there, and
also spoke on the subject of the Episcopal
convention held in Baltimore last OctO-
Mis* Mailes leaves by the Gaelic to-day
and she intends to devote another seven
years to her work in Nasoka before return
ing to her native land.
“Norah! Norah! An; where are yez goln’
wld only one rubber on?” ,
• Wan rubber s enough mother. Shure an
it’s not so very muddy '.''—Tuck.
THE MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. MARCH 12, 1893-SIXTEEN PAGES.
WOMAN’S WIT DID IT.
From the Chicago Times.
At 122 years of age I was tbe cashier of
the large retail dry goods house of Burke
Eros. & Cos. Plenty of people wondered
why a young man of that age had been
given such a responsible position, and Imay
explain that I bad been with the house for
six years. Walker Burke, the manager,
was pleased to say that they had found me
honest, diligent and ambitious, aud that
there was no doubt of my giving continued
satisfaction. I gave no bond It wasn’t the
rule in those days, and I oould not have
j given one had it been exacted. The position
| of cashier is not a bard one for au honest
i man. I handled a great deal of money, but
1 1 can truthfully say I was uever tempted iu
the slightest. I don't claim to be peculiar
in my ideas, but I do6ay that I havealways
been a bit of a philosopher on the subject of
honesty. To carry a burden of guilt; to tie
suspected; to leave home, friends and coun
try ; to be obliged to admit to yourself that
| you are a thief; to t e tracked and published,
even if not arrested and imprisoned—why, I
could never figure out value received, no
matter how large the sum.
Mr. Burke could enter the office any hour
of the day aud count my cash or ruu over
my accounts without causing me to change
color. Every three months au expert looked
over the books, and I could leave him in
the office and go home whistling. On one
occasion he kicked up quite au excitement
by finding a shortage of $2, 100. I didn't
tremble aud turn pale. I neither bolted nor
broke down and confessed that 1 bad em
bezzled tbe money to speculate in stocks or
play the races. I just pulled off my coat
and went over the figures with him, and
within an hour we found the error. Expert
that he was, he had made a mistake in his
footings.
I had held the place for two years, when
a young man named Henry Devon, who
was a cousin of the Burkes, came to take a
place in tbe store as manager of a depart
ment. He did not create a favorable im
pression on me, though he seemed to make
an effort in that direction. He was what
they call a “goody goody” man. He were a
sauotimonlous look, pretended to be pos
sessed of all the virtues, aud a great many
people were deceived in Dim. In a couple
of months after his arrival he was a steady
churchgoer, had a caller or two every day
from the congregation and was always
taking up a collection iu bis department
for something or other. He discharged two
salesgirls who refused to contribute to buy
Sunday school books, and be promptly
bounced an elevator boy who “durned tbe
heathen” when asked to chip In 25 cents.
Being a relative, Devon was not looked
upon as he otherwise would hove been, al
though the only advantage he seemed to
take of the circumstances waste hang about
the oashler’s office rather more than I
thought was proper and to force his friend
ship on me. I treated him civilly, of course,
but I never liked him. One day—when
Devon had been in tbe store a year or more
—my assistant was taken ill at noon and
bad to go home.
It was not only a busy afternoon, but Mr.
Burke gave me two or three extra things to
do, and when it oame time to make our
bank deposit I bad half a dozen irons in tbe
fire. My assistant bad alwayß gone
to the bank, but on this occa
sion I must make the deposit myself.
Trade had been rushing and sales heavy,
and it so happened that everything
was cash. I think tbe sum was $5,800, and
I had just counted it when Devon came into
the office to ask about a check which had
been mailed to us by a country customer
aud had never turned up. I was in a burry
to get out tbe items for a statement of ac
count wanted by Mr. Burke, and as Devon
bad his hat and coat on and was evidently
going out I asked him to take the money
and our hook aud make the deposit for me.
I did not see him when he returned. I found
the bock in my desk and placed it in the safe
without opeciug it. It was not until 10
o’clock next forenoon that I made the dis
covery that no deposit had been credited to
us the day before. lat once weut upstairs
to see Devon aud ask for an explanation.
“Why, what do you meau?” he asked in
reply, seemingly much surprised.
‘ ’I sent 85,800 by you yesterday to deposit.
The bank has given us no credit.”
“Sent $5,800 by me! Why, my dear boy,
you must have dreamed that! You never
gave me a dollar to deposit. Had you as ed
me to do such a thing I should have
promptly refused, as you are employed to
see to those matters.”
Well, to be brief, he stood right up and
denied everything. He even proved that
he did not go out on the street. It so
happened that no one bad seen him in the
office and so it was a question
of veracity. My accounts showed
tbe receipts of the moDey, but as to
its disposal—well, thut was different. I had
seven or eight years of faithful, honest
service to my credit. Devon was a relative,
a church member, and considered above re-
F roach. He was too sharp to even hint that
bad embezzled tbe sum. He merely con
tended that I had made a mistake in some
way. He denied asking ma about tbe check
or being in tbe office, and he lied so easily
and gracefully that everybody was deceived.
The Idea he carried was that I bad
given the money to some other em
ploye, or perhaps to a stranger, and
he had only soft words and sorrow
ful glances when I continued to affirm that
he was the guilty man. It was a great mys
tery. I had every reason to believe that
Walter Burke believed my statement, but
his two brothers and th 9 “Cos.” were doubt
ful, even If not suspicious. The upshot of
the mutter was that 1 was asked to resign.
The story got out, and although there was
not the slightest proof that I took the
money, and 1 asked that they investigate in
any manner they elected, the public
promptly observed that another trusted
employe" had gone wrong, and I was dis
graced.
My first thought wns of leaving the coun
try. I was an orpnan, without home or
relatlves. I was. however, engaged to be
married, and that made my disgrace all the
harder to bear.
The story had no sooner got about than I
recelvod a curt note from the girl’s father
forbidding me the bouse. I couldn’t blame
him, as no man is anxious to have a thief
for a son-in-law, and I should not have
blamed Katie either bad she added a post
scr pt to his note. Instead of that, and
knowing that I couldn’t call at her father’s
house, she came to see me at my boarding
place. She didn’t fling herself upon
my breast aud declare she would be
lieve me innocent against the whole
world, and she didn’t offer to go to tbe
nearest clergyman’s and be married. She
was, as lam proud to tell you, a sensible,
level-headed girl, with little or no romance
in her composition. She didn’t waste any
time about coming to the point after reach
ing tbe bouse, but sat down and said:
“ The story is that you embezzled a large
sum of money.frum Burke Bros. & Cos. I
have beard three or four versions of it. I
now want to bear yours."
1 gave her tbe full particulars, as I have
given them to you, and she did not inter
rupt me once while speaking. When I had
concluded, she said:
“Your story is both plausible and Improb
able. After I have seen Devon I will tell
you whether I believe or disbelieve.”
The next day she weut to the store and
sized the man up. She came directly to my
boarding bouse and said:
“ 1 believe your story. Devon l* a first
class hypocrite. Now, the trouble is to
make other folks believe it. What time in
the afternoon did you give him tbe money P*
“It was about 3:10 o’clock, I think.”
“ And only you two were in the officer’
•‘Only us two. If there had been a third
person Devon would not have dared to play
tbe game.”
“He must have coma in again to leave
the book. Someone must have seen him
either first or last, as yoor office is very
public. Is there a mail delivery at 3
o’clock?”
“No."
“Did you receive any messages or tele
grams that afternoon?”
“Not at that hour.”
“You have a telephone ln your office. Can
you remember of anyone using it that after
noon?”
“No. Hold on a minute! Yes, Ido re
member! Harry Johnson was in aud tele
phoned to somebody about a horse. I’m al
most certain he was there when I gave
Devon the money.
“Then lose no time in finding him.”
When I started to look him up I found
that he was in a city 250 miles away. Next
day 1 walked in ou him. He hadn't heard
of my troubles, and I hadn't finished tell
ing ray story when he interrupted me
with:
“No use going any further, my boy.
While I stood with the trumpet to my ear I
saw you hand Devon the book ad the
mi ney, aud I heard you ear he had only
time to reach the 1 auk. I followed him
out of ths office, and ho went upstairs in
stead of outdoors. I didn’t give the matter
a thought then, being busy with a horse
trade.”
Air. Johnson's statement was put in the
form of an affidavit, and I returned homo
rejoicing that my disgrace had been re
moved.
“This is not enough—really of no ac
count,” remarked the level-headed Katie as
she finished reading tile document. “It sat
isfies me, but it won’t satisfy the tftro. Mr.
Johnson is a friend of yours, and they
would argue that he was tryiug to help you
out-.’’
• ’But what more can we do?”
“Trap the thief. Even if ho has a hank
acoount he would not dnre deposit the stolen
fund as soon as this. I have ascertained
that he has rooms in a boarding house on
Vino street. 1 believe tbat a search of his
rooms would discover tbe mouey. Can you
remember the denommatiou of any of the
bills-”
“There was a good deal of small money,
but there was a fSOO-bil). It did not oome
from a customer, but I chauged it for
Blater, the druggist. It was a brand new
treasury note, aud he said he got it from
Williams, tbe real estate man.”
While I set out to trace tbe bill tbe girl
started in to further investigate Devon. By
a visit to his boarding house she located his
room and ascertained tbat his room was
never locked through the day. Her Idea
was to hire a room near it, but there was
none to be had. Blater remembered bring
ing in the bill, and Williams not only re
membered paying it to Slater, but had the
number of it. When I met Katie again
she told me of her failure, end asked:
‘ ‘Has Devon got a mother or sister I”
“There was a young woman here to see
him a few months ago who was said to be
his sister.”
“That will do. He has no doubt men
tioned her tojhis landlady. Hu goes to dinner
at 12 and returns at 1. I shall be here at 3
o’olock Bharp to-morrow afternoon. Ask no
questions, but let me work this out my own
way.”
"At 1:15 o’clock next afternoon she drove
up to the boarding bouse in a back aud was
provided with a traveling hag, wore a
traveling suit and appeared to have just
oome off the train. She was Miss Devon
and was disappointed to think she hod just
missed Brother Henry. She would get a
bite to eat, rest for an hour, and then run
down to the store. It was perfectly natural
that she should want to seo Henry’s room
and perfectly i atural that she should bo loft
in it to tidy things up a bit. Even tbe
sharpest deiectivo would have gone poking
into trunks and wardrobe and looking mto
corners. Bhe found that mouey inside of
five minutes. It was between the leaves of
an elegant big Bible ostentatiously displayed
on a center table. At 3 o’clock she was ou
hand to say:
“Now, you go to Walter fturke and show
him the affidavit. Then get out a search
warrant and have it served. Inside of two
hours Mr. Devon will be a very tired man.”
Mr. Burke was a bit surprised at ray call.
He was a great deal more surprised when I
handed him the affidavit and told him about
the SSOO bill, and added that I should apply
for a search warrant. He did not discour
age me, though he said nothing encouraging.
It took the officer an hour ami a half to find
the money. I met him at the store, and
there was a very solemn meeting iu the
manager’s room. Devon was called down
stairs and informed of the result of the
search andshown the affidavit. L expected
ho would face the charge as boldly as he
bad faced me, but the thing came so sud
denly that he had no time to work up his
nerve. He did indeed start in to deny every
thing , but bis demeanor betrayed his guilt,
and he finally wilted. He deserved ton
years in state prison, but be was not prose
o ited. It didn’t look just right to give a
cousin up to the law, you know, nor would
any of us like to have tbe world know that
we bad a blood relative who ought to be
playing checkers with his nose. Mr. Devon
stepped out very softly and quietly, and I
stepped back into my .Id place, aid to this
day there are people who can’t make out
how it all happened. Katie’s father Changed
his mind long ago. 1 think he’s quite satis
fied with me for a son-in-law.
FIERY STEEDS OF THE PRAIRIES.
An Old Pioneer Tells of Hie Experience
with a Fine Band of Wild Horses.
From the New York Tribune.
“The most magnificent display of horse
flesh tbat 1 ever saw was on tho prairie near
the forks of the Platte river," said Charles
McDonald, an old western ploDeer now liv
ing at North Platte, Neb., to a Tribune re
porter last evening. Mr. MoDonald Is at
tbe Hoffman heuse and is interested with
CoL William F. Cody In the wild west
show, which will be at Chicago during the
Columbian exposition.
“Tbeborses were all wild,” continued Mr.
McDonald, "and it was one of tbe grandest
sights I ever witnessed. Troops of wild
horses will never more be vißible to any
appreciable exteut on the western prairies.
Tbe spectacle I witnessed at tho forks of
the Platte river m ide my nerves tingle.
There were about 200 animals In the drove.
The sun had just come up over the plains
when I suddenly came out iu front of
them from a little grove where I
had camped during tbe night. I was on tbe
back of my own mustang. Ho lifted his
head high into the air, pawed the earth
with his fore feet and he then began to
suort in a most aristocratic maimer. It
was then that I saw the sight that sent that
thrilling feeling through my body which I
cannot describe. Every aDimal "lifted his
head on bear ing tbe cry of welcome or joy
from my mount, and looking my way the
troop formed in a circle and stood still.
One magnificent black stallion, who ap
peared to be the leader, after looking at mo
for a moment oame toward me with an
easy, graceful stride from the opposite side
and took up a position In front of his fol
lowers. He svaß the finest specimen of a
horse I ever saw. His tail swept th i ground
and his mane hung to his shoulders. His
body was brilliant iu its glossiness. He
looked as if he bad received the most flat
tering attention from an experienced
groom. Home of tbe animals appeared neg
leoied, but the majority of them were sleek
looking.
“My own animal became so excited at tbe
sight th .t I made haste to tie him to a tree.
Boon after I jumped from my horse’s Lack
the black stallion gave his head a toss aud
started on a rapid trot across tbe prairie,
tbe entire band following him. After golnfc
about a half mile away the baud returned,
tbe magnificent black stdl in tbe lead.
They came within UK) yards of me. and the
leader whinnied as if to Invite my horse to
come and join them.
"My Door Jack! I felt so sorry for him.
He stood looking at tbe wild rovers, bis
lariat drawn taut, and at the invitation or
call from the leader he made frantlo efforts
to join the wild baud and thus forever put
an end to his drudgery. Bweat came from
every pore, he was so exolted, aud his body
was covered with foam as if he had just
fluished a 30-ralle run. I was afraid he
would succeed in breaking away, so I fired
ray rifle Into tbe air to frighten tho drove,
and the leader took the hint aud scampered
off across the plain, followed by the others.
I watched them until they were out of view,
and actually I wished 1 were one
of them, they looked so contented. I have
since looked upon a magnificent colleotlou
of horses, but that sight was the grandest
of the kind I ever witnessed.”
BE FORE
Moving down to the city, for
our present stand —Bay and
Montgomery—is like unto the
country, we determined to share
with the public, and it would
surprise you to see the num
ber of vehicle buyers who daily
throng our warerooms, in order
to got the benefits from this
REMOVAL SALE.
It is now only a question of
a few days more, and what isn’t
sold by April Ist will be removed.
LIVERYMEN for their stables,
DEALERS for their customers,
INDlVlDUALSfortheirown use
will each and all find some bar
gains worthy of a personal visit
and inspection, as description
is difficult by mail.
Come Before April 1.
THE TRAIN DISPATCHER
HIS WORK, SO RESPONSIBLE AND
RI6KY, 13 VERY FASCINATING.
The Many Moving Trains Under Hla
Charge Depend for Salety Upon His
Comprehensive "Picture."
From the New Yore Sun.
“1 tell you, boys, it s the most fascinating
work 1 ever triad, and I've been railroading for
twenty-five years and taken a turn at every
thing from brakeman to divialon superin
tendent.”
Bo spoke the train dispatcher to a company of
railroad men and the reporter.
• ‘Why,” said the latter, “I thought train dis
patching was too risky to make the sense of re
sponsibility comfortable."
“It may be partly that at bottom, but a train
dispatcher to do his work must lose sight of the
awful consequences that might follow a mis
take. It he didn't he'd lose bis nerve every
time. Why, every train, or single locomotive
for that matter, of the hundreds whose move
ments he directs every day is fraught with
greater possibilities of disaster. Involving life or
property, or both, than any man can contain
plate and not want to desert the responsi
bility."
"But how can a man put out of hU mind alto
gether those possibilities, so that bes fit to
move trains without hesitation and not get rat
tled?" asked the reporter.
“Well, it's the same answer to that as ln other
cases where nerve is needed. It’s the coufl
dence that comes with experience. If you’ve
run trains without accident, why you feel you
can do it again.'
■ When the danger of catastrophe Is lost sight
of,” resumed the dispatcher, “the fascination
comes In in the complexity of tbe problems
which present themselves every hour. How
to get the most trah s through,
in opposite directions, giving each Its ‘rights’
over tbe others, is the sum of a dispatcher's
task. It Isn't enough to get each train as It
comes along through safely; you've got to deal
with scores at the same time, look ahead and
keep them moving.”
“You ougnt to be a good chese player," sug
gested the reporter.
“1 do pretend to play a pretty fair game, and
you’re right; tho same faculties that tell In
chess come into play in train dispatching. But
with trains you're dealing with ‘men’ tbat are,
when under way. out of your control for a
time, so that the difficulties or the game are ln
one way increased by the introduction of mov
ing pieces. Ho. while you don’t vividly realize
the possible consequence of your moves on the
steel-ruled hoard, the dim consciousness you
have of responsibility makes the railroad game
a big one.
“And It’s something only the human mind
can grapple with. I’ve seen mechanical vcon
tr,vances used to follow on a board the move
ments of trains, with the idea of checking the
liability ol the dispatcher to ‘drop a stitch' and
allowing him to think of something else with
out losing the situation. But. afterall. It’s ths
man who must b t depended on to know that
the board Is right. If It gets set wrong the
board of pegs only embarrasses him In trying
to recover his ‘pi ture,‘ as the boys call It.
“ a train dispatcher has got to have a mental
•picture' of toe relative positions at any given
time of all the trains under hla hands. If that's
gone, God help him!
‘‘Why, I’ve seen a man stand between two
telegraph operators dictating orders to one aod
the other as fast as he could talk many a time,
without anything between Ills mwwageg and
disasters except the changing, but at every
minute whole and exact 'picture' of all the miles
of track which he ru s. It is a double
track with a few miles of single track between
the sidings, his mind must work like lightning
to keep them going and avoid collisions.
"I’ve seen a man standing In the operators’
tower In such situations, dictating, grow sud
denly wmte as a doth. He bad lost bis ‘pict
ure.’ A moment of awful suspense, and then
with a great sigh, almost a groan, or relief he
would recover it.
“That instant, unblurred, mental Image Is the
peculiar faculty developed by the dispatcher's
business.
“To give you an Idea bow oomplicated these
mental photographs inay be. and how many
polnu. any one of perhaps fatal importance,
the mind must take In at once. I was at one
time dispatcher over a section of double-track
road of sixty miles Regular trains pasted a
given point every four minutes. In this section
wav ten miles of single track, a 'hogback.' thut
la, a grade both ways to its middle requiring
two locomotives to pull trains up lo the highest
point when they left either of the double tracks
“With the regular traffic on the latter, and
WAGONS AND CABBJA&g\
COLLARS
Guaranteed to HB
$3 reward for
boon for auf
“AUBURN STEEL AXLE’’
WAGONS.
"We will replace
every broken steel axle,
no matter what the load
might weigh, or what
the circumstances
under which it broke,
FREE OF CHARGE.”
ALL SIZES AND STYLES
FOR
EAR!
-“AND
TURPENTINE.
GUARANTEED.
the locomotives oomlng bacs from the hog
bacs, twice tbe ordinary number, anil just at
likely to cause loan to property, if not lu pro or
trainß, it waa quick work. You uipat, la •*> in,
too, tbe preaenceof trains naming umivrjipt i'lul
orders tu put tl.em througu Add to that tlie
liability to an emergency call for 'props' to bo
forwarded instantly to tbe company's mines to
guard against a threatened cave In, and you
have a good idea of tbe problems a traiu dis
patcher has to grapple with.
■ Every once in a while a dispatcher gets a
realizing glimpse of the responsibility placed on
him by the way lio is pulled u;> for any Irrogu
iarity. His superiors must be the strictest dis
c plinarlans to guard tne company against
losses. For an illustration: One winter night
I had a train which 1 had positive orders to put
through. It was blocked at a certain point by a
passenger train stalled in tile snow I Could
overcome tne obstacle In two ways, either rush
tbe paiseuger train through with au extra
locomotive, or take the urgent tram back,
switch it to another track, and go around the
passenger The drat would take about fifteen
minutes, the other perhaps an hour and a half.
It was late to lose time, so I sent an order to
Siush tbe passenger out of tbe way. It was
one, and through my other train went all
right. I mtm tbe usual note of the maneuver
in my daily report to the division superintend
ent, and in a day or two got a message that he
would like to seo me.
“The superintendent was one of the kind who
doesn't make any fuss, but goes to tbe heart of
the matter in hand. While speaking to me
about some commonplace subject he reached
down a volume of tne Penal Code and pointed
out a section for me to read, it described the
offense of pushing passenger trains and tbe
statutory penalty lie said: ‘I guess 1 don't
need to vay anything more, do It’ I said, 'I
hope not,' and went out, feeling os if I had just
escaped a criminal convlctlou.
“Passenger trains, the law provides, must tie
hauled, not pushed, and 1 haven’t given any-or -
dors to violate tbe statute since that time.
“Then, for me, too. I count as a pleasant side
of the business the chances a man has to do a
kindness in the position of dispatcher. Ire*
members particular illustration of that, whose
unpleasant sequel doesn’t even destioy my sat
is fact on In It
“In the running of trains one evening by P.
there was a bitch which compelled a change
from the usual orders from tnat point for
freight No. 0. The preceding train was stopped
up the road near (j , so that tbe usual release
for No 6 to pull out and ruu to Q. could not be
given.
"But Jim Wales, the engineer of No. 0, read
bia orders wrong, thinking they were as usual
to run to Q.,and had pulled out before I knew it.
One of my men came running m. ‘Did you nee
No. 6go out?' he said. I realized Jim s mistake,
and that he had assumed that the orders were,
as usual, for a clear road, and I was for a mo
ment up a stump to prevent a collision. I did,
by urging the wires, get the train stalled ahead
of No. Gon a siding to let No. 0 through. But
that didn't cl-ar Jim He had pulled out from
P. without orders, and that m ant his discharge.
I knew he hod a wife and six children tin 1 I
wanted t > iav him Ids job. No i arm, to he
sure, bad been done, but it was a d> lioUe mat
ter to protect him from the discipline of the
company. ___
“1 hadn’t been in bed long that night when the
girl came to tny room and said two men down
stairs wa.ted to see me. I knew who it was-
Jim and his fireman They came up. Jirn said
he supposed I knew about his mistaking orders.
I said I did. and, being dead for sleep, let the
disciplining go with saying It was a clear case
of disobeying orders. ‘Who knows itr’l said
No one but the switchman who shifted the
other train, 1 a said, knew when No. 0 pasied.
•Well, then,’ I said, ‘don’t say anything, and see
what you hear ’ With that I tur ed over. No
one'said anything, ’ and Jim Wales kept his
place and fed his family.
‘•lt wasn’t three months after (to show the
Ingratitude of the man) that ho wrote the
superintendent complaining because X had
lacked an extra five cars, in an emergency,
above the limit on bis locomotive. It was a
mean letter. When the superintendent called
me up on It I told him of the way I had looked
out for Jim once, lie said: ‘Don’t you do it
for another man. They won't thank you.
They'll hate you Instead ’ But some good turns
1 have done in that way have not turned out bo
badly.”
Mamma—What in the world are you
making such a noise down there for? Kod
erick—To let you know how good I am.
Mamma —Why do you think you are good
when making so great a noise? Roderick.
Because you always say I’m in mischief
when I’m quiet.— Harper’s Young People.
Clergyman (examining a Sunday school
class)—Now, can any of you tell me wbat
are sins of omission? Small Scholar.
‘•Please,sir, they’re sins you ought to have
committed sod haven’t.’— Ti( Bits.
AFT E R
We get comfortably settled in
our new quarters,
and .Iverson Street,
FORMERLY M. BOLEY & SONS,
and the bustle and confusion
incident to our big
REMOVAL SALE
is over wo propose to inaugurate
some new reforms in CAR
RIAGE PRICES.
We find it pays to sell on
small margins and sell much;
turn stock over rapidly—have
now and fresh styles always.
Being removed from the OLD
ASSOCIATIONS and of the
“High-Price-Sell-Slow" system
we shall extend the sphere of
our usefulness for the benefit
of carriage and harness buyers.
A Special Harness Department,
which, like all our other depart
ments, will be complete in
every detail.
You understand, of course,
wo handle
EVERYTHING ON WHEELS.
HARNESS, TOO.
IRONCLAD.
AN O. D WOMAN’a CRIME.
A Pitiful Story of tbo Famine Times
In Russia.
Prom the New York Recorder.
A mournful and tragical story was
brought to light by the trial of a woman 70
years of ago in Kalish, Husain. Romo four
years ago the husband of tbe old woman
died, leaving her alone with her grandson,
Htashm, a bright young b yof t\ years.
For a little while the two subsisted on what
ha.l been left oy tbe oi l man, but soon this
little store was exhausted ami they became
destitute. Theu they lived for eorne time
ou what their neighbors contributed, but
even this means soon oarne to an end, tbe
people in general being in the same Condi*
lion of destitution as themselves.
The grandmother was then driven to soe
her grands >n suffering from the pangs of
hunger. What followed seems too horrible
to lie believed. One day—three or four
(lays having elapsed since they had eaten a
meal—the old woman went to the cemetery
where the old man had been burled and told
her grandson to olirnb up u tree which
grows beside the grave, telling hitn that he
might flud a bird’s nest somewhere among
tbe boughs.
Before she lot the child climb up, bow*
ever, she fastened around his neck a strong
rope. As soon as the boy had reached a
little way above tbe first fork she managed,
by a little manipulation, to get tbe rope
across it, and then fastened the lower end
around the trunk. This done, she suddenly
called the boy to ootoe down quickly. He
started to do eo, and bad gone down ssvoral
feet, when he was brought up suddeuly by
tbe tightening of tbe rope around bis neck,
Thun, horrible to relate, the old woman
seized upon bis feet, which had coine just
within reach from the ground, and hanging
on with all her weight, slowly accom
plished the work of strangulation.
She was arrested the same day and imme
diately confessed all the particulars of tba
crime as set forth above, seeking to set her
self right by saying that “it was easier for
the poor little fellow to die thus at onoe,
rather than to st trve to death slowly,” and
that she "could not boar to see him suffer
ing so king.”
The old woman was sentenced to ton
years’ penal servitude.
LEMON ELIXIR.
A Pleasant Lmon Tonic.
For Biliousness, Constipation, Malaria,
Colds and the Grip.
For Indigestion, Sick and Nervous Head
cbe.
For Sleeplessness, Nervousness and Heart
Disease.
For Fever, Chills, Debility and Kidney
Disease, take Lemon Elixir.
Ladies, for natural and thorough organic
regulation, take Lemon Elixir.
Dr. Mozley’s Lemon Elixir is prepared
from tbe fresh juice of Lemons, combined
with ot.ier vegetable liver tonics, and will
not fail you in any of tbe above n imed dis
eases. 50-~ent and $1 bottles at druggists.
Prepared only by Dr. H. Moziey, Atlanta,
Ga.
At the capital.
I have just taken tbe lost of two bottles
of Dr. H. Mozley’s Lemon Elixir for nerv
ous headache, indigestion, with diseased
liver and kidneys. The Elixir cured me. I
found it the greatestjmedioine I ever used.
J. H. Mennich, Attorney,
1225 F street, vVashingtou, D. C.
From a Prominent Lady.
I have not been able in two years to walk
or stand without suffering great pain.
Since taking Dr. Mozlev’s Lemon Elixir I
can walk half a mile without suffering tbe
least inconvenlonoe.
Mkb. H. H. Bloodworth,
—ad. Grifflu, Ga.
"Bay, Ebene/.ab, what’s dat churns da
man dat moved nex’ door ter you sings
ebery time be goes ter his wood pile." “I
don’t kuow, but 1 reckon it mus’ bs ’ds los*
cord.”’— lfrathingtou Star.
13