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editorial page The Atlanta Georgian THE HOME RARER rHE ATLANTA GEORGIAN Published hy THE GEORGIAN COMP/I NT At 30 Hast Alabama Ft Atlanta, <la TTWI *« second- ■»'* matter at nnntoffier at Atlanta, ui Arr art n Marrh S. t*.l , ... Ai-M'AV AMERICAN and THE MU' I A <.K« -ROIAN will k- mHi • hi ffhtn *r. ' “**"**• r< Hith for f •*>'■ thro# mimthw for 11.75; rhangfl of a*t#lre®i made as often a* rtf-sired Foreign nub*crtptlon rate® on application Warning to Combinations! Do Not Benefit the Public! President Wilson congratulates his Attorney General upon the successful dissolution of a combination which was not in re straint of trade, but FOIi THE BENEFIT OF TRADE! The Telephone Trust has been ordered to separate itself ut terly from the Western Union Telegraph Company. The Tele phone Company has agreed to obey the order. An arrangement by which millions of citizens got better and cheaper telephone and telegraph service has thus been sternly terminated by a firm executive hand. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company has been informed that it must relinquish its less than 30 per cent interest in the Telegraph Company, and forthwith cease a co-operation that has put thousands of dollars into the pockets of the public, added immeasurably to public convenience, invented the “day- letter" and the “night letter,’’ and REDUCED rates both by cable and land lines. No wonder an approving President pats a complacent At torney General on the back! A blow has been struck that will teach corporations that no such combination or co-operation can be tolerated by the government, whether it is beneficial to the public or not. Apparently because this particular combination happened to prove beneficent, it has been sundered. The extraordinary ability of the telephone company's officials galvanized a deca dent telegraph service into life and energy. The stock did not go up It went down. Six million dollars was added to the ex penses, and profits actually declined more than $200,000. Forty thousand miles of new wires were strung in one year. The num ber of offices were increased by 1,000. And by the day and night letters, and deferred rates on cables, the cost of telegraphing was vastly decreased. Incidentally it was made possible for the sender to use his telephone as a local telegraph station and dis patch messages direct from his fireside. That must have constituted the crime. Quick of decision, the watchful and waiting Attorney Gen eral determined that the telephone and telegraph companies should be separated. What mattered it that but 24 hours before the Postmaster General had earnestly recommended that they be } actually consolidated for the public good and put under govern j ment control, as a natural monopoly? What has Attorney General McReynolds to do with Post master General Burleson? Nothing! Let the companies dissolve, he decreed, and the companies, nothing loath, agreed to dissolve. A decree has been prepared for presentation to the court this very day. Thus a combination, NOT IN RESTAINT OF TRADE, but made to give cheaper and better service in order to extend trade, will be destroyed. The price of stock will rise. The price of service will rise. The people, already smarting under a tariff without reciprocity, will pay the price. But the administration rests supremely happy. It has achieved a triumph. And the superlative genius of an Attorney General who could at one stroke please big business and make little business pay the piper is smugly receiving congratulations from a delighted President! The Man Who Tried to Be Avenged on Napoleon Leonardo da Vinci's “Mona Lisa," the most famous paint ing in the world, has been found again; this time, it is declared, the genuine painting, which was stolen from the Louvtc in Paris in 1911, has been recovered in Florence, and will be returned to the French Government. The public has become skeptical of stories concerning this famous and mysterious painting, but for purposes of meditation we may consider that the real masterpiece has been returned, and listen for a moment to the explanation of the thief: I was ashamed,’’ he said, “that for more than a century no Italian has thought of avenging the spoliation committed by Frenchmen under Napoleon, when they carried off Italian museums and galleries, pictures, statues and treasures of all kinds by wagon loads, ancient manuscripts and thousands of gold by sackfuls.’’ Perugia, the reputed thief of the painting, has a difficult job on his hands if he would justify himself on the ground that Na poleon committed a theft in a big way. and. therefore, he can commit the same crime in a small way. The wholesaler always has the better of it; the retailer is abused, if the trade be murder, robbery or groceries. The whole sale grocer is a merchant prince and the retail grocer is a shop keeper; the wholesale murderer is a conqueror, the retail mur derer is marked for the gibbet. Magnitude seems to carry with it its divine right and palliation. Napoleon spoiled Italy. He felt himself justified in that as in other things he did. Possibly he was paying a subtle compli ment to the Italians by his act, which carried with it the intima tion that the Frenoh were more in need of art culture than the Italians, and his robbery of Peter to pay Paul was educational, not malicious. But the fact remains that Napoleon could spoil the museums and galleries of Italy, and bear no minor blemish on his great name, while the man who took ‘' Mona Lisa' ’ may yet be sent to jail as a felon. To take revenge on France for Napoleon's deeds is too big a job for any one man, even considering, as many thinkers do, | that Napoleon was always fighting for democracy as against aristocracy, and his good works outstf ie his bad. It’s Nearly Christmas DR. PARKHURST I wetv I <suess 1 Ybu WONT- \ "They 'Re Too ( DrtMSeeooS poo 1 You WOULDN'T wakT him To «row y UP and Be * WOClLft You suits I'll 6tr Tkt 60Y AH AIR G-oN TOH CHR:5TelAS TTrrrrnr A HOBBY HoRS 6- l Bts't'ts- Eve*Y /American \ f WHY WHEN I \ \ B>oY should know J \ was ms a<ze. \ ( How To shooT 1 I HAD A REAL J ^ A HOT SON J f DIDN’T You A (WHAT DIO You \ HEAR. \ \ 3AY Tbo WWW- 1 Ika first soms Tb / \ Tint !» / - \<5.*T Ml* ? / How to Restore Our Merchant Marine By Lewis Nixon O UR merchant marine, once adequate, efficient and prosperous, now languishes. Many proposals have been made by political parties for its rehabil itation. Usually they have not been en acted into law, and even when weak attempts are made the tre mendous foreign influence acting upon public opinion here secures their nullification by executive action. Thus under the Dlngley act and the Underwood act we have such nullification by the Roard of General Appraisers In the one case and by an opinion of the Attorney General In the other. If one has Riven a lifetime to the study of a problem and has formed definite opinions based upon facts, such a one would he lacking In public spirit If he did not speak out without mincing words In regard to a subject so vital to the present and future of his country, lienee, in the five articles to follow this I shall en deavor to explain how we built up a merchant marine, how It was destroyed and how measures looking to its revival are cir cumvented. * • • Time for Searchlight. Means foul and unfair have been used against us. Perhaps agreeing with Madame de Stnel that “patriotism of nations ought to he selfish,” we need not blame foreign statesmen who do what they can to grasp at a greater share of ocean carriage at our expense. Rut when we find so- called statesmen here at home voting and working against our marine it Is time tha f the search light of public interest he turned pitilessly in their direction. Ambition should not be achiev ed through the hauling down of our flag on the ocean, and men who Inspire legislation hurtful to their country under the guise of efforts in behalf of badly-treated elements of our citizens should be made to prove their case, and such proof does not lie in reciting from the pages of Mood and thun der novels details of Ill-treat ment only to be found !n the fertile imagination of a Jack London. The Foreign Ally. Up to Hu' time we began work on the Panama Uanal the influ ence of foreign nations upon our legislation was sufficient to block all really helpful measure*. Now, however, the foreigner has an ally. Need we look very far to find the lntereata that wish to discourage American ship owning that through the preference given In canal dues may carry by water much that has heretofore been carried by land. We shall review the attacks on the canal bill, the insincere and misleading interpretation given the Hny-Pauncefote treaty by those knowing better, the forcing of a free ship provision into such bill, the opposition to the 5 per cent discrimination In the Under wood bill, the vicious and hurtful I.aFollette bill, Senate Bill No 1116, and even the new measure ment rules for tonnage When a measure Is helpful we find our public men speaking with bated breath of some musty treaty as something too sacred to be brought to light, but whose Imagined provisions, Grand Um> like, must be regarded. However, when legislation hurtful to the American marine—or had we not better say destructive—Is pro posed, ample votes are ready to approve It, even though It vio late treaty and convention. • • • The Duty of Congress. Our Congressmen represent our people, and If they are what they should be they should have the courage of their convictions. If men believe that the flying of the American flag afloat should be discouraged, let them say openly that It Is better the railroads should carry certain merchandise than ships The Democratic party Is pledged to constitutional regu lation of commerce, and In my next article I shall explain what appears to me to be the meaning of such regulation, and why Con gress Is in duty bound to enact It, regardless of party. My proudest legacy to hand down to my son is that I have built and launched over one hun dred vessels for use In war and commerce. But for over six years I have built no vessels. While my being interested In shipbuild ing, that master craft which draws upon every calling, pro fession and trade, should in no way detract from the strength of fair discussion, in which I have never avoided any Issue. • • • Lifetime Lesson*. I wish to say that as I am build ing no vessels now, there is In what I write or say only a pa triotic sense of duty in presenting the lessons of a lifetime as best I can. I feel that a certain meas ure of public service should be given by every one, and I have been afforded unusual opportuni ties to study this problem at home and abroad and enjoyed the Inti mate friendship of such men as William H. Webb. John Roach, Charles H. Cramp and W. W. Bates. Senator Ffye came up to me at the end of a talk I had been giv ing and strongly Indorsed all I had said, adding: “Years ago I was Just as enthusiastic as you, but my efforts seemed to make about as much Impression against the always vigilant opposition as putting my finger Into the water and pulling It out would make upon the ocean.” Yet Senator Frye tried to fol low that platform declaration of his party, and he tried to amend tariff bills to give us real dis crimination In favor of American ships and was voted down. • * • May Hit the Trail. Some day we may find out why the Elkins bill, which aimed to carry out constitutional regula tion of commerce as pledged in the platform upon which Mr. Mc Kinley was elected, was with drawn and a subsidy bill put in Its place, although in the Repub lican platform of 1880 the fifth resolution said: “Further subsi dies to private persons or cor porations must cease." There was a reason; perhaps we may hit the trail. We must bring out, so that it may be appreciated, evidence of the steady, relentless war urged against every effort to revive our marine—we must expose the character of such arguments as are insicere or deliberately mis leading. When a statesman takes stands that seem hurtful to the general welfare, we must challenge them so that he must Justify or aban don his position. Vague references to so-called antiquated laws must be made definite. We must Show that our marine, called Into being by constructive statesmen, preserved our political and commercial independence, how wise laws were suspended and what the country lost by such suspension. • * • Text From Jefferson. We must show that our marine may be rehabilitated by means fair to the rest of the world, at the same time fully realising that, so great Is our depression, such means must be drastic and com pelling. If we expect to find a way to re gain our foreign transportation (and we can only regain It at someone else’s expense) In a way that shall please those who must relinquish, we shall simply live in hops, I shall take the following from Thomas Jefferson as my text: "It is not to the moderation and Justice of others we are to look for fair and equal acres, to mar ket with our productions, or for our due share in the transporta tion of them, but to our own means of independence and firm will to use them,” w at THE PIPER at BY CON4TANCE CLARKE O UT <*f the echoing faraway. Up from the rushing sea; Back on the road of Yesterday, A piper came to me “Pipe me a song of Life," I cried. And he lifted hie eyee above; While the sweat wild notea drifted far and arid* As be piped me a eorng of love Then IsagWng I hnirted spon ary way, And I left love far behind; Till I came on my piper of yesterday. Grown old and crippled and blind. "Pipe me a song of Life." I cried. And with blind eyes lifted above, He^^gered tain cracked old pipe with pride. Writes on Vivisection The Arguments Against It Are (tam ing Popular Favor Every Day, He Says. The Uselessness of Much of It Is a Fact—But Contempt and Ridicule Are No Arguments. By I T Is painful to witness ths troubled state of mind into which vivisectlonists have been precipitated by the welcome which the Presklent has extended to their opponents who gathered in council, at Washington. Some of us are exceedingly gratified by the publicity given to the anti-vivisection protest by the fact of the conference being held at so influential a center, and es pecially by the report. If It be a true one, that Mr. Wilson regards It with at least a degree of sym pathy. There Is no reason why there should be any sacrifice of cour tesy or loss of temper over the matter. Men W’ho believe in vivisection are not necessarily wickerl and those who believe oth’.'wise may still be honest and Intelligent. Conflicts of this kind are not set tled by epithets. The question in volved Is a serious one and can only be solved In a spirit of candor. There are two sides to It, and it Is perfectly evident that the side which vivisectlonists have been disposed to cover with re proaches is gaining in popular favor. The writer of this article 1s. and always has been, an earnest disbeliever In vivisection main tained on the wholesale and In discriminate scale now in vogue. Even Tender Hearted Are Callous to the Pain of Animals. We are sensitive enough to our own pain, somewhat so to the pain suffered by other people; but even children, tender as their hearts are supposed to be, will not only witness w’ith composure the suffering of animals, but even find fascination in causing it. People of gentle refinement would oppose the establishment of the bull fight In the State of Georgia, but great numbers of them do frequent the bloody ex hibitions when they get as far away as Spain and Mexico, and among people who do not know them. A man, even though credited with qualities of tender-hearted ness, will go as far from home as to Africa for the purpose of sat isfying his passion for slaughter. The impulse is a brutal one and its gratification necessarily fos ters brutality. Vivisectlonists have publicly testified to the delight they take in the excruciating performance. I would not knowingly have any friend of mine dealt with or op erated upon by a surgeon whbm I knew to be in the habit of sticking needles into rabbits’ eyes, boiling or roasting them alive. I should have the suspi cion that during the operation he would get in some sly work with his knife in order to satisfy his curiosity. Least of all W’ould I allow a vivisectionist to practice in the poor wards of a hospital, occupied by people who had no friends and no money to protect them from the operator's passion to cut. No vivisectionist would inject boiling water into his own dog. It would have to be some one’s else dog or nobody's dog. It has to be remembered that among surgeons as to whether, after all the slaughtering and tor turing of hundreds of thousands of Innocent animals, any results have been secured that are a practical contribution to the In terests of humanity. Dr. Cowen, of the Royal College of Surgeons in London, testified in ’Washington that in an effort to find the cause of cancer 14^. 000 animals have been tortured in the last two years with no re sulting discovery. No Need to Introduce Ridicule Into the Controversy. Now, so long as men of rec ognized authority put themselves on record wdth statements of such tenor It Is straining matters a lit tle for vivisectlonists and viviseo- tionist institutions to attempt si lencing their opponents by an in expensive application of ridicule. There is no logical force In con temptuousness. It is not neces sary for the antis to go to the extent of claiming that there Is absolutely nothing to show for all the killing that has been done in all departments of research, but there is sufficient disagreement among the authorities to bring down the presumption of vivisec tlonists to a quieter and more modest tone, and to W’arrant the public In putting an intelligent restraint upon the Indiscriminate and irresponsible cutting and tor turing in which insensible knights of the knife are indulging an] amusing themselves. If an ante-mortem dissection of a monkey has proved a cer tain fact, it is neither necessary nor human to prove ovesr again the same fact by the ante-mortem dissection of a hundred or a thou sand other monkeys. In the book entitled “The World of Life,” written by th* distinguished English scientist Alfred Russel Wallace, recently deceased, occurs the following paragraph: “The moral argument against vivisection remains, whether the animals suffer as much as we do or only half ss much." “The Moral Argument Against Vivisection Remains." The bad effect on the operator and on the etudents and specta tors remains; the undoubted fact that the practice tends to pro duce a callousness and a passion for experiment which lead Id unauthorized experiments in hos pitals on unprotected patients re mains; the horrible callousness of binding; the sufferers in the operating 1 trough so that they can not express their pain bv sound or motion remains; their treatment after the experiment, by careless attendants, brutalized by custom, remains; the argu ment of the uselessness of a large proportion of the experiments re peated again and again on score* and hundreds of animals to con firm or refute the work of other vivisectors remains, and finally, the iniquity of its use to demon strate already established facts to physiological students In hun dreds of colleges and schools all over the woTld remains.” REV. DR. CHARLES H. PARKHURST. I there is no substantial agreement Questions Answered THE CANAL OPENING. T. C. S.—The formal opening of the Panama Canal is set for January 1, 1915. At that time the available battleships of the nary will pass in procession through the canal. Colonel Goe- thals, who has had charge of the construction work, gives it as his opinion that ships will not be able to pass through the canal regu larly before May 1, 1914. THE TELEPHONE. J. D.—The telephone in its present form was invented by Alexander Graham Bell, of Wash ington, for whom it was named. Myriads of Improvements have been made by other men, but the principle is Bell's. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. Student.—-Benjamin Franklin was more than an author and a scientist. He was a statesman of the first order. His efforts on behalf of the American colonists In Paris did much to bring about the assistance of France, which was of tremendous help to the colonists in the Revolution. Many historians believe Franklin 1® have been one of the very great est Americana GUANTANAMO, F. R S.—Guantanamo Is a town on a deep water harbor on the southeast coast of Cuba, main tained as a naval base b> the United States. It was granted as a base to this country by er rangement with Cuba at the time the Spanish War set Cuba free BURIAL PLACE OF MARK TWAIN. S. D.—Samuel L. Clement* (Mark Twain) is buried in 5 beautiful cemetery in Elm where he lived with his fan: while he was writing many of h- books. The members of hi? fa® ily, his wife and two daughter-, are buried ia the Same *