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edttorial page The Atlanta Georgian
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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN
Published by THE GEORGIAN COMPANY
Af 20 Fast Alabama Rt . Atlanta, G*
F.ntere* *■ second-clans matter at pnstoffW at Atlanta, under art o* March 8, 1**J
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The Mayor’s Appeal for a Quiet
dorsed by All
The Georgian cordially and sincerely commends the sugges- ;
tion of the Mayor that the various locker clubs of Atlanta close
on Christmas Day.
It is both a pleasure and a satisfaction to know, too. that the j
disposition of the club managements, apparently, is to accept
the Mayor 's suggestion in entire good faith, and to act favorably
upon it.
ATLANTA CAN WELL AFFORD NOT TO HAVE OPEN
IN ITS MIDST ONE LOCKER CLUB OR NEAR BEER SA
LOON ON CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY.
There once prevailed an idea throughout this country that }
Christmas was a time for rowdyism and questionable merrymak
ing. It is difficult to account for the origin of that idea; but, be
that as it may, it has been exploded completely and no longer is
accepted as worthy.
Decent people generally have ceased even to tolerate dese
crations of Christmas.
Everywhere in the nation, now, Christmas is sought to be
fashioned along lines of sanity and safety.
Christmas is pre eminently the season of peace on earth and j
good will toward men—a time of happiness and joy, yes, but I
a time of licentiousness and looseness, no!
The best placa of all places to spend Christmas is at HOME |
—about the family fireside, within hearing distance of the
laughter of the little ones—a glad and willing participant in
their innocent and wholesome pleasures.
Locker clubs are better closed on Christmas Day- and mem |
bers thereof, nine times in ten, are much better off somewhere
else than where they are operated.
The Mayor’s suggestion that the locker clubs be closed on
Christmas is proper and timely.
To close them— ALL OF THEM—certainly will make for ’ a
merry Christmas,” in the best sense of the words!
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 FOR 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 horn's before
the Postmaster General had earnestly recommended that they be
actually consolidated for the public good and put under govern
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 1
It’s Nearly Christmas
How to Restore Our Merchant Marine By Lewis Nixon
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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 Dingley
act and the Underwood act we
have such nullification by the
Board of General Appraisers in
the one case and by an opinion
of the Attorney General in the
other.
If one has given a lifetime to
the study of a problem and has
formed definite opinions based
upon facts, such a one would be
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. Hence, in the five
articles to follow this 1 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 Rtael
that ‘ patriotism of nations ought
to be selfish.” we need not blame
foreign statesmen who do what
they can to grasp at a greater
share of ocean carriage at our
expense But when we And so-
called statesmen here at home
voting and working against our
marine it Is time tha- the search
light of public interest be 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 citiiens should
be made to prove their case, and
such proof does not lie In reciting
from the pages of blood and thun
der novels detatls of Ill-treat
ment only to be found in the
fertile imagination of a Jack
London.
The Foreign Ally.
Up to the time we began work
on the Panama Canal the influ
ence of foreign nations upon our
legislation was sufficient to block
all really helpful measures. Now,
however, the foreigner has an
ally. Need we look very far to
find the Interests that wish to
(ffscourage 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 Hay-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
LaFoliette bill, Senate Bill No.
186, and even the new measure
ment rules for tonnage.
When a measure is helpful we
And 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 Lama
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 1f 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 Lessons.
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 1
ran. 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 Frye came up to me at
the end of a talk J had been giv
ing and strongly indorsed all I
had said, adding: “Years ago l
was just as enthusiastic aa 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 w^e 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. Me-
Kinlev 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
• gainst every effort to revive our
marine—we must expose the
character of such arguments as
are insioere 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 most 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 th»t our roa-rtne
may b« rehabilitated by means
fair to the rest of the world, at
the same time fully realising that,
so great is our depression, Si)rh
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’e expense' in a way
that shall please those who must
relinquish, we shall simply live In
hope.
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 acce* 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 the
Arm will to use them.”
O UT of the echoing faiwway.
Up from the rushing ana.
Back on the road of Yesterday,
A piper earns to me
“Pipe me a song of Life,” I erted.
And he lifted hts eyee ebore;
While the oweet wttd notea drifted far and wide.
As he piped me a song of twee
Then langhteg I berried upon my wny.
And I left lore far behtnd;
TUI I rente on my piper of yeeterdat,
drown old end citirpked dud Wind.
Tips me a song of I or ted
And with blind ayes lifted above.
He fingered his cracked old pipe with pride,
As<) pteped me #e seftg ef tesse
DR. PARKHURST
Writes on
Vivisection
The Arguments Against It Are Gain
ing Popular Favor Every Day, He
Says. The Uselessness of Much of
It Is a Fact—But Contempt and
Ridicule Are No Arguments.
By REV. DR. CHARLES H. PARKHURST.
I T Is painful to witness the
troubled state of mind into
which vivisectionists have
been precipitated by the welcome
which the President 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 who believe ifr vivisection
are not necessarily wicked and
those who believe otherwise 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 vivisectionists have
been disposed to cover with re
proaches is gaining in popular
fa\’or.
The writer of this article is,
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 patn, somewhat so to the
pain suffered by other people; but
even children, tender as their
hearts are supposed to be, will
not only witness with 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.
Virisectionists hare 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 whom
I knew to be in the habit of
sticking needles into rabbits’
eyes, boiling or roasting them
allye. 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 would I allow a
vlrlsectionist to practice in the
pbor 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
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
navy 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
there is no«ubstantial agreement
among surgeons as to whether,
after all the slaughtering and tor-
turlng of hundreds of thousands
of Innocent animals, any results
have been secured that are a
practical contribution to the in
terests of humanity.
E>r. Cowen, of the Royal College
of Surgeons in London, testified
In Washington that In an effort
to find the cause of cancer 145 -
000 animals have been tortured
in the last two years with no re
suiting discovery.
No Need to Introduce
Ridicule Into the
Controversy.
Now. so long as men of rec
ognized authority put themselves
on record with statements of such,
tenor it is straining matters a lit
tle for vivisectionists and viviske-
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 cfaiming that there is
absolutely nothing to show for all
the killing that has been done In
ail departments of research, but
there is sufficient disagreement
among the authorities to bring
down the presumption of vivisec
tionists to a quieter and more
modest tone, an I to warrant 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 and
amusing themselves.
If an ante-mortem dissection
of a monkey has proved a cer
tain fact, it is neither necessary
nor human to prove over 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 the
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 as
much.”
“The Moral Argument
Against Vivisection
Remains.”
The bad effect on the operator
and on the students and specta
tors remains; the undoubted fact
that the practice tends to pro
duce a callousness and a passion
for experiment which lead to
unauthorized experiments in hos
pital* on unprotected patients re
mains: the horrible callousness
of binding the sufferers in the
operating trough so that they
can not express their pain by
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 scores
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 world remains.”
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 to
have been one of the very great
est Americans.
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 by the
United States. It was granted as
a base to this country by ar
rangement with Cuba at the time
the Spanish War set Cuba free
BURIAL PLACE OF MARK
TWAIN.
S. D.—Samuel L. Clements
(Mark Twain) is buried In a
beautiful cemetery in Elmira,
where he lived with his family
while he was writing many of his
books. The members of his fam
ily, his wife and two f^r^r.ars,
are buried in the earrur 4
Questions Answered