Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-03
KEEP ON AGITATING.
Bad Roads a Serious Reflection on
the State of Allegheny.
WORK FOR THE LEGISLATURE
Speculative Shares Weak Through Fear o.
Congressional Tinkering.
FIRST STEP OF TIE COUNTERFEITER

Agitation for the improvement of the
country roads should be kept up until the
desired relief is obtained. A drive into the
suburbs in almost any direction would con-
vince anyone OF the necessity of doing some
thing to establish and maintain communi-
cation between the city and the country. 1t
is now practically cut off by an ocean of
mud. 1t has been suggested that this would
be good time for the State Road Commis-
sion to make tour of observation through
Allegheny county-on foot, of course, for
they could not travel in vehicle. They might
| gain something in experience if nothing else.
1t will bear repeating, that the roads through
| the county are very little better than quag-
mires, and the man who can drive over them
with any degree of satisfaction and equanimity
is philosopher of the best type. To let them
remain in this condition from year to year is
disgrace to the county, beside inficting
heavy tax upon the people Theimportance of
road improvement is so great that if every other
means of securing relief fail, appeal should be
made to the Legislature.
Liquidation seems to be the order of the day
in the speculative markets. 1t is so in
counts for the steady weakening of prices
which has been observed for some time. There
is nothing especially significant in this. 1t
does not mean that there has been such rad
ical change in conditions as to permanently
depress the values of speculative properties.
In fact it does not mean that there has been
anychaage at all
1t is the custom of spectators to close up
their accounts at the end of the year, and to
carry over as little of the old business possi-
BILE. To enable them to do this very few new
deals are begun in the closing weeks Of the
year. This year settlements are somewhat
earlier and more general than usual Investors
have been led to adopt this course through un-
certainty as to what the policy of Congress will
be in regard to many questions affecting the
speculative interests of the country. Railroads,
the various trusts, the interstate commerce
law, the silver problem, contract labor. and the
tariff will be discussed, and existing laws
amended new ones enacted to suit the al
tered circumstances of each case and to satisfy
the demands of the public
With these certainties, and also uncertain
ties, before them it would exhibit very small
degree of business discernment for Spectators
to enter upon the new year loaded to the
guards with securities, the financial status of
which will be doubtful until Congress takes
rction. In this view of the case the heavy
realizing of the past few weeks has no other
significance than that investors are shaping
their affairs so as to be prepared for anything
that may happen. Their action is independent
of conditions.
Counterfeiters unlike most other classes of
''crooks," are drawn from all ranks of society.
Many persons of worthy antecedents drift into
crime almost by accident. A fine engraver, for
instance, in a moment of thoughtlessness, tries
his hand at an imitation of Government note
as a mere test of skill. Success in deceiving
his friends, perhaps by way of jest, gives him
dangerous impulse onward, and in an hour of
weakness the temptation to use his powers for
a bad end finds him a ready victim. The same
may be true of die-cutter or metal-workeI
who makes matrix for coin even for the
adornment of a bit of jewefy or as an adver-
tising device. The policy of the Secret Service
has been uniformly to discourage everything
of the sort.
The statutes of the United States on the sub
iect are very sweeping, and their interpreta-
ton by the courts correspondingly broad.
Where there is plainly no fraudulent intent.
person discovered making anything which
could possibly be mistaken for Government
coin or note or bond or stamp, or, indeed, for
any part of one, is quietly warned from head
quarters to cease. If the work is finished 1t is
ordered destroyed ana on noncompliance, de-
clared contraband and confiscated. This often
seems like a serious hardship to innocent
makers of fancy goods, but the majority of
them yield gracefully enough when the prin-
ciple underlying the rule is explained to them.
Young men upon going into business for
themselves should remember that whatever is
worth doing at all is worth doing well. The
adoption of this policy the rule of their lives
will greatly increase their chances of success
Benjamin Franklin, the philosopher and states
man, once entered his house and found his lit
tie daughter sewing "Those buttonholes, Sal
ly." he said, "are good for nothing. They will
not wear. If you make a buttonhole, child,
make the best buttonhole possible" Not con-
tent with rebuking the child, he went down the
street and sent up tailor, who had orders to
instruct Miss Sarah in the art of making but
tonholes properly.
IkFew men of any age have combined, as did
Franklin, broad and lofty grasp of thought
with the minute attention to practical detail;
but it is this very quality of thoroughness in
the most triding work which falls within ones
duties, that gives to the work and to the char
aeter of the worker truth and vitality.