davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
Tho Road Question Not . Federal
Matter.

In many OF the States clubs or associa-
lions for promoting good roads have re-
Gently been formed. and a few days ago a
Convention OF the National League for
Good Roads was held in Washington. The
National League is made up OF delegates
from the various State Leagues. and Sena-
tor MANDERsoN of Nebraska presided
over the Convention. The Convention
decided to apply to Congress for an appro-
priation OF $4,000 to enable the Secretary
OF Agriculture TO make an inquiry into the
condition Of highways in the United States
and the laws for their improvement, and to
ask for the appointment by the President
OF q National Highway Commission. and
also to ask for an appropriation OF $50. 900
by the National Government for maintain
ing an exhibit OF roads at Chicago.
These resolutions are all wrong. Tho
Federal Congress has nothing whatsoever
to do with the roads In the several States,
and 1t is absurd to ask Congress to give the
Secretary OF Agriculture money to make
an inquiry which can do no good. A PAM
phlet compiled and printed by the Secre-
tary OF Agriculture on this question will be
little read and will serve no good purpose.
In every city and In every State there are
scores OF men. II not hundreds OF citizens.
who know what good roads arc. and who
know how good roads should 30 construct
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
No, Come Over Here!

At the end OF his second term Gen. GRANT
provided for his private secretary by APP
pointing him to an ofice in the army.
Gen, HARRISON has followed this precedent
in appointing his private secretary a pay
master in the army. Mr.. ELIJAH W. HAL
FORD is an amiable and a discreet person.
and We dare say he would wear the title Of
Major with as much dignity as another
man, would be accurate in his accounts,
and draw his pay with a sense OF duty done.
Mr.. HALFoRD Is all right. but the reason Of
his appointment is all wrong. He has rem
dered valuable personal service to Gen.
HARRISON. who very properly thinks highly
OF those services and wishes to reward
them. But why should the United States
be called upon to pay the personal obliga-
lions OF the President to his private score
tary? The practice. II 1t be q practice. Of
saddling q Presidents friends upon the
salary list at the end Of his term. ought
not to be encouraged. 1t smacks o. much
OF the distribution Of honors and fat places
for merely social and personal reasons by
an English Ministry on its last legs.
We shall not be accused Of any want of
respect for Gen. HARRISON and his secre-
tary because We object to the latter's ap-
pointment- Gen. HARRIsoN's intention In
the matter 10 c~reditabls to his kindness and
his sense Of friendship; and yet the sp-
pointment u essentially and inevitably Q
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25

piece OF favoritism. and II approved by the
Senate. will be approved solely as a favor
and q compliment to q President retiring
from ONCE. Small as this one appointment
may be. the principle OF 1t is important. IL
the Presidents confidential servants are 70
be made life pensioners OF the Government
Just to oblige the President, there Is no tell
ing how much fiummery may yet be heaped
up around tho occupant OF the Presidents
chair. Adulation enough he has. as 1t Is.
and he ought to be thankful to get back 10
the free and sane air OF common citizenship,
and ask no favors in his outgoing.
II It Is true that the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs has decided to report an
amendment to the army appropriation bill
reducing the number Of army paymasters
from twenty-five to twenty. the addition
Of Mr.. HAbFoRD to the army pay corps
cannot consistently be- recommended by
this committee. For Mr.. HALfoRp's W
sake. II no other reason, We hope that his
nomination will not be confirmed. Instead
OF stagnating as a paymaster and being re-
garded by his associates in the army with
a certain dislike. perhaps, because OF the
manner OF his appointment. he should come
to this town and plunge into the current OF
affairs. Here Is the place for him or any
other man to knock the nozzle out OF the
horn Of Plenty and yank the bung OF For
tune. Remember DAN LAMONT. Mr.. Hall
FORD and settle here. and you shall be not
only a Major but a General il you prefer.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25

on the contrary. they would be almost GER
tain to eide with him. especially II they
knew him TO be backed by the Ottoman Sui
tan. who. as the traditional lord Of Egypt
and as the orthodox Caliph. Is still regarded
with superstitious generation by a large
part OF the Khedive's subjects. OF no incon-
siderable Importance. also. is the influence
OF the French, who. owing to their con-
struction OF the Suez Canal and their
former p~reponderance at the court OF
IsMA1b Pasha-French is still the diplo-
matte language Of the Khedive's Govern
ment-are regarded with more favor than
the English by the inhabitants OF the Nile
land. as the newspapers printed in Arabic
conclusively demonstrate. 1t is possible
that with -four or five thousand soldiers
only one thousand additional troops have.
1t Is said. been despatched to Alexandria
England might repress the disorder which
seems on the point OF breaking out again in
Egypt: but this will be on the condition
that her course is known to have the cordial
sanction Of tho three central powers.
Should England. on the other hand. be
isolated. the control OF the Nile land will
demand q demonstration Of military force
which Mr.. GLADSTONE will be most re-
luctant to sanction.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25

ed and maintained. Moreover it 10 un-
necessary to expend $4,000 on a road ex-
hibit for the Chicago Exposition. Let the
people who are interested in this question.
and the various State Leagues. make any
exhibit they please: but Congress should
not be asked to appropriate the public
moneys for such a purpose.
Every one will admit the Importance OF
constructing and maintaining good roads
in every State OF the Union. and all the
funds available for that purpose should be
j~udiciously expended upon the public high
ways; but the roads belong peculiarly to
the State sovereignty or to the people Of
each individual State. and It Is the we'll
settled law that the roads are held in trust
by the public authorities for the benefit OF
the people OF the whole State. The author
ity OF the Federal Government extends
only over the land within a State which
has been coded to the Federal Government,
or which has been reserved for its uses.
such as land occupied for lighthouses or
Government Notifications.
The streets OF our great cities are kept In
good order through taxation levied on the
inhabitants OF the city or county. and in
his State In the country districts the roads
are under the charge OF local authorities:
and such. we believe. is the case in every
other State OF the Union.
The remedy. therefore. for poor roads
must be found in a change OF local senti-
ment or in the enactment OF new laws by
the State Legislatures.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25

of Jan. ~ that 'Gussie.' \ tenant on the Col~s ell
property At Carteret, ~ says tina; sho 10 no, able 10
get water without carrying IL haf a mile. with pos
s.5le danger 10 her,eif. | beg 10 say. in protection 10
myself. that for the past four years a bountiful supply
in fact. a constant overflow OF the Zines, srtesilu
we'll wa,er-has been running from an IMMENSE water
supply tower. which has kept The balance of the ten.
ants, about thirty. suppied With wafer for all house
hold purposes
In the matter a walking half = mile would say that
the tower. 10 but 200 feet from the fnrthest house. and
that II " Gussie" had been friendly with the neryhbors
a walk next door for gossip sake and water would ptr-
hAps nave shortened lie distance Of ha.f 4 mile 10 ten
feet.
Also there 10 an agent upon the grounds who makes
all the necessary repairs Of plumbing due TO any cause
and had our esteemed "nussie' notified our sgent
thai there v as any possible defect IN The plumblng
Immediate rcp>irs would have been made.
However. as owners OF the Colwell property. which
has never before given any trouble. We eStenG our SIN.
cere thanks 10 "uus9ie' for the notification, and re.
quest that in the future our agent he notined as Ia,
resides there. and not trouble the peoples champion,
Tai SIN Very truly yOuTs, a. ". CoLsrIL.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
The Anti-Common-scnse Bill.

Senator GEORGE Of Mississippi has at last
run up against the fact that the plan OF
taxation for the purpose OF prohibition as
proposed by the Anti-Option bill cannot De
supported without absurdity by a believer
I'm taxation for revenue only. SO he mas OF
fered and defended with copious speech his
substitute bill. which leaves out all the AK
alton part Of the WAsHBuRN bill. n In
eerts instead provisions declaring that deal
inCs in options and futures are illegal and
void as restrictions upon commerce,
visiting the dcnler and restrictor with fine
and Imprisonment. Thus Mr.. GEORGE has
thrown of one great error, and there is
hone Of his reform. He no longer encour-
ages the use OF the taxing power for the
purpose Of the police power. He now takes
the ground that the police power should be
used TO prevent certain operations which he
asserts arc in restraint OF be-
tween the States. There is no evidence that
dealing in futures and options really works
such restraint. Moreover. such dealing Is
very largely a matter Of State commerce.
and should be a matter for state regula-
ton, II any State wishes to regulate 1t.
But as Senator GEORGE is reforming grad
ually we will not press him on these points.
Although Mr.. GEORGE avoids one mistake
he falls into another. The purpose OF the
Anti-Option bill. as frankly admitted by
Senator WAsHBURN. is to raise the price OF
certain farm products. That is the hope OF
the farmers who favor It. That Is the de-
lusive idea which attaches to any form OF
the Anticipation bill. So that Mr.. GEORGE
in proposing to use the police power OF
xLn C1rorrp,onf tn nrnhihif dpnlin0Q In
futures and options. proposes to use that
power not for prohibiting them because
they are immoral or generally hurtful. but
because he thinks or certain farmers mostly
gentlemen who speed the jaw rather thar
the plough think that such prohibition
will give the farmers bigger prices. II the
exchanges had as many votes as the Farm
ers' Alliance. a bill prohibiting tho farmers
from raising crops on the ground that their
business interfered with dealing In futures
and options would be possible: and it would
be as sensible as an Anticipation bill.
The GEORGE substitute is not much OF an
improvement. To prohibit one business for
the sake of another business Is no better
than to tax one business for the sake Of an
other business. except that there Is less n.y.
pocrisy about the former process.
1t is possible. however. that we are doing
an injustice to Senator GEORGE and other
Senators who are fierce against options.
The talking and the amending and the
substituting nave prevented the bill from
being put upon its passage. The vote will
not be taken until next Tuesday. The
House will dump the bill. The ]appropria-
lions will take up the rest Of the session.
and meanwhile the anti-optionists In the
country will FOWL in vain. Let us thank
Con for sreechmaking. 1t has talked out
and knocked out thousands OF foolish bills.
and we think the Anti-Option bill is another
Of it's victims.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
RAPID TRANSIT
Cc~non Sense on This Now ~Co-encstea
Question.


To TIE EDrroR OF THE suS-Sr: II is q
shame that uninformed or misinformed news
paper writer's should flood the city with sug-
gestions and demands born OF unreasoninq
hostility TO the elevated railroads.
1t fs now seriously insisted by an evening
paper that the franchise for the extension Of
the elevated system should he put up for sale
AT public auction. The statute OF 1891, under
winch this whole matter proceeds. places tho
question OF such extensions entirely within
the control and discretion OF the Commission
ers. hut 1t 10 expressly provided that no corpo-
ration shall be granted the right to construct
or operate a railway upon any OF the streets
already occupied by the elevated roads.
III the editor would consult the statute he
would find that 1t is Just rs much the duty OF
the commissioners to extend existing
lines ms to devise n new system. The Commits
sioners would have been strictly within the
lines OF their duty as defined by the statute IL
they had turned their attention to the i'm
provement OF the existing lines before taking
up the difficult problem Of the construction of
q new one. Indeed. it is an opcn question
whether this would not have been the more
sensible plan. We might. by this time, have
been getting about town in comparative com
ter has already read oe seeom done fan The The whole mat.
nose who framed the statute. nor tho
LeHis,ature which passed II. seem to have fore
seen the contingency that the plan OF construc-
ZION or the route proposed would not recon-
memo itselt to bidders, and that therefore the
act contains no provision forthe aba ndonment
o. the plan adopted. or the route selected. and
the adoption and selection OF another. Az the
powers OF the Commissioners are strictly linn
lIeu ~ the statute. 1t Is u debatable question
Wnether they are not already fuucti offrin. so
Iar as the adoption. OF a plan OF construction
anu the selection "f n route are concerned.
me most important question is not settled
py the act. and | don't know whether any ref
mmlssi9nsrs; mean the. question OF " Rapid
IN the statute. but l cannot discover any def
lnltlon OF Il, 1t is not provided what rate Of
speed shall be considered rapid transit" nor
are, the, commissioners. apparently, author
lIed to determine the question. Yet It is the
Sttai one for the travelling public. For in
stance. the extensions Of the elevated system
should be made upon some plan that will In
POINTS more quickly than we do now. Applied
70 those extensions, the term rapid transit
must surely mean transit more rand than
that now provided.
The statute should either fix the rate o,
speed. or require mot AUTHORIZE the Commits
sloners to do it. And in my judgment, which
Is consurred in by many. the entire Board
snould consist OF practical railroad men and
ciyli engineers. 1thinl: it would be n good
prospective bidder for the right to construct
and operate the railway. II you will consider
the natural effect OF this upon their action a.
a Board. YOU will see where the public would
surely be benefited. pISsESGrR.
JAN. "a. 3
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
TO Make ELOPEMENT PENAL.
Why ShouId "a Man Who Run. or with
Another Nuns Wife Not suffer Iernuxs

To THE ED1ToE OF THE SUN-Sir: I am
moved by a recent runaway Of one man with
another mans wife in your town. and tho al
most daily similar occurrences all over the
country. to ask why laws are not passed MAX
ing this sort Of thing a renal o~frence-say five
Years in the renitentiary for each offender?
No possible injustice could be inflicted by such
n law. and certainly public morals and domes.
tic conditions would be vastly i'm proved by it.
No laws at present in any way affect this class
OF TroncdoinG except, nnwritten social laws.
ana We see every day how little they do.
hundreds or thousands of homes are ruined.
disCraced by men and women. who, in n
moment. OF impulse or passion. break away
and do the deed which can never re forgotten,
though IT is sometimes forgiven. Not ono
offender in n thousand Of this class but re-
Grets sooner or later the offence. which would
never have occurred II the law recognized it
say much OF the laws we have passed protect
Ing the home. but here is one Of the very
weakest roints left entirely I'm protected.
,What objection cnn be offered to such q law?
What woman. wife. or mother would say a
word against it, What man. husband. or
father will say It should not be on the statute
books? What does THE syn say?
WASHINGTON. DC. W. }. HAMPTON.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
Black mailing the Actors.

fGpHI W. fFfhn arc NrNG
E,to be hoped that the Press Club of New York city
will give the theatrical profession a rest for . while.
Another OF this orgAniE1tion's dement's occurred a, lie
Casino emo afternoon last week, and a lot OF actors
felt compelled 10 aceeie 10 . request that they appear
on that occasion The truth Is that many members OF
the theatrical profession consider such a request from
newspaper men as being little short OF . command. and
they comply with the best grace they can summon.
The members OF the Press Club know this ~ we'll as
anybody slss doeS and IL IL their consciousness OF the
true condition that makes their conduct reprehsnEbls.
This constant paIsdins Of the Prsss Club a. q bens-
nciAry. toe. IL offensive to many newspaper msa- A
club that cannot raise Its necessary funds in an en-
tirsiy legitimate way ought not TO exist At all These
continued appeals for charity In various directions
detrAet greatly from the dignity and standing Of
Journalism in the metropolis
iftbe club wishes 10 give any more public perform
anees for the purpose Of increasing Its financial re-
soureel let IL adopt the honorable and straightforw ard
course OF paying for their services the people Who Ap
pear upon the stage. In place OF practically blAetmsiL
ing them
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
More Trouble in Egypt.

1t is evident that, Notwithstanding the
Khedive's submission to the peremptory
demand OF the British Foreign Office that
FAKHRI Pasha should be dismissed from
the Egyptian Cabinet. influences are at
work to strengthen the young ruler. ABBAs.
in the determination to choose his own
Ministers. Nor Is it difficult to perceive
whence those influences proceed. and by
what motives they are reused to activity at
this juncture.
Anything that could divert the mind OF
the French people from the detestable Pam
anna scandal would be hailed with ardor.
not only by all those politicians who fear
implication. but by the most dlsinterestcd
and stainless patriots in France. The i'm
preston is gaining ground that the con-
centrution Of an immense Russian force in
Poland, which Is being pressed this winter.
must have a definite and immediate pur-
pose. and that the great European war, for
which the nations nave so long been arm
ing, may be close at hand. 1t is a poor
time for Frenchmen to be expanding all
their energies in washing their dirty linen,
when the destiny Of their country may at
any hour be placed at stake. To rivet once
moro attention on the national interests
the Egyptian incident is well enough adapt
ed. pending the occurrence OF more serious
events. On the other hand. the three CEN
trail powers are deeply concerned to see
England subjected to so much annoyance
In the Nile country that she will be driven
into a species Of understanding with the
Triple Alliance. Such an understanding.
as it is generally believed. had been arrived
at with the SALISBURY Government, but
extra pressure must be brought to bear
pom Mr.. GLADSTONE to induce him to as
sumo an equally friendly attitude.
We know already from kilograms to Lord
RosEBERY that the khedive has expressed
to Lord CRoMER formerly Sir EVELYN BAR
mo- his intention Of appealing to his suze-
rain. the Sultan. and to the six principal
powers against the course pursued by Eng
land In compelling the dismissal OF Prime
Minister FAHKRI Pasha. We also know
what answer will be returned by at least
two members of the body which exercises a
species OF international oversight with re-
gard to Egyptian affairs. The Sultan has
not waited for a formal reference OF the
question. but has telegraphed 10 the Khe-
dive his congratulations on the position
taken at Cairo in respect to the formation
OF a Cabinet independently OF English die
tation. The French Government has also
informed Lord RosEBERY that it will
maintain the Khediye's right to select his
Ministers. No one doubts that the Russian
Foreign Office will be found sooner or later
arrayed on the same side. England can
scarcely stand alone. in view OF the fact
that she only occupies Egypt with the as
can NJ tho civ prinninal nnu-arS md for Tho
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25
IN MEMORY OF GEN. BUTLER.
The Massachusetts Legislature Faces Both
Ways On = Memorial Meetiur.

BosToS. Jan. 24.-The joint special commit.
tee appointed to consider what action was ad-
visable to be taken on the death OF Gen. But
Ter reported an order to-day recommending
that n Joint convention OF the branches Of tho
Legislature be held on Jan. % to consider
resolutions eulogistic Of the deceased. Sem
ator Lawrence OF Middlesex thought the rec
ommendation was irregular. No such action
vas taken at the time OF the death OF men like
Lincoln. Grant. Garfield. and Andrew. He
th3ught acceptance OF the order would estab-
llsh a bad precedent. and might interfere with
the proper discharge. ~ the public business.
Senator Lawton OF Middlesex said that the
Sommittee made no study OF the precedents-
They. thought 1t was a proper thing to do al
they had recommended.
On a viva voce vote the order was defeated.
Senator Howard of Bristol asked for a roll
call. The former vote was reversed and the
order passed by q vote Of % to u
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25

In an article Upon Flirting Wives, publish
ed in the North american Rerie,o. Mrs AMELIA
Z BARR remarks that, while some married
women contend that their fiirtations are abso-
lutely innocent friendships. It is a dangerous
thing for two people Of opposite sex to chant
together the litany OF the church OF PLATO"
1t Ia surprising that q learned lady like Mrs.
BARR should be led into o commonplace and
time-worn error such as this. What lie called
Platonic love is something entirely different
from what Mrs. BARR's observation would in
dictate. She at least ought not to be led into a
foolish blunder. whose only justification is
that 1t is habitually committed by the ignorant.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-01-25

In one important respect the dinner given
by the Police Captains on Monday night was q
model. The programme admitted six speeches
only. While there can be properly no arbi-
trary Limitation OF genius. six constitutes a
safe number for after-dinner speeches. With
more than that there are high chances that
the auditors will be bored. With the Police
Captains the company knew nothing but de-
light. and with all due respect to the Hons.
CHAuNcEY DEPEw and JON FELLOWS. the
ablest and most pleasing effort OF the evening
was by the Hon. ELBRIpGE THOMAS GERRY.