The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-02-18
CAPITAL CHAT.
Banking Houses That Control
S5OO,OOO,0
Wall Street Representatives snvised 20 .
Cabinet Moeti ng-The Agricultural De-
partment Pursues q Queer Line Of In
vestigation--A Boon to Sufferers.

vcstigation--A Boon to Sufferers.
WAsHINGToS. Feb. 10. Especial. u
During the recent negotiations for sale Of
bonds by the government there was an ex-
traordinary scene at tho White House.
The president and his cabinet had assem-.
bled to discuss the financial situation, and
by invitation Pierpont Morgan, the fore.
most banker on the American continent;
August Belmont, representing the great
house of Rotbschilds; Mr.. Speyer of an
. other big New York house, with important
European connections, and one or two
other bankers were In the building by In
vitation TO help the cabinet reach con-
clusion. The presidents intention In ask
ing these bankers to como to the White
House was to have them at hand where
they could be consulted conveniently as
the various points arose, but tho discussion
became so involved and troublesome that
Il was found necessary to ask the bankers
90 enter the cabinet room itself. For near
ly ~ hours these great bankers were
present at the cabinet meeting, taking part
In tho debate, and am told that IL was
the first timo Outsiders had ever Joined
with tho representatives Of tho govern
ment In tho deliberations Of tho president
and his cabinet.
How great the power welded by these
bankers on both sides of tho Atlantic may
be judged by the fact that the Rothschllds
alone control capital Of about $500, 000,-
900 through their own holdings and those
of their correspondents and habitual GUS
toners, while tho Morgan house has all
tho time from S15, 000 900 TO $50, 600, 600
Of 10 aI lx,tn In ttax
A New Investigation.
The agricultural department has been
called upon TO pursue queer line OF in
vestigations during its history, but per-,
haps tho oldest sort OF an inquiry which
1t ever made Is that now being carried on
under the direction of Secretary Morton.
One cannot see what it-has to do with
agriculture, but it is still an Investigation
that promises great usefulness, and so
people are not disposed to be too critical as
to the proprioty OF the inquiry. Sanitary
cliIaatology" is the high sounding title
which the investigation In question bears
on the official recordi. but IL you want to
know the real meaning OF it you will do
we'll to call 1t inquiry into tho efficiency
of health resorts" In other words, the
government has set out TO ascertain which
of the many so called health resorts In the
United States are really what they claim
to be. Perhaps every reader OF this dis
patch has mt some time or other received
circulars from tho proprietors OF springs,
or sanitariums, or mountain resorts whcro
the water, or the air, or something else is
guaranteed TO cure all sorts Of diseases.
TO go at the claims Of these resorts and as
certain beyond question what they arc
good for, what they have done In tho way
of giving relief or cure TO sufferers, what
classes Of diseases arc most benefited at
certain places and why, is pretty big
task and one sure TO lead the Investigator
into more or less conflict with proprietors
DR.. w. f. X. Phillips, who occupies
chair in the medical department of the
University of tho District of Columbia,
has been placed In charge of this work,
and 1t will take him a year or two 20
finish the job.
Interesting TO Consumptives.
DIR. Phillips is going at his task in the
right way. Ho asks the cooperation OF
medical men all over the country. He is
preparing circulars. which no will send
out by the thousand, asking doctors 10
report to him the results which have fallen
under their observation from sojourn of
patients at the various resorts. These re-
They will give actual cases, and while of
course the names OF patients will not be
used the reports will doubtless cover many
thousands of efforts TO regain hoalth or to
prolong life by means of sanitary resi-
dence. For long timo medical men have
talked of making such an investigation as
this, but no way was found to do it till
Secretary Morton camc forward with a
practical solution of the difficulty.
An effort will be made by carefully pre-
pared and accurate statistics to show what
localities in the United States afford most
benefit TO patients suffering with these
diseases. DIR. Phillips expects the result
of his work will be tho exposure OF great
many false claims No doubt thousands
of sufferers with consumption, with rhou-
matism or another of the diseases con-
tained in tho scope of the inquiry havo
spent their last strength and their last
dollar In reachinga so called health resort
which was not at oil adaptable TO their
trouble and sure To do them moro harm
than good. An instance of such ptiful
mistakes is found in tho cases of the men
and women suffering from heart trouble
who go 10 the mountains, when they
should seek low attitudes. DR.. Phillips
hopes not only TO ascertain which of the
health resorts are worth anything, but
which of them are beneficial TO certain
diseases, and to afford guido that may
save the suffering and disappointment
A Dangerous Place.
IL Is pity the government or the local
health boards cannot exercise some super
vision over doctors offices. A few days
ago chnnccd TO be In tho ollico OF n cole
brated physician In this city-onc known
throughout the country for his writings
OH medical subjects. While waiting a
chance to go into his consulting room
took hold Of the window shade and per.
mittcd its spring attachment 20 pull it up
in order TO get moro light into tho room.
The shade slipped out Of my hand and ran
Go the top of the window with considera-
bic force, and tho result was that was
covered with n shower Of accumulated
aust. Apparently that window recess had
bot been busted for several years. On cx-
animation found the carpet In the floor
of the Whiting room thick with dust and