davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening world., 1895-01-20
PLATTs SERVICE TO REFORM.

Nothing can astonish Boss Plat
more than to learn that he has dur
ing the past two weeks rendered con-
spicuous service to the cause of po-
litical and governmental reform.
Like all other machine managers
Platt's notion Of reform" is that it
is sort of Mugwump cant-a good
enough cry with which to carry cleo
tions, but of no earthly use in prac-
tical politics. AS all government,
local as we'll as State and national,
is matter Of politics with the boss,
reform" begins and ends with turn
ing the other fellows out and putting
his fellows in. When the result of
an election is simply a change In
bosses, King Log takes the place OF
King Stork. That Is all.
Boss Platt's service to the cause OF
real reform consists in his having
made this fact clear to the people
Mayor Strong tersely says that the
election in November meant for the
city "a change from politics to bust
ness" Plaus idea is that 1t meant
a change from Tammany ring poll
tics 70 Republican ripg politics. Col
Waring says that II q street cleaner
/ does his work we'll he does not care
what the sweeper's politics may be
Platts ultimate object in political
success is 10 be able, il the words OF
/ Harrigan's statesman, 10 put a mar
OIL t broom" Parkhurst and the
men associated with him In redeem
ing the city Say that the first steI
towards reforming the Police Depart
nent IL 10 take partisan politics ou'
OF IL. Platt's decree is that partisan
politics shall be legislated into the
force and kept there.
And 30 the issue is again as clearl,
cut as IL was in the election. TheI
II war good government VS.. Tamman,
ring rule. Now II IL better govern
ment We. Platt's ring rule. Ia show
Ing his partisan purpose in the re
/ organization Of the Legislature ant
the editing Of the Lexow repor
Platt shows good citizens their duty
In demonstrating by his control O
the county organization that hs
means TO substitute himself foi
Croker. and Gibbs. Patterson. vaz
The evening world., 1895-01-20
THE MIND OF THE ITALIAN MASSES.

The fact that Italian immigration
for 1894 was four times as great as
for the entire ten years between 1860
and 1870 gives Americans An added
interest In the new Italy-the Italy
Of the common school and of the free
institutions. which there as every
where else must ultimately grow out
Of popular education.
The debt Of English and American
literature to Italy is incalculably
great, for not only was the classical
language Of Italy the Interpreter Of
the science and culture Of the world
until as late as the eighteenth CEN
tury, when Sir Isaac Newton wrote
his Principia In Latin, as Bacon had
written his Novum Organum. but
modern English literature received
its first compelling influence from
modern Italian. Had there been no
Dante there would have been no
Chaucer, and without Chaucer we
could have had no Shakespeare.
AS the mind of the Italian masses
is melted to greater activity by the
spread Of popular education, 1t is a
matter OF profound interest to find
that books which fed the minds Of
the contemporaries OF Dante and of
Chaucer. Of Cervantes and of Spenser,
are still current. Where the young
American is delighted with stories of
Six-Fingered Jack, the Terror Of
the Prairies. the young Italian reads
the ponderous romances OF Charles
msSns aud his pslsdins. In Italian
The evening world., 1895-01-20
SUNDAY LIouoR.sELLINc.

Washington Post.-New York II going
to try a season Of moist Sundays and
blue Mondays.
st. Louis Dispatch. - Mayor
Strong has decided that New York
shall not 60 dry on Sunday. 1t does
not. anyhow.
Boston Globe.-Mayor Strong's attitude
on the Sunday liquor-sellins question
makes him an object for the prayers
of the w. c. T. u.
Boston Herald.-When It IL borne in
mind that a very large majority Of the
population Of New York Is made up of
people who will have their beer or
other tipple on Sunday. the reasonable
ness of Mayor Strong's attitude be.
comes evident.
Providence Journal.-Personally the
Mayor IL opposed to the opening Of the
saloons OF the metropolis on the first
day Of the week, but he Is of the opin-
ion that the desires of other people
should be respected and II a majority
OF the citizens of the city wish to have
the present law rescinded he thinks II
should be taken from the statute books
The evening world., 1895-01-20

Cott, Murray, Kerwin, Lauterbach and
Wanmaker for Daily. Martin. scannell.
Diver. Brady and White, he notifies
honest and Independent Republicans
that not only are the fruits Of the
reform victory threatened. but that
their party 10 in danger Of putting
itself In the way Of a cyclone.
Platt has indeed plotted better than
he knew. The people are at fault II
they do not quickly profit by his un-
whiting service to the cause of munic-
ipal reform.
The evening world., 1895-01-20

The article which we publish in
another column to-day in continual
ton Of our history Of Pacific railroad
frauds throws additional light upon
the tricks by which Huntington,
Crocker. Stanford and Hopkins alb
sorbed to themselves the scores OF
millions contributed by the Govern
ment in aid Of construction and made
themselves masters of transconti-
mental commerce to the detriment OF
the Pacific coast States. The story
told Is one Of trick and device. II
furnishes additional and conclusive
reasons why the Reilly Refundine
bill should not be passed by Con
gress which is not disposed to legal
ize fraud and to sanction the plunder
Ing of the Government by wholesale.
The evening world., 1895-01-20
LETTERS FROM TIN ploPfA
Hill and the Mominahon.

TO the Editor OF The World:
have read Senator Hills letter n
favor OF free silver coinage. 1t 10 un-
doubtedly o bid for the Democratic
Presidential nomination. Senator Hill 10
q fairly good politician, and . very poor
politician can see now that in the COM
Ing Presidential campaign the Demo;
cratic party in order to survive at al!
will be Obliged to take q positive stand
for free coinage.
But while this is clear. It is not Qleef
that Senator Hill can carry New York.
or that the Democratic party twill vii hsvs isv,
State on Mr.. Cleveland's record. The
chances are not less than a a,Irsn nundren T.
New York even now, after only two
years Of the Cleveland Administratiion: ton
and that they must grow worse after
two years more no one can doubt who
is well acquainted with Mr.. Cleveiand,
This being so what has Mr. Hi! to
gain by seeking the Democratic nomine.
ton? 1t seems to me he Is wasting nb
energies. b. Y. D.
New York, Jan. 10.
The evening world., 1895-01-20
WHAT KILLS UH.

The relation between death-rate
and density Of population is generally
assumed to be uniform. Probably
the most important discovery made
by the New York Tenement House
Commission is that this Is not the
case in what Is now the most crowded
city of the Caucasian world.
With an average population of 1882
to the acre. New York has large dis
tricts, as in the Eleventh Ward, which
average as high as 9S6 to the acre, or
the Tenth Ward. which averages over
Cpl per acre.
The notable fact is that with this
heavy population the Tenth Ward
shows death-rate of 17.14. Only one
other ward in the city makes better
showing. and the general average OF
the city Is materially higher.
The average death rates In various
cities given by Whitaker for 1895 are
2l.S for New York. 1904 for London.
80 for Calcutta. 2O5 for Paris, 34.5
for Moscow and 27.O5 for New Or
leans.
Bombay and Prague. which our
commission finds are the only cities
presenting extensive areas more
crowded than the worst crowded parts
OF New York. have an average death
rate Of 32O5 for Bombay and 2S.O5
for Prague.
All these figures reinforce the
committees conclusion that density OF
population Is only one Of numerous
factors determining the death-rate OF
cities.
They also indicate that drainage
and general sanitation" are the most
important factors in determining the
death-rate. Thus New Orleans and
Moscow both have an enormous
death-rate. though they have nothing
in common except bad drainage and
bad sanitation.
In an article written for the jan
uary number OF the Engineering
Magazine Mr., Romero, the Mexican
Minister at Washington, gives facts
OF The highest Importance in this con-
nection, for he shows that the death
rate Of the City Of Mexico-forty per
thousand, the highest in the world
is due TO bad drainage. The climate
OF the table-land OF Mexico is salu.
brious, but the soil Of the City OF
Mexico is saturated with anima
matter, as our commission says IL
the case with the older houses oi
lower New York.
The unavoidable conclusion from
such facts u that men can live 70
The evening world., 1895-01-20
TIE ATHLETE AND HIS NERVES.

When one of the best amateur
boxers and athletes Of New York is
secluded in the hope that his life may
be saved by course Of treatment
under the watchful care Of the most
skilful specialists. there is again oc-
casion to inquire how much high
physical training is able to do towards
producing the sound body which
ought to go with the sound mind.
This particular athlete is still
strong enough no doubt to knock
out an ordinary man with one blow
Yet he is In imminent danger of death
in spite Of great muscular develop
ment
1t seems clear that his muscular
development and the training and
habits incident to 1t have reacted or
his nervous system. wrecking his
body and threatening his mind. Such
cases are not rare. Every physiolo.
gist has studied them and many
psychologists have drawn the mora
that 1t Is u dangerous thing to dis
turb the balance which ought t
exist between muscular and nervou,
development.
They cannot be far wrong who hole
that long life and the greatest posi-
BILE intellectual capacity are conse
quent on moderation in everything
rather than on excellence in athlet
les. A highly organized nervous sys
tenn can be wrecked as readily by ex
cess in athletics as by excess in brail
work. or course IL the nervous sys
TEN is not highly organized, II tn,
athlete Is mere brute with tn
nerves Of brute, this has less appli
cation. But Il he has inherite,
nerves which are fine enough to Civ
him high intellectual capacity. tn
training and habits Of the athlete VIII
becomes eminent in his speciality ma,
send him to lunatic asylum or to al
early grave.
The evening world., 1895-01-20

70 the Editor Of The worid
1t is not at all surprising that 5000
Brooklynites should strike, but that
they don't all strike. for President
Lewis has the nerve 10 tell them prac-
tically that 1t costs him 5000 day to
per day to ride on them!
Had Americans continued their pro-
gressive independence of century ago
they would have led instead of having
to follow Glasgow, Liverpool, Man
chester, Birmingham and other up-to.
date cities which now own their sur.
face roads. Then Brooklynites could
ride for $4,000 day, or two-cent fares,
and 5000. of them could get decent
wages and patronize local trade, which
the millionaires don't do.
that 10000. 900 franchise which will soon
take to pay annual profits on 1t to the
beneficiaries! Talk about generosity,
charity and almsgiving!
The market value of the franchise II
represented by watered stock, and the
Long Island Traction Company wat.
cred its stock Sc per cent. 1t only
paid A.500,0O0 for its $30,0OO,000 capital
and the citizens put UP the dust" to
pay interest on the whole Doodle! All
the Brooklyn surface companies are
capitalized at nearly so. 100000.
their charters according to- law. why.
give the citizens relief from this rob-
berry and recurring injury to local buss'
ness? CHARLES SIBLEY MAY.
Brooklyn, N. Y, Jan. 18.
The evening world., 1895-01-20

the decoration Of Oncer Of the Legion
Of Honor. Whereupon Mistral, much
moved. rose and In delightful words ac-
knowlsdgsd the honor. He owned, how
ever. that he felt touch Of regret In
rslinquishing the little red ribbon that
he had worn for thirty years. The ac-
clamations following the speech Of Mis-
trail were appropriately meridional in
warmth.
The other literary man to receive hon
ors Is Alexandra Dumas. Since Jan.
he wears the decoration Of Grand Of
ficer Of the Legion Of Honor.
A n n
The evening world., 1895-01-20
Tho Board Of Electrical Control.

To the Editor Of The World:
With modification and surprise, but
with no loss of confidence in your we'll
meaning, ]. in common with all decent
citizens Of this to-be-reformed city, have
read in to-day's journals Of the placing
in the hands of Commissioner Kearney,
Of the Board Of Control, of power to
make appointments and removals, of
course subject to the civil-service rules.
Are you aware that he Is ex-Gov. Flow.
ers man Friday and his appointee.
or that OF his clerk. the late Commis-
man at the Manhattan Club and q Re-
publican at Republican clubs; that his
continuous acts as engineer for years
telephone subway companies and Of
the. Edison Company, their ally; that
he has never suggested an original idea,
6oa 6os I'd a1Tays presented their plans to the
Wheeler allowed everything desired BY
the Huckieberry Railroad gang-Flowsr,
sady anS aeS Of Of SY and AsopS y
the deadly trolley wires on Manhattan
Island?
Are you aware that Cummings, whose
patron Is Dana, of the Sun, represents,
IKE Dana. Western Union and the Gould
Are you aware that Hess publicly de-
Sear ana seok man last
the recent election that he dined with
ladies' party at the Waldorf the night
before election and went to theatre
afterwards: that he has always been 8
pupIet In the hands Of Lauterbach, the
counsel for the telephone subway monop-
Turn the gang out! That board 10 and
has been, under Moss-Maurice B.
Fiynn's father-in-law and dummy-and
Hess ana kearney, the worst pest-hole
In the city government
Wishing blessings, not curses, on the
young administration, ] am
A TRUE AMERICAN,
New York. Jan. 49,
The evening world., 1895-01-20

The Hawaiian furry has served q
useful purpose in throwing some
light on the actual condition OF the
United States Navy as regards its
fitness for an emergency The Phila-
delphia could be despatched to Hon
olulu at once and could reach there
In six days. Besides the Philadel-
phia there are at Mare Island four
fast cruisers. These are the Ben
nington, which cannot be got ready
in ten days; the Boston and Marion,
which are ready but have no crews.
and the Olympic, not yet turned over
to the Government. The Ranger, the
Mohican and the Alert are old, low
powered vessels. and the Monterey
cannot carry coal enough for a cruise
to Honolulu. Under the circum-
stances 1t is we'll that we do not i'm
mediately need a powerful fleet at
Honolulu.
The evening world., 1895-01-20
THE CAPITOL SCANDAL,

The problem Of completing the new
Capitol at Albany without the fur
ther plundering OF tho people Is on,
which the present Legislature ough
to solve.
The history Of our State house,
construction has been O long-contin.
ued scandal. The first land pur
chases were made In 1868. Construc.
tion began in 1867. One appropria.
tion has been sQuandered after an.
other until the Capitol Ring" ha,
got away with nearly 81, ,0OO. 900 OF
the States money.
The building Is still incomplete
Yet as 1t stands 1t has cost S4,O ,OOO, ,OOC
more than the total amount expended
upon the stately pile ON Capitol Hill
at Washington. though the dimen-
sions Of the National Capitol are
vastly greater, its architectural splen-
dor immeasurably superior. and many
OF its details-particularly the exclu-
sive use of monolithic columns-are
legitimately more costly than any
thing undertaken at Albany.
Peculation and politics explain the
case. Peculation has absorb bed appro-
priations, rendering no adequate re-
turn. Politics has forbidden every
attempt at economy. When. for ex-
ample. the owner Of a stone-turning
machine offered to supply the hun
dreds Of great granite balusters in
front for one-fifth their cost when
made by hand. the Difference Of politi-
clans to the votes of q labor union
forbade, and the State was made to
pay five times over for the work.
Gov. Morton's suggestion Is the
right one. 1t is easy now for a con-
tractor to calculate the cost of finish
Ing the building. 1t is certain that
responsible contractors will finish it
for one-half or one-quarter the money
1t Is likely to cost under present ar
rangements. The Job ought to be
put out to contract, and the stealing
ought to be stopped.
The evening world., 1895-01-20

The law prohibiting the employ
ment Of alien labor In the work of
STRENGTHENING in this city has not
been satisfactory in its results, and
Col. Warnings request for its repeal
should meet with no opposition.
There are SO many ways of not keep
ing the streets clean and the citi-
zens are so tired OF the record OF fail
ure that they are ready to accept
any plan that will produce results
They have no theories or prejudices
All they want Is a system Of street.
cleaning that will clean the streets.
The evening world., 1895-01-20

The average circulation of The
World for the six days ending yester-
day was 633. 443 per day. At the
accepted average Of three readers for
each copy sold this gives to The
World the impressive total of over
100000 readers every day. It was
week Of stirring events ut home
and abroad. and as Is usual when
there Is anything of importance hap
pening the people turned to The
World for the news.
The evening world., 1895-01-20
GOLD GAINS AND LOSSES.

Tho Sub-Treasury lost gold to the
amount Of S6,sOO,O 900 in the week
which ended yesterday. This Is the
largest loss in any week since the
run Of last summer. 1t reduced the
gold reserve to S70,712,128. Since
Nov. %, when the gold from the Sec
ond issue Of bonds began to come in,
the Treasury has lost more than
$40, 900, 900 In gold.
This country's and the worlds pro-
duction Of gold having increased
largely during the past year, 1t seems
strange to the uninitiated that our
Government should have such diff
Guilty In maintaining its reserve. The
trouble ia due to three causes:
l. There is deficiency in the rev.
enues. The expenditures Of the Gov
ernment exceed It's receipts by about
$5,0OO.O00 per month. AS gold Is the
coin Of ultimate redemption, 80 the
gold reserve Is the ultimate source Of
payment when the funds are low.
II the Treasury could make both ends
meet" 1t would have less difficulty In
protecting its gold reserve.
2. The Governments natural source
Of supply of gold was dried up when
1t abandoned the policy Of requiring
customs duties to be paid in gold. AS
pointed out In an article In the
Social Economist for January, "since
March l. 1892, the receipts Of the
Treasury from customs duties have
amounted to 1895 200, 900. but only
about $20. 0.O0O, 900 of this amount has
been paid in gold" The remainder
was paid in legal-tender notes. The
Government has no gold revenue
with which to meet its gold liabiA-
ties or the export demand.
3. As has been frequently explained
In The World. foreign distrust of our
currency and of our railroad and
other corporate management has sent
hither for sale or In settlement Of
balances that would otherwise have
been paid In goods or in money a
large volume Of our securities. This
explains the extraordinary fact that
while there was q balance Of trade
on merchandise Qncluding silver) Of
$lSS 1884. 900 In our favor last year,
the net loss in gold was 3S1. 200, 900.
Add to these causes the fact that
the Government has outstanding over
$500. .0O0. 900 In paper money redeem
able In gold. by law or by official in
depreciation, and reissuable after
every redemption. and the trouble
with the gold reserve is no longer a
mystery
The evening world., 1895-01-20
The Character of Trilby.

To the Editor OF The World:
cannot agree with the view taken bv
the Rev. Arthur Whatham In Sundays
World as to the moral quality Of the
story of Trilby, He condemns the book.
and by inference the author for writing
1t, and even considers that 1t Is regret.
table that II should be discussed in con-
.ersation on account of its 'demoraliz-
ing tendency. In all this ! think Mr.
ne and not the reading public that errs
as to the character and Influence Of this
pleasing story. He thinks Trilby was
PPrhaGtiGaiiy Pha, "a an impossible character;
IN such an atmosphere could have exc
isteu Is by no means to be admitted. IL
Is dlfficult to prove a negative. and In
his negations on this point the reverend
critic seems to be far too sweeping.
But what is It that has drawn forth
me general admiration of Trilby Of
t Is mainly the lovable character Of the
heroine. set forth with all that skill
with pen and pencil Of which Du Mau.
rier has shown he is the master.
cause she was so lovable. She was un.
selfish. supremely SO, and In this selfish
world Il Is so rare to meet with char
acter that Is remarkably unselfish that
We cannot help loving and admiring n
when We do come across 1t. One sees Too
IN reading the story of Trilby's life that
.ne opJtctioildDle incidents In 1t Wero
the accident, of her situation and up-
bringing. They were not the natural
consequence OF deficiency i'm her own
character. The truthfuness OF her ma.
ture, It's large-hcarted unselfis ishness and
generosity. the sweetness of her disposi-
Iion, make mankind feel a deep SYM
think. too. there is a feeling that in
her profession as "a model Trilbv Of.
isnd against social canon rather
yention condemns many thinSs thsvn eVn,
higher morality will not Condemn.
ao.ton Ma. JEREp A. cLATLIN.
The evening world., 1895-01-20

bookstores which deal in cheap papel
editions for general circulation art
still to b found copies Of the book
Of chivalry which sent Don Quixot,
out 70 reform the world. and alonl
with them are such celebrated work.
a. The oracles Of the Cumaear
sibyl." THE Art Of Evokins Spirits,
by Cornelius Agrippa, and others or
the Cabbala, on necromancy and
magic. which have long ago become
80 rare In America and England that
the collector who finds q fifteenth OF
sixteenth century copy Of one Of
them Is delighted beyond measure.
Both in Italy and in the Italian
colony in New York such works as
these are prominent In the cata-
logues side by side with books Of de-
votion and translations Of French,
German and English novels.
1t IL impossible to look over an
Italian booksellers shelves without
being impressed with the extent to
which Italy Is now beginning to
draw on English literature for the
debt Of culture outstanding since
Chaucers time. English poems,
novels, plays and scientific works are
increasing in popularity.
The Italian popular mind still has
a simplicity and freshness which the
mind Of some other Latin peoples
has lost. and II in this simplicity
there is much Of mediaevalism still
lingering 1t is destined soon to dis
appear before the growth Of the COM
mon school. The countrymen Of
Virgil and Dante. Of Horace and
Petrarch. Of Cato and Rienzi, Of
Calico and Columbus, have not left
their future behind them. They still
have great part to play in the his
tory Of the world.