Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-31

, men who are behind all this intend tC
put their island to any such use.
know some of them, and 1 don't be
lieve they are the kind of men who
would care to go into that business,
even though it would pay tremend
Gus profits. But what if they get an
offer from some man. 50 great that il
would be folly to refnse it. They
aren't supposed to ask him what he
is going to use it for, are they? They
sell, the purchaser Sets mp his roulette
and the red and black, and the rest
Of it, and there you are. Free steam
ers from the city, free accc mmodation
for patrons, and millions of dollars
into the national Golfers. Oh, there's
a lot Of big chances behind a nation
with its own laws, right here in reach.
I'd like TO own a ch1nk Of it myself"
Not less interested than the sporting
man are the lawyers and politicians.
The latter see in the new nation inter.
esting political complications: new
postoffice and custom house arrange
ments possibly, and, if Alatantis is
successful, the possibility of scores Of
other toy nations built upon the sand
and rising from the bottom Of the sea,
with corresponding multiplication of
offices. AS to the lawyers, they can
see unlimited possibilities ahead
"Why, just consider" said a small
but brilliant legal luminary, what a
place for incOnvenient witnesses. A
half hours trip and there you are all
safe under the protection of a foreign
flag. Then if client gets into any
little difficulty he can take trip for
his health out there and stay until the
thing blows over. Its cheaper than
Canada and more convenient; all the
comforts of home, you might say. 1
should say that one of the things Az
Atlantis could get along best without
would be an extradition treaty.
To inquire as to the possible grounds
for some of these and similar sugges-
lions reporter called upon Mr.. Coen
yesterday at the Atalantis consulate,
and found him admiring the flag,
which f1uttered from the window max
ing a brave showing in the breeze.
''No, sir, this is not going to be a
gambling hell" said Mr.. Coen. eve
have no inclination to make it such,
nor would we care to ruin our ma
tional reputation. AS for it's being a
refuge for criminals, I think that not
more than one criminal will ever try
to find a haven there. The first one
will be sent back in irons if he sue
ceeds in landing, and if any others
should follow him they will be treated
the same way. AS to postoffice and
custom house matters, those will be
arranged with the United States. We
are not going ito do any smuggling,
and while wines, cigars and such
things can be imported free of duty,
we will see that none of them are
taken from the island. We can get
things cheaper ourselves, however,
such as clothing and other things"
''Is the amphitheatre to be used for
prize fights? ?"
1--WE shall do nothing in Atalantis that
could not legally be done in this coun-
try The form of government will be
modelled ON that of this country, but
will differ in some details. Our nation
will be run on decent, respectable,
manly American principles, and when
we get our arrangements fully made
they will be made public, and we an
ticipate no trouble, international or
otherwise, from any of the other
powers of the world. It will be one Of
our national mottos to mind our own
business.
''There has been some question about
the name of the Island. Atalantis,
though not as common, is just as cor
rect as Atlantis, as you will find if you
look it up, and we chose that because
the extra syllable differentiates it from
other names, such as Atlantic and At
lanta. However, the general tendency
seems to be to call it Atlantis, which
is an instance, perhaps, of the Amer
lean tendency to save time. But we
have the right to put as many extra
AS as we like in the name of our Ms.
ton, and that second syllable is there
to Stay.-New York Sun.