Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-11

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A table Of statistics published by The
Street Railway Journal reveals the re-
markable extent to which electricity
has already supplan,ed the ola lash
toned modes Of locomotion in cities of
the United States. OF the go Ameri-
can roads enumerated. there are 1O,36S
miles Of electric track, only 1914 miles
of horse railway and go miles Of cable
line. These figures show how almost
completely the trolley has routed the
horse in the past three years. 50 TO de-
fine he trolley's real period of con-
quest. In 1890 there were 2,351 miles
Of street car lines, about three-quarters
of which were operated by horses.
However, in all, the street car lines
have never employed over 100000
horses. The dropping Of these equine
servants from the roads of the princi-
pal cities Of the Union and the cessa-
ton OF the yearly purchase Of stock
can scarcely, therefore, have been the
chief feature in the reported great re-
cent decrease in horse values. The
farmers and horsebreeders Of the coun-
Try are said TO have lost about S424,-
600. 900 in such values in three years
time. The fact is that the supply Of
horses in America has increased per
capita TO the population OF the United
States. aside from all questions Of rise
or fall in demand. The States possess
to-day nearly as many horses as all
Europe. outside Of Russia. In Janua-
ny. 1892. the farms and ranches Of the
Of the Union held 15.5OO,OOO horses, val
ued a, S1,OOO,OOO,OOO In January,
1895. there We're. it is asserted, 15,S93.-
31S horses. worth only $576,730,5S0.
SOCIAL PROGRESS IN AUSTRALIA.
In the matter of experiments in gov
erumen,al reform Australia. more es-
pecially New South Wales. has led the
world. Just now the people of that
land are making some new expert
meuts in the direction Of radical tax
and social legislation.
It is pointed out that there is proba-
bly, no place in the world where the lot
Of the wage-earner is as Satisfactory as
il is in New South Wales. The hours
Of labor are strictly limited TO eight
hours a day. the rates of wages, con-
sidering the purchasing power of mo-
ney. are considerably higher than they
are in this country, while the demands
put upon the people in consequence Of
the moderate temperature are far less
exacing in the way Of food, clothing
and fuel than they are in the northern
part OF the United States or in northern
or central Europe. There is no place
in the world where the people as a
whole give so much time to out-of-
door sports and enjoyments, and there
is also no place where so much is done
on public account for the benefit of thu
people. And YET, instead of finding
contentment in this. the tendency of
these colonies is 10 push forward to-
ward still higher planes OF social de-
velopement. The new systems Of tax
alton are apparently framed to impose
greater burdens upon the wealthy, such
as legacy and succession taxes Of 10, u
and 10 per cent.
This experiment Will be watched
with interest by the whole world. If,
in spite Of such obstacles in the way %
the acquisition of enormous fortunes by
the lew. ;he Australian colonies con-
tinue 20 prosper then the strongest ar
gument Of the multimulion0ires in the
United States, namely, that they must
be let alone If the community is 10
prosper. Will receive a decided set
back.