The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1896-07-30
THE EDITORS LEISURE HOURS,
Points and Paragraphs Of Things
Present, Past and Future.

STeSe0L, EaSL ana EuCure.
Electricity as a mechanical powe
was unknown ten or dozen years ago
Now, it is said, nine hundred million
of dollars is invested in various kind
of electrical machinery.
The detailed accounts of suicides i,
regarded by some as very dangerous, al
it suggests to others that mode of get
ting rid of trouble and responsibility
In some parts of the country steps
have been taken to suppress press no
tices of the suicides.
The most modern and unique mode
of warfare is that adopted by the Gu
bans. They set fire to sugar cane fields
by fastening to snakes tail small
piece of PHOSPHORUS coated with wax
and turn the reptile loose to go. into
the fields. The sun melts the wax, ig-
mites the PHOSPHORUS and the fire does
its work.
The centre of population for this
country formerly moved westward. In
1890 it was in Baltimore, in 1890 it
was in indianapolis miles further
west. The next census may show quite
a different state of things, thinks the
st. Louis Democrat. It is probable
that it will be shown that the centre
has moved to the east again.
John D. Rockefeller, the millionaire
oil magnate, rides a bike, and he is
said to be a good and enthusiastic rider.
forty Chicago University pro-
iessors rode through the Midway be-
hind Mr.. Rockefeller and President
Harper, and the oil magnate easi-
y set the pace for the professors on
Carl SNYDER in Lesley's Weekly de-
scribes Prof. Langley's air ship and dis
cusses the warfare of the future. The
thing is made of steel and can be made
to any horse power desired. It is claim
ed it can move through the air at the
rate OF one hundred miles an hour,
thus making it impossible to hit it with
the most accurate aim. It can be made
to carry considerable weight of explos-
ives, so that flying over a battlefield, a
city, or sleeping army, the explosives
could be dropped to earth and make
bloody pulp OF a great host without
warning to them.
It this is practical thing the nation
that first lays hold upon it will get a
vast advantage of all other Powers.
We believe that less space ought to
be given in the newspapers to the de-
tails of crime and more to the COM
mendable things that people do. If a
man makes donation of thousand
dollars to some worthy institution,
for instance, it is simply announced
the papers in two for three
lines but if he should steal ten cents,
every detail would be given from the
first step the constable takes to the trial
and verdict and sentence. But there
is a reason for this state OF affairs.
must please their readers,
you know and the reading public take
more futcresU and delight IN II tlro
of evil than in the details OF good.
Mr.. Vanderbilt proposes to establish
a school of forestry near his palatlal
home at Biltmore. He has expended
large sums of money in purchasing
mountain lands, has provided work for
hundreds of worthy laborers and now
he proposes to open school that will
be of great value to the young men
who take advantage of the opportunity
It offers. The Norfolk Virginian re-
Gently made reference to it, and among
other things it said:
"Mr. Vanderbilt has provided com.
modious cottages on his estate where
students will be quartered and the only
tnition demanded of them will be the
care and planting of trees, and to IN
stTnct the workmen how to prune anc
nrotect rare specimens transplanteo
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