The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-13

abandoned after a short time. But PhIla-
delphia has a vacant lot cultivation asso-
citation which seems to have been very
successful The statistics for the year jus;
past show that two hundred and fifty fam
! lilies were benefited by this plan, and that
they raised fifteen thousand dollars worth
Of vegetables at a cost OF two thousand. five
hundred dollars. including seeds, tools, and
/ SUPPLEMENTARY. This result was surely
worth all the trouble Of trying the expert
ment. The produce was raised chiefly by
/ old men and women and children. Purely
as an economic measure il would seem to
/ be a success.
/ In these modern days We have drifted
away somewhat from the old-time notions
/ OF economy Housewives used to save pa
per. string, and pins with great care. Al
most no one does IL now, at least in city
households. In thousands Of ways waste is
allowed where it was formerly forbidden
by thrifty people, because time is now OF
more value than the small amount Of
money saved. The man who earns four
dollars a day cannot afford 20 waste his
day in petty economies. What is economy
for one man is wastefuIness in another.
This is the day OF large ventures and in
tense exertion. not Of slow saving and care
full expenditure. We are coming to under
stand that some Of the old-fashioned ways
were penny wise and pound foolish.
But for all that absolute waste does not
do anyone much good, even 10 this day and
I generation. So long as people are starving
for the want Of bread. it is worth while 10
save the bread for their use. One Of the
things most needed in philanthropy is some
way by which the shirtless backs may be
put into the shirts and wasted wealth
brought to those who need it. When the
rich cover their walls and staircases with
roses and leaves, the flowers to wither after
the guests have departed. that is waste.
But when, as sometimes happens. the host
ess gathers up the still fresh blossoms
and sends them 20 a hospital or an orphan
asylum. she gladdens hundreds Of people
who have l.tle beauty in their lives Such
kindness costs nothing except little time
and thought. and il somehow makes
pleasdnter impression on the recipient than
gifts. which cost only the drawing Of a
check. payable TO the order Of some phil
anthropic society.
OF course. the city can afford 10 take
care of its poor. by out-and-out gifts Of
food. coal. and clothing. Put there are
hundreds Of people who shrink from ac-
cepung actual charity, but would be
thankful for the chance 20 raise their own
vegetables in Ettle plot OF ground It
Is not necessary that the poor should sell
their produce and come into competition
with the regular dealers. thus taking the
market away from other poor folk who
live by such gardening. They can raise
only enough for their own use: and as
many country people know. family can
live comfortably on the vegetables which
can be raised in a small garden from June
to September Such a scheme as this. If
carried out on a large scale. OF course
involves the old question Of convict labor.
But. as there can be no objection TO con-
virts making their own clio hing raising
/ their own vegetables, doing their own
carpenter work. and supplying their own
wants SO FAR as practicable, so the poor
should be encouraged TO take care Of
themselves and each other. Il is much
better TO establish "a bureau where half
worn garments can De deposited and sold
10 the poor for fair price and needy
women employed IN making such cloth
ing nj for use, than TO give the
women money and present the clothing
just as it is 10 those who have no time
or skill in repairing Il. The vacant-Iot
principle is a good one, and in one city.
at least it seems to have worked exceed
ugly well in practice
Major General Wood has started his work
Of reform in Cuba. in most promising
manner. His prompt deposition of the
Havana Supreme Court fiscal. for practices
Of an Iberian nature encourages the be
lief that he will soon have the whole island
in as desirable a condition Of good order
ana good government as he had the
Province Of Santiago soon after ne took
command Of it. We cannot help thinking
how thankful some people must be that
Wood was not given the Philippines COVER
nor 'geueralship.
tt may be a tri9e embarrassing TO the
British Government. that the Kaiser has
ordered the Krupp Company not 20 sell it
any more shells or ordnance and We are
afraid that this violent Interference with
the contracts under way may be a source
Of discomfort to the proprietors. But per
haps there may be means OF getting around
the difficulty. Some American firm might
take the contract of the hands of Lord
Salisbury. buy the goods it contemplates
on speculation; start to bring them over
here. and have them captured by one of
II. B. IS cruisers
The Newfoundland fisheries modus VI
vendi between England and France has
been continued for another year, thus for
a time postponing trouble But it yet re-
mains for the British Colonial Secretary
to force the bitter pill down the throat Of
the Newfoundland Legislature, which body
has been inclined to turbulence over The
matter for some years. But at last il will
be good and submit and so the grave in
ternationaI question as to whether a lob
ster is a fish. an insect. or a bird must re-
main unsettled indefinitely
The Oldest Machine Tool.
Hrom the Casters Magazine.)
There can be very little doubt that the pot
tcr's wheel. or potter's lathe, as il is also
termed, represents today the most ancient form
OF machine tool known. Among the many scuip-
tuTed records Of the trades and occupations which
wildly represent the customs and habits Of
the ancient Egyptians the potter and his wheel
have been found frequently depicted, and it is
curious 20 note that through the almost countless
generations since that time this crude type Of
lathe has undergone no material modification.
Tho primitive form evidently q small round