The state herald., 1901-09-06

Attorney General Knox has rendered
an opinion on the question whether a
certain western daily paper has vioiat-
cd the law prohibiting the use of the
mails for advertising lotteries, gift
concerts and similar enterprises. The
paper some time ago inaguraicd n
guessing contest. advertising II would
give 1900 prizes, aggrcgating $4,000
In value to persons making the
nearest estimates TO the num-
bcr OF paid admissions TO the
pan-Amerlcan Exposition at Buff
falo from the day OF opening TO the
day OF closing. The Attorney General
says that unless plainly forbidden by
law. the remedy is with Congress and
not with the department. lie says the
contestants must go into careful In
quiry as 10 the facts about the expo
sitlon. public interest and attendance
10 date, and continues ms follows:
Such estimates. therefore, while nee.
Cssarily dependent In many respects
upon chance. are likewise affected by
the intelligent calculations OF n
thoughtful observer. A fair construc.
ilon OF the words dependent upon lot
or chance excludes estimates which
nre based upon mental calculation. even
though the factors which enter into
such calculation. may be uncertain
and matters OF conjecture. The draw
Ing OF lot or the throw OF die are
purely dependent upon chance. for no
mental operation can aid In estimating
the result. As penal statutes must be
construed strictly, am unable to
reach the conclusion that the givin; OF
prizes ns reward for superior intel
I llgcnce In estimates, where the hu.
man Intellect Is exercised In making
such estimates, l. within the pufvicw
, OF the statute. aud the conclusion can.
not be affected by the dcmornllzing
tendencies TO which you refer"
According TO bulletin issued by Tho
census bureau there nrc slightly
more females than males In the stat,
OF New York. The percentage Is sos
females 10 in.I males. out OF a total
population of 1.2ls. SOL, there are g..
Jii.Is0 males and 3,G5i.iii females
or the total population Of the state
l.oVoi.5. or 2ii per cent. are foreign
born. and ii2.oi3. or 10 per cent. col
orcd. or the colorcd people. 30, -.
are negroes. I.iT0 Chinese. 3,i Japan
c~c aud 5.o5T Indians. New York CIT,
has i.0GT 900 native males aud l,uo9,
512 nnilvc females These figures nr,
given In connection with the c-nsu,
publication showing the population b,
sex, nativity aud color IN the states oI
New Jersey. New Mexico. New Yorl
nnd North Carolina. forming she scy
cnih Of the census groups NJ states
New Mexico presents the largest pre-
pondernnrc OF males over females II
the cnilir group, tho perccntng. ol
males IN TINT territory being al.i, Ol
tho entire population " 1880. i0i.
.2,..s nrc males nnd pi.OS'i females. Il
tint territory there nrc i:l.d25 foreign
born persons, constituting seven PEI
cent Of the entire population. Thrr,
nrc ib.i13 colorrd people. including 1.
90 negroes. 3ti Chinese. eight Japan
csc and i3.iH Indians.
Plans for the erection of mnmmo,,
hotel In Washington 10 cover III, On
tire block IN the west side Of ppri
l avenue. between foriy.frHt and Forty
second streets. NJ n cost npproNimntinl
Sb.Op0.Upo. nre nearing completion. IN,
property IN owned 10y the kubwn,
Realty Company. for which the plan
nre beins nnde. The lessee uf the ho
tel 10 bo IL II, l., ~ Hates, now prp
pfletor NJ the Everett housr. NJ the cor
her of Union HIunre nni Seventeenth
street. II II said tim, tho new hntr
! Will he the inllesi building IN ,h,
world, having a height OF 5S3 feet.