davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
1 NEW TAX DANGER

Inc JOINT Committee on Taxation Of the Sem
are and Assembly, which contemplated abolish
ing the iniquitous mortgage tax called hv
Governor Odell "a dsgraceful injustice" has
changed IFS policy and now favors the bill pro-
posed last year by the Tax Revision Commits
sion and then discredited and defeated The
scheme is 70 tax all mortgages at one-half of
per cent, without any exemption OF allowance
for offsetting debts such as is now made in the
taxation Of personal property az the local tax
rate. This is promulgated as a plan 70 relieve
mortgages. II does relieve them from the possi-
hility of local tax. which the vast majority of
fhem never pay by imposing a smaller tax.
which all must pay.
II VIII be doubtful wisdom on the part of
those who object TO the "disgraceful injustice"
70 accept any such measure. True in doing SO
they would relieve The few mortgages now
taxed by having all mortgages taxed and do
away with the present gross inequality But
they would NOT do away with double taxation,
and they would open rhe door TO a larger tax on
mortgages whenever somebody wanted 10 make
new strike" az invested capital Once let II
be settled that all mortgages must be listed. and
nhe inouistorial method Of publishing all nri-
Tate business affairs is established ready for
convenient expansion. Once secure The taxa
non or all mortgages AT small rate and before
long complaints viii be made that this properfv
does not bear fair share Of the public burden
and the next step viii be 10 tax in sf the Same
rate as real property. The widows and orphans
who arc now unequally taxed would find some
reaef IN this bill, but hard as is their case nos
sloly Eear or two more Of injustice may be tbe
better price 10 pay for establishing correct ,,rin.
cipies al last. IL mortgage tax on tho nro
posed basis is once enacted II will no almos,
Impossible ever 10 secure complete exen,n,ion
lf the law is left as AT present. had nc ~ ,s
there remains some hope for true reform of tho
tax system.
Mortgage taxation is. double taxation of raol
estate, and land owners ought 10 understand q
mortgage is merely the evidence OF divided
property. The property pays taxes on its full
value, regardless of debts IL A and own
Jointly a piece of land assessed at $1,000 they
VIII together pay taxes on that sum. Suppose
however, instead Of remaining together on the
farm A puts the title i'm BIS name takes a mort.
gage OF $1,000 for his share and goes elsewhere
10 work. Is there any more property there than
before? Would tax on AS mortgage be any
thing bur double tax on the real estate? Dema.
rogues point 10 the money lenders and tell the
farmers they ought 10 tax their securities. The
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

wheel. The King was clothed so modestly and
was so quiet in his bearing that the offender
did not suspect that he had come into COLLISION
with royalty. but the good natured monarch
forgave him for his recklessness and would not
allow him to be arrested.
Were all amusement seekers as courteous anu
thoughtful most of the owners OF auto
mobiles who use them for diversion III New
York many unpleasant incidents would De
avoided Our automobile clubmen IN their COM
ing race from Manhattan to Buffalo VIII limit
the speed of their motor vehicles to fifteen miles
an hour, not with the idea of escaping peril TO
themselves, but with the determination that
general travel on the road shall not be thrown
into confusion and that the people on the high
ways shall not he seriously alarmed or even
disconnected. Every precaution against inJuring
or annoying citizens will be strictly observed.
These arrangements will be commended on all
Sides and the popularity of autos" and their
owners will be vastly increased.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

farmers ought 70 know that il would he taxing
themselves Many young man wants 10 buy
a farm largely on credit Does he want to pay
more taxes than the richer farmer who owns
his land entirely? He would have 10. The
lender would simply demand enough more in
terest 70 pay the tax, and I'm regions where bor-
rowing is hard and the interest already up 70
the legal rate he might be unwilling 10 loan at
all Mortgages might have TO pay the tax for
n while till loans fell due. but they would not
do il thereafter.
This question was fought ont last year and the
scheme completely beaten. II is now disguised
as a plan TO relieve mortgages. It's purpose,
however is far different 1t is intended 10 fur
nish a new source Of State revenue. The Gov
ernor's denunciation of the "disgraceful inius-
tice' of mortga taxation is being taken ad-
vantage of by the old schemers to rehabilitate
last years bill 1t should not be accepted as
even a partial concession to right and justice,
but regarded as a new danger involving the
adoption of a vicious principle of possibly far
reaching evil effects
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
HOW THE CITY STFFEPS

There is one phase Of the condition of official
corruption under which this CITY suffers which
rs kept, for obvious reasons, pretty far in the
background by those who are the direct victims
but which is at the same time one of the most
alarming symptoms # ors municipal malady
We refer 10 the bribas and tips which are COM
mony in use in these days To oil the machinery
In various official departments. Little is said
about these because the men who give them are
not proud of il and the men who receive are. of
course, compelled. for the sake of their own
safety, AT least to make a pretence of conceal
ing what they doing Nevertheless the evil
is constant and apparently Increasing. Contrac-
tors who have money due them from the city
are sometimes able 10 get il only after feeling
numerous clerks and minor officials The fee is
not small a five-dolar bill beng about the low
est sum acceptable. Inspectors stationed where
public works are going have TO he paid reg
ularly by the contractors, though they are amply
PAID for their services b. the city. In a recent
case an inspector WAS actually placed on the
payroll OF the contractor whose work he was
watching. The explanation of the contractor
who put the inspectors name on the payroll is
interesting. You see" he said. "at the rates
now paid no contractor on public work could
make any money if the exact specificat tions
and the contractor suits his own convenience as
TO the quality Of work or material furnished.
The evils of a system like this are manifold
One consideration is that the system makes the
grossest kinds Of favoritism certain. If service
is 10 depend on tip or fee, il stands to
reason that the man who gives the largest tip
gets the most liberal treatment. Another CON
sideration is that by this system the CITY is
being largely and constantly defrauded If the
inspectors of public works accept money from
the men whom they paid To watch. il goes
without saying that laws ordinances. rules in
fact all restrictions. being east aside. The
man whom we have quoted frankly avows
that because contractors gain such adyantac ces
they do not seek to break up the schemes of the
blackmaers. Strict adherence 10 the laws or
the ordinances would Interfere with their busi-
ness For consideration inspectors permit the
use OF improper. unsatisfactory materials: they
allow contractors 10 violate the laws or the
rules on the basis of which the contract was
awarded.
The remedy, of course, is for the city 10 en-
\ ploy honest men 10 be its clerks and officers
But until this is accomplished vast good would
he done IL some victim of this sort of black
| lnail who does not profit from IT, but is
| merely enabled TO do business would come
] forward boldly and make n comnlaint which
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
CONSIDER4TE OF TIE PERLLC

The members of the Automobile Club have
already done much 10 call out praise from pub
lie spirited citizens, and in their plans they
keep steadily in view the benefit not only of
the city and the suburbs. but of the State and
country as well. They have thrown their in
fiuence which is by no means inconsiderable
strongly in favor of good roads and they are
taking practical steps to further improvements
in our thoroughfares. Moreover. they have en-
tered upon the task of getting plain, prom
nent signs set up on important routes of travel
and pleasure riding on Long Island, between
New-York and Boston, between New-York and
Albany. and elsewhere. Their new home in
Fifth-ave near Central Park is evidently to
be a centre of efforts for the public welfare
governed by discretion and practical wisdom.
while they obtain all the recreation and enjoy
ment- they can out of the use of their machines
without interfering with the rights and privi-
leges of people who do not own automobiles and
never know the eXhilaratiOn of riding upOn
them.
1t would have been well had all riders of
bicycles from the time when the wheel first
came into extensive been as considerate of
the rights of non-riders. But too many wheel
men have shown a disposition similar TO that
of the rider who ran down King Christian of
Denmark day or two ago. and then began TO
abuse him because he got in the way of the
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
4 HOLE N THE WALL.

Trade records are being smashed at rattling
pace That Of last year, in our foreign COM
mercp far surpassed that of the year before,
and will in turn no doubt be far surpassed by
that of this veal. All over the world. Wher-
ever there is an open door. the United states
is forging ahead If all competitors to their
CONSERVATION and Gismay. Despite Sir lifrld
Laurier's preferential tariff we control more
than half of Canada's foreign trade In Austria
la our trade has increased 100 per cent In ten
years. and our export trade there is six times
as great as Germany's As for what we are
doing in Africa and Asia. and in Europe itself,
ample indications are fresh in mind. The GOV
ernment we'll reports that nowhere in the world
does the United States now appear TO d1sad-
vantage in foreign trade.
The noteworthy circumstance is that this is
so under the Mckinley Administration and the
Dingley tariff. How often have we been as
srIrpd that Protection was the insuperable OBJ
stacIe 10 our success in foreign trade. That
benighted and barbarous system, we were told,
was a veritable Chinese Wall about us, equally
shutting out foreign goods from our markets
and shutting our own goods in from the mar
kcts of the world Yet incomparably the great
est expansion of American foreign trade, eSpe-
ciaIlv in exports from this country. is occurring
under the stiffest protectonist system we have
had 1t is very puzzling. For, of course, the
Cohdenite apostles of sweetness and light must
have told the truth about our Chinese Wall,
Unless indeed. there is hole in the wall
somewhere
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
PERSONAL.
General Russell A. Alger has almost completely
recovered from his recent illness.

General Russell A Alger has almost completely
recovered from his recent illness.
The best we can say of King Milan of Servia,"
says The Saturday Review" is that the rascal
possessed a persuasive tongue One day when a
mob was bowling for his blood outside the Konak
at Belgrade he out upon the balcony amid
pandemonium of groans, but before the lapse Of
many minutes all listening to his language
with rapt attention. and his peroraton was
the signal for wild applause. He bad King.
a bad man. a bad father and abominable hus-
band and we can only plead for him that an evil
nature and shameful education were accentuated
by the bIackest misfortune. His death leaves
out an heir the throne. King Alexander Is the
of the ObrenovitChes and cannot point even 10
C eeed. SiS'''''' COUSIN WIN ''
The Municipal Art Society. OF Baltimore has re-
ceived over $500 in gifts for statue of General
John Eagan Howard. the famous MARYLAND soldier
of the Revolution The statue is 10 be placed IN one
of the city parks
Ieandro Fernandez who recently succeeded Man
ueI Fernandez LeaI as Secretary of Fomento. the
department for the encouragement of colonization
in the Republic of Mexico. is a civil and topo-
graphical engineer Since 1874 he has BEEN off and
on a professor in the National College Of Engi-
neers He was educated partly in the United
States and has been a frequent visitor TO this
country since he returned TO his home in Mexico.
on occasion he came here as a delegate 10 an
and prepare the space for Mexico's exhibit at the
Worlds Fair at Chicago.
Sir George Williams. founder OF the London
Young Mems Christian Association, may attend the
coming June Sir George is now eighty years Old
He is present in Southern Europe for his health
Canadians are discussing the advisability Of in
creasing the salary of the Premier OF the Do
minion. Sir Wilfrid Laurier now receives 5000
annually. Many people think he should have two
three times that sum.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

would hold water when examined Men en-
dure much when they think that their busi-
ness interests are in jeopardy, and thus far
very few have been willing TO come out openly
as accusers Tribute is paid, no record is kept
and many who pay though they pay under pro-
test do rot care 10 run the risk of reprisals if
they turn inforne1s Yet they ought TO remem-
Der that it is easy TO exaggerate the amount OF
harm which could come TO them through re-
prisals. and also that there is such thing as
puhlic duty in the premises.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
Amrsements.

ACADEMY OF MUsIc-s :l5- Bsrbsrs Frietcsis.
1MERTCAN THEgTRE-s 1S--1he Master t-Afnhs'
FIJOI-s.l5-Ths Climbers.
CASINOS. .I5-FIorodora. .-,. ~ -.
c-RITERIoN THEATRES l5-when KniEhthood was IN
roaLY's THEATRE-s-Burton Holmes-s;i5-Lsdy dy
Hunrvorrh's Experiment.
FDr1S MUSEE-The World IN NsN
EXPIRE THEATRES 20-Mrs Danes Deience,-
TOI-RTFENTlE STREET TI1EATRFc--s-e5arrett - Aash
GARDEN .l5-Cnder Two Flass
sARRICK THEATRES lS-Captsin Jinks ct the horse
s,FesND OPERA fIoIsE-s-Mss PRINT.
HAPIEM OPERA HOUSE-s:l5-A Royal FANNY
EE,RAI.D SQUARE THEATRE-s, 1.-THE Gin from Up
1RvfSG PLACE TTIEATRE-s:1 :15-s ssrdous Fedora.
KEITH S-Contnuous Performance - -, ~. w..
FRIcKERBOCKER THEATRE -e-25-Nhen We N'Ie
EOs5rFR q BIAIs-l ,45-T :45-Vsudeville
r,YcFTT-M THEATRES .30--The Lash q the Nhf
MADISON SQUARE THEATRE-s .So-tOn the quiet i,
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSES s:S0-Das hhelhsola
MURRAY HILL. THEATRE-2-s-secret Service.
SsFsW-YORK-s :I5-NaudeViue.
OLD EcADf1MY OF DESIGN-lO a. 70 10 2. m
American Water Color Society.
PASTOR S-Day and Nighf-Continucus SHOW
PROCTOR S-Continuous Performance.
REPUBLIc--s :l5-ln the Palace of the KING
SAVOY-s:l5-The Governors Son.
VICTORIA THEATRE-slS-My LacE.
wALDORF-ASTORIA-s. .30-Lecture: The War IN nina
wALLACK'S THEATRE-s 15-All on Account of Eliza
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

Disquietins reports come from the South tnat
in many cotton mills in that part of the coun-
try young children required to work ex-
cessive hours. An effort to regulate this matter
properly by law defeated recently in South
Carolina. We have heard a great deal OF late
with regard to the successful competition CT
Southern cotton mills with those in the North
ern States In New-York, New-England and
all over the North the employment OF young
children in manufactures is governed strictly ny
wise statutes If any Southern cotton mill makes
larger profits than the average of Northern mills
because its management is INSCRIPTIONS in over
working boys and girls it's prosperity ought not
to last. Perhaps there may not be many such
cases among our Southern friends. There should
not be, and every Southern State should pass
laws which will protect it's children in the mills
as carefully as the mill children of New-York
and New-England are protected
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

Now it is the street cleaners who intend to
plead with the State Legislature to raise their
wages. Our Senators and AssembIymen have
been lavish in past years in increasing SAL
aries and expenditures in this city that il is
not surprising the wielders of the broom think
il is their turn to ask for largess But Governor
0deu may be trusted TO call halt on such
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
4zC4RR4G4 To RESIGN TO-DAY.

Madrid Feb. 24-General Azcarraga. the Premier
will present the resignation OF the Cabinet 70 el
Queen Regent tomorrow. and will prooaoiS =
charged with the task of reconstructins the MN
istry
The responsibility for raising the state or sies'
will be left with the Government
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
TRANSATLANTIC TRAVELLERS.

Among the passengers who arrived yesterday on
the steamer Rotterdam. of the Holland-America
Line from Rotterdam and Boulogne. S. Pear
son. former commissary OF the Boer army in the
Transvaal.
On La Gascosne. Of the French Line, from Havre.
were Jean Asseman, Francisco Fernandez. Mrs.
C;eorgette Gauthier Miss J. ". Miller. Pierre RAIN
bault John Vincent and Carlos Yturraspe.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

The Mayor thinks the charges recently brought
against Buildings Commissioner Guilfoyle too
indefinite" to warrant action. How about the
facts brought out before the Tenement House
Commission? II was shown that Guilfoyle was
utterly incompetent. and had failed TO enforce
the fire escape law in hundreds of cases.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

While Commissioner Murphy had charge Of
the public health he habitualy used huge GUAM
titles of dsinfectants. But he will need even
bigger quantities If he really means to disnfect
Devery and the Police Department
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

why didn't father take his medicine like
little man, and not try TO put the blame on me
cries the "wayward" and disrespectful son.
Here's a young Absaiom whose hlial piety
seems to have been mislaid
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

A Chicago policeman wore the uniform for
twenty-seven years, and in all that time made
only arrest. Is il surprising then that 10
siah Flynt' describes the big Western city as the
Earthly Paradise of the Powers that Prey?
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25

schemes of inexcusable extravaganza. Long
ago the limit of reason and prudence in such
matters was left behind
New-York tribune., 1901-02-25
CHARLES STEWART SMITH BETTER.

IL said at the home of Charles Ste"al'
Smith yesterday that Mr.. Smith was much oet'e''
He had passed a comfortable night on SaturuAs.
and II was expected that he would be able 20 .,
up in two or three days liz would ProOaol$t "
week or more though before he could go out
The Washington bee., 1901-08-03
LIFE ON THE STAGE.

Charlotte Crane is to join Julia
Mariowe's company.
John Drew and his daughter Louisa
will make a European trip this sum-
mer.
Sarah Bernhardt may produce 9
French version of Mistress Nell" in
Paris.
A new play which made a hit IN
London is by Capt. Basil Hood, and is
called sweet and Twenty"
Z. H. Sothern mas written a cur
tain-raiser with the curious title Of
"Never Trouble Trouble Until TroH-
bic Troubles You"
A bill has been prepared to intro
duce in the Prussian parliament to
prolong the copyrights on Wagner's
works. Under this law they will not
become public property till 1888.
Coquelin is responsible for a story
to the effect that just before Bern
hardt last left Europe Rostsnd read
to her his latest tragedy, and the
actress, bursting into tears over the
story, was confined to her bed for
several days.
The Washington bee., 1901-08-03
IN DISTANT PLACES.

There are 1864 banks in Japan, rep
resenting S253, ,249,9 1886.
The population of Buenos Ayres OF
January l was S2l, 1893.
Only IL acres in every 100 of Japan's
$1,000 square miles are under cultiva
ton.
Sydney, 1O,12O miles from London q.
the crow flies, is the most distant
large town from England.
Australia, 26 times larger than the
whole of the British Isles, has a popu.
iation smaller than that Of London.
The khedive of Egypt is an energetic
fireman and has his palace fitted uE
with all the latest fire eKtinguishers
He has periodic fire drills for his house.
hold and occasionally turns in a false
alarm in the small hours.
Owing to competition with Spain
Italy and northern Africa, where labor
is cheaper, French farmers are aban.
dOning the cultivation of olive groves
In the department of Marseilles alone
within six months 10000 olive trees
were uProoted.
The Washington bee., 1901-08-03
ADVANTAGE.
OF
BAILEYS
Improved Truss.

ton with perfect safety.
All uncomfortable and Injurious steel
spring pressure is avoided.
The pad is held in place by woven
bands, which retain an equal pres
sure in all positions of the BODY.
II Can be worn in bed, a great deSId.
eratum to the young as tending to q
perfect cure.
1t IS the only suitable truss for chill
dren and females.
The proper amount of pressure can be
Wrought to bear and maintained in
ny position without pinching or
h, WI 10 the Wearer.
It vi 'Vure hernia If placed on the pa
ITEM efficiently early.
Excepting umbilical, it is the best
t-uss ever offered for all kinds OF
hernia.
1t IS 50 perfect and comfortable in its
adjustment that the patient in a
short time fOTgets he is wearing il.
lSee the cert -fCate of Mr.. Daniel
JOhnson.)
Sent postage paid to any address on
receipt OF price; s. for single and SA
for double truss
In ordering, give location Of hernia.
right or left sid d measurement
Satisfaction Civ, money refnndej
when the truss Is ieturned in good
order Address:
The Washington bee., 1901-08-03

Some things will be done con-
trary to reason.
Politicians don't know it all.
Why not abolish the police court
after the passage Of the new bill.
The man who knows it all should
never be consulted.
You may deceive some people
but you can't deceive all the peo-
pie.
You may deceive your friends
some times butnot all the time.
When you have good friend
hold him. He is hard 10 find.
The Washington bee., 1901-08-03

gun, although each one had q der
ringer of the latest pattern.
I'VE found among their baggage
several kits of the finest burglar tools
ever saw. There were chisels that
would cut steel and saws that would
go through iron without making the
least noise. And in turned out that
they were a noted band of bank rob
bers wanted in Syracuse and many
other places.
Scenes Of sorrow as well as ex-
element come to every sheriff, how
ever" continued the speaker. Not
long since l took 10 the penitentiarv
an old man, gpay-haired and feeble,
who had been sentenced for receiving
stolen goods. He had two beautiful
daughters. They went to the train
10 tell him good-by, and I never saw
such an affecting scene Parting at
the bedside OF death would have been
less terrible. He wept all the way
to the pen and when the gates Of
the prison closed behind him. all hope
Of further happiness on this earth
seemed to leave his heart and he
broke down completely.
About the straugest case that ever
came to my notice was that of a
young man who stole s.. 500 and plant
ed it with the purpose of simply lay
ing up in prison and coming ou that
much to the good. This fellow took
the money from a grocery in broad
daylight, and was arrested a few
hours later without resistance. At
the trial he pleaded guilty, declined
10 accept the services of a LAWYER.
also refused 10 tell where he had hid
the money and was sentenced to i'm
prisOnmeRt for four years. As was
taking him down 10 the train he
asked me if ] would 90 with him to
a certain street. He requested it as
a favor and 1 did so. Arriving at a
shady spot Of a somewhat uufre-
quented street, he stopped down and
pulled up a loose brick in the nave
ment, under wHicn was the g. 500 in
paper money, just as it had come out
of the bank.
What are YOU going TO do with
that?' / asked. my first thought be-
ing that he intended TO return il 10
the man from whom he had stolen il
OF course / had no authority in the
matter, for the reason that the
money was his own and sentence had
been passed upon him. Well. sir. that
fellow insisted on my going TO the
bank with him, and there he depos-
tied the $500, where it remains to
this day, drawing interest and wait
ing his pleasure when he shall have
served sentence and be free to enjoy
the profits of his prison term. Such
cases are not uncommon"