The Delta independent., 1901-05-17
From Plutal to .Sineular.

The Hon. John w. Foster. In de-
Tending the use by him of the phrase
United States" as noun in the sin
gular, mentions three words which the
constitution treats as plural nouns
while they are always singular now.
These are the house Of representatives,
which shall choose their speaker;
the senate, which shall choose their
other oficers." and congress, which
shall assemble unless they
SHALL" etc.
Today the American who should say
that the house. the senate. or congress
have" adjourned would be looked ON
as guilty of grammatical slip by the
majority. A few only would under
stand that he was simply old-fash-
foned. AS regards the phrase United
States" there is no question that to
the men who framed the constitution
and to their immediate successors 1t
conveyed an idea not of unity but of
plurality. The conception of states
In union Is distinguished from that of
states blended to form a single nation
was at first generally entertained. 1t
familiar with the idea of national
government with far greater powers
than were possessed by the congress
OF the confederation. Finally in the
popular acceptation the phrase Unit
ed States" ceased to mean a number
OF states federated for certain common
purposes and came to signify one
grand national entity or unit.
Sfso 7oeOord Public Osunsrsbio
There Is matter for more than pass
Ing remark in the announcement that
Cornelius Vanderbilt has been elected
a director in the New York Realty
corporation. This concern has a cap
ital OF 100000 and is engaged in
the buying and improvement Of real
estate.
Its command OF almost unlimited
capital and the presence OF men like
Vanderbilt. William F. Havemeyer,
Henry Seligman. Oakleigh Thorne.
James Speyer. Charles Steele OF j.
Pierpont Morgan Z Co. and Charles H.
Tweed in Its directory mean that the
same forces and economics Of combi-
nation that have done so much for
industry in America are to be turned
to the development and management
OF real estate in great cities. 1t also
means that the best property in cit
les like New York and Chicago will
gradually pass into the control Of men
Of large wealth or corporations which
can afford to improve 1t to the highest
advantage to secure . moderate and
certain return for the Investment II
the scheme proves successful 1t will
prove step, toward naturalization OF
all land.
Million a Week 70, CeEfss.
What Holland has done In the way
of developing coffee culture In the ISL
and Of Java will naturally attract the
attention Of capital in this country to
the possibilities Of this industry In our
new island possessions. says the Chica-
20 Record-Herald. II also attracts pub
lie attention to the enormous con-
sumption Of the coffee berry In the
United States. The fact that we are
the largest consumer Of coffee In the
world and the heaviest importer is GER
tain to bring shout an early develop
ment Of the coffee-raising possibilities
Of Porto Rico. Hawaii and the Philip
pines. The coffee bill Of the United
States is over a million dollars a week.
During the nine months ending last
March the United States imported 617.-
$4,000 pounds. valued at ~. 6.218 900.
sum nearly $5.00O.0OO in excess Of
the value Of the coffee imports Of the
same months Of the preceding fiscal