Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-09-14

| Vrs, Dut through the discoveries of
science and the work Of inventors. So
cial ana economic reforms are slow. 1t
takes long time to get majority.
Inventions. on the other hand, are A.
most instantly available and can be
universally applied. Remarkable
changes In the condition of the people
and I'm the cost Of living will be
wrought IL Mr.. EdisOn's discovery of
a cheap method of producing superior
quality Of Portland cement proves to
be practicable. His prediction Is that
the cement can be sold profitably Mt 50
a ton. The future house will not be
built but poured. The contractor will
have a number of moulds of various
sizes and styles of architecture. The
excavation for the foundation will be
made, the mould set over the site and
the cement poured In. In n short time
the cement will be hard MS stone. and
there you are with cottage or a pal
ace poured to order. For few hundred
dollars a structure may be erected,
which. under present methods of con.
structiOn, would cost $4,000. More
over. Mr.. Edison says. the work may be
done by unskilled labor. Both the 80
cinl and political reformer must well
come every factor that reduces the
price Of living and lends toward the
betterment Of the race in material
things. Indeed there are those who
believe that moral bctterment comes
only with material well.being and q 20.
litical school Is founded upon this pre-.
cept. Preachments mt both ends Of
this article aside, inquiry mt the lum-
Der yards, brick kilns and hardware
stores Of the city discloses no present
apprehension respecting Mr.. Edison's
discovery.
1t Is n singular fact that the only lie.
CATION buildings owned by the United
States Government IRE those In the
capitals Of China and Japan. In CAPT.
tails Of other countries Uncle Sam pays
rent. although 1t Is believed that he
does not save money by the operation.
This country would not own its lega.
ton real estnte In Toxic and Pekin,
doubtless, had not the sites been pre-
sented by japan and China respective.
ly. Even with the free land to begin
with. Congress would not build home
for the American minister to japan.
He was therefore compelled to erect
legation building at his own expense.
1t was a good investment, however, be-
cause for thirty years or more he rented
II to his successors ut a rate that paid
him an excellent rate Of interest. Two
or three years ago lie refused to make
the necessary repairs, and Congress
appropriated the money for a new
building. The legation building ut
Pekin was erected by the United States
Government at Il small cost, and since
then other inexpensive houses have
been put up for offices, but the accom-
modatiOns have been inconvenient and
unnecessarily humble. The late Con.
gress authorized the erection Of q lega.
ton building at Pekin commensurate
with the prominent position this coun-
try has taken In Chinese affairs. Forty
thousand dollars will be spent In nc
qulrlng additional ground and laying
the foundation for the new building.
1t IL characteristic Of American deal.
ings with weak nations that the Presi.
dent has instructed the Pekin legation
to pay fair price for the land. al.
though the European governments
have simply confscated the property
they want.
The increased interest which won.
en- Of the present day take In public
matters IL well shown by the number
of 'Current-TOplc Glasses" which
have come into existence within n
few years. The purpose Is to gain u
reasonable knowledge Of the great
questions Of the day. There may be
few members or many, ana wide DIFF.
ferences Of opinion may, and, In fact,
usually do. exist within the class; but
that does not matter. Once a week,
or once In two weeks, the members
meet, and teacher, or leader, pre-.
sents matters Of public interest and
Importance as clearly and extensively
rs possible. Afterward questions are
asked and answered. and the discussion
becomes general. The success Of such
an association depends much upon the
ability Of the teacher, who may be
some one hired for the purpose, or a
member who has enjoyed greater edu.
catiOnal advantages and has more
leisure than her fellows. 1t IL not nee.
essary that the presentation OF matters
under discussion be cOl0rless. Quite
as good results IRE often obtained
when the leader expresses his or her
own convictions. The object IL not
merely to form an opinion on such eyi.
dence rs may DO presented at the meet.
ings. but to learn what Is the prevail.
Ing opinion Of those who have given
the subject most attention and are
best qualified to Judge. Nevertheless
the leader should be fair and capable
of seeing both sides Of the matter.
Current'tOplc classes are more common
In the cities than In the country, II
ought to be just the other way, for the
towns and small villages offer less va.
rlety Of entertainment and instruction.
and such associations as these may DO
made a valuable means OF Intellectual
stimulus ana diversion. The cost need
be little or nothing, for there IL hard
~ Il village In the United States so
small that 1t does not harbOr at least
one man or woman capable OF leading
such class, and willing to do 1t with.
mt charUe