, 1901-09-05

Attorney General Knox has rendered
an opinion on the question whether "A
certain western daily paper has violat-
ed the law prohibiting the use of the
mails for advertising lotteries, gift
concerts and similar enterprises. The
paper some time ago inagurated a
guessing contest, advertising it would
give 1,JUO prizes, aggregating $1,000
III value TO persons making the
nearest estimates to the num-
Der of paid admissions to the
pan-American 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 Ii department. He says the
contestants must 20 into careful in
quiry rs to the facts about the expo
sition, public interest and attendance
TO date, and continues as follows:
Such estimates, therefore, while nee
eSsarily dependent in many respects
upon chance, are likewise affected by
II intelligent calculations of a
thoughtful observer. \ lair construc-
ton of the words dependent upon lot
or chance excludes estimates which
are based upon mental calculation. even
though the factors which enter into
such calculation, may be uncertain
ana matters of conjecture. The draw
ing of Il lot or the throw of IA die are
purely dependent upon chance. for no
mental operation can aid in estimating
the result. As penal statutes must he
construed strictly, / am unable 10
reach the conclusion that the giving of
prizes as a reward for superior intel
llSehce i'll estimates, where the hu-
man intellect is exercised in making
such estimates. Is within the purview
OF the statute, and the conclusion can.
not be affected by the demOrallzing
tendencies to which you refer"
According TO II bulletin issued by the
census bureau there are slightly
more females than males in the state
of New York. The percentage is 400
females TO 49.7 males. out Of a total
population of 7.2GS.S 94. there are B.
Ul4, $50 males and 3.G54.114 females.
OF the total population of the state.
l,oto.425, or 2G.1 per cent, are foreign
born and 1l2.Ol3. or ID per cent, col
ored. OF the cOlored people. g9.232
are negroes, ITO Chinese. 354 Japau.
eSe and 5,21T Indians. New York CITY
mas l,W6I.G GEO native males and lob
4d2 native females. These figures ARE
gwen IN connection with the census
publication showing the population by
SEX nativity and color in the states Of
New Jersey, New Mexico. New York
and North Carolina, forming the sew.
ehth of the census groups of states.
New Mexico presents the largest pre-
pondcrancc of males over females I'm
the entire group, the percentage of
males in that territory being 53.4, OF
The entire population of 1880. 1O4..
DDS are males and 01.OS3 females. In
that territory there are 13.G25 foreign
born persons, constituting seven ncr
cent of the entire population. There
are l0.lO3 colored people, including l.
Go negroes, 34l Chinese. eight Japon.
use and 1874 Indians.
Plans for the erection of a mammoth
hotel in Washington to cover the ON. ,
tire block ON the west side of Park
avenue. between Forty-tirst and Forty |
second streets, at n cost approNimating
S1,Opo.oOo, are nearing completion. The
property is owned 10y the subway
Realty Company, for which The plans
are being made. The lessee Of the bo.
tel To be is b. l.. NJ. Bates. nov pro-
prtctuI Of the Everett house. mt the cor.
ner of Union Square and Seventeenth
street. II is said that the new hotel
VIII be the tallcst building In the
world, having a height Of 3S3 feet.