The Saint Paul globe., 1902-02-22
New York Letter.

Rafnes Amends His Law
NEW YORK, Feb. 21. Senator John
Raines, author of the mo sandwich, no
drink law, has repudiated the. so-called
''Raines-law hotels" He has introduced
bill designed to wipe them sout Of ex-
istence, in accordance with the sugges-
tons of the Reform club.
The bill amends the liquor tax law by
increasing the powers of the excise de-
partment to pass upon the eligibility OF
hotelkeepers to receive a liquor license.
None but Year-OId Fiction
Andrew Carnegie's suggestion at the
reception given for him at the Authors,
club, that it might be well for public IL
braries to buy no work Of fiction which
is not one year old, was discussed with
interest yesterday in library. circles. Her
pert putnam, librarian of congress re-
Gently expressed a similar opinion when
ne urged that only works a year old and
Of established reputation should he mn
chased, and that is practically tie rule
of the British library.
launching of the Meteor
lnvitations to the launching of the
enperorS yacht a week from TODAY werc
sent out this week by the builders tbe
IoWnsend-Downe company Two thousand
invitations were mailed, only those whose
names mad been passed upon by the com
llttee OF arrangements at Washington
and the secret service bureau and ner-
sonal friends of the builders receiving the
coveted cardboaros.
A force Of clerks in the Office of the
firm at Broadway and Beaver street
was set to work directing the invita-
tons. A carefully prepared list, fur
nlsTed by the German ambassador the
president, the Committee at Washington
and Mayor Low, and added to by the
shlpbuilders, was followed by the mail
ing clerks.
1t will be an assemb1age of famous
men which win gather on Shooters
island next Tuesday TO witness the in
ternational event. of the launching Of the
Meteor by the daughter of the president
of the United States, with the emperor 3
brother twenty-five of the most famous
men in the German navy and the presi-
dent of the United States and his cabinet
as the chief guests,
The invited guests include the foremost
figures of official life in Washington
and nearly all the celebrities of finance
politics, literature, art and the business
and official life Of this city. At least
two governors Will witness the launching
Gov. Odell, of New York, and Gov
Murphy, of New Jersey. Gov. Stone Of
Pennsylvania, has been invited. Senator'S
Platt and Depew have also been asked.
The invitations are handsomely en-
graved, with the American and German
flags in colors at the top. Inclosed with
each invitation is a card of admission to
the island
No one will be admitted without first
presenting this card. A third card invites
the recipient to a luncheon to he given
sin honor of the president Of the United
States and Prince Henry OF Prussia i'm
mediately after the luncheon The lunch
con will be served in an immense new
building, just completed, and there will
be 1900 guests. President Roosevelt and
party and Prince Henry and party will
be seated on a raised platform erected
midway Of the building on one side The
guests of honor will be IN view IF all
the other guests.
MiIIionaires Dine in Secrecy
Twelve millionaires, representing the
greatest financial interests of the United
States, chose a secluded place for din
ner and ccnfeI ence last Saturday night.
Not a word about the affair leaked out
until Yesterday, and even then it was
impossible to learn the names of all the
men present but among them were ].
Pierpont Morgan William G. Whitney,
S. D. French, John D. Rockefeller and
Joseph Peabody, of Boston.
Anybody searching for them would not
have been likely to look in the place
where they assembled. They met in a
private room adjoining the wine cellar
in the basement OF the Arena, No. SO
West Thirty-first street. William 9.
Muschenheim. proprietor of the place,
last night confirmed the story of their
visit but was not able to throw any
light on the purpose for which they met.
VanderbiIt's ssdan From the west''-
William Carlos Brown, the man from
the West, whos has come to be the
third vice president of the New York
Central railroad has taken hold of his
new duties with characteristic vim and
is actively directing the practical work
ings of<the big railroad
Mr.. Brown is the son of a Baptist mis-
sionary and pioneer in the West and
Northwest, who died recently at the age
of ninety years. Despite an early train
ing, in which it was taught that fast
horses were not the necessary adjunct