Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS

1.-THE Department of Commerce and
Labor, while fias, yet in experimental
stage. is destined to become a most IN
portant branch of the government" said
E. c. Mueller of Stuttgart, Germany, at
the Arlington. up to within the past
century the entire idea of progress be-
tween nations has been military. In near
ly all countries the land titles have been
ba sed upon military service. The titles of
nobility have had Their origin in deeds of
war. The arm of the government has
always been regarded the strongest and
most important. Until comparative recent
years those people who engaged in COM
merce were regarded as belonging to
much lower class than the professional
men, and they to a lower class than the
military. Even fifty years ago the idea of
making a separate department relating to
commerce had not occurred to any nation.
Now nearly all of the pr ncipal countries
have such branches as constituent parts of
the governments. The result has been to
open up more countries 10 civilization with
in fifty years than had been opened in the
previous 300 years. Nations open up new
countries now and civilze them, not from
any humanitarian motives, but in order to
create new markets. The United States is
the last nation to Join in this method of
civiliz;ng the world. and will through its
Department of Commerce WELD a most
potent influence.
II happened to run across a book which
contained cuts of fashions which prevailed
little over a hundred years ago in the
United States" said NJ l.. Taylor of Pitts
burg at Wizards. II was astonished at
the expense of the costumes then worn. l
do not believe there is millionaire in New
York city who spends as much money for
tleman in those good old primitive days
Solid silver buckles for their shoes, set
with precious stones and running into the
thousands in value. Knee clasps with
garnets and rubies. These are but two of
many items necessary to full dress then
that would shock us now as snobbish eX
hbition of wealth. When we examine the
carriages and the prices paid for them in
those days, and compare them with the
automobile now present day extravagance
sinks into ms gnificance The fact is that
the aristocracy of wealth has changed it's
aspect in certain ways but it is not as uni
versal among those who are comparatively
wealthy now as it was with those of COM
parative wealth a century ago. The ladies
of a century ago We're no more fastid:ous
than the men. Both sexes Wed with each
other in wearing the pureSt of gems and
the most expensive of handmade lace. The
fact is that the democracy of this coun-
try is on the increase, and each decade
less closely drawn
During the past twenty years the growth
of the churches has not kept pace with that
of the population Of the United States"
said l.. p. Horner of Boston. at the Airing
ton During the same period the growth
of the Masonic order has been proportion
ately greater than the increase of popula-
ton The growth of membership in all fra
ternal organization has been considerably
greater than the growth of population
There are now a smaller percentage who
are members of evangelical churches and a
larger percentage who are members of fra
ternal organization than ever before in the
history of the United States 1t seems to
me that there is, an intimate connection be-
tween these facts. The churches have to a
very considerable extent drifted away from
the brotherhood idea In practice, even If not
in theory, and it is possible that it is neces-
sary, as membership in churches can be
obtained by even the most unworthy and
the churches are bound to protect them
selves against this class Fraternal organ
izations select their membership, and the
natural desire for the united brotherhood
of man prompts the individual to seek such
brotherhood through secret societies rather
than in the churches"
1.-THE success of the government in re-
claiming and preserving the National yell
lowstone Park is remarkable when the sur
rounding circumstances are considered"
said A. L. Patterson of Denver, at the Ar
iington. eff the government had not taken
hold of this park its natural wonders would
nearly all have been destroyed and it's game
would have disappeared. If the govern
ment had taken hold of Niagara. as was
strongly advocated, the beauty of the great