davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

its engineers had some reason to take
this surprising public submissiveness as
actual approval of their subway method,
and no other was seriously considered
by them, with reference to the extern
sions OF the underground system yet to
be built. The contractors looked on tho
continuance Of that method as a fore
gone conclusion. They expected to
keep on obstructing and defaoing the
highways of trade and travel In New
York for many years to come.
When the Broadway agitation began
the officers of the company threatened
that if the old method OF digging up the
street was not continued they would
not bid for the work. Their theory or
pretence was that the town would be
deprived of needed extensions OF the
rapid transit system il they refused to
undertake the job or unless they had
their own way. Now competent conn
pany, backed by sufficient capital, an
nounces its readiness to bid on deep
tunnel 1t Is more than ready-it is eager
to get the chance, and there are otner
bids ready to be put in whenever the
Rapid Transit Commission shall invite
them.
A very great change has come over
the rapid transit situation since the cltl-
zens of New York awakened from their
long delusion that digging up their
streets was necessary affection put
on them by irresistible divine decree,
and not a mere blunder committed by
the human authority that gave to engi-
neers and contractors the opportunity for
a destruction which might have been
prevented by a wiser and an entirely
practicable method Of subway con-
struction. Now we shall have the better
method.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
QUITS TEE CUSTOM HOUSE.
DisDurslns Agent Thompson Retircs After
Long Service.

hvWe FCENAVVs
Samuel Wesley Thompson. acting dis
bursting agent OF the Custom House, sent n
letter Of resignation to Collection StranaLen
yesterday and asked that he be relieved
Of his duties on Aug 81. Mr.. Thompson
who has been In the customs service for
many years, said that the impairment
OF his eyesight added to his advanced
age, rendered it difficult for him 10 con-
tinue satisfactorily the trust he had held
80 many years.
Some time ago there was some Comment
over the appearance of the names OF Mr.
Thompson and Walter Eaton, a clerk in
the disbursing department under him
on the board of directors Of the Columbia
Gold Mining Company. An investigation
by Collector Stranahan disclosed the fact
that both men had resigned from the d.
rectOrate of the company not long after
it's formation. The collector said yesterday
that there was no connection between these
facts and Mr.. Thompson's resignation.
In support OF this statement the Collector
gave out his letter to Mr.. Thompson in reply
to the letter OF resignation. After accent
ing the resignation the Collectors letter
read:
l desire to express my regret that YOU no
longer feel equal to the work. Your long ser
vice as the head of one of the most important
divisions of the Custom House has been
characterized by fidelity and efficiency. You
have in your official capacity. disbursed
millions Of dollars without an error, and
borne yourself at all times as q gentemanlv
and courteous public servant. The respect
Of all Will follow you in your honorable rs-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
The Christians Of Turkey.

When the British Prime Minister just
before the closing of Parliament the other
day said that the most hopeless feature
of the Macedonian trouble was the dis
sensions among the Christian population
he indicated a plague spot in the politics
of the Eastern question.
There has been nothing so effective
in retarding the emancipation of the
Christians of the Ottoman Empire as their
religious and racial antmosities. They
alone of all peoples seem not to have I'm
derstood the axiom that in union is
strength. Bulgarian, Greek, Servian,
Armenian and Syrian Christians have
been consumed by the Mussulmans
through their inextinguishable hatreds
of each other, They hated each other
because of differences Of race and faith
the Gregorians, Eastern Orthodox and
Catholics of the different races, and even
of the same race, penecuted and be-
trayed each other to the Turk. The
Greek, Bulgarian and Servian, though
belonging to the same religious rite
heartily detest each other and ut this
moment we have the unlovely spectacle
of the Greeks openly taking sides with
their own and Bulgaria's enemies against
their brothers in faith because of race,
while those OF the Catholic rite among
them hate their brothers in race because
of their difference in faith.
Among the Armenians the condition
has been even worse. Catholic Armen-
ians have not only betrayed their broth
ers in race to the Turk, but, as the ar
chives of the embassies at CONSTANT
nople would show if they could be ex-
amined, they have been suspected Of
substituting Kurds to prosecute and at
tack their Gregorian fellow Armenians,
while the Professionals among them hold
aloof with naughty superiority from the
two other oreeds.
1t has been due to these dissensions
and jealousies that the rule Of the Turk
has 80 long endured in Europe and it
will be because Of them that when he
returns to Asia, whence he came, the
different races will pass under other rule
instead OF their own.
Religious prejudice and racial obstinacy
have been the bane Of the Christians
Of European Turkey. These differences
prepared the way for the Ottoman con-
quest and made the separated races an
easy prey. By playing artfully upon
these weaknesses the Turk has kept
them in subsection with the aid of Eng
land and France in the now admittedly
unjust war Of 1854
With Christian unity the different
peoples of the Balkans might all have
had political freedom; but they willed
otherwise, and the ratpit in Macedonia
is the outcome.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
The ses-Legs OF the Walking Dele

There is an area of storm on the Great
Lakes If traffic on them is not tied up
tight, it will not be the fault OF the des-
potic skipper of the bad ship Eastland.
The romenticists and sentimentalists
who launch sea-novels would say the
good ship Eastland. She is not a good
ship, or she would have a better captain.
Well, the bad steamship Eastland was
ploughing the middle waters Of Lake
Michigan last week when, without warn
ing, she struck. Not on a submerged
pinnacle Of rock. but against the cook
and the captain bold. Six of her crew,
as fine men as ever broke a biscuit, rose
and struck. They had been sitting at
their dinner. waiting for the mashed
potatoes. No mashed potatoes were
spoken. No mashed potatoes, no work:
such was the ultimatum of these hardy
lake-dogs. Without a cargo of mashed
potatoes in their hold, they declined to
navigate any farther.
The captain and the other officers are
arbitrary men. Mashed potatoes be
hanged said they; this is fiat mutiny
and we will lay it hatter." They put
clanking chains on two strikers, whom
they professed to regard as ringleaders.
They shooed the other four below decks
The Eastland hobbled to port as best
she could. When she got there, the six
strikers were clapped into irons and
dumped into Jail.
Then the walking delegate got his sea-
legs on. The Marine Firemen's Union
highly resolved that the Eastland shall
rot at her dock or invite disaster by be-
coming scab craft. The union men
have been ordered out of her. Not a
man or boy can go back until the six
defenders Of sailors rights and admirers
Of mashed potatoes have been released
and indicated.
The capitalists begin their damnable
work Of wrecking the marine unions by
cutting off their mashed potatoes. But
their purpose is clear. They mean to
starve the lake-dogs into submission
and scabhood. The walking delegate
has not got his sea-legs on moment
too soon.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
swamp Angels.

Mr.. EDWARD ATKINSON Of Massachu-
sets and the Aladdin Oven has thrown
a good deal Of mud in his time; and he
has wasted much calorio thereby, il the
results OF hts recent experiments ON the
burning power Of plain black" ordinary
mud are to be trusted. Prof CHARLES
L. NORTON OF the Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology ia a different sort Of
witness. He has taken ten samples OF
eastern Massachusetts, mud, merito-
rious article. though much less viscous
than the Jersey variety. These samples,
weighing from 100 to l25 pounds cubic
foot in the crude state, were air-dried
for from three to eight or nine weeks.
At the end Of this banting process they
were trained down to flfty-five pounds,
and were hard as board, if not as nails.
The most muscular candidates could be
split readily, but were hard to saw
According to the Boston transcripts
summary Of Prof. MOTIONS conclusions,
air-dried mud has calorific power
at least 85 per cent. as great as first
quality American coal, while the average
of ten samples from different boys at
varying depths was rs per cent, and one
specimen reached value Of 95 per cent,
and these percentages approximately
apply to the finished coke Also The
farmer who has been accustomed to
darn his swamp land will be charmed
by Prof. NoRToN's figures:
with IS. 800 feet to the acre and depth, say
Of 20 feet, We should have some $4,000 cubic
feet Of mud per acre. This will yield at Q con-
sentative estimate 70 900 900 pounds of air dried
mud. which is equal in heating power to at least
Is 900 900 pounds. or $4,000 tons OF good coal II
convenience in handling and diminished bulk will
Justify the cokng process, We may stil hope 10
obtain the equivalent OF 10000 tons OF GOOD coke
from each aero OF twenty-foot beg. There 10 al
most. II not quite. enough gas distilled from the
coke TO make ono pound OF mud furnish enough
gas to coke The next that the coknV process once
started viii require no extra fuel"
So every farmer who is lucky enough
TO own swamp has coal yard, a coke
yard and gas house, and nobody needs
to worry about the exhaustion OF the
coal in the bowels of the earth or the
eagerness to strike of the gentlemen who
operate upon the same with dynamite
and pick.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Not Divine Providence, hut Human
Perversity.

The Broadway merchants who have
organized an agitation against ditching
that thoroughfare need not have any
misgivings as to the consequence of
their movement. 1t may he now as
stunned that the centre of activity and
gayety in New York will never be in
vaded by the subway ditcher, will never
be forced to go through the experiences
which have brought hardship, distress
and ruin to the unfortunate jewellers in
Forty-second street, for example.
II is necessary, however, that they
should maintain and strengthen their
organization to make formal and vigor-
GUS protest against the outrage when
the subject of further underground
roads comes up before the Rapid Transit
Commission next month. The fight
they have made and will make is not for
themselves alone, but it is for the whole
town, for principle which, once estab-
lished, will be Of general benefit.
Until agitation against the present
method of building the subway began
the plan had been pursued for three
years almost without criticism. The
loss and the suffering caused to the
citizens by reason OF 1t seemed 60 be
accepted as an affection Of Providence
against which it was vain TO make out
cry. The patience of the people in
Fourth avenue, ia Forty-second street
and in Park row was like the meekness
of Turk under fate which no believes
10 be visited on him by an awful decree
Of the divine will.
The Rapid Transit Commission and
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Panama It Must 10.

Let us put the worst construction on
the news from Bogota and assume not
only that the Canal treaty in its present
form has been rejected, but that no other
treaty acceptable TO the United States
Is likely to DO obtained from the Colom-
bian politicians. Does it follow that I'M
der the act of Congress authorizing him
to negotiate with Colombia President
ROOSEVELT is now bound to take i'm
mediate steps to secure from Nicara-
qua and Costa RIGA the territory, needed
for the construction OF an interoceanic
waterway by what ia known as the Mica
ragua route?
There is no doubt that Senator MORGAN
OF Alabama would answer the question
In the affirmative. He would insist, az
he has formerly insisted, that the act Of
Congress to which we have referred is
mandatory as regards the Presidents
duty under the existing circumstances.
That act, after directing the President
to negotiate with Colombia, goes on to
direct that, In case he shall not be able to
obtain for the United States control Of
the necessary territory from Colombia
within a reasonable time and upon
reasonable terms" then, having first
obtained for the United States perpetual
control by treaty OF the necessary terri
tory from Costa RIGA and Nicaragua,
upon terms which he may consider rea
sonable, for the construction, mainte-
nance, operation and protection OF a
canal connecting the Caribbean Sea
with the Pacific Ocean by what 10 COM
monty known as the Nicaragua route,
the President shall, through the Canal
Commission, cause to be excavated and
constructed a ship canal and railway
from point on the Caribbean Sea near
Greytown, by way Of Lake Nicaragua.
to point near Brito on the Pacific
That is tho law. An analysis OF it
shows that, while ostensibly mandatory, 1t
leaves great deal to the discretionof the
President. In the first place, it leaves
him to say whether the time at which
and the terms on which the necessary
territory may be procurable from Colom-
bia are reasonable and, in the second
place, it leaves him to pronounce on the
reasonableness Of tho terms offered by
Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
In view Of the delays attending COM
munioation with Bogota, not only by
post. but even by telegraph, Mr. RoosE-
WELT may hold that the negotiations may
not unreasonably be prolonged so long
a. the special session of the Colombian
Congress- shall last, or, in other words,
until the statutory date fixed for the be-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
LOOK INTO POST OFFICE NEEDS
Visiting Commission Seems to Think Well
OF Van Colts Demand for More Help.

A commission Of postal officials. headed
by Inspector Boyle Of this city, Inspector
Pendleton Of Boston and Supt. Eden Of Chi
cago, visited the New York post Office yea
terday, The commission is on tour Of
investigation in connection with Postmaster
Van Colts requisition for more help in the
delivery service. Mr.. Van Colt asked this
year for l4s additional carriers, twenty-iour
collectors. two wagons and S7,025 for aux"
Hilary carrier service. The commission dis
oussed the request with the Postmaster. !
So far as | could see,' said Mr.. Van Cote
afterward they seemed to be favorablv
disposed, and their recommendations have
great weight with the Department.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
The NicerOy's Ivory Carvings.

Lord CURzoN Of Kedleston, the Vice
roy and Governor General of India,
whose term of office was extended re-
Gently, has been led into trouble by his
aesthetic tastes. His zeal as a collector
of bric-a-brac seems to have gotten the
better of his sense of the dignity of his
Viceregal office. His action has been
made the subject of inquiry in the British
House OF Commons and the explanation
there given by Lord GEORGE HAMILTON,
the Secretary of State for India is said
by outside witnesses to deviate markedly
from the truth.
1t seems that the Maharajah of the
town Of Benares, who is entitled to a
salute of thirteen guns, though he is
not a ruling chief, had in his audience
chamber set Of ivory furniture which
took Lord CURzoN's fancy. The Vioeroy
asked the Maharajah to set price, but
he declined to sell. He looked on the
Viceroy's request as an order, but he
wanted to keep his ivory carvings. He
consulted a high official, who advised
him to make a fight for them, but the
Maharajahs discretion was stronger than
his valor and he turned over his heir
looms to Lord CURZoN, accompanying
them with Oriental expressions OF de-
light at being allowed to make the gift.
The Viceroy of India sent him a modern
rifle in return.
Here rises the discrepancy as to the
facts. The Maharajahs gift, even il
made unwillingly, might have been
passed over had Lord CURzoN's return
been in any way adequate. Lord
GEORGE HAMILTON tried to persuade
the House Of Commons that IL was, by
asserting that the ivory carvings were
worth only $500 at liberal estimate,
while the rifle cost ali Of $500
Persons who have seen the carvings,
however, put wholly different value on
them. They are said to be real works
OF ancient Indian art, which may have
been valued at 5000 whom new but
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Revised Romance and Tradition.

Tho lady Of Shaiott had died while floating down
10 Camelot.
mo wonder they exclaimed. the poor woman
got on Staten Island ferry boat by mistake"
Later, they blamed TennySon for not lnuHnS
his heroine W modern hartishlps.
DesdemonS was listening enrapt 70 tho Moor'S
tales Of war.
but tell me, dearest sho murmured. have you
never caught any nsh7"
And tho entrance OF rago was hardly necessary
10 rouse the IRE In Othello's eye
Potter Mnuit had bought the island of Manhattan
for SA,
No" remarked his wife. Il don't think II Is
bargain az all, You didn't get any trading stamps
with It."
Psrceivtnr he had been puncoed he relapsed into
sulky silence
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

which are now well-nigh priceless. The
rifle, ON the other hand, is declared to DO
one that could be procured anywhere in
England for $3.50, go that Lord CURzoN's
acquisition was obtained by extremely
sharp practice.
In England tho matter may be dis
missed as trivial, but in India, where
Oriental magnifoenoe and generosity is
expected from the head OF the State,
the imputation OF petty rneanness or
forcible bargain hunting on the part Of
the King-Emperor's representative, may
do Lord CuRzoN and his Government
much disservics. India is none too we'll
content with England as it is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

Special races Of thoroughbreds are often
proposed and occasionally brought about,
but recent experience has taught that such
proposals should not be taken too seriously.
Nevertheless it Ia extremely interesting to
contemplate a meeting, at weight for age
as Waterboy, Hermis. Africander. Iriah Lad
and MoChesney. as was suggested by
prominent owner at Saratoga and outlined
In The Sun OF yesterday.
fMr. SMATHERs and his Western follow
ers desire to square themselves With
their Eastern contemporaries here's their
chance.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

wants n Moro Exclusive Policy rs % I'M
migrants.
To THE EDITOR Oh The SuN-,sir: Tho Chinese
exclusion act has proved very effective. Why not
try the same experiment as regards European
natonslitios, at least In modified formf
limb OF say 900 70 100 900 inning rants yeAs
could BIO sol and rig. educational test sstab =
lshed.
There are 100000 illiterases now IN the United
States and l.50o.O00 tramps. Surely enough
The privilege of living In this country shou d
now DO worth something, and the So head TAX seems
ridicuously small Twonty 1--WE dollars would DO
little enough for place IN the urea, republic
should like To see TIE sun take up this aues-
ton Of limit 10 imne ratlon Tno great cities ara
nled 70 Overlooking with hordcs of those foreign =
ers. and this condition Is D menace TO tho republic
for great revolutions. like tho Paris Commune of
1871 arise In these crowded contrcA AMRRIcA
NEW YORK, Aug, 49,
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
I Question for Some Bright Lad a
Annapolis.

To THE EDITOR OF The sun. Sir: Will
you kindly inform me what the expense to
the Government was Of sending the large
feet from the coast OF Maine to Oyster Bav
and back again TO its legitimate field Of opera
tions9 How would this cost compare with
that Of conveying tho President on one OF
the Government boats to the fleet?
NEW YORK, Aug. II. NEW YORKER
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Tho Inspection OF water waste.

To xNn kDTTon or THE 9UN-.Sir, As an example
Of city wator waste for which there would seem
10 30 no good o1cuso, attention should DO directed
10 tho valvo box at tho corner OF Broadway and
Twenty NTH treot from which for tho past week
or ton days water has been wolllng UP through the
cover In uflcient volume To libe rally food the
cutters In that neshborhood, This Is going on
day and night
II the city OF Now York has any such officer a.
water waste inspector. II Is about time ior some
sAody TO sss sftor him wiah ahArp stick.
inv-Koa&, Aug. ~ ALDnAyS7vuA
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Cooper mstitnte In che Summer.

To THE EDITION OF rHK SuN-,Sir: Is thcrc any
good reason why Cooper Institute should bo closed
three weeks every summer while all the other
public libraries remain open, Tho former institi d.
ton was founded for the sspcg al benont OF the
poor, who cannot AFFORD a vacation. Most OF the
other large lbrar es are irsGuented mainly ny
pe0p.o who spend moro or less OF tho summer
season In the country. Is not this a rather incon-
ssscns state Of thngsi A poos WOMAN
MAwYoRA Aug ~
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
where Our Raw Cotton Went.

To THE ED1ToR OF The SUN-Sv' In the
fiscal year ended June 80. 1908, We exported
$685. 7O bales of raw cotton. OF tho value OF
Ssl0. $50. APO. This was an increase OF s4,bs7
bales and s25,S2s,8lo over 1902 fiscal year.
The export for the fiscal year 1908 was dis
tributed as follows:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

isO93ji3 Os oa7 pounds exported for SSle lso, 40
1908 500 IT'S 7ea pounds exported for 29065i,sls
The increase was s2s 52s $40 although only
q, 284 $50 pounds more were exported.
Raw cotton exported formed s3ls, 900 900
Of our total Of s., 80? 600 900 domestic exports.
or about 20 per cent.
WALTER j. BALLARD.
SCHENECTADY, n. T., Aug, Is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

Lynchlng Is neither murder nor barbarsm nor
anarchy when prompted by good mouvs.-St.
Louis Republic.
Lynching is anarchy when an alleged
good motive Ii substituted for law and the
law replacers constitute themselves the
judges Of the excellence Of their motive
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Anr

A Sd ior on the Indiana IN hs Independents
What the navy needs most now 10 my mind, j.
more oiNccrs and more cooks, IN 0t'lcer c1!
dnll seventy men and give proper instruction To
each yet that is what they are supposed to do orr
cook for a hundred men. as they are appor'0n'b
now. u too few and tho result is often seen In poor
Tations. Tho food U excellent. but much - spoAsa
,keuh@sce oNA0y
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
SIS 900 Voted for the Old Court House

The Board OF Estimate Appropriated
SIS 900 yesterday for sanitary and ventilat-
ing improvements in the old County Court
House Borough President Cantor stated
that he had intended to ask for 500 0oo
but as a new one ia to be built he asked
only for enough to put the present building
In habitable shape.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

II tho Weather Bureau experts viii hold
of the West Indian hurricane until after
the Cup races all win be forgiven.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Condensed Guido to Political Opinion.

From tho DsS MoncS Register.
Tho West when the time comes Is going TO give
Theodore Roosevelt electoral majority that will
jar the country.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
Totals. ................. soss. 27p sai8, 1870 428

The o9ss27e bales aggregated in weight
s.5ia o43 022 pounds. In addition. We exported
2a,O9s.947 pounds of lintes. of the value Of
sss4 SAC, n decrease OF 2.0o8,sl pounds and
SOL. SOS. The decreased in raw cotton ship
ments were:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20

C0neHuS VandoTbIIt boom Tor President In
1908 W being cultivated on the womans pages OF
Eastern newspapers.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-20
From tho Chat anoooa Ns,p,.

From tho Philadelphia Ledger.
The President has genius for tho spectacular.