The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-01-02
FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
CHRISTMAS CHAT.
How the Rich Make Presents The
Canal Treaty Railroad Accidents,

How the Rich Make Presents-The
Canal Treaty Railroad Accidents,
Etc.
From our Special Correspondent
Washington. -. e.. Dec 10Th, 1908
Christmas has come and gone Lots Of
money has te-n spent, ana now people
of moderate means are making up Ae-
counts to see how far behind they wal be
in settling their bills la many ways
Christmas has become burden 10 thpre
who have not large bank accounts. The
majority Of people are not only grner.
ously inclined but also want 10 90 ~
well as their neighbors in the way ul
making presents, therefore, they rp"nd
more money than they ought 70
lt would be tar better II gifts were con.
fined To articles made by the ladies, and
some simple and inexpensive tokens pnr'
chased by the men There hae been, how
ever. a wide departure from aoy such
custom a. this We have large per
centage of very wealthy people who can
buy Whatever they please. They se. the
pace 10 extravaganza. and are initiated
all along the line by people IN every walk
Of life. To illustrate One man, who has
made money rapidly anu who has
large bank account. went into = nun Jer
Of stores one day last week aud bought
bis Christmas pfeseut 10 this way. q a
lrather store he said q the prOpri-t or,
II want you 70 pick me out fifty prere ats
that will lot cost more than 200
send them up to my house. He went
into "A Department store and ordered
100 presents. which would rost not
more than $500 These with other up
plies purrhased in "a similar manner.
helped him 10 I'LL out his stock a. remem-
brances for bis friends The presrutr
were placed in bis library, and 10 CON
paBy with his private secretary be nlade
out list Of parties 10 whom the O Her
ent articles we're sent He thus disposed
ui his Christmas business IN a very
methodicsl AMI easy way. Not every
one. however. could follow snch a plan
During Christmas week the busine-- at
the Police Court i unusually lively
When the time for op-uing court 10 the
morning arrives, there ir about ~ hard
a crowd waiting for the administrai iiob
of Justice a. can be found IN ANY CRY IN
the aion. Judges KimbAll and SOFT
are both high.grede Christian men, shd
very frequently accompany their zen
teuces with good advice The maj 'riiy
Of oifenses are committed on account oi
strong drink. which leads 70 lighting
theft. and almost every other crime IL
il safe 10 say that eighty-hve per c,ht ui
crime 's caused by liquor. Very fen
the incidents occurring in the court are
quite amusing. Yesterday one old negro.
named Thomas CrOs-, murmured di,rpn
sOlaiely a. the prisoners filed out Oi The
room, bound for the iail or the " .rk-
house Dis il de wnss Chris mus ZEE
eysh spent llit don look lax Chris
mus outside an hit ain gwioe look lsk
Chris mus whsr 'se gwiBe now "hst'r
ri ght. rjDined another. Chris mus Ein
no time To po' niggshs. nohow
Il il pretty evident from the expires
si0ns made within the last two or thre'
days that the Democratic party will not
stand together in oppOsing thecond ma
lion Of the Canal Treaty. Too mauy ol
Int GUuNNtTM NAhAfN AAk UNTHtf AAAFtf~Ar
% in having il built AZ the earliest p0-
sible date Several oi them have -ai
that they only wanted he transsc i0r
90 be an honest one and free from ans
suspicion Of Unfair dealing. IL is pr tty
safe to say that the excitement attend
ing the formation OF the new Govern.
ment la Panama will die away soon
after The ratification OF the ,Teaty
The serious accidents which have ben
chronicled within the past few days til
the public mind with horror Why can
not something be done TO limit such lis
asters? During the past year they have
increased. although the meaOs OF pro
lection have been greater than ever Toe
Interstate Comreres commission 10
their report Bsve called special sttenti
TO the iact that the number ot acc dents
ia growing Probably this comes from
the desire OF the railroad companies 20
run through trains faster, end ASA iron
the great increase in the amount oi
freight thst has TO be hauled. The suit,
in some OF the States. verdiets for plain
tiis in accident cases, have been uncom
monty large.
Speaking OF railroad matte.S the sug
gestion has been msie that a passe ger
be charged iare in PROPORTION 10 bi.
weight This would be an innovatiopir
favor OF the lean, and wovd ,esd 90 th'
consumption Of q mueh smaller guam
tity OF food However, it is in the liz &
Of reformation, and there is no immei-
late prospect that TIE railroads vii
adopt the plan,
soUrHARD r. WNRNER