The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-11

was advertising tho Commonwealth. ant
I must say that this Is loyal thing t.
do.
But no matter what an official does OF
does not do, there will always be those
to find fault-to enter protest. 1t is some
thing like the General Pnbllc's belief thai
1t has right unquestioned to criticise q
newspaper. If man takes q newspaper,
or II he borrows 1t, no feels called upon
to express himself concerning 1t, and II
he doesn't happen to agroe with 1t, oil
the people In the neighborhood are i'd
vised. But the paper, II right, goes on
and grows on, and so take It, that a
public officer, if he does his duty will
fatten on the knocks he receives. But
Just the same the General Public should
think before 1t kicks.
It has. perhaps, been observed by
those who read my stuff that ] am ever
| investigating certain things that arc, and
recently have been attempting to gain
Information on subject that perplexes
me. and accordingly appeal to Times
Dispatch readers to help me out. II Is
question that will in no way disturb
the equilibrium Aof tho universe IL not
answered. and will in no way bring hap
pness If answered, but. just the same. !
want to know why It Is that nobody
ever gives four dollars to charityf
You will see men giving ono dollar.
or two dollars. or three dollars. or five
dollars-and on up to ten dollars. OF
course no ono ever gave seven dollars,
but why will man give three dollars,
and II pressed little, say make 1t
nye," and never think OF giving four
u-oa mazda In
bills of oil these denominations, could
see why, perhaps, It was as 1t is; but
there are no three-dollar bills. and yet
it Is no unusual thing for man to give
three dollars or two dollars and half
but never heard OF one giving or agree
ing to give four dollars. Four Is an
ensy number. but no one ever gave 1t
or thought of giving It. And yet man,
in talking about expense. Will say, on!
1t will cost four or five dollars" and
you never get him to write 1t down for
folr dollars. He will say put 1T down
for three dollars---or two dollars, or five
dollars-so wherefore Is that four-dolar
bill so scarce when 1t comes to dona-
ton?
AS ] said this does not disturb me.
and perhaps need not be answered; but,
| somehow, as / am after some of the
odd things, want this explained. And
| I'll bet four dollars that no one can eX-
plain 1t satisfactorily.
The travelling men, collectively speak
ing hold the balance of power, II they
only knew their strength and would act
| as one man. It has often been said
| that the farmers held this power, and
| they debut there are always so many
OF them OF different minds that 1t Is
| hard to get concert of action. But /
have often wondered why the travelling
man didn't go into politics-go In to win
some of the comforts of life, make de-
mands; and as sure as death he could
win out. And am gratified to note that
he is taking a dip in Georgia, and the
outcome Will be watched with great In
| terest.
1t has been decided by the members
of the II. Z. a. OF Georgia that n hotel
man who holds UP a knight of the grip
for two dollars a day at q small way
side Inn must change the sheets on the
/ bed every time the sheets have been
1 used. The boys say that in some of the
smaller places the sheets are used q
/ week, and that means that six different
men sleep on them; and as they are not
| sterilized, IT means that most any kim
| of contagion might take wing. Accord
| ingly there Is to be introduced In the
/ Legislature a bill that if 1t becomes Il
! law, will require ''mine host" to change
I the linen on the beds-to change 1t every
| time new guest Is assigned to n room.
| In other words, while the small hotel
holds up the travelling man for the fixed
sum of two dollars day-some OF 'em
| are putting on city airs and demanding
| two Hfty-he feels that the travelling man
Is entitled To no privileges and no COM
| forts. And yet. were 1t not for the traV-
cling man. the hotel could not pay out
and so 1t seems that II clean sheets are
/ demanded the landlord would see his
| way clear to meet the demand without
| q law TO make him do il. But It is diff
| ferent.
| If the game works all right In Gelr-
| sia--if precedent is establshed-you
| will see some more legislation enacted
| that will fill a lons-felt want. The trav-
| cling man will not be the only bene-
| fcary. once in a while there are other
!! guests who arc obliged to stand for the
| soiled linen and the scant table, and If
tho travelling man, as one man, goes
after this long neglected matter, there
| will be moro comfort on the road, and
the tired pilgrim who lies down to sleep
| will indeed lie down to pleasant dreams.
| In going after tho odd things of the
| frivilouus world. did the pressing club
| ever Impress you as being something
| odd? There wasn't anything In the
world, twenty-five years ago, as loud as
| the crease IN q mans trouserloons
| That crease was certain sign that the
preecherloons were hand-me- downs. A
| man would go to ready-made clothing
| store and purchaae pair OF trousers,
| and then go somewhere and have that
crease carefully .roned out To have
the crease there meant that you had on
and-me-downs. and pride would never
stand for that, although the purse had
! to- Nowadays the stunt IS to have the
crease carefully placed there every morn
ing, II you have the price; and If not
every morning, surely every week.
| However there is another thing about
this knee-bagging in, the trousers Sci
entiiic knights OF the goose will tell you
that some men will bag at the knees
| all tho .srac 81 In, rra tyo,, :,