davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
TIE GAS CASE DECISION.

Judge Hough's decision that the So-ceEt gas
law is unconstitutional is by no means SO
sweepipg a verdict for the Consolidated Gas
Company as was the report OF MI Masteh'
The Judge has pared down the master 'aiu"-
lions of the gas companys property ana OF uie
cost of making gas until the Su-cent rate nAeu
by the Legislature just barely fails TO De re-
munerative, or, TO be more exact, just iaiiS u
earn the per cent which. in the Judges oPii'-
ion is the lowest income that couid De lesais
fixed The Judge calculates that the con-
panv's income at SO cents a thousand feet
would be S3 OSO, 600, while an income of S3,oio'-
aca ,roulS be necessary TO constitute per cent
on the valuation set by the court, namely, so9.-
100000 On that basis, if the present law is
finally unset 1t will still be possible for the
state to cut the gas rate down TO nearly 9"
cents without preventing the company from
earning q reasonable income on the property
values set by the court
Mr. Masten fixed the value of the company
tangible assets at S63. .0O0, coo. and Judge Hougn
cuts this 10 S47.0O0.O0o. Mr. Masten put the
value of the franchises at S2o.oo.o0o, which
has been cut by the court TO S12,O00.0O0. The
case will undoubtedly so 10 the United States
Supreme Court. and if that court should scale
down much further the valuations fixed by
Judge Hough or should throw out any consid-
erable item included by him in the property OF
the con1pany or If ii should decide that lower
rate of income than per cent could be hxed
by law without its being confscatory, then 1t is
not improbable that the present law would be
finally sustained. For the present the gas COM
pany's position is materially weakened by the
decision just handed down.
The greatest interest in the final decision OF
the United States Supreme Court will attach to
its determination of the question whether or not
the value of franchises may properly he included
in the property of company for the purpose
of deciding whether a rate regulating law is or
is not confiscatory. So new is the practice or
public rate regulation that this question has not
vet been adjudcated by the Supreme Court,
and yet il will underlie most If not all the rate
law cases that will come before the courts in
regard TO constitutlonality. 1t is the most i'm
portant question affecting property that Is
likely TO be presented TO the Supreme Court for
a long time.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
MONEY AND BUSINESS.

Substantial gains in few specialties and a
small net rise in the general list measure the
result of another dull week at the Stock Ex-
change There is little outside interest except
an occasional purchase in anticipation of the
investment Of January dividends, and the sup
ply Of stock is always ample Business did not
warrant the further rise to S65 600 in market
value of a membership, but there is more con-
fidence in renewed activity next year. Except
for the trading between professionals in large
blocks of Union Pacific and Reading the market
is narrow and uninteresting. On the othe~ hand
il might be said that the tone was remarka blv
well sustained considering high rates for money
increased losses I'm railway earning and numer-
Gus large industrial failures Specific influences
affected several individual properties notably
the declaration Of extra dividends by lines con-
trolled by the New York Central and legal an
nouncements regarding the price of gas, but
business is too small to permit much response to
incidents that might have great weight in a nor
NAL market. There is much talk OF a large short
interest in the most active issues. and many well
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
GENERAL BFNGH4f'S PLANT.

IL Police Commissioner Bingham has been
accurately reported he has allowed irrelevant
incident 10 draw forth from him a confession
which only recently he refused 10 make Among
the utterances credited 10 him was this: ''That
1.-THE criminal class is on top and is carrying
everything possible before it with high hand
''is beyond successful contradiction, and the
''sconer the better class of society wakes up to
this fact the quicker will the remedy come
Only short time ago General Bingham was
being daily quoted as denying the existence of
such desperate condition of affairs. But the
punishment OF Acting Captain Kuehne for
pkoto-raphing and measuring Frank Jenkins
has drawn forth this pessimistic note While
welcome the frank confession, we fail tO see
how its disclosures can be logically connected
with the kuehpe case The simple fact seems
TO be that the Commissioners mind was So per
turbed over the exasperating influence and IRE
1ressblity of the criminal classes in this city
that only little extra irritation and q willing
listener were needed 10 start the flow of griev-
aEces.
Criminals are thriving in New York, thriving
far better and i'm greater number than the
mere reader Of newspapers has reason TO sup
pose The Christmas swarm of pickpockets and
burglars has already descended upon the town.
The business of the District Attorneys Office is
so voluminous that Mr. Jerome and bis assist
ants are compelled TO accept pleas of guilt of
minor offences in orCer 10 prevent intoerabe
congestion and delay in the disposal of cases.
There is SO little earnest cooperation among
officials in different municipal departments,
much petty politics and corrupt influence intrud-
ing az every juncture -'all along the line, that
a fairly clever rascal bns little 10 fear made
quate jais, under equipped courts. absurdly pill
able laws and tricky lawyers further help 10
make the metropolis ideal breeding ground
for human vermin
Here, then. is a situation brought about by a
score OF faults. Can il be mastered simply by
increasing the power Of the Police Department
and its Commissioner? Shall we allow the de-
partfnent 10 arrest whomsoever IL plcases TO
photograph unconvicted citizens for the Rogues'
gallery, TO ignore writs issued by the courts, 10
Keep secret the records on the police blotfers-
In short, TO fight the unjust with injustice: It's
easy to sympathize with General Bingham's
oispieasure at the restraining influence of the
courts; the Commissioner doubtless has personal
kaoviedge of cases where judicial interference
nas delivered dangerous criminals from their
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
AmasemcntS.

.r.nryY OF MIJsIC-s:l5-The Lion aho 'n' N
a. "a MpTk-1-s-yauderille-
seTr,F7-S :1s-Tom Jones -l-~,-,.
asr1 .ss-e--s-I.-The Warrens o. N-lb4i'>'
ysf-p 8. s.;o-Candid3.
lsryseT---s A Dolls House -. rJis Teddy
% e-2.I5-s:i5-Ihe BAD Boy AIM "
gapos DVaY-s :r5-The Round Up
ss.cT>o-s.Is-The Gay White WY
30 TaT-2-s-Naudeviie.
.-ysIT1-p pTOS-s -2o-T1e Morals OF 9aaiN~''
Sslayde's Honour
l-fStrS MI -sF-r1-The World in way Two.
I-s-3O-I nder the creeilN ood To-ahend
sysletss = =, : 1neeNrttchen--s;2e-a
GgItaM III MT-r,lTRs Al PAI-ACE-1o a. m 70 IL v -"
ssro-tsnnsn's Show. -, ,,,-
n, !, ~ Rt-TT~S ;3G-The wftching ftour
audeFlLle. 49,.
- % n Girl behln winter car
,a1t,ra1JsC CgF-2-s-Ihe -Four Seasons 0NN
hif,I ,, vor.
psirTFR FRBoCKER-s:l3-The Ials o. NV
5frrI,T-y- -e.Is-poliv Of the Clfcus-
1yC-EITN-s .30-The Thief-
1ytsTr-s l5-The Secret oIcnsIo Ann, MARY
-. R,rcosS SoTTARE THEATfSE-s- II1orsS
S-I5-S:l5-The TOP o N 10
~ IA sT-TAN OPERA HOUSE, rnGo-a
saAe-SI11s45oY - TT y OPERA F4OUSE-e-F
sertT AMSTERDAM -s:l5-Ihe MsiiS "
.,Iru, T-TprIF-s-Payfng the foles.
.cI-T- ynRI-e-s :3O-Advsnceo NsuOe''A
g. ctz-oy0e-s3-The Man of the tiouI- Ne,
NT-s- -i5--A Grand AT1iS SH
wsIraC6's-s:I5-A knight foF a Jay
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
THE NEWS THIS MORNING.

y-ppFIGN-The American torpedo boat hotllla
sailed lrom Port Of Spain for Rlo de JaielIo' q
warm welcome is being prepared al me bIaZli- 1-i
isn cepital TO the officers and men OF the Ainefl
can feet - DR. Wekerle. the Hungarian ffe-
lnier, and Herr Polonye. former Minister OF Jus
iice. fought bioodless duel at BudapesI, So, -
The Shah answered the British and Russiah
ministers that he would not abolish the constllu-
rional form of government and would endeaNof
depression in Berlin has left thousands OF chill
tlren in the primary schools dependent on tne
authorities for food. - Mail adVlces from
Lisbon said that the Portuguese RepuDlcailS
were in6ulefng I'm hopes that the recent troubles
would result in the overthrow Of the monarchy.
DoMESTIC.-Secretary Taft and Arthur l.
Norys. his campaign manager held CONFER
ence at washington: the Secretary started for
Cincinnati to qualify an executor OF the
estate of his mother. - Two thousand strike
breakers are in Philadelphia ready 10 take the
places of streetcar employees IL they decide 10
Quit work - The new settles In the South
west Pass Of the Mississippi River will be fin
fshed this week, giving the South one OF tne
deepest hdrborS IN the world - III was Sdiu
at Boston that the close Of the year found con-
servatism predominant 10 al New England in
austries. with no feeling of hopelessness appaf-
ent anywhere. it WAS stated at the white
House that telegTaphic appeals sent by CIVIC
bodies. mine owners and individuals OF Cold
field, New TO President Roosevelt, urging the
necessity of retaining portion or the federal
troops I'm Goldfeld Indefinitely, had been re-
ceived but no action taken.
CITY-nr Aked lectured his congregation on
The system OF 0nanCe IN mas CnuTcE dlu lHei
raised $1,000 al the morning collection. -
Sunday entertainments did not draw as large
crowds as had bean expected. - Oscar Ham
mersrein. director of the Manhattan Opera
House. issued a letter 10 his subscribers telling
them he must have mere support 60 Three
arrests were made following a slight fire in
tenement house where the police had discovered
candies used fuses 10 light an excelsior
lounge - A Boer War general came here 20
raise assistance TO stamp out the slave traffic
in West Africa - DR.. Robert 6. Macarthur
told his congregation that the Pacific cruise
meant the beginning OF Americas supremacy in
the East --- Charges were made that certain
alleged members of the Central Federated Union
acted spies to hurt labor --- Two aged
men committed suicide by hanging.
THE Observation-Disclosures for to-day:
Rain The temperature Yesterday: Highest, II
degrees; lowest, %
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
PERSONAL.

A gift from J. Pierpont Morgan consistins Oh hVe
volumes cataloguing Mr.. Morgans coliecuohs ol
rare paintings and miniatures. has been mace 10
the Yale University library. There are only Io[iy
copies of each volume extant from d pr rr.s
printed edition of number Of years ago. IIi9
rare paintings are reproduced IN engraVlnes anu
are fully described sn the cataloguing DOCKS
pishon McVickar of Rhode Island has been
elected president of the Society for the Promotion
of Evangelical knowledge.
William l., Penfeld. formerly Solicitor OF the De
partnent of State, Washington, has been selected
to lecture on international law at the Georgetown
University.
William T RoIfe Shakespearian scholar and
critic celebrated the eishtieth anniversary OF MS
birth at his home in Cambridge last TUESDAY
H. H Garriker. of the Carnegie Museum. Pitts
burg has returned from Costa Rica. He mas peeh
in Central America for five years securing skl hs
Of animals and birds for the museum he @ noo
shipped at different times 20 the museum Ihoio
than five thousand skins
committee has been appointed In Wasn1llsto"
IN select a site and erect statue OF John Nl'hei-
spoon a signer of the Declaration or ln1epenuenS
The statue is TO be provided by the WltherspooN.
Memorial Association
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
DRINK AND EXPRESSION.

Two schools of moralsts will wrangc warmly
oyer the Interpretation OF the astonishing state
ment made last Friday by President turley 10
the directors of the Distillers' Securities Cor
poration Commenting upon the decline or hnsi-
ness Mr. C1rley insisted that the DromDluoh
wave now dreEching large part OF the country
with cold water had nothing to do with the re-
duced sales of alcoholic beverages. On the
contrary, said he:
2 1t can be stated fact. bas"1 upon long
experience and statistics. that all attempts TO
regulate the traffic by statute and the enforce
rneut Of restrictive legislation have invariably
resulted in an increase in the per capita con
sumption in the state affected. The effect OF
nrohibition laws IS only to change the channels
and methods OF distribution
In reply TO this one school of morallsts will
say False" and the other, Il told you so.
Properly amplfed. the first response means that
the commercial interests injured by the pro
bibition movement are subtly trying 10 protect
themselves by feigning that opposition helps
them The second comment comes from those
who believe that questionable practices are
really encouraged by extreme repressive meas
ures 1t is unfortunate that there arc no
thoroughly trustworthy statistics accessible
which might decide this controversy. SC far
as each party deals only with presumptive
evidence. there are good arguments for both
sides. 1t is pretty safe to conjecture that there
is large class of bibulOus citizens who drink
more than they otherwise would when allowed
to line up against convivial and uproarious
bar. But there is just as much warrant for
supposing the existence Of another class whose
draughts are heightened, deepened and numeri-
cally increased by the still influence of domestic
solitude. In a prohibition district the drinker
has to buy his fluids in quantity, and the mere
thought of his cellars bountiful resources is
J enough to drive him to drink more frequently
than he would 90 TO a distant tavern. Who
will venture to say, however, which of these
two classes is the larger? And who will adj
duce veracious figures TO show that the de-
crease in public drinking is more than Offset
by home orgies and blind tigers? If Stats
tics can establish this surmse the number of
these last named institutions must far exceed
the most pessmistic estimates yet made. If
President Curley has trustworthy facts
firming his theory he should publish them. For
they could not fail TO expedite the solution of
fhe problem over which SO many citizens are
aroused. If drastic legislation really does
aggravate the very i'll it aims to cure the
sooner everybody is convinced of this the bet
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

either persecution or special privilege ana IN
favor of impartial and equal enforcement OF
law upon all corporations and individuals
alike. If corporation is extortionately as
sessed Justice requires the reduction of its tax
leyy-not Compromise" If its assessment
is ao,itabIe there is no reason for reducing 1t
Iy compromise any more than for thus re-
ducing the assessment of any lndivduai ciu-
zen in the same way. If a corporation IS ope-
dent to the law it has no need OF concliiatloh
or compromise, while if it is lawbreaker there
is no more reason for compromising Win 1t
than with any individual lawbreaker
Impartial equity, not special favor nor perse-
cution. nor vet huggermugger compromises Is
what the public desires in Jersey City ana eise'
where.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
SANTA CLAUS AND THE POS1OFfiCE.

Postmaster General Meyer may have "roushl
more wisely than he knew when. seVerai "eeh'
ago, he issued order directing HIS ''ep"i'
ment TO forward all letters for Santa oftue "
whoever would consent to act as local agent Tor
the toy bringing saint. Mr.. Meyer was prop
ably moved to introduce this regulation py the
pieas of the clerks of the Dead Letter ohice
whose holiday season has heretofore peeh hidic
miserable by the bags of extra missives, the
collecting and inspection of which, under the'
rigid rules OF the service, took all JOY out OF
their Christmas. But the chief benenciarleS OF
the new regulation now appear to be the chh'
dren who correspond with Saint Nick. In New
York City alone more than three thousand iei-
ters TO this mythical worthy have beeh as
tributed by pOstmen to members OF lhe reu
GRAFTON of Womens Clubs. and strenuous ehol u
are being put forth to delight every deSer'hS
writer with the presents asked for IN lhe
lives of many little people this Christmas may
be the first which has not brought tears or dls-
apylointment at the sight of empty StochihSs-
Sitting Christmas sentiment for a mlnule
the observer will see that the greatest du-
vantage of Mr. Meyers ruling lies in the in
formation which children's letters bring 10
charity workers with whom it is n common
place that the most deserving poor are usually
foo proud to seek aid until driven by the bit
terest necessity The task of discovering such
persons has been difficult, but the innocent
frankness of their children seems destined 10
simplify matters. Scores of the Santa Claus
letters falling into the hands of the federation
reveal cases of sickness, misfortune and pow
erty unknown TO any charity organization
When little boys and girls ask Santa Claus 1or
shoes, mittens bed quilts and bread instead OF
hobby horses and air guns, much wisdom Is not
needed TO discover genuine destituflon. froo-
ably many q father has been yexed ny the
pathetic disclosures thus made; but we sin
cerely hope that he will be consoled mt sight oil
the Joy induced by Santa Claus's comfortable
presents.
In the midst of pleasant reflections upon the
happy results following the official recognition
of Santa Claus a discordant thought occurs
What may happen ut next years tnrlslnias'
what at all succeeding Christmases. after every
dminutive American has become familiar with
the details of the new postoffice regulation: !:
o sinister forecast There must be at least
twenty million believers i'll Santa Claus. ana
perhaps million or two more incipient citi-
zens who though skeptics, use the sacred name
of the saint to great profit. When every one
whose campaign cry is The Full Stocking
has discovered the practical advantage or cor
responding with the saint, what VIII he the
plight of the postal clerks: What the Fate OF
the kind women who volunteer TO investigate
the condition of the petitioners? But let us
forget that for this year at least.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

The suggestion that the Persian Parliament
may end the present troubles by dethroning the
Shah is probably more extreme than the situa-
ton warrants, but it gives a strong hint Of the
power which the constitutional system in that
empire has already attained 1t was only a
few months ago that autocracy was renounced
and representative government was estab-
lished. Now there is thought of the au-
tocracy being remposed and the constitution
abrogated but there is general recognition of
the fact that if sovereign and parliament can
not agree one of them must yield. and that one
is not the parliament. Truly the throne of
Kaiumers is far different basis from that
of old.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

due punishment In spite OF such instances
however. the danger of Transforming any one
branch of government into a despotism is 100
great TO Justify the increased privileges the
Commissioner evidently thinks due him.
Furthermore, it is highly problematical whether
a radical extension of police powers would ae-
complish all il promises; one watertght COM
partment alone will not make even snip OF
state ride on a level keel. General Bingham
has our sympathy, for his department VIII con.
tinue to be harassed until the whole system OIL
local politics and administration has been re-
generated
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

or one typical New York the report of
Mr. McLimont says: Truck frame cracked
"and sagging, seat guard rail broken. curtain
cords broken. two ventIlator glasses broken.
running board weak. some of grab handles
loose glass in headlight broken lamp
guard missing and others bent, truck ratified
rain cutters bent and some OF stanchions
broken" Unfortunately, do not know
where this in operation. but should
say that it had just about earned honorable
retirement from service on Manhattan Island
and ready to enter upon long career in
The Bronx.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
PURE FOOD FOR ANIMALS.

From The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
George H. McCabe solicitor of the Department of
Agriculture, remarks that the national pure food
law is for the benefit of beasts well as human
beings. The following example is cited: Suppose
a farmer living in Indiana, Chicago. should
haul his hay into the Illinois metropolis for market
ing Suppose. also. that this farmer claims his hay
to be timothy. IL he sells It under this claim and
the purchaser discovers that the hay contains red
top the farmer is liable to prosecution under the
pure food law. Quite proper. Likewise, presumably.
the faithful horse who at the dinner hour finds
shoe pegs served. when the calls for oats. will
have quite good a ground of complaint under
the law as the unsuspectng housewife upon whom
the INSCRIPTIONS pedler foists nutmegs made OF
basswood. In this the sale OF fraudulent
foods let no guilty man escape.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

The action of the Southern Railway In reducing
IT'S passenger service on subsidiary lines over the
entire system, TO the extent of 5000 miles daiiy =
follows close upon that of the Georgia southern
FLORIDA in taking off its Valdosta express, ana OF
the Macon & Birmingham in making Its compi,n,a-
tion train between Macon and LaGrange tri-weekly'
Think of it, -weekly!-The Atlanta Consutu-
ton.
So much the better Hurrah for Hoke! NO"
tbe railroad haters between Macon and La
Grange will be panied by the sight or the ac-
cursed trains only half as often as formerly
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
BRIDE SOLD BY WEIGHT,
From The Montreal Standard.

By the decision of the Mayor, brides may be
bought by weight at Kolked. Hungary.
The local custom is that a bridegroom must pay
of marrying their daughter Jan koetvoes was en-
gagged In a dispute with his iancees parents as to
the amount he should pay them, and the Mayor
was called in to arbitrate.
Being expert in cattle. but not in women, the
Mayor decided the value of the girl should esti-
mated by weight. and thought that 50 cents
pound would be fair price. After the girls weight
had been ascertained-it was eighty-six pounds
Koetvoes handed over SOL GO, and was soon married
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

AS a natural preliminary to absent treat
ment' long distance diagnosis by photogra ph
cannot be beaten. French wise man is re-
ported to have pronounced the German Emperor
predsposed to tuberculosis merely by studying
the monarchs portrait. The time draws near
when ballad to lady's eyebrow will furnish
the medical expert with enough trustworthy in
formation for deciding that her sout is really a
case of tight shoes.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23
ss.ai1ork DAILY Gribts,te
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, lso'.

This newspaper rs o,cned and pHoRSHea w
Tbe ryJbype Association, q NctU lOr6 co'po'"
,,o,, otce and DrincipaI place of business IND
Une Building. No. I54 Nassau street, N'" ''"'
ogden Mills, president; Nathdniet Iuttpe' seo-
,eforv opd treasurer. The address OF me oB'
Gers is the Office Of this newspaper
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

From the exclusive interview with Governor
Cummins of Iowa printed in Sundays Tribune
it is pretty evident that the Iowans want for
President a man who will carry on the policies
of President Roosevelt. This is especially to
be expected in a state which has been as pro-
gressive in its legislation Iowa has. The
Governor himself, despite his modest disclaimer.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

Michigan Judge has ruled that refusal 10
make any explanation to questioning lpoicei
officer is not a breach Of the peace we shouio
say not. but it comes mighty near leze majesty
lust the same.
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

A bill will be introduced IN the Oklahoma Legfs-
lature requiring hotels to provide sheets iDns
enough to fold back over the bed coverlng--Ihe
Galveston News
We were under the impression that this had
been provided for in the constitution serious
oversight!
New-York tribune., 1907-12-23

is likely to be Iowa's "favorite son. at the
national convention.