The sun., 1908-08-23

grecdful and dienihed.'
"These plebeian paragons,' says Sophie
Leppel, 1T would be difficult to distinguish
from aristocrats. because they have 90
clevery copied the manners and becoming
style Of dress of the upper ten thousand .
One thing they lack. and that is -ideality In
the choice OF sweethearts.' Sophie Leppel
Aments to zee on Sundays hundreds Of
young couples the man Of which 10 "a pic
turo OF physical deterioration while the
girl is beautiful and high spirited"
The number Of visitors to the British
Museum shows a decided decrease In the
last few years. In 1904 the admissions
we're e54ooo. Since then they have fallen
steadily to $4,000 In 1905, col 600 In 1908
and only e4s.0OO last year.
Yet this wonderful museum instead Of
growing less attractive grows more 30
every year. adding every day to It's treas
ures. The additions Of one year would
make wonderful museum in themselves.
The printed book department was en-
rfched by more than seventy works printed
before 1910. forty-five examples Of printing
before 1900 and a collection OF broadsides
and pamphlets relating to the history Of
Scotland between 1874 and 100. An i'm
portant series OF Coptio manuscript and
q very rarS Arabic manuscript. written In
1889. were purchased Still more impor-
tant than all these was the acquisition Of
ninety sheets OF drawing by Tintoretto.
previously unknown to students and throw
ing q new light on the methods and powers
Of the Venetian master.
To the Egyptian and Assyrian depart
ments were added large collections Of
antiquities. including a bronze figure of
an Elamite king Of 1000 b. c. To the Greek
room was added beautiful statue Of q
woman standing In an attitude Of mourn
ing, the work Of Greek sculptor late in
the fourth century B. G. These are but
instances Of thousands OF treasures, bought
or given. in the course Of the year. and it
is certain that even though It may be de-
clining In popularity the far famed museum
is increasing daily In wealth,
Pastor Ellger. the German social re-
former, has contributed to the Rhenish-
Westphalian Prison Association an inter-
esting paper Of statistics on sCrininallty
and Marriage Taking as q thoroughly
representative prison that Of Luttring-
hansen. in Westphaiia. he began his re-
searches with 1850 and gives the result Of
them up to 1909.
At no time. he says. has the number OF
married prisoners exceeded the number
OF unmarried, and since 1857 the proportion
has gradually altered still more In favor
OF the married, the numbers of married
criminals showing from that date tendency
to sink. Pastor Ellger points out that
neither in L1ttringhausen nor In any other
prison with which he Is acquainted do
married criminals suffer rscommittal 80
frequently as the unmarried. By far the
larger proportion Of ahabituals' are un-
married men or widowers.
Pastor Ellger comes to the conclusion
that marriage is q reformatory and cor
rective influence OF a very high order on
the criminal classes. There can be no
doubt, he says. Of the educational influence
Of wives on the very lowest. Finally he
draws the general conclusion that 30 far
as society at large respects and appreciates
in so far will criminality decrease.
and vice versa.
One Of the side issues OF the granting
Of a constitution In Turkey will be the
effect this is likely to have upon the future
development OF the Zionist movement.
The first step toward Zionism's object Of
a legally assured home for the
Jewish people In Palestine Is the grant of
a charter by the Sultan. The late DR.. HefzI
had more than one interview with him for
the purpose Of obtaining this instrument.
but the Sultan would assent only to the
creation of a number Of scattered colonies.
and negotiations were dropped.
Now that constitution is coming into
la ipU Zf1psota NJ Tho nv,fr.tnv
that the continuance Of diplomatic neeotia-
longer depend solely upon the personal
will Of the Sultan. more immediate
result Of the new regime will probably
be that Zionist propaganda will openly
be permitted in the Turkish Empire-a
development that will be quite as important
as the recent promise given by M. Stolypin
10 the Zionist leader that the movement will
no longer be bindered In Russia.
Il Is also interesting to note that the
Zionist organization has just founded the
AngIo-Levantine Company to carry on
banking business in Constantinople. which
may be made the basis Of political activity.
A report, Just published in st. Peters,
burg for the year 1905 by the Prisons Com
I1lbSlOn bHOWb tuht o,foz Ptiouiicfc eSoupOu
from custody in the twelve rnonths. Most
Of the escapes. S,2N. were effected from
military escort or prison warders on the
way to or from prison. police station. courts
Of justice, DO. In only 81 cases were
escapes effected by means Of bribery.
There were 264 cases In which warders
and convoy soldiers suffered injury and
Ioss Of life. while $50 escapes were effected
by means Of explosives or by mining under
The prison walls. In one convict prison,
that Of Akatuy. beyond Irkutsk. no fewer
han eight sscret passages mined for escape
we're discovered. )
Ambassador Hill was the central figure
It the opening session Of the International !
Historical Congress, which has brought :
,oRether In Berlin remarkable sssemblage |
II scholars from all countries. Prince
Friedrich Leopold represented the Kaiser, |
who was absent from Berlin. and after
opening words of welcome by Minister |
gon Bethmann-H Hollweg and other we'll =
Known people OF various nationalities DR.. |,
Hill, who was enthusiastically greeted. |