davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
IN WASHINGTON SOCIETY,"
JFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

IFrom The Tribune Bureau-j
Washington Feb. Ex-senator and Mrs De
nev entertained number of guests at dinner to-
night having in the party Associate Justice ol 'ie
Supreme Court and Mrs. Brewer Senator DaheiS'
Senator and Mrs. Burrows, Senator ana Mrs- ciai
ence D. Clark Senator and Mrs. Eikins, senator
and Mrs. Scott, Senator Warren, Senator ana Mrs'
Hopkins Senator and Mrs. Bulkeey. Senator Dlii-
ingham MI and Mrs. John w. Foster, MIS- Auu-
enreid Miss Sheriff. Miss Josephine Patten anu
Miss Squire. .
Representative and Mrs Van Vechten Olcott
opened their new house tonight for a small dance
which was enjoyed by about one hundred and nfty
of the younger members of society, VINO were III
trotiuced to their house guestss Mrs Dexter the
Misses Cheesman, Mr.. de Peyster, MISS WATSON
Henry Fairbanks and Mr.. Catchings, all Of New
York and Dr. Mason Knox, of Baltimore MT.
and Mrs Olcott will give a dinner on Wednesday
night and another Thursday night for their
visitors
Mr. and Mrs George Vanderbilt entertained a
large dinner party tonight The Third Assistant
Secretary of State and Mrs. Huntington WILSON,
who had out invitations for dinner party TO-
night and for several other dinners. have can
ceed all of their social engagements on account
of the sudden death of Mrs. Wilson's uncle James
Dun, in Florida, last night
Nearly hundred of the younger members OF So
ciety have organized dramatic company, and VIII
present The Prince of Parchesi, musical farce
in April, for the benefit of the League OF the Ju-
nior National Republic DR.. Alfred F. Hopkins is
Ridgely. vice president; Miss Emily Fitch secre-
tary; Mrs. Britton, treasurer. and Miss Ruth Hal
ford business manager. Rehearsals VIII oegln on
March 9. and in the cast with others will be Miss
Olga Converse daughter of Rear Admiral and
Mrs Converse. The committee arrangements Is
composed of Mrs Murray Cobb. Mrs Summerlin
Mrs Fleming Newbod and others
Miss Alice Warder went to New York to-day for
week with her sister, Mrs. Ralph Ellis. Miss
Ffoulke, whose marriage to the Belgian Minister TO
Persia is take place soon. is also spending the
week in New York
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
PHYSICAL VALUATION.

1t is enlightening. In regard to the attitude
with which the currency question is Approached
to observe that an influential group proposes u
complicate vital matter with so dispu'a
tious a topic the physical valuation Oh raii-
roads The sooner Congress learns TO treat the
currency as a problem worthy OF patient con-
sideration by itself, and not as one 10 pe III
yolyed with measures adapted to improve the
market for railroad bonds or to the carrying out
of separate projects the better IL VIII pe ioi
the country In no other nation would currency
reform be entangled with an utterly uhreiilei
economic reform of uncertain value
No doubt Congress should consider the ques-
tion of ordering a physical valuation OF raii-
ways, for there are persons ali over the coun-
try who think that in some mysterious wa!
they would be much better off and much nap
pier if official appraisers made guess III 'iie
worth of railway property. But this sh'uo ~
taken I'D independently ana not Hsgeu in'o
the statute books by the ears. For our part we
have never been able to understand the at'rac
ton which this notion of a physician VALUATION
has for many minds. How is the physlcai value
TO no settled beyond doubt? No two persons
agree Oh the principles on which the appfaise
ment should be made. Who can tell what the
pbysical value of railway property is wholly
anart from its earning power? The nxihg Oh
the vaIue of real estate in this city is a sllh
nIa matter compared with that of determining
the worth of the vast property of the ran
roads Yet our tax department complains init
il cannot assess the property here with amy
degree Of accuracy, and is asking for la" ~
compel the statement in real estate transiers ol
the consideration involved so that IL can o'
tain the actual values from the deeds o'h
dpmnation commissioners spend much time anu
money in determining the value OF properly
purchased by the city. but the results Ihey oo
tainsare very unsatisfactory. In tue Nas 1foS'
case the value OF the company S property was
estimated by committee of the Legislature
iban bv q master in chancery, and theh ID! d
federal Judge and no two of the estinlate>
apreed. nor were they even nearly alike 1et
in this instance only a comparatively sna
nronertv was under consideration, sonethilis
in valup between S.0000000 and Sloooooo"c
The railroad property is estimated at aoou. u.
s13 600 900 900 How much of that IS pm! sicai
uybatevpr that meanS-we do not KNOW D"'
tho valuation of so tremendous propert!
,uould be extremely costly and its results uh'ii
the process had been better thought ou' 'i"n az
nrasent. would be very inconclusive
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
THE BALTIC.

There will be much satisfaction and reasSur-
ance in the confirmation of the report from
Copenhagen that Russia has abandoned her
plans for fOrtifying The Aland Islands. Ever
since the revelation of those plans Sweden has
earnestly protested against them, on both legal
and moral grounds, arguing that to fortfy those
ton of the Treaty of Paris of 1896, in which
Russia agreed not to fortify the islands or to
put military or naval establishments upon them
and that it would he direct menace TO Sweden
and could indeed have no other purport
glance at the map shows how well
grounded is this latter contention. The Aand
Islands lie in the centre Of the entrance to the
Gulf of Bothnia, completely commanding it
They are less than seyenty-five miles from
Stock holm, and of course, command all access
to Gefe, S0derhamn, Hernosand and the other
important Swedish ports the Gulf of
Bothnia. Thus their fortification would be
menace to Sweden. But it would be no defence
10 Russia save in the sense that aggression Is
defence for nobody would ever think of at
tacking Russia through the Finnish coast of
the Gulf of Rothnia. and the islands lie
tirely too far north of tie entrance to the Gulf
Of Finland to be Of service in defending the
approach TO Cronstadt and St Petersburg Such
defence is to be made at Hango, Dago and
Revai rather than on the Alands. In brief
Russian fertilization of the Alands would be
comparable with British forti1cation Of He'll
goland when the United Kingdom owned that
island, and it is easy TO see how intolerably
offensive that would have been To Germany. 1t
would compel Sweden in selfdefsnee to COP,
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
THE NORTH RIVER TUNNELS.

The comment may seem trite but If Is true
and it is also vitality significant that to-day
marks the beginning of a new era for the
northern part of the state of New Jersey, and
also in only a less degree for the city of New
York For many years direct land connection
between the communities on the opposite banks
of the North River has been desired, contein-
plated and planned. Nearly a generation ago
the work of providing it was begun, but it
Jagged dismally, and only in recent years has
it been taken up anew and pushed with zeal
and energy comparable with its urgent inn
portance To-day sees it completed so far as 10
afford the desired transit through one set of
tunnels with an assured prospect of duplicate
and triplicafe sets in the not distant future
The event means much for the pOpulouS COM
munities OF half dozen nearby counties IN
New Jersey. which are both socially and indus
trially tributary to this metropolis. Those re-
gions have long been regarded as part of
New York's suburbs and a very attractive part.
The numerous railroads traversng them have
been great arteries of humanity. sending
streams OF life into New York every morning
and withdrawing them again every evening.
Those scores of thousands of people engaged IN
all sorts Of profitable occupations have enor-
mously contributed to the greatness of New
York while the business opportunities and So
ciaI advantages of the metropolis have in turn
! reflected immeasurable benefits upon New Jer-
sey. Those processes may be expected to CON
tinue indefinitely, and 10 be greatly extended
with the extension of facilities of transit
The new and commodious means OF interstate
and intercity communication to be opened to-day
will undoubtedly prove of great benefit TO both
sides of the river. and Of sufficient importance
TO warrant all the attention and circumstance
which are bestowed upon it. Those who
-frrf1, r,yyCh ha.l
the great work to completion are entitled to
both the congratulations and the gratitude OF
the public whose convenience and welfare they
have thus promoted
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
THE TALK OF THE DAY.

..po,r,istrv Is a good business" according to a
practitioner who has been confessing to THE Phh-
adelphia Record I've been in 1t for tWenty-four
wears now and it's poor day can't make sls OF
soo The publi, love to be fooled. and men needn |
c,oar and SAY women are easily taken in, for men
are my best customers" said the palnist "Oh,
more women come to me on the average than men
but the men believe everything L tell them every
time while some of the women are hard to handle
In nv experience man, even the shre"dest' Is
MORA sullfble than a woman. OF course she
added modestly the business takes pretty quick
reader of char ,cter and enc who can hatter tact
fully"
Bobby believe you engaged to Mr.. snooks
sisNWhat makes you think so?
Bobby-Because he's stopped giving me pennies!
London Opinion
In all monarchies the killing of the king
neror 1.-The Law Journal" of London, points out.
..is nerhaps the gravest form of high treason. y
THE Journal adds: In one country, Italy. SEN
te nee of death cannot be imposed, and In Portugal
we believe capital punishment Is not used. II
not abolished. Under the law of treason of the
United Kingdom, which has been applied TO most
Of the Kings dominions abroad. with without
statutory notifications, the killing Of the King is
a capital offence by the statute of treasons 1t IS
there described comprising imagining the
death of our lord the King" By later legislation
iof 1sOm the elaborate provisions special to trials
for treason do not apply to assassination of the
sovereign a direct attempt on mis- life, and such
,Nences are tried III the same manner wilfui
murder The result is that in substance. though
rot In form the killing of the sovereign is triable
and punisha BILE in the manner the wilful
murder of a subject, but the Crown may direct the
execution to be by decapitation instead of hang
ing"
Father-Why when was your age didn't have
as much money in a month you spend in day.
Daughter-Wel, dad, don't scod about it.
Why didn't you talk to Observation-Disclosures
Bits.
The twenty-ffth anniversary of the death of
Richard Wagner brought Wagner stories. old and
new true and false in great numbers into the Ger
man papers One of these. published in a Vienna
paper entitled Jean Paul S Wagner Prophet {"
is to the that in the second decade of
century he wrote introduction to one of the
works of c. T. A. Hoffman,. Before this was
finished" goes the story. Jean Paul heard that
Hoffman, was not only poet but a musician of
no mean order and he added hts Introduction: /:
so much the better. much more seldom Here
tofore the sun god has always bestowed the gift OF
poetry with his right and the gift of music with
his left hand upon men far apart that we are
still waiting for the man who write and COM
pose an opera The Introduce. is dated Rayreuth
srangest of all. II was written in the place where
the wish was later realized"
Was your novel a success?"
I'm afraid not, judged by modern standards :"
answered the woman who writes An my old
friends continue u speak to mb Washing ton
Star.
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25

nermitted tho eouipmept OF the subway win
c.rs having only narrow doors at the ends. for
the city had had a protracted experience OF the
disadvantages of such cars on the eie'a'eo
roads 1t had also seen ON the broohiyn
Bridge how much more quickly cars with addi-
tioual doors could he loaded and unloaded.
Patching ND of the present equipment III the
wav suggested by Mr. Arnold will serve very
well as q makeshift in the Of the existing
subway buf no such mistake should be repeateu
in the subvays that are TO be built. Ihey must
be designed TO carry the largest number OF pas
sengers possible with the utmost speed anu
comfort There are weighty reasons why TINS
should be So aside from the convenience OF the
public A subway is the most expensive type VI
railroad that can be built On account, there
fore of the tremendous outlay Of capita! heces-
sary for its construction it should be equipped SO
as TO admit of the greatest possible number OF
trains and carry the greatest possible hulhoeI
of passengers. Its earnings to the mile VIII
thereby be made as large possible and the
construction and operation of Subways Will be
rendered most attractive to capital SubwaSs
are too expensive a mode of transportation not
TO be used to their utmost capacity The slShai
system. for instance, on the present express
tracks places an arbitrary and unnecessary re-
striction upon the frequency with which trains
can be operated. 1t thus limits the lines earn
ing capacity, and so, like the present type vi
cars it is prejudicial TO the interests both OF the
public and of the rapid transit company. But IN
the equipment of future subways it VIII De
necessary to bear in mind also the comfort of
the travelling public In the present type OF
car there are too few seats in proportion to the
DassencerS carried. The distinct purpose hlth-
erto has been 10 provide the minimum OF seats
and the maximum of standing room. for ii has
been the policy of the companies to carry most
of their passengers TO and from work standing
The new subways should be equipped with cars
having a considerably increased seating ca
pacity.
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25

test which would show its voting strenetn. :.
rea lized that it was playing an ungracious auo
futile role in trying to embarrass the caauf
dacy of an eminently eligible favorite son,
whose chances of capturing the President3ii
nomination were excellent. State pride ana III
terest alone would have urged cordial suppo'e
of promising home candidate, and apart run
the issues between the Secretary or war "nu ~
the two Senators would have discouraged an!
demonstration Injurious to Mr., Taft. This Ieei-
ing was strong in ali the counties and led IN
many to a general acquiescence in the election
of Taft delegates We are inclined TO thlhN
that it governed in Erie County, and would nav <
governed just as effectually if THE Register
and the anti-Taft members of the count! com, ,
riittee had bestirred themselves and lhslS'eu
that county primary should be held.
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
WV, vopr DAILY TRIBUNE TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25. 1908

struct great Notifications around stockho'n,
and along the coast of the Gulf OF bothn'a' anu
to transform Gothland into second oipra'",
II will be to the credit Of Russia and the al
vantage of Europe to have the scheme apah-
doned.
The general control of the Baltic has also peeh
the subject of much discussion of late, III Which
Russia. Germany. Sweden and Denmark nave
been involved There is reason for confidence
that the existing status will not be dlsturosu
however because of the variety ana hasn''uu'
of the interests at stake. Denmark ho'us Inv
kew OF the situation. and her neutrality Is not
likely to be impaired An additional gua'a"'e'
of the status quo is afforded in the Norwesia"
neutrality treaty, in which Norway piiius he'
self not to cede any part of her territory 10 any
other power or to permit occupation Oh II U!
any. and Great Britain. Germany, France anu
Russa hind themselves to respect ana to ue-
fend against all comers the territorial integrity
of Norway In such circumstances 'he pea'e
and integrity of the Scandinavian couh'iies
should be secure and the Baltic should reiii'
a free and an open sea-
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
+ GECESSARY CHANGE

The Public Service Commission has invited
the Interborough Rapid Transit Company to
show cause why it should not put additional
doors into its subway cars When the hearing
is held the commission Will be fortified by the
report OF Mr.. Bion J. Arnold the fractions ex-
pert, that such doors may he practically built
into the existing rolling stock without weaken
ing IL. that they will shorten the loading and
unloading periods at THE stations and thus Der
nit the running of many mere trains. At pres
ert it is possible to operate about thirty trains
al hour. With additional doors il would be
possible 20 operate forty trains an hour The
stops at the express stations would be cut down
twenty-five seconds. Cars Of the present type
are an actual handicap to the operating COM
pany. They restrict its capacity TO carry passen-
gers and unless alterations are made il will
be Impossible, long before additional subways
can be built, for the company 10 handle the
crowds
tt additional doors which Sir. Arnold sug
Geets would be placed near each end of the car
ana used exits. while the old doors served
@ entrances BY this means passengers could
beard and leave the cars al the same time and
me present Jamming Of tbrongs moving in oupo-
site directions could be avoided The altere
tions would take from each car eight of tbe
already too few seats. but this would he more
than compensated for 10y the addition 10 the
number Of trains possible 10 operate This tyre
Of car, with the extra doors near the ends
rather than in the middle, Mr. Arnold considers
better adapted 10 subway traffic on account Of
curved platforms and for other reasons than
any other OF the various types suggested. The
present cars could also be more readily altered
10y his plan than in any ether way in Older to
provide additional doors.
II Wa only extreme lack Of foresight that
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
ELUDE LICENSE BUREAU CURIOUS.
Miss Hartman and Mr.. Gerry Visit City
Hall Without Attracting Attention.

Robert Livingston Gerry. son of Commodore El-
bridge T. Gerry and Miss COrnelia Hartman.
daughter of E II. Hartman. obtained a Maria &c
license at the City Hall bureau yesterday noon
without attracting attention
Miss Hartman wore q brown gown and hat
with pink flowers A man with the couple seemed
to know Just where go and what to do. and he
lost no time in escOrting them into the Office Of
City Clerk SCulIy. The license had been mainly
filed out and about all that Mr.. Seully had -
was TO swear Miss Hartman and Mr. Gsssy.
AS soon 1t became known that Miss HART
in the building there great curiosity
noc only among some of the people waiting 10 take
out licenses but also arpOng the hangers-on- Mss
Hartman and Mr.. Gerry finished their errand so
quickly that the curious not gratifed BY a
IcCk at thenl-Or if they them they did not
krow just who they Were
Neither Miss Hartman nor Mr. Gerry filed out
the blank application. All they did was TO sign
their names to II. Miss HARTMAN gave her ad-
dress as No. s74 Fifth She is twenty-three
years old, and born in Far Rockaway. Long
Island She gave her fathers name as E Henry
Hartman. The mothers maiden name being re-
quired Miss Hartman gave II as Mary W. AvsreIL
Robert Livingston Gerry gave his home as New
port K. l. He said he thirty years old and
born in New York
New-York tribune., 1908-02-25
RREAKJNG A BAD SPELL.

For many years prior to the organization VI
the simplified spelling board there had peen
feeling on the part of the heads OF the hishei
institutions of learning that the idea hao per
meated the academic student body OF the coe'i
try. and several college presidents were ou',
spoken in their expressions OF disappfo'ai VI
a system which brought young men TO thelr
doors who were unable to spell correctly an
overwhelming proportion of the simpler words
in oeneraI use. not to mention the more IN
voIved creations of several syllabies Maga-
zine articles without number We're written an
olyZjng the causes of the had spell under VIM"
the country seemed to be mDorihs' pu' III"
nr,hlap, at last became too great, and the ad-
vocates of old Fashioned spelling gave 1T up anu
left the field to the smplfed speilers who
boreIess of ever bringing the student mountain
TO the Mahomet of correct spelling aceorun's
to the dictionary determined to bring Mahomet
to the mountain
Apparently. however, one MASSACHUSETTS man
had not entirely given up hope. for i'll his Wll
which has lust been filed for probate III Saieih
if is found that he left $4,000 to be used "
"uculcate the art of real spelling III the mihuS
"of posterty." Being an oldfashloheu iah' 'uo
testator had rather old-fashoned ideas as 10
how hest TO accomplish this end. lie SEEKS
no psychological grounds for the existence OIL
so many educated misspelers. and acts OH tiie
assumption that inability 10 Spel, hhe lii'o
TO dodge an automobile, swim or repeat 'he
alphabet backward. is due to lack OF practlce'
He therefore specifies that the income from thiS
fund shall be used to provide cash prizes an"
medals for winners of spelling contests which
are 10 be held once year, and in order 10 a'ou
any misunderstanding as to his purpose he
definitely bars "simplified spelling
Inst what chance the new movement VIII
have in competition with that of the slmpllheu
spellers with their large endowment fund, do'n
not vet appear but with generous amount VI
nublic sentiment behind movement lor Tue
good. old-fashioned spelling of our fathers II
may vet be possible to tell from the sort oi
smelling affected by the writer or letter
whether he is or is not man OF educauoh'
Inst at present such communication Is ei
tirelv non-committa on this point Inc writer
may be a college man who can make the dead
languages sit up and take notice ana READ the
cuneiform Inscriptions in the ruins OF Babylon
backward. while he exhibitsFthe eccentrlelties OF
the simplifed spelling cult, or he may be just
sinnly ignorant. The letter tells no tales but
in the dispatch from Salem there is gleam OF
hone All is not lost long as the So,ooo IS IN