Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-12-19
A NEWSY CHICAGO LETTER.
christmas in the Windy City by the Lake--HOw the
Poor Are Made Happy On That Day

Ohl'ego, Dec. ia national or
gan'zation to fight tho loan sharks
evils, particularly the Salary loans"
extortions, has been decided upon
as a necessity to successful cone |
with the different problems produced |
Dy varying state laws end conditions |
Nj. K. wellington, of the Legal Aid |
society of Chicago, hes sent out let
ters to I'll the larger cities where Or
ganlZations exist, asking for data up-
on the amount of capital employed.
the forms of notes, Confessed iudS-
mcnts' and salary assignments used |
and the rate of interest at which |
small chattol loans can be made with |
reasonable profit. The total amount
of capital of "loan shark" Offices In |
tho U. s. is put at $25, 1000, 900, of
which sum II Is known that $3,500,-
600 IS Employed by the 1876 offices |
In ChicegC, a srm larger than that |
employed In New York, according to |
hgurcs of recent report paid for by |
the Russell Sage Foun lation," or In |
any city in the United States. The |
rates charged for small loans in New |
York are The highest--the actual |
cost Of short time loans, when extra
and unju-t collection charges" are
added, being in many cases as high
as 1871 per cont per annum. No
| philanthropy has yet taken up in the
west the investigation OF this sub
icct thoroughly. to point the prac-
tlcal means to save people who mhist
borrow from such extortions and TO
provide humane substitute. A bill
will soon be submitted to the Illinois
Legislature to limit the rate charged
10 per cent a month instead OF 10
to 20 per cent as now charged. Au-
thorities Rave found In Illinois that
though the loan userer was an out
law. his right TO inteies above the
legal uer cent cannot be contested
II once paid, although II frequently
amounts to moro than the principal
originally borrowed. The loans are
found 10 average about $50 and the
net profits OF the ontlaw lenders to
average from 35 TO so per cent after
the expenses OF scattered Offices and
loSses are paid.
Letters TO Santa Claus are expect
ed at the Chicago postofioe TO even
outnumber TIE 1000 received lest
year, because OF the miraculously
joyful results produced by Uncle Sam
Assistant Postmaster Hobbard--
who wag brevctcd oficial St Nick
and a big cotorie OF charitably In
clined rrcn and women among whom
the letters were distributed. The
oficial arrangements are the same,
Mr.. Hubbard being again toyman
extraordinary. and the benevolent
contingent OF miracle workers Is lar
ger than before. Curlously enough
the nrat lcttcr received was from q
boy who obviously wcs hoping 20
drc-s the p3 r. OF an armed and MILL
l tant TEDDY" ns he asked for Ted
dy" books. hunting knife and rihc
tn totals OF Cart tmcI shopping IN
1 Chicago viii fer exceed those oi
'pst wear. for by dint OF mach public
\ urring people began TO throng the
! stores earlier and the throng ha
! been increased hv the stimulus of Tho
I Iuternatiorgl 1.-Two stock Show AND
tho Horse Show for which opecia
I railroad rates we're made. Lest y"al
I the Christians trade wa said 10 hly.
totalcd about SS,0O0,000. Tho char
J tiles bean early gCttlnr money, chi
caco's "tac day," when nearly cyerl
man by nigltfall wore a tag IN re
turn for a contribution TO a charity
haylng nCttCd nearly $4,000. The
8 Salvation Army Is preparing 20 dis
4 tribute Christmas baskets amon'
$4,000 peOplc. and the Volunteers o
!. America expect 10 feast 5000 a.
n their annual banquet. orders have
been placed for the turkeys which th'
b big houses. banks and railway com
panics rive TO their employees al
Christmas. and tie other more cost
d Iy rcmembranoos OF employers 20 en-
nloyed will include gold coins sivei
by many OF tho banks, IL being th'
rul. OF some to distribute $50 q
every one on the payrclIs Tor tW'
years or more.
A new commercial route has beer
: opened up between the United STATE
y and Cannda hy tho acquisition OF M
= Duluth. Rainy Lake a. Wlnninri
railway by the Canadian NoriheI
= Railway. putting Duluth for the mrs
y time on a direct short line betWeri
: Chicago and Winnipeg and in'uria'
u 10 the United States o larger shaf'
G I'm the shipments from the prairl'
. provinces OF western Canada tn
d Tightening OF the bond OF CONNER
clal union between the country no l'
OF the Lakes and the united o-al'
!. has been brought a step further e'
|, this action and business men Of th'
y middle western states declare ina
> there will be little delay before tho.
take advantage Of this additional ac
cess 10 the markets OF the Canadial
/, plains. The Duluth, Missabe
} Northern railroad Is al % affected %.
the change in control. This ROAD
which brings the ores from the mine
!, between Duluth and Virginia "a th
lakeside is given a new connection
c with Canada like wise and stands q
gai ma share OF the great and IN
S creasing wheat traffic OF Mahltoua
SaekatchCwa and Alberta. IL y
;. double tracked road. IN hne con D.
,ion ard during It's last fiscal yea
carried l3,OOO.O 900 tons OF or
which was shipped 10 Eastern sme
ter The connection with Cana