The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-01-07

adopted q resolution lnStructlng teachers
to whip boys discovered in possession of
cigarettes in the school or on the school
grounds. The cigarette evil threatens de-
moralization wherever it gains a foot
hold.
The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and
Sciences has joined the war on the
s'merry widows" Women in attendance
at lectures given hereafter under its au-
spices will be compelled to remove their
hats. The rule should be universal in
places of entertainment, at least till
wide-brimmed head-gear goes out of style
Compressed air is a genii in wrecking
operations The cruiser Yankee has
been lifted from the rocks in BuZzard' S
bay and towed to a shipyard for re-
pairs. Her recovery from what seemed
to be a hopeless condition will cause fu-
ture wreckers to rely more than ever on
the air pump and concrete for the saving
VT steel ships.
A Washington dispatch states that
fifty-fve vessels, mostly steel craft, were
built in the United States during the
month of December, might give some
people an idea that American shipbuild-
ers are as rapid as lightning calculators.
The vessels were launched during No
vember, but work on most of them has
been in progress for several months.
The plan of the rivers and harbors
congress to have Congress raise $780,
100000 by issuing bonds and then de-
eide how the money shall be expended
has struck a snag in the person OF
Speaker Cannon. Hard-headed, shrewd,
sensible Joe Cannon. How many meas
ure of reckless folly he has put into
pigeon-hole, to the great benefit of the
nationi
The German admiralty has determined
to spend several millions of dollars in
the building of submarines, which have
thus far been ignored. By making this
late start the Germans will be able to
take advantage of the experiences of the
other powers which have been exploiting
inventions and adding submarines to
their fleets. The experimental stage has
been passed, and underwater attack is
now an established factor in naval war
fare.
A French picture collector is suing a
dealer for the return of a large sum
which he paid for painting alleged to
be by Claude Manet. The picture was
submitted to Manet by the owner and
the artist said the signature seemed per-
feet, but that the work was not his.
1t is interesting to know that Eu-
ropeans are caught by forged art. Amer
leans have paid so much to swindling pic
ture sellers that they have begun to be
wary.
The banking power of the United
States as reported by the comptroller OF
the currency, aggregates SIT, 642, 7O5,274.
This exceeds the aggregate banking pow
er of the world in 1890, according to Null
hall, who was the universal authority
on statistics at that time. Truly Amer
lean material progress moves with rapid
strides. Truly John Pierpont Morgan's
father uttered words of wisdom when he
said, ANY man who is a bear on the
future of this country will go broke"
The provision of the pure food law
which prohibits the importation of drugs
below a certain standard of purity will
operate, it is discovered, to bar the cheap
grade of opium which is used for smok-
ing. The vice of opium smoking has
enormously increased in the United
States of late. The enforcement of the
new order will shut out not less than
175,000 pounds per year, most of which
has heretofore entered the country at
Pacific ports. The exclusion will be a
blessing.
From Rochester, New York, comes an
other warning of the danger of exposure
to the X-ray. The victim is DIR. f. d.
Andrew, who has been obliged to submit
to the amputation of his hand to save
his life. Four years ago another Roches-
ter physician lost both hands by reason
of disease following X-ray experiments.
Persisting in his experiments, he received
further injuries, which proved fatal. The
X-ray has saved more lives than it has
claimed, but it is necessary that those
who employ it should observe extreme
caution.
The November fire loss-$15, 1884, $50
was, with two exceptions, the smallest
for any month in the current year, the
exceptions being May and July, in each
of which months the loss slightly ex-
ceeded $15,000,000. The total for the
first eleven months of 1908 has exceeded
by $25,000,00O the total for the CORE
spending period Of 1907, and runs &c.
100000 beyond the aggregate for that
entire year. Undoubtedly the small No
vember loss was due in part to the I'M
usual mildness of the weather and the
breaking of the drought.
Secretary Straus has approved regula-
tons which will go into effect on the
LIST of February next, prescribing that
lows of sea-going barges navigating the
inland waters of the United States shall
not exceed four vessels tandem, includ-
ing the towing vessel, while the hawsers
between them shall not exceed seventy
five fathoms. These regulations would
have had an important bearing on the
traffic through the rivers" from Lakes
Huron to Lake Erie, during the days of
sailing craft on the Great Lakes, and
during the rage for barges preceding the