The Washington herald., 1910-06-14
AT THE HOTELS.

The production OF wheat and other
grain in Russia, Hungary, and other
European countries is steadily increas-
ing said Ferdinand S. shaffer. Of Minne-
apoIis. at the Raleigh. last night. and
at the same time it should be said that
the American farmer Is deserving his
plow and moving into the city.
THE population OF the United States is
increasing at a rapid rate, and the con-
sumption OF foodstuffs OF ali kinds nat
uraIIy keeps pace with this growth OBJ
served Mr. Shaffer, who Is wheat grower
himself. THE production OF farm prod
ucts, however, does not keep abreast
with the growth of population, but falls
back. The consequence is that there is
greater demand for farm products, bring
Ing about higher prices. Another cause
for higher prices Is that the city is en-
croaching on the farm. and that the
sons Of the farmers are drawn to the city,
where they embark in business, never
again to return to the old farm. The
growth Of farms does not keep step with
the growth Of the population. What IS
| the meaning of this? 1t means simply
that unless there is brought about a SEN
| timent for the conservation OF the farms
OF this country, the days OF the American
farmer in supplying the world with food
stuffs are numbered, and that his place
will be taken in the near future by the
Russian and Hungarian farmer.
''Psnchot is right when he persists IN
his conservation plea, and, instead OF
censure and criticism, he ought TO be
commended for the services he is render
ing this country. What applies to the
wheat lands also applies TO the timber
lands. The wealth of the United States
hes In IT'S farms. and the backbone Of
any nation is the farmer. Eliminate him
and you make yourself dependent on
your neighbors, who may be your enc
mics, for the very necessaries Of life II
Is high time, indeed, that Pinchot's warn
ing should be needed. and it is high time
also that the back TO the farm move
ment should be taken seriously before it
is too late and Russia has taken the
place as the granary of the world
George S. Hopkins. an architect. Of
New York, who IS at the New Willard, IN
speaking about Washington as an art
center, said: Local pride is fine thing.
but national pride is finer, and 1t is an
open question as to whether we may not
some day subordinate the annual exhi-
billions In New York, Philadelphia, Pitts
burg. and other cities 20 one Of concen-
trated significance az Washington When
the architectural renovation Of the Capt.
tai and its surroundings is finally roundea
cut Washington will provide such a set-
ting for a great annual demonstration OF
artistic progress as could hardly be par
alleled anywhere in EUROPE. Much, no
doubt, remains to be done, and several
generations may pass before the plans
that exist on paper are all carried out in
I - ~.
scape gardener But it is astonishing to
see what has already been done. Mil
lions are being spent upon public build
ings. and the movement for the making
OF a beautiful city has been developed
with so much care that every structure
now rising from the ground is a work OF
truly monumental architecture It would
be interesting TO dwell upon the different
constructions that are being made in this
artistic campaign
THE Washington OF the future" con-
tinued Mr.. Hopkins. "will be admirable
at once for its architecture and its
fountains, green sward. and trees. This
subject is too large for a mere passing
conversation. The vast Union Station is
a work of magnificent simplicity. perfect
In its proportions. genuinely artistic in
ali its details, and, IN short, a standing
proof that one of the most prosaic Of
unitarian edifices may be invested with
a kind OF nobility. There Is one railway
station in Paris in which q similar effort
has been made TO gain a large artistic
result, but the building can hardly be
compared with this one, and in no other
European capital is there a station wor-
| thy to be so much as mentioned in the
| same breath with the majestic Union
! Station here. On the threshold Of your
/ beautiful city. the Capital Of the nation,
/ quite as much as elsewhere, the magma
| ton Is touched with a sense Of the
/ ultimate destiny OF the city as the logical
point and center for the periodical dis
play Of the best in American art, indus
try. and science"
| Postage stamps are collected by many
for the pictures they bear. according TO
Herman J. Kestner, of Philadelphia, who
| is at the Riggs.
MANY gather postage stamps" said
| Mr.. Ketsner, simply because they go 20
make up excellent collections Of Official
| portraits of great men and women.
! While the pictures are small, there is no
other method Of forming such collec-
] ton which is quite so easy.
Nearly all countries that boast postage
| stamps place upon them nowadays very
/ good likenesses of the rulers or of per-
| sonages who have figured largely in their
| history. The trend toward this has been
very rapid since the art of postage stamp
making got above the stage OF crudity.
| Most people are well aware Of the num-
Der of historic persons whose faces are
| borne by the nations postage stamps.
1 The first one 10 be so honored was
| George Washington. The Washington
stickers appeared in 1S47. and not long
afterward a stamp with the face of
Franklin was brought out. No additions
were made TO the list for fourteen years
Then a Thomas jefferson stamp ap-
peared, and soon after Lincoln and An
| drew jackson were honored. Within the
next ten years the list was gradually In
| creased by the introduction of stamps
bearing the features Of Clay. Webster,
Stanton. Gen. Scott Hamilton, and Com
modore Perry. Taylor was given place
among them in 1875.
Not long after Garfield was assas-
sinated," added Mr.. Kestner, ''his like
ness was placed in the stamp picture
gallery President Grants was added in
1890, and there appeared az the same time
a picture of Gen. William T. Sherman.
Closely following came stamps showing
Madison and John Marshall. and later
President Harrison, r. r. Livingston, Of
Louisiana purchase fame; Monroe
Seward, and Mckinley last The stamp
bearing the countensnce OF Martha
Washington made its first appearance IN
1902. Stamps put out by the Confederate
States bore pictures of President JefTer-
son Davis. Thomas Jefferson. Andrew
Jackson, Washington, and John c. Cal
houn."
"A very significant news item made IT'S
appearance a few days ago." said James
G. Foley. OF San Francisco. who is at
the Arlington, to the effect that the