The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-26

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Trips around the world have become an
everyday affair from or through Chicago,
western people particularly having be-
come slobe-trotters. Byron l.. Smith,
president of the Northern Trust COM
| pany, and Mrs. Smith have set out Tor
Japan and the journey beyond by the
| Trans-Siberian railway Paris. London
and New York. Miss Harriet Monroe also
had started by way of New York and
Paris, for Pekin and Shanghai years
continuous travel. J. Ogden Armour and
Mrs. Armour have gone. and may return
by way of the Orient and Pacific ocean.
Nowadays the globe-circling tourists are
SO numerous that the trips are all sys-
tematized as European junkets have been
these 20 years-the travellers itinerary
is ready made If he wishes it. with the
days and the ways In Bankok. Singapore.
Kobe and Samoa carefully laid out. the
banks hotels and sidetrips scheduled.
Passports no longer are obligatory, except
for Russia and Turkey. but for those
countries trouble is to be avoided only
by passport properly visaed by Russian
or Turkish consul in the United States.
Steamers of the North German Lloyd
line go to all parts of the world, a fact
showing how far the maritime prestige
of the United States has been outstripped.
That companys literature is COM
pendulum of useful information about the
mealtime on shipboard in the Indian ocean
or the iirinska fares of Yokahoma. Time
was when anyone who had circled the
world was a celebrity.
Since gateway to Chicago was Sc
cured by the Canadian Pacific through
its purchase of the Wisconsin Central
and the 500 railways. it's astounding
prosperity has started many rumors of
other purchases which LaSalle street and
Wall street have regarded with interest.
Anxieties which disturb the market con-
corning United States railways do not
affect the Canadian Pacific and more
over the earnings record surpasses that
of most of the western railways. For
eight months to February 1 the net re-
oeipts were 3,490, gain of $3.50. 900.
and the influx of settlers is assurance of
still greater gains in traffic and earnings.
Also the immigration has meant the sale
of 376,046 acres of its own land during
1909 at an average of 1880 an acre.
although thousands of acres of the irri-
gated land in the great tract near Cal
gary were sold at $50. The settlement of
the Bow river valley tract this year has
been at so rapid rate that an official
statement declares most of the company 9
land under irrigation will be disposed of
by June 80. The traffic figures for the
last year have been diminished by the
fact that of a total wheat production
ers of the Dominion are still holding IS %
per cent or nearly 30,500.000 bushels. The
farmers of the prairie provinces are hold
Ing 1890 per cent of their last years
wheat, or more than 26.6 900 bushels.
These are striking and interesting figures.
that illustrate the wealth Of the Dominion
farmer. With wheat above the dollar
mark 1t will be seen that the prairie
province farmers are in good circum-
stances. They have the equivalent of n
cash balance in bank of some $26, 600.
They are holding this wealth in their own
granaries, saving warehouse charges. and
with the prospect of an increase in the
value of this enormous grain store.
A strike of taxicab chauffeurs has
brought 10y rides" to AZ fortunate po
licemen. who have been assigned to pro-
tect the non-union taxis, for their days
and evenings are spent In auto riding
about the city in the crisp spring air.
The duty of filling the front seat of A
handsome taxi as a concrete evidence
of the majesty Of the law has made these
guards the envy of the crossing men
who keep traffic moving. The job at
crossings, lodging cars and helping men, |
women and children dodge them is no sin |
ecure, in fact, is hazardous, as the hos
pital roll attests. Capt. Charles c. Healy. |
who recently was sent to London to |
ported the number of constables on duty
as small. but the traffic is controlled with
the frictionless precision OF clockwork.
"Why is this possible?'' he says Simply
because the constabies. who. of course.
know their business, are dealing with
a public which profoundly respects the
law and the orders of the officers. Here
in, believe. is the greatest lesson Chi
cago can learn from London in harmony
and unobstructed movement in the streets.
The public of Chicago must be taught
to realize that strict obedience to the
la w and the commands of the police guar
antees the rights and promotes the in
terests Of everyone using the streets. In
London no cabman, or chauffeur. or
teamster. or anybody else dreams of dis
putting the authority of the crossing con
stable, and one scarcely hears word
spoken. The constable's lifted finger does
the business ittaa
---os-