The Washington herald., 1910-01-24
AT THE HOTELS.

Nowhere has the telephone worked
greater changes than In the Western
farming communities, said Edward S.
Lindsay. Of Valley City. n. Oak, who was
seen at the Riggs yesterday. Mr.. Lindsay
is interested in the telephone instalIa-
ton industry and knows whereof he
speaks. These farmers get up telephone
musicales out there. The talent is scat
tered over the whole countryside. and so
Is the audience.
"A rural news service" continued Mr..
Lindsay, SIS also supplied on certain Of
these farm lines. At a certain hour OF
the evening, say o'clock, a general call
is rung over the lines. When all the
subscribers are gathered the central Office
begins by giving the exact time Of day.
The weather indications are given, To-
gether with the latest news Of the day
from home and abroad Then follows the
market quotations Of farm products
oats, wheat. eggs, &sc-all Of which is
working a revolution in rural life.
An enterprising schOOi-teacher was
quick to perceive the utility OF the tele-
phone in case Of contagious disease.
Some Of mis- pupils were guaranteed
in their home for two weeks on account
Of smallpox in the family. Two were de-
sirous Of graduating. and 70 miss school
for this time would have made their
standing doubtful. The teacher, there
fore, assigned the regular lessons TO his
pupils. which he heard them recIte over
the telephone in the evening.
The telephone" added Mr. Lindsay,
has been used 20 enable an invalid
mother 20 hear the marriage service al
her daughters wedding in distant city.
In other cases the marriage ceremony
! has been performed over a telephone
circuit, the officiating clergyman being
| at distance from the bridal pair
Another modern invention which has
swept the old mode Of transportation and
travel in the country almost entirely out
! of existence Is the automobile
"The farmer is wealthy. He is happy.
/ His wheat, corn. hogs, cattle. everything.
4 bring high prices. Farm lands are get
/ ting scarceT and are higher in price.
and farmers are not as plentiful as they
used to be. The farmers son goes 70
the city and the city grows. Is there
any wonder, under the circumstances.
that prices OF foodstuns are growing
higher every day."
r. de Lgue. OF Brussels. Belgium.
who is making tour Of this country. IS
az the New Willard Speaking Of the
future Of Belgium with regard to the
/ Congo Free State, MIR. de Ligue said:
Belgium. which heretofore was with
out any colonies whatever, is now the
owner Of one Of the richest colonies in
the world. The Congo territory offers
/ Opportunities for enterprising capital
along every line There are mineral
lands awaiting exploitation: there are
/ immense stretches Of virgin forest. con-
tanning the finest Of timber. there are
thousands Of miles Of rubber forests:
there viii be cotton, and wheat, and
/ everything under the sun.
King LeopOld's administration OF the
/ Congo was much maIigned by people who
1 had only their own selfish purposes in
view. They wanted TO discredit the Congo
| administration ia the eyes of the world
for the purpose Of bringing about an In
/ PREVENTION on the part Of a certain power
/ 20 enable her to round out a scheme
which would have wiped King Leopold s
| domain from the map and incorporated
| the same into the colonial empire Of Great
/ Britain. This intrigue and scheme has
/ received a severe setback since King
! Leopold died King Albert is a man OF
the highest character, and is greatly be-
I loved by his own people and held in the
/ highest esteem by the other sovereigns.
/ He has visited the Congo and knows what
is needed 10 improve the conditions OF the
people there. He does not need outside
assistance 20 bring about a change for
the better. and no foreign power has any
right whatever 10 offer its assistance or
/ accuse King Albert with incompetency.
Belgium looks into the future with
great hopes" added NJ. de Ligue. and
realizing her changed position in tle
rank of nations. the Parliament passed a
bill making the standing array more
effective and larger and making conscr:p-
Jion obligatory"
II the Unionists should be victors in
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