davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
THE STEPHENSON CASE.


The Evening POST attacks the report
Of the majority Of the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections In the Ste
phenson case on the ground that it is
inconsistent Undoubtedly there is some
superficial basis for such a charge. The
majority thus put itself on record:
The amount Of money expended by Mr..
Stephenson, Mr.. Cook, Mr.. Hatton and
Mr.. McGovern in the primary campaign
was so eXtravagant and the eXpendi-
lures made by and on behalf Of these
gentlemen were made with such reckless
disregard Of propriety as to justify the
sharpest criticism. Such expenditures
were In violation Of the fundamental
principles underlying our system of gov
eminent. which contemplated the selec-
tion of candidates by the electors, not
the selection of the electors by the can
didates.
Yet "The POST does not take suffi-
cient account Of the reasoning which
supported the majority's conclusion that
Mr. Stephenson's title was not invali-
dated by the excessive amount Of money
admittedly spent by him in the primary.
The majority held that the primary for
the designation Of party candidates for
United States Senator could not have
the same legal status as primary for
the election Of state officers, since the
state was not qualified to prescribe
means for the election of Senator at
variance with the federal law governing
the same. The primary, In its opinion,
was not legally binding IN any way upon
the Legislature. 1t was merely sort Of
straw vote which the representatives OF
the various parties in the State Legislat-
ure could follow or ignore, as they saw
fit Many Republican members of the
Legislature did, in fact, ignore the pri-
mary result and voted against Mr.. Ste
phenson.
The majority Of the committee brought
out that phase Of its judgment clearly
when 1t said: Were candidate for a
estate office In Wisconsin to conduct a
campaign in the manner in which the
campaigns of Mr. Stephenson and Of
'other men who sought election to the
United States Senate were conducted, 1t
"would be difficult to justify such con-
"duct under the law OF the state" But
Chairman Hepburn and those who sided
with him were Of the opinion that the
provisions of the primary statute could
not hold in relation TO an office which 1t
was beyond the states province to de-
clare should be filled by resort TO the
primary method
1t is also extrayagant to say, as "The
Post" does. that 'if the Senate ratities
't)ie majority report It will by so much
give license to the rich men of the
"country TO buy all the seats in that
-body" Our neighbor forgets that Con
gress at the last session passed corrupt
practices and publicity law governing
the election or designation Of Represent
ativee and Senators and put limit Of
$4,000 on the sum which any aspirant
for the Senate may expend or promise In.
promoting his OWN election. No rcpeti-
ton OF the Stephenson scandal will be
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
rNE0RTnYATE Mr.. DIX.

In the circumstances surrounding the
severance OF his diplomatic relations
with Murphy. Governor Dix has been as
unfortunate as he always Is In his con
nection with the Tammany boss. Ihere
has scarcely been an instance In all tue
nrevIous occasions of dicker and deal be
tween the Organization" and the Gov
ernor when he would not have enhanced
his favor with the public and begun 10
establish reputation for independence
II he had opposed the thing Tammany
stood for or forced Tammany into the
position Of fighting the thing he advo-
Gated. His break with Murphy. though
over the appointment Of Messrs' hlggS
and Bissell to the vacancies In the PuD-
lie Service commissions cannot gain MIN
any credit, even when II does present
him to the public as the probable victim
of the machines crushing power. the
public cannot feel any great amount OF
sympathy for, and certainly cannot adj
mire the individual who fools with the
buzzsaw in motion until he loses hand
If the Governor had stood out against
Tammany's infamous elections law
which the Court Of Appeals disembow-
elled. or Tammany's farcical direct pri-
mary law" which is creating political
chaos I'm the state because of its half-
baked provisions, there would have Deeh
general acknowledgment that he was
acting for the public interest to his own
political harm within his party's organi-
cation. But the Governor calmly ana
obligingly obeyed the boss's commands
in those instances and many more. lie
presented a perfect picture of ma
chine Executive in attendance on MS
boss's nod, until in petty squabble over
patronage Murphy undertook TO admon-
ish him to be more speedy ia obedience
by putting at the head of the Democratic
State Committee a politician who would
regard his desires rather than the Gov
ernor's ambitions of political advance
ment In the future.
Whatever the personal virtues OF
Messrs. Riggs and Bissell, 1t will he
hard for the Governor to demonstrate
that they have any striking quallhca-
tons for the places to which he has APP
pointed them. Mr.. Riggs experience
and associations have been such that his
appointment is even more an injection
of politics into the commission than was
that of Mr.. Cram. The fact that Mr..
Bissell as attorney and stakeholder en-
deavored to promote the business of a
corporation operating under notorious
grab" charter indicates the possession
of point of view not ordinarily consid-
cred desirable in one chosen to supervise
and regulate public service corporations
for the state. And over these appoint
ments the Governor has broken with
Murphy. Unfortunate Mr.. Dix! After
comforting on Murphy almost every bless
ing which could flow from the Executive
Chamber, the Governor in quarrelling
with him at last on such grounds almost
rehabilitates the boss and turns him into
protector of the public's interests.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
NEW YORK AND THE CANALS.

A timely reminder is given by the
Dock Commissioner Of this city Of the
interest of New York IN the two great
canals which are now rapidly approach
ing completion and of the urgent deslra.
bility Of setting the harbor ir. order so
as to be ready to receive and handle with
facility the largely increased volume Of
commerce which those waterways will
bring hither. We must assume that they
will bring IT. Certainly the enlarged
Erie Canal would be a grave disappoint-
ment If it did not convey to this city a
great amount of freight. As for the
Panama Canal, If dilatory Congress
ever provides for its management and
terms of use ltlmay be expected to in
crease commerce generally at Atlantic
and Gulf ports, and most of all to in
crease IL at the port which has an al
most Incompatible primacy above all
others. The question is: How is New
York prepared to deal with this access
of business?
Thus far practically nothing has been
done. No comprehensive plan for the or
ganization and administration of the
port has been adopted by the city, al
though, says Mr.. Tomkins, one has been
prepared by the Dock Department. There
is an idea that the port is badly longest
ed which is not true. Congestion exists
at only one part of the waterfront. and
that is because of imperfect distribution.
since elsewhere in the harbor there is
room TO spare. or course, the lack Of
proper distribution is due chiefly to two
causes. One is the failure TO improve
the vacant stretches of waterfront so as
to make them available for shipping, aud
the other. perhaps more important is the
lack Of railroad and other land connec.,
tons with those parts. Ships cannot I've
expected to land where there are no
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
GOODBY TO WINTER.

Alaska should not rejoice too prema-
turely over the report that winter has
been banished forever from the terri
tOrial calendar. Dispatches from Wash
ington say that straw hats and busters
are now being worn in the chief popu-
latlon centres Of the Yukon Valley, even
by those who have hitherto been noted
for stern observance Of seasonal fash
ions. The photographic Office of the
navy is credited with having thrown out
the suggestion that the japanese current,
annoyed at frequent seismic disturbances
in the Aleutian Islands, has turned its
flow toward the Alaska coast. subduing
the former sub-Arctic rigors Of that re-
giOn and converting it into a climatic
duplicate Of Oregon and California. 1t
is said that no snow has fallen In South
ern Alaska since Christmas, and we may
expect to hear when later bulletins come
in that the carnival was celebrated there
with commandments of rose leaves. lust
as 1t is celebrated along the sheltered
shores of the Riviera.
We hOPN NAol tnt
ton from bearskin suits and caps to
airy linen and Panama hats may not
prove to be mere miscarriage Of Arctic
fancy. But on our own stern and rock
bound Atlantic Coast we have been so
often fed on baseless prophecies of an
amelioration Of climate due to the curv-
ing in of the Gulf Stream that we are in
clined to be suspicious of vagrancies at
tributed to ancient and conservative
ocean currents. Sometimes we have q
mild winter, and then the Oldest inhabi-
tants announce that the old-fashioned
schedule Of seasons has been disar-
ranged for good. Yet we don't sell our
overcoats or take out our furnaces. And
when a winter like that of 1912 comes
along. with temperatures falling repeat
eddy below zero, even the oldest inhabi-
tants take to the woods or else admit
that their aspersions on the Gulf Stream
were wholly unwarranted.
Who wifi guarantee that the Japanese
current will stick TO It's newly assumed
obligation TO thaw out Alaska? MAY Il
never grow weary Of washing our Arctic
possessions with lukewarm surf, Yet
with all our faith In its good intentions
we should hate TO be cast away In the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
People and Social Incidenfs
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
from The Trlbune Bureau.l

lffoih Inc Tribune Bureau.
Washington, Feb, 4-The President. the
Secretary OF War and Assistant Secretary
Wilson discussed the Mexican situation at
length to-day. Following the conference
the I'D Infantry and two batteries or the
ID Field Artillery were ordered to FL Paso.
In statement issued at.the White House
to-day the President characterized as raise
hoods the stories and statements assiuu-
ously circulated by persons and papers op-
posed to the President" quoting him as
saying that the people are not fitted for
self-government." What Mr. Taft did say
was: There are those OF us who DO not
believe that all people are fitted for popular
government"
A large delegation Of Delaware lawyers
headed by Senator du Pont and Represent
alive Head, urged the appointment OF
Judge Edward G.. Bradford, Of the District
Court OF Delaware, TO succeed Judge Will
lam VI. Lannlng. of the Sd Circuit.
Representative Campbell assured the
President that despite the opposition to
him in Kansas. he would get considerable
portion OF the delegation. Mr.. Campbell
also said that the President Is growing
stronger every day In the West.
The South Carolina delegation will be IN
structed for President Taft. The "olacK
and taus" will hold their state convention
next Thursday and the lilly whites VIII
hold theirs little later. but both factions
will choose Taft delegates.
President Taft was the guest of honor at
a luncheon given by Assistant Secretary
Beekman Winthrop to-day. President
Lowell of Harvard University was present.
Among the White House callers were
Senators Gallnger. Crawford. Page Du
Pont, Bryan, Fletcher, Bacon and Martin,
ex-Senators Burrows and Aldrich, Repre-
sentatives Tileson, Kinds, Morrison, Kahn,
Stevenson, Madden, Towner, Humphreys
and Powers, Wayne MacVeagh and George
r. Sheldon.
The President entertained at dinner to-
night the two Senators and the Republican
Representatives from Michigan and ex-
Representatives DENLY and Diekems, later
going 10 the annual dinner of the Yale
Alumni Association.
Mrs Taft, accompanied by Miss Taft and
the members OF Miss Tafts weekend house
party. Miss Arthurs, Miss Lewis and Miss
FAIRIES. who arrived last night; Miss Marion
Crane, who arrived this afternoon, and
Miss Katherine Anderson, occupied n box
at the Belasco tonight to hear De Wolf
Hopper in "Pinafore."
Mrs. Taft has issued invitations for the
FIRST OF her regular Lenten musicals on
Friday, March /. March Is and q are the
two following dates. Preceding the first
musical President and Mrs. Taft will enter
tain dinner party. including the Governor
of Maryland.
Mrs. Taft poured tea in the Red Room
this afternoon for Senator and Mrs. Will
fam Alden Smith and their house guests,
Mr.. and Mrs. John a. Covode and Miss
Jewell Of Grand Rapids. Mich. Miss Jewell
Is the niece of Mrs. Smith.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
IN WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
[From The Tribune Bureau


Washington. Feb. 2L-The Russian Am
bassador and Nine. Bakhmeteff and the
Attorney General and Mrs. Wlckersham
were the guests at dinner tonight Of Mrs
Hunt Slater. Her other guests were Mrs
John>J Emery, OF Now York: Frau Won
Herwarth. Brigadier General and Mrs. Clar-
ence Edwards, Mr. de Bach, Russian Sec
ond secretary Senior Algara. Mexican sec
ond secretary; Mr.. and Mrs. Walter De Ma
gre. Miss Margaret Draper aud Kirk Die
trick.
The Assistant Secretary Of State and Mrs
Huntington Wilson entertained at luncheon
to-day in compliment 10 the recently ap-
pointed secretaries In the diplomatic ser
vice and their wives. There were eighteen
guests.
Judge and Mrs. Robert NJ Montgomery
entertained Senator and Mrs. William Al
den Smith and their house guests, Mr.. and
Mrs. John A. Covode and Miss Agnes Jew
ell. Of Grand Rapids. Mich, at dinner to-
night Their other guests were Judge and
Mrs. Orian NJ. Barber. Mr.. and Mrs. Stan
ley Montgomery, Mrs. Haviland, OF New
York. and Mr.. Ayrcs
Mr.. and Mrs. Lawrence Townsend enter
tanned at luncheon to-day for Mrs. Stickney
and Miss Mabel Gerry, Of New York, who
are at the New Willard. Among their other
guests were a number of diplomats. Repre-
sentative Butler Ames entertained at din
ner last night for Mrs. Stickney and Miss
Gerry, and tomorrow they Will be guests
at luncheon of the Assistant Secretary OF
the Navy and Mrs. Beekman Winthrop.
Captain and Mrs Walter Mclean enter
tanned at dinner tonight for their house
guest, Miss Carrie Reese, of Cooperstown.
" Y. Miss Reese will be the guest Of Mr..
and Mrs Lyman Tiffany next week.
Mrs. Marshall Field entertained large
dinner party tonight, Mrs. Joseph Hobson
entertained at luncheon and Senator du Pont
entertained a dinner party. The Solicitor
for the State Department and Mrs. Chan
dler Anderson entertained at dinner, and
General and Mrs. William ii. Carter were
among the numerous dinner hosts.
Miss Eleanor Ridgely gave a dinner at
the Chevy Chase Club tonight for Miss
Selton. of Chicago. Dancing followed.
Miss Alma Ruggles entertained at lunch
con to-day for Miss Frances Gamble. of
New York, who is the guest OF her uncle
and aunt. tho Secretary OF War and Mrs
Stmson.
Mr. and Mrs Mclean will entertain the
President and Mrs. Taft at dinner on March
H. The dinner will be followed by mu-
steal. when Nine Alma Gluck. soprano. Mr.
Whltehill, barytone. and Sassoli, harpist ~
the Metropolitan opera Company, win Give
the programme.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
pIsHoNoRINe COL. ROOSEVELT.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: am not one OF those who believe that
Mr. Roosevelt is trying 10 displace President
Taft. disrupt the Republican party and dis
credit the work OF centuries in the up
building Of this great Republic. 1t Is repre-
scented to the people of this country In the
present crisis that we may have TO begin
over again much OF the great work that
started with our first President Those
who are trying TO discredit and overthrow
President Taft shall have to produce some
thing other than a lack OF advertisement
on the part of the President before the
thinking people Of this country will see
him turned out In the midst OF important
legislation that no President could COM
plete In four years. II is highly discredit-
able To those who are trying to undermine
him. The great majority OF those oppos-
ing Taft do not find one act OF his worthy
of commentator. How can they study the
man and his long, tireless. useful years
Of public life, and feel so toward him? NO
man in the country knows better than MT
Roosevelt that the overthrow OF Taft at
this time means the disruption OF the Re
publican party.
Is Mr.. Roosevelt TO be responsible for so
great a calamity? Were 1t possible for him
TO step into the Presidency with the back
bone Of his party with him, and with those
sensible and sincere Progressives (of whom
more would be with Taft II they under
stood him better, he could advance the
nation as he did when at its head. But
that cannot be now. Those who urge Mr..
Roosevelt into an ungracious and bitter
political contest with his friend. with the
same vehemence that he urged that friend
into the Presidency do him great dlshonor,
and could result only I'm disaster.
ISAAC BOWER
Atlantic City. n. j.. Feb 20. 1912.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS.
(From The Tribune Bureau.I


Washington, Feb. 24-The French Am
bassador Will return tomorrow from Chi
cage. where he went to deliver several adj
dresses and to meet some social engage
ments The Ambassador and Nine Jusse-
rand will go to Baltimore on Thursday, TO
be the guests OF Mr. and Mrs. Theodore
Marburg. who will entertain for them at
dinner. Later they will occupy box at
the opera with Mr.. and Mrs. Marburg.
The Brazilian Ambassador has issued In
vitations for a dinner on March 4.
The Spanish Minister and Sehora de
Riano entertained a number of guests at
dinner tonight.
Mr.. Caftanzoglu, Greek charge d'affaires,
has gone to New York and Boston and will
be absent for a week
Albert Kienin. German second secretary,
and Mrs. Kienlin will return from New
York tomorrow.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
THE NEWS THIS MORNING.

CoNGRESs.-The Senate was not in
session. House: A modified
'.rnoney trust" investigation resolution
was adopted by vote of go to &.
FORFIGN.-Italian warships bonn
barded Beirut, Syria, killing sixty per
1sons and wounding a large number OF
others; the American college and mis-
sSions were unframed. 80 Mexican
lrebels were reported threatening Juarez
from Bauche. fourteen miles 20 the
south: Madero received q telegram from
Emilio Vasquez Gomez urging him III
the best interests OF Mexico TO resign
the Presidency. 60 British mine own
ers adhered TO their expressed policy OF
minimum wage or fight; it was an
'nounced that the government was &C
lively engaged in finding ground for
DIFFERING the threatened struggle. -
II was learned at Paris that an Italian
force was defeated by Turks and ARABS
AT Zenzur. about fourteen miles from
Tripoli. - Many persons were frozen
10 death in a snowstorm in Aslatic Rus
sia-
DOMESTIC. President Taft branded
as falsehoods statements that in MS
Lincoln Day speech he said the people
are not fitted for self-government.
IS Colonel Roosevelt arrived in Bos-
ton ana WIS RTG6l6u ny q NAOSA AAS
crowd So The subcommittee on ar
rangements for the Republican Ma
tional Convention planned the rear
rangennent Of the Chicago Coliseum TO
assure comfort to the delegates. -
Edward Hines, whose membership IN
the Chicago Union League was can
celled. began suit against Clarence ).
Funk for 100000 for alleged SANDER.
- An Easton, Penn, dispatch SAID
N
Mrs. Howard Maxwell, Of Brooklyn,
. from a sanatorium, would be dropped.
CITY-Stocks were lower, though clos
ing firm. - Thieves passed the dead
line" stealing $4,000 in diamonds from
a Maiden Lane importer, after blowing
open his safe 80 The pending arol-
tration treaties were discussed at the
Republican Club luncheon. - Elijah
NJ. Allen, rich importer, who married
a stenographer Of twenty month ago.
died at St. Vincent's Hospital; his bride
IS dangerously i'll, both having been
taken i'll on their honeymoon trip. -
The Admiral Realty Company brought
what is supposedly a test suit in the
interest of financiers, restraining city
officials from agreeing to preferential
payments on the intermingling Of re-
ceipts in any contracts for new subways
made with the Interborough and the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit companies.
- The Cunarder Lusitania arrived a
day and a half late, after encountering
unusually stormy weather; number Of
notable persons were on board. -
The committee of the United Mine
Workers which is TO meet the anthra-
cite operators over wage questions ar
rived from Pennsylvania.
THE WEATHER.-Indic for to-
day: Unsettled. The temperature yes
terday: Highest, 80 degrees; lowest, 80.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
ENLISTING THE MURDERERS
Up to Them to Abolish Capital Punish
ment. Saws Writer.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: ! consider that eX-Ambassador An
drew -. White performs, through the
Tribune, a notable public service in calling
attention to the appalling American record
OF murder. and in pointing out so clearly
by comparison with other civilized lands,
that the great reason why five times as
many people are murdered here as in any
other such nation is that we do not hon
estIy or efficiently enforce the law. We
make half-hearted pretence at capital
punishment: and Boston has developed
among its innumerable cults one which
has for its aim organized opposition to cap
ital punishment. a recent hearing at the
capitol brought out most astonishing
mixture Of pettifogging and puerility ana
total ignoring Of record, facts and common
sense.
New England has within its own borders
an example OF the effect Of abolishng cap
itai punishment. Rhode Island and Maine
have done It,, These have preponderating
rural element combined with a better class
urban population. The average law-abidlns'
ness Is high; the records show a total OF
l13 imprisonments for every 100000 IN
1911. The other four New England states
had 1.757 for each 100000. or 55 per cent
more: but the murder record I'm Rhode ISL
and Maine was l73 per cent more than IN
the other four, according to United States
census records.
The great need IS greater CELEBRITY and
certainty in punishment. not the emascu-
Iation OF law. There car be no possible
doubt that our national slackness in ad-
minstration Of law has produced murder
rate which can be matched only In coun-
tries which we consider not more than
half-civiized. There is the place to begin;
the murderers themselves can abolish cap
itsl punishment at any time: theirs shouiu
be the initiative.
WALTER CAMPBELL TAYLOR.
Boston, Feb. 20. 1872.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-02-25
NEW YORK FROM THE SUBURBS.

When New York City has little snowfall like
this one 1t emts loud shrek and demands the
instant attention of the whole word.--chicaso
Tribune
II is rumored that one OF those periodicsi
shake-ups OF the Police Department Of New
York city Is about due. II this CONFUSION en-
CULTS some OF tho hordes OF criminals who are
operating almost with free hand. II VIII %
welcome -Newbng Journal.
The New York police say that two hundred
OK -convicts drive taxicabs I'm that city. THIS
confirms the suspicious OF many visitors to the
metropolis. II also shows TO what depths Of
depravIty prison sentence leads.-Boston Nd
vertiser.
Mrs Annie walsh widow OF Battalion CHER
Walsh. who lost his life in the Equitable FIRE IN
New York, was on Tuesday given sio,SsS, col
lected in the city as appreciation Of her husband
bravery. II seems strange that public resara 10,
Tho heroSm % fireman or any other municip"
cmploye should assume such proportions Rsen-
chester Union and Advertiser.