davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
WHAT OUR NAVY LACKS.

The criticism has recently been made
of the American navy that it is lacking
! in the class Of ships which. while tech
nically called armored cruisers, are more
popularity known as battleShip cruisers
or cruiser battlcships. Our ships Of tht
Dreadnought type. or call big guns are
conceded to he the equal of any, and in
some other classes. if not in all but one,
we have n fair representation But In
| this one class which in Great Britain
and Germany is considered of prime i'm
pOrtance and in which the most notable
work is being done In the navics of those
countries, we are entirely lacking. We
| have excellent cruisers, Of the armored
type, a dozen in number but they are
simply good examples Of the old style Of
cruiser and bear no resemblance 10 the
formidable craft to which the foremost
European naval constructors are giving
even more attention than they are giving
TO regular battlcships.
What these battlcship cruisers are may
be estimated from an account of the
newest of them, which are now under
construction in England. \ few years
ago the three of the IndOmtable class
were built. of 1880 tons, 10000 horse
power, 27 knots and eight l2-inch guns.
Then came three Lions, Of 2G.4OO tons,
10000 horsepower. 80 knots and eight
31a-inch guns. Now come three more,
of which the elements are not yet exactly
disclosed. but of which sufficient details
are known to provide n basis for nsti-
mating the rest. These stupendOus YES
sells are TO be 100 feet long by 9012 in
beam. and Of - or 2713 draft. That
means Il displacement of between 29.OOO
and 10000 tons. They will be fitted with
engines of the almost Incredible potency
Of $1,000 horsepower. which will hurl
them through the sea at rate of more
than so knots Their armament Is not
yet reported. hut ii will certainly be
as heavy as that of the Lions, and may
he increas sed to ten 13i3-inch guns.
The completion of these three monsters
will give Great Britain twelve battleShio
cruisers of 81 knots or more and carry
ing at least eight big guns Besides. she
has nine more which are little superior
to our best cruisers, and no fewer than
twenty-five which are comparable with
our twelve. Germany also is building I
number of big battleship cruisers, carry
ing eight l1-iuch guns and capable of at
least - knots These have G-inch armor,
while the largest Of the British battleship
cluisers have seven or eight inches. K
may now be said, moreover, with much
cer'ainty. just what use is expected 10 Ec
made of these ships. The old idea that
they were to be scouts and commerce de-
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
HEADED THE OTHER WAY

II is surprising to find usually well
Informed newspaper like "The Spring
field Republican" saying of the tariff
policy of the Democratic majority in
the House Of Representatives:
Broadly speaking. the underlying prin-
ciple of the Democratic tariff bills thus
far this session Is not different from
what Chairman Underwood had pro-
claimed. Reduction of duties, revenue
and incidental proteCtion-this sum
marizes the Democratic policy.
Since the passage by the House Of the
free sugar and excise income tax bills
that judgment will have TO be called In
for repairs 1t was undoubtedly Mr..
Underwood's original purpose to pursue
policy Of moderate reduction, depend
ing on the duties retained TO give incl
dental protection and 10 supply the rev
cnue needed 10 meet the TreaSuryS
needs He showed his hand when he
refused mt the beginning Of the extra
session to put wool on the free list. He
had his own way throughout the extra
session and for Il part Of the present
one But circumstances, including his
own candidacy for the Democratic
Presidential nomination, were too strong
for him. and when he reported the free
sugar and excise tax bills he abandoned
his earlier policy and aligned himself
with the Bryan school, which aims at
dispensing with revenue raised on i'm
ports and mt supplying the wants OF
the government by increasing internal
taxation.
If Mr.. Underwood is willing to abolish
the duty on sugar-an ideal one for pur-
poses Of rcvenue-there is no other duty
which he can logically insist on retain
ing merely because It produces revenue.
He has cut away the foundation Of his
own defence OF duty on wool, and
in the new wool bill which the Ways
and Means Committee is preparing to
introduce there will be no excuse for
keeping wool off the free list. lt Will be
the same with the other neceSSaries of
life If they are not TO be taxed for
revenue there is no reason from the anti
protectiOnist point Of view for taxing
them at all.
Ambition and political pressure have
written finis to Mr.. UnderwOOd's career
as an economist Of the tariff for revenue
| crbpol
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
A LINCOLN MEMORIAL
Something More Adequate and Appro-
pirate Than a Highway.

To the Editor ~ The Tribune.
Sir: The editorial i'm your issue of to-
day on The Lincoln Memorial" is 50 well
timed that it Is hopeful that II is To be
the beginning Of a discussion that will
become general and prevail The objec-
tion TO the construC ion of a magnificent
highway as "A tribute To the memory OF "A
great man YOU have conclusively ex-
pressed in nine words, to wit: It would
be an inadequate and Inappropriate mo
mortal To Lincoln"
The time IS not far distant when the
proposed memorial would be "A reminder of
nothing Whatever, a good road bespcakinS
no more to the credit of the man that II
was intended to commemorate than il
would of any one else. Millions of people
who observed IL would have no idea of
what il was intended to inculcatc. Multi
tudes of visitors at our national capital
would there see General Washington. Gen
eral Grant. General Scott General Sher-
man, General Thor as, Daniel Webster,
John Marshall and numerous others prom
inently and impTessiveiy Commemorated.
while their attention would probably be
attracted to nothing commemorative of
Lincoln unless some one called their at
tention TO it.
1t Is not difficult to find a model for
imitation. and the Washington Monu-
ment at our national capital, and the
Grant Mausoleum, on Riverside Drive, IN
New York are two examples. The mar
tyred President is now entitled To a me-
mortal that will be the equivalent oil
either OF those two. while the one pro-
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
AS TO WHO OWNED THE TEA.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The parallel drawn by 90. w.
Bourne''-T refer to his letter. or her let
ter" Of March l6. and published by you on
March ls-in comparing the Boston Tea
Party OF l773 with the recent rioting Of the
militant suffragcttes I'm London IS ridcu-
lous. The British East India Company was
under the control Of the British govern
ment. and was used by It as an agent to
Introduce their tea into this country. The
patriots OF 1913 attacked the English gov
ernment by attacking the East India Com
pany.
The militant sufrragcttes however have
attacked, and consequently antagonized, n
heretofore non-partisan body. The gov
ernment is hampered only in this respect,
that 1t is called upon to preserve order in
a public thoroughfarc The shOpkeepers
90 lose. as they lose trade and even II the
insurance companies do receive compensa-
ton from the government, which is not at
all likely. they are certainly not converted
10 the cause by being put to such trouble
and expense.
Wilbcrforce did not even thlnk'of employ
ing such childish means to arouse pubic
sympathy for his movement in freeing all
slaves in the British Empire. The Chart
ist movement attempted riot and got-no-
where. 1t failed utterly. History is not
repeating itself: and they are not fighting
FOR a principle, but for a theory. II | may
be allowed to advise | should suggest that
&c. W. Bourne" do little educating on
his or her own account. w. BEFFSEA.
New York. March IS, 1912.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21

&c No assurance that they will be any
more accpptable in the form or law 'hah
in the form of mediatory offers. Inc
men may again object, as they ulu I'VE
fore. 10 the fixing Of rates by dlS'rlv.'
The mine owners may protest that the
safeguards against soldering are not
sufficient. as indeed is already hlnted
In that case the men may remain Oh
strike, or the mine owners may persist III
a lockout. despite the law. For we are
told that the bill contains no PeHai
clauses and no provision for compeliihI
accrptance of the terms of settlement
which may he prescribed under II. I'S
mildness may therefore mean ineillcien'! {.
II is more probable. however, that' II
enacted. as to which this morning MS
matches indicate some uncertainty. the
law. whatever its defects, VIII be- at
Ieast for time. accepted by both sides
rs n convenient means of escaping from
= nrpdicament which has already become
somewhat more than irkSome 10 Dolh' ouI
from which neither wants To Withdraw
with n loss of face" We are told thaI
on Saturday last nine trade unions en-
tirclv outside of the miners organlZa-
tions. paid their idle members strike
wages" amounting TO $2.25O,oOO, and that
the total of such payments last week. IN
Guiding the miners, was fully S7,on,WO
The unions have large accumulated
funds. but even the largest would soon De
depleted if such drain were long MAIN
tanned. We are told that miners unions
having G1OOOO members have or had
funds aggregating $1O.S35GOO. But all
those members are now on strike. ana
are drawing Strike wages Of 90 30
week. 1t does not take long 10 reckon IN
how short a time the treasures Will be
empty. Under such circumstances re-
sumption of work will probably be wei
coined. on terms which offer some i'm
provpmcnt of conditions. But unless the
bill is amended i'm important particulars
before il is enacted the prospect of in
dustrial stability will not he enticing. If
indeed by establishing the precedent or
n minimum wage the measure does not
fulfil Mr.. Bonar Laws apprehension in
provoking additional and increased dis
turhances in other branches Of industry.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
NEW HARVARD LABORATORY
Bio Gift to Scientific School by
Unknown Donor.

R0ston March 20-An important gft u
tho Harvard Graduate School OF Applied
Science. consisting Of a high tension cleo
trIcal laboratory that is expected TO out
rank all others. was announced to-day
The name of the donor Is withheld.
II Il the intention OF the officials or the
school To construct for this laboratory
huge transformer, which will deliver an al
tarnatIng current at one million volts.
There will also be provided means for get
ting 2 direct current of one hundred thou
sand volts.
II IS believed that the new plans represent
an undertaking of the highest commercial
aud engineering importance, since the pres
ont use for power ana lighting purposes OF
electric development from natural water
mowers ia sharply limited by the cost OF
transmission lines and the loss OF energy.
In his annual report TO the board oi over
seers President Lowell says that the result
Of the first experiment has diSpellcd the I'M
uression that the new entrance require
ments for Harvard College would he Writ
ually a form of admission by certlhcate.
Under the new plan iO2 per cent of the ap-
plicants were rejected. while only III per
cent failed under the old plan. Under the
Old plan the public schools sent i6 per cent
OF the candidates admitted. Under the new
plan they sent 81 per cent, the increase be-
Ing largely from the West.
President Lowell states that nearly one
half of the students choose the economies
and history group. For the graduate am
professional schols the year was one OF
progress President Lowell appeals Tor
funds for freshman dsrmitories, ne"
library building. an endowment for the
Graduate School of Business Adminstra-
tion, which he says deserves to be put on a
permanent foundation. and for the Deh'a
School and the Medical School.
The president notes an Increase IN ul9
student attendance at Appleton Chapel ana
says that Memorial and Randall the Two
great dining halls of the university, were
more than self-sustaning during the year.
adding: They would not he social Great,
urcs il they were not gregarious at meals.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21

obtain the money from its banks. until
there is certainty that the city can make
the contract agreed upon.
It should be perfectly understood tat
blocking the bill now in Albany Will he
as much Of an obstacle 70 securing tha
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company as ii 1
operator as il will be to securing the lrt-
terbOrOugh company as an operator.
Every one who is interested in securing
the maximum of rapid transit for all the
boroughs should let his voice be heard in
Albany, so that the POLITICAL terrorism
which has contributed to subway DELAY
down here may not also afiCt the capital
to such an extent that another year vii,
have to be wasted through lack of needed
legislation
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
. NEW POSSIBILITY OF DELAY.

The fears Of Assemblyman Murray are
amusing. The subway bill which ne
withdrew In response TO arguments
or threats Is harmless and necessary. 1t
merely permits the authorities to carry
out details Of the bargains with the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company and
the Interborough Rapid Transit Com
pany. such as moving the elevated tracks
on the Bowery from the side to the mid
die of the street, pooling earnings, level
ling leases and variety Of similar
things. 1t does not direct the city to do
these things, but merely permits it to do
them If In the opinion of the authorities
they are desirable.
The purpose Of those who are opposing
the bill is obstruction, for If it is not
passed In the few days remaining of the
session the agreements proposed with
both of the companies cannot be made
and there will be additional delay, at
least until the bill can be reconsidered
at the session Of the Legislature next
winter. Moreover not only will the fail
ure to pass this bill postpone, If it does
not defeat, the preparation and making
of contracts. but it is likely also to post
none determination by the courts Of the
constitutional question in regard to pref
erential payments. At present the city
authorities lack statutory power TO make
a contract for such payments. The bill
from the support Of which Mr.. Murray
has been frightened gives them the neces-
sary power. Unless it is passed before
the courts decide the present suit they
are likely to say that the question Of
constitutionality is not properly before
them. that il is merely academic. siuce
no law exists under which preferential
nayments can be made.
Unless this constitutional question IS
promptly settled In the affirmative ana
statutory power is conferred upon tne
authorities 10 enter into the other tents
cf the bargain proposed, subway building
Will be delayed. While the city can build
subwavs SO far as its own money VIII
90 Il Is necessary for the construction OF
the dual system planned that money
should be furnished by the lnterborough
company: but the InterbOrough company
will not furnish the money, nor can ;t
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
RECALL OF JUDICIAL DECISIONS
- tho Editor of Tho Tribune

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The recall of a judicial decision
is matter that does not reach the ordinary
lay mind-that is, as TO just what it does
mean II Is a total disregard of all law
at the will of the majority Of the voters
who choose TO think and vote upon it, We
all know that popular elections are not at
all popuIar at times-that is, the average
citizen. immersed in business or pleasure
or merely Indifferent, will not go to the
polls and vote. TO this tribunal it is sug-
gestsd by man high in the esteem of the
nation is to be left the power OF saying
whether a decision is right under the Con-
stitution. If the suggestion had emanated
from a source less highly esteemed, less
looked up to, it would have fallen fiat, be-
cause destitute OF merit and subyersve OF
all government
What are constitutional questions? The
ordinary mind, engaged i'm politics perhaps,
would say that a constitutional problem
might be raised perhaps a dozen times a
year. But practically all of our decisions
are based upon constitutional law-what the
constitutions allow or prohibit. There are
hundreds Of thousands of decisions already
resting on this principle Some Of those
principles are so long settled that there Is
no longer any discussion Of them and cases
are simply dismissed by courts with the
single phrase: TOO well settled to be dis
putcd."
An alien is admitted TO naturalization.
He possesses. say. just sufficient knowledge
of our institutions to pass the required eX-
animation. If the recall of a judicial de-
cison is good, then he passes at once to
the high office Of a member Of the supreme
court Of the state. and, with others pos
scsses the controlling power Of deciding
whether a decision is legal and lawful or
not.
If # Is the popular vote that IS to control
then there is no question that has been set
tied even a hundred years but what may
be brought to the new snap judgment su-
premo court to see If II has been settled
right" and as that supreme court changes
its personnel from day to day no lawyer
could advise as to what the law is or may
be-in fact. the less he knew the more valu-
able his opinion. LEX.
New York, March 1s, 1912.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
~ NORTH DAKOTA.

The result Of the North Dakota pri-
mary must leave bitter taste in the
mouths of the former La Toilette man
ayers who deserted the Wisconsin Spna-
tor on the ground that he was too sick
to run. For Il sick man Mr.. La Fol
lette pOlled an astonishing vote, thereby
upSetting all the calculations of those
who were trying to prove that he was
really a candidate for IA hospital ward
If he had taken the hint of the PinchotS
Medill Mccormick and Jimmy Gar
field and retreated to Il SanatOrium
those astute readers Of the signs of the
times would now be happier, Instead
they are busy explaining why the can
ddate for whom they say the Repub-
lican voters are everywhere clamOring
was beaten so deCiSivcly in North Da-
kota by the down and out leader
whom they peremptorily thrust aside.
Naturally their first impulse is to dis
credit the primary. on the ground that it
failed to reflect Republican sentiment
correctly John +. Bass, the Roosevelt
manager in North Dakota. issued a
statement on election night in which he
said that reports made to him indicated
that practically all the Democrats
voted for La Toilette" and further de-
clared: "If the Democrats had stayed
"out of the Republican primary there is
mo question that Roosevelt would have
"won."
Such an explanation may or may not
be reasonable. 1t cannot he proved that
more Democrats voted for La Toilette
than voted for Roosevelt. But granting
the truth of what Mr. Bass says. what
becomes Of the claim Of the Roosevelt
managers that the Presidential prefer
ence primary is the only safe and salts
factory method Of asCertaining the real
sentiment Of Republican voters? Colonel
Roosevelt and Senator Dixon have been
lauding the example of states like North
| Dakota, Oregon, New Jersey, Nebraska,
( California and Wisconsin. which have
established statewide Presidential pri-
maries. and have been demanding that
the same method be introduced at once
in New York, Michigan, Maryland, IL
linois and other states. But If under
system which allows the voter free play
and does not require previous registra-
ton as Republican or a Democrat
Democrats can step in and defeat
Colonel Roosevelt in North Dakota they
can do the same thing in other states,
and a powerful influence in naming Re
publican candidates for President and
Vice-President will be eXerted by out
siders and enemies of the Republican
party. 1t is an essential feature Of the
free Western primary that voter may
switch at pleasure from one party to
another. But that latitude can only
work to defeat the proper purpose Of
either the direct or the convention sys-
tenn Of nomination. which is to ascer-
tain the will of a majority Of the bonG
fde Republicans or Democrats in state
or a district
The complaints which the Roosevelt
managers are now making about the
capture of North DakOta's delegates
for Mr.. La Toilette through the aid Of
Democratic votes emphasize the sound
ness Of President Tafts position that
direct primaries are desirable only in
case they are to be so safeguarded as TO
protect voters I'm their rights.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
TAX ON EXCHANGES ONLY.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: our whole system OF taxation is alb
surd, unjust and unequal. The poor and
the people I'm medium circumstances arc
Obliged to bear tho burden. II is relic
OF the time when the only property Of any
great value was real estate There should
be but one tax, and that on exchanges a
profit IL supposed To be made on each sale
and n tax Of / cent should be levied on
every dollar Of each transaction. receipt
should be given stamped; no transaction tc
be valid unless stamped recent be given
Why should a man be taxed for his
home? Why should a farmer be taxed for
his land? The man makes nothing from
his home. the farmer makes nothing from
his land, unless he has something to sell
Why should "A man whose income is
NG0 escape an income tax. and another
whose income is only 81 more be- Obliged
10 pay Tax all or none. Taxation is for
the support of government to protect life
and property Real estate, which to-day
pays the tax cannot bc stolen. Personal
property and the lives of the people own
ing the same require protection, and per
sonal property almost entirely escapes the
payment OF taxes.
by taxing only exchanges a person max
ing $500 n year would pay a tax on tina,
amount. while one whose income was $500.
on or more would have To pay a tax on
that amount. They could not escape, as
they do at the present time People living
I'm foreign countries deriving their incomes
from this country would have To pay their
share of the expenses of government Tax
every dollar that changes ownership. The
one receiving the money pays the tax. The
revenue would be immense, easy to collect
and just 10 ail. y. w. FARMER.
NrM Nnrk Mnrch IL. 1912.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
IN WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau

TFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. March 20-Mr. and Mrs. Ed
son Bradley entertained at dinner to-nisht
IN honor OF the Russian Ambassador and
Nine. Bakhmeteff Among their other
guests were Senator Root. the German
counsellor and Nine. Haniel Won Haimhau-
sen. the French naval attache and VS.
countess Benoist d'Azy, Major Generai ana
Nrs Leonard Wood, Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur
Lee Mrs. Marshall Field, Nine. Christian
Hauge. Mr.. and Mrs. Edward 7. stotes-
hurry. of Philadelphia; Mrs. Alfred r..
Rates. Mrs. Hunt Slater, Mrs. Shipman' Oh
New York: Captain c. +. G. Soweroy, Brit
ish naval attache; Captain Baron f. Preu-
scben Won und zu IIebenstein. Austrian
naval attache; Judge Magoon ana ho"afu
Greenley. OF Pelham Manor. \. \.
One of the most interesting receptions
scheduled for next week VIII be that on
Monday afternoon at the Nauonal Mu-
seum. when Mrs James w. Plnchot' Nj D
Julian James and others on the committee
for collecting and arranging laces' EN-
bro,deries, costumes and other valuaole
souvenirs for the museum Will receive
Edwin V. Morgan, recently appointed Am
bassador to Brazil, Is in Washington ana
will be at the Albany until he sails Tor MS
new post the middle Of next month
Lieutenant Commander \. W. Johnson,
recently appointed naval attache at San
,,ayo Chui. will sail for his new post on
April ).
Mrs. Champ Clark received this after
noon, having with her her cousin MISS
Stockwel of New York. and Miss burK-
head. OF ST. Louis both of whom are mouse
guests Preceding the at home Mrs.
New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
PEOPLE and Social Incident4

Clark and her guests were entertained at
luncheon by Mrs. Robert r. Hitt who .s
also a cousin OF Miss Stockwell.
The Wednesday Skating Club held its
meeting at the Arcade this afternoon.
Vicomte ,Benoist d'Azy and Miss Kitty
Cameron receiving the visitors, who in.
cluded nearly one hundred diplomats and
other members of society Tea was served
at small tables.
Major General and Mrs. William p. BID.
die entertained at dinner tonight al ths
marine barracks, having as guests Senator
and Mrs. Briggs, Senator Foster Mrs. Ed.
ward Heath Brooke, Captain and Mrs.
Beatty, Rear Admiral and Mrs Stanford
and Captain and Mrs. Fay.
Brigadier General and Mrs. Clarence z
Edwards entertained at dinner tonight In
honor Of the Ambassador to France and
Mrs Herrick.