The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-03


the sensational disclosures of the
Becker trial and the trial Of the gun
men" held responsible for the death
of Rosenthal, is still clinging to things
in general and the police department
In particular, but the purifying draft
of publicity and public opinion bids
fair to purify the air by slow degrees.
The citizens fully realize, however,
that the elimination of the "odor" is
merely sham palliative and that
thorough publication is impossible un.
less the source Of the "odor" is eradi.
Gated. The Becker trial is, at least for
the present disposed of, but the Cur.
ran Committee Investigation is still
going on an dthe evidence given is
scarcely less damaging to the reputa-
tion of the police department than the
evidence in the Becker case. II would
take husky and vigorous Hercules
to clean out that Augias stable.
In view Of all the shocking disclos-
ures of the last six months or so, the
attitude Of Mayor Gaynor is consider
ed rather strange by a majority of the
citizens. He takes an extremely op-
timistic view Of the situation and Sc.
verely criticizes the ministers and
newspapers for harpng upon the ex.
isting corruption IN the police depart
ment of New York. His idea seems to
be that the less said about II the bet.
ter for the interests of the city. Some
of the ministers rebuked by Mayor
Gaynor have called-his attention to the
fact that evil undoubtedly exists in
the police department and that one
cannot eradicate evil by merely ignor-
ing It's existence.
Oranges and other California fruit
were cheap IN New York the other day
and the best grades of oranges could
not find buyer at 8 cents box. The
reason Of this was not in the quality Of
the fruit or in an excessive supply or
idCh vi uChldhu, Out thC hoSt thht
the fruit buyers were determined to
force the shippers to reduce the cart
age rate which they had recently in
creased more than rs per cent. The
increase was considered sort Of graft
and the buyers organized and agreed
on boycotting the shippers. Their
opportunity came when $50 carloads
of California fruit arrived In New York
and were put up at auction at Pier 90.
North River. The buyers, about three
hundred In number, were all there
but the auctioneer could obtain no bids
at the starting price or $3.50 box.
After little while he asked for bids
at $3.50, then at $15O then at IS cents,
80 cents and finally at cents, but not
one of the three hundred buyers was
willing to offer even one cent box
for the choicest California oranges,
grapes, pears or plums. The deter
mined attitude of the buyers quickly
brought the shippers and receivers to
terms and the very next day they en-
tered into an agreement with the buy
ers upon the latters terms.
A woman was arrested the other
Sunday for disturbing high mass In
one of the Roman Catholic churches in
the Bronx by her snoring. 1t was so
loud and emphatic that It drowned the
voice of the priest and made 1t impos-
sible for the congregation to under
stand the Latin words of the service.
A policeman was called and requested
to remove the great noise. The woman
was so full of the juice that cheers and
inebriates that the officer found 1t rath-
er difficult to awaken the woman.
O.
The women teachers Of Greater New
Yark are grateful to Miss Grace c..
Strachan for the work she did In OBJ.
taining for the women teachers the
same pay As the men teachers receive.
It is true, Miss Strachan was paid for
her work, but her salary as lobbyist
was not considered an adequate COM
pensation for her success. About q
year ago 1t was suggested to raise a
fund by voluntary contributions and
donate It to Miss Strachan as token
OF gratitude. At first the plan met
with some opposition and was practic.
ally abandoned, but recently the plan
has been revived and Its execution has
progressed 80 far that Miss Strachan
will porbably receive sum OF about
$65.OO0 as a Christmas present from
her grateful sisters.
The New York Peace Society met
the other night at the Hotel Astor to
listen to an address by DR.. Charles w.
Eliot. President Emeritus of Harvard
University on the tour he completed
last summer In the interest of univer-
sal peace. Andrew Carnegie was In
the chair, but DIR. Eliot did not come.
Illness prevented him from coming to