The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-04
COMMENT
MFR. wilson on the Trail.

A. J. McKelway one of the speakers at the
and the kind of trail that / always follow with
zest" he gave more than hint that something
might be expected TO happen to the quarry at
The game to which the pointer called atten-
ton and which Mr.. Wilson scents is the govern
ment of the District of Columbia. DR.. Nickel
way called it "a triangle of profit and power,
and manned by triumvirate," all interested
In Washington real estate, and comforting TAXA
ton and credit as well congress. and seeing
to 1t that all improvements ordered by congress
serve to enrich the trumvirate, and no one
else
It lis remarkable how often we hear that the
complicated system by which the District OF
Columbia is governed is not WORKING wen; IL
surely autocratic enough though it may not be
a model, except to show how the negation OF
demo cracy has serious disadvantages.
AS president Mr.. Wilson will find 1t very easy
to follow the trail, and since he has grit he
may bag the game.-Boston GLOBE
Richard Strauss.
Richard Strauss is really a popular composer
not a propounder OF reconcile music problems
as Is the incredible Notwithstanding of Wen
ma Strauss is de race, sound musician. he
was once a revolutionary he is no longer be-
cause his musical ideas are quite easy of COM
prehension. AT first his symphonic poems
startled those naive listeners who could not
or would not, recognize the artistic SON OF Wag-
ner the artistic grandson of Liszt. The Wag-
nerians were, and still are, his chief opponents
They attack him with the same weapons OF
abuse that were employed against Wagner him
self. To be sure, Richard Strauss is occasional
ly a poser-it Is part OF his profession-ano
when his disciples declare that upon his should
ers has fallen the mantle of the mighty wagner,
he does not deny the soft impeachment. But
his critics do not know that Their exists no longer
q Strauss case that the cruel war is over. We
know where stand with this bold, brilliant
| musician We know that while he Is not
lond Wagner or a second Lszt, he is, nevertheless.
a remarkable appartion in art. His versatility
is amazing He is at home in all styles, schools,
forms. His handling of the orchestral appara-
tus is the most eloquent and expressive since
Berioz and Wagner; his mastery OF moods
poetic or descriptive, ironic or infernaI, patneuc
or passionate, quaint or capricious, bizarre or
erotic--is extraordinary. Like Wagner, he IS
| extravagant in his powers of expression
though he hasn't much to say as much that
is as original or as profound had the first
Richard. But he is born painter in tone and
may simply because of his prodigious prodi-
gaIity end in boring us as did the fecund and
too expressive Victor Hugo, who said so much
that we longer listened to him-James
Huneker in the February Metropolitan.
sulzer and the Stock Exchange.
| Governor Suzer approaches the question OF
stock exchange reform in the right spirit In
his special message to the legislature. he makes
no appeal to popular prejudice against WAL
Street. His message carries no menace to legitf-
mate business. The governor has handled a big
| subject in a big way. Three years ago when the
Hughes commission made its report 1t was
| expected that the New York stock exchange
would hasten to carry into effect the recommen-
dations presented The report said; ,-.,...
This committee in refrainirg from advising
the incorporation Of the exchange does so In the
| expectation that the exchange will In the future
upon it by it's voluntary organization and will
be actice in preventing wrongdong such as mas
| occurred In the past Tnen We peileve mere ns,e
will be no serious critlcisIh oi NIs' AaG@ ssnA-
| it is not Incorporated.
| II however, wrongdoing recurs, and it should
| appear to the public at large that the exchange
| mas been dereict in exerting its powers and
authority to prevent 1T, we believe that the pup
lie will insist upon the incorporation OF Lne
exchange and It's supJecuoh To 0eate auhnoii's
and supervision. ooo
Though this report was dated June T. 1900.
1 hpeI orxa n
/ itself 1t has carried out no important recon-
mendation made by the commission Even SO
obvious a reform TO minimize gambling as sub
stituting 30 per cent margin IN place OF q
| 10 per cent margin, has been treated with silent
contempt because it would lessen reckless trad
ing and diminish the pronts or the brokers' Inc
governor says in his message
| Recently a committee of the house of repre-
sentatives has taken cognizance Of the conditions
az matters which concerned the whole country
and has placed on record the testimony OF some
OF the governors of the exchanges, and N tne
/ other nersons,. which leaves NO doubt in the
minds of paAiee OF sadgFas at that the axs
changes have been either incapable or unwilling
to devise measures that will effectively eradi-
cate the evils,
| the obvious duty of the State, it seems to me,
| to devise the remedies II the State neglects to
| do it's plain duty the State should find no fault
| IL the federal government acts in the prem
This is a fair statement of the case. Public
| opinion will no longer permit the New York
stock exchange to remain an irresponsible body.
| Either the State must act the federal gov
| eminent will act and the work of regulation
and supervision is work primarily for the State.
| Governor Sulzer Is asking for no hasty legisia-
ton. Nor is he asking for anything unreason-
able. Even incorporation he leaves to the dis
! erection OF the legislature. His whole pro-
gram for the protection OF the public and
legitimate business; also the stock exchange
from the popular wrath that inevitably must
come IL Ii remains vast machine for stock
jobbing and manipulation.
Thus far the responsibility for evil conditions
in the stock exchange has rested upon the ex-
| change itself Henceforth the responsibility
/ will rest upon the New York legislature and
| the Democratic party.-Washington Herald.
Safety on Land and Sea.
| 1t is q, peculiar fact that while on land wa
| have enjoyed thus far of the most open
! winters in the history of the weather bureau.
the ocean has been more severely m-tossed
during the past month than 1t has been in
years. Ship after ship has made pors only
after terrible battles with the elements and few
are lucky enough to come through without Inn
| pressive scars from the fights they have waged.
The fact that they have risen superior TO
/ these struggles is illuminating commentary
| on the advancement that has been made n
shipbuilding during the past ten or fifteen
1 years. This progress has developed such con-
| fdence in the present safety of ocean travel
/ that steamships sent from their sailing
ports into the midst OF storms that are known