The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-09
SCRAP BOOK FOR TO-DAY

The first successful sewing machine was the invention of Elias Howe, who was born at Spencer Mass, ninety four years ago today. After a meager country school educati~n he became a mechanic, and he was only a youth when he began his efforts to invent method of sewing by machine. Eng fish, French and American inventors held similar ambitions, but their ma chimes were not successful A ma chine that would really sew was com pIeted by Howe in 1S45 and patented the following year. For years he sought both in America and England, to bring his machine to public atten- ton. In the meantime others began the manufacture of machines, and Howe was forced to appeal to the courts. In 1854 he attained success in his legal battle, and built a factory with capacity of 100 machines a. day n this city. Royalties from his in Yention made him a multi-milliona1re before he died in 1887. Plans for hon bring Howe on the occasion of the centenary of his birth, six years hence, are already being considered.
 Thirteen years ago today the Conn monweaIth of Australia was constitut- ed by an act of the British Parliament and at the beginning of the following year the island continent took it's place among the nations of the world. Owing allegiance to the British Crown, Australia has yet been left free to work out it's own destiny, and it's success has aroused the wonder and admiration of the world.
 Politically, Australia is noteworthy for many innovations, not the least of which is the absence of a purely conservative party. The Liberal party and the Labor party are the two great no1itjcal organizations of the common wealth, and both advocate principles and policies that are decidedly rad1- cal The voters are very evenly dl- vided between the two parties anus in the recent elections, the Labor gov ernment headed by the Right Hon. Andrew Fisher as Premier was over thrown, the Liberals obtaining a ma jority of one in the Federal House Of Representatives. As only half of the Senate seats were contested, that body still remains in the control of Fish CTS party, bringing about condlt1on of affairs similar to that now prevail ing in Canada, and which enabled the Liberals to defeat Premier Boroe4 naval bill.
 Premier Fishers recent defeat was not the first he has suffered. As leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, he first became Prime Minister in 1908, but was defeated n the general elections of 1909, only to "corne back in 1910. He won his po- liticaI successes on a platform that in 7cIuded protection, standardization of public utilities and insurance. gov ernment control of trusts, laws for the protection of labor, and exclusion of the OrientaIs. Protection and oppo- sition to Japanese Immigration were features of the platforms of both par ties, and every avowed free trader was defeated.
 A doctrine akin to the States rights which came near dividing the United States into two countries was advocated by the Fisher party in the recent campaign, and was in part re- sponsib1e for its defeat. The cen tralization of government, at the ex- pense of the powers and prerogatives of the original states, as proposed by Premier Fisher, aroused bitter opposi-i ton.
 Australia prfdes itself on being a country where political graft and cor ruption are unknown, and this boast must be accepted as very nearly true. Suffragists will point with pride to this record, for in Australia. the ladies vote, and take prominent part, in campaigns. The. women of the work ing and sE1opkeeping classes are near ly all keen politicians but the ladies of the wealthy upper crust" have so far usually remained aloof and very few of them are voters.
 In Australia nobody works more than eight hours a day, and the eight hour law is strictly enforced in all industries. The wage scale is a tri- he below that prevailing on this side of the world, but the cost of living is much lower. and the workingmen of the Antipodes are the most prosper ous in the world. Military training Is compulsory for all able-bodied males between the ages of fourteen and twenty-five.
 The thirteen years that have pass ed since the passing of the common wealth act has been a period of un- precedented prosperity for Australia. Melbourne and Sydney, the chief cit ies, have grown tremendously, and are