davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
TAKES P. C. KNOX TO TASK
Consul General Of Colombia
Finds Misstatements.

Francisco Escohar. Consul General o.
Colombia I'm this city. has sent lo'tsr
10 former Secretary OF State i. e. Knox
in which he dwells upon what he charac-
tcrizes as the very serious mlsstatemens
Of facts" contained I'm the report whNs
tho Secretary made on the subject Of the
relations between tho United states an'
Colombia. and which was forwarded 70
Congress on March by President TAFT
Mr.. Escobar's letter. made public yes
terday. IS dated March q. The Consul
General quotes from Mr.. knox's report
as follows:
within forty-eiSht hours from ne
proclamation OF Panama independence
the last vestige Of Colombian AUTHORITY
on the isthmus had disappeared, and tns
people Of Panama. through the unanimous
vote of their municipalities. had rathed
the republic"
In reply to this Mr. Escobar says. u
part:
THAT this Is unqualinedy false =
proved by the fact that Panama wa
recognized 10y the United States sevenp'
two hours after the fake rebellion. al :
time when 10 election had been hs''
when she had no constitutional assemoH'
when the news Of the so-called indelen
dencc had not reached any Of the poPO
lous towns of the Interior
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
PHILIPPINE PROFITS.

Duty is not TO be measured with dol
lars. Yet there are those who take
sOrdid views of some Of the most Sa-
cred obligations Of the country, and
who ask concerning them the question
imputed 10 them by Webster genera
tions ago. "What is all this WORTH
We are not sure but that the Philippine
policy of the government has been at
tackled on the ground of its pecuniary
cost and unprofitabeneSS as often as on
any other We have been reminded OF
the expense Of holding and governing
those islands. and have been told that
all expectations of their becoming com
mercially valuable were empty dreams.
What are the facts? The commerce
Of those islands last year was about
three times as great rs il was in 1900.
1t was more than twice as great aS
that of all the German colonies though
the latter are about twice as pOpulOuS
rs the Philippines. 1t was nearly twice
as large as that of siam. though the
two countries are nearly equal i'm popu-
lation. Ii was considerably larger than
that Of French IndO-C China. though the
latter is more than twice aS populOus
rs our islands. II was IL per cent of
that Of the Dutch East Indies. though
tie latter are five times more populous
than the Philippines. In other words.
since our occupation and control Of
them the islands have far surpassed in
commerce all other countries which are
fittingly 10 be compared with them.
This increase is. moreover. almost
entirely between the Philippines and
the United States. in both directions
In 1900 the share of this country in
Philippine commerce was inconsidera-
BILE. Now it is 10 per cent of the whole.
aud in another year or two is likely
to be more than one-half of it. our
trade with the islands. divided almost
equally between imports and exports,
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
TONING UP AT ALBANY.

According 10 the message transmit
tin. the report of Governor SuIzer
administrative investigating commit
tro tbp states business methods are
fan many respects antiquatcd and lax.
That conclusion will surprise nobody
vino has ever had anything to do with
the departments at Albany. 1t Is al
WAYS next week" there.
The committee cites the fact that the
fiscal wear begins on October ], but the
estimates for the year have to be sub
mitted on November II, eleven months
and n half ahead. The rest of the
time until the Legislature adjourns IN
Nav or June is spent trying to eaten
up with the needs OF the state govern
ment as they arise and providing for
them through deficiency estimates.
The work of the estimators, Ike
woman's. Is never done. Mr. Suffers
committee sensibly recommends that
the fiscal year he made to begin on
July | instead Of October ]. If the
change is effected reports on the dolngS
Of 1874 will he more likely TO get
into print before 1916-'17
Other promising suggestions are that
the appropriation bills be classlned
and the so-called supply bills he dis
continued. that the boards having SUI
peryision over prison affairs be consoli-
dated, that the administration Of the
prison and highway departments be
improved and that the state printing
system be reformed.
The state government has been run
ming az loose ends for many years. It's
operations are slow and costly. Al
most any change in methods would be
for the better. and the Snlzer investi-
eating committee had easy work dis
covering Improvements which ought to
be worth while.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
NEW YORK'S REPUTATION.

We have watched with great deal
of amusement our neighbOr The Her
aids" lonely efforts to defend" New
YOrks fame by huShing up the police
scandal. 1t reminds us Of a famous
attempt to sweep back the sea. or. I"
take a more modern parallel, II is aS
effectual as Mayor GaynOr's plan to
crush District Attorney Whitman by
calling him an enemy
The idea of calling every one who
insists upon cleaning mp the city a de
famer IS not new. The organization
which four years ago erected statue
Of Purity in Times Square as IA rebuke
to those who told the truth about this
city had a copyright on it. II ought to
exercise its copyright or sell its old
statue 10 our neighbOr for erection ten
blocks further downtown II certainly
ought to get something ont of this he
lated imitation.
If the town would only come around
TO the statue Of Purity point of
view ii would make Waldo its per-
manent Police Commissioner He is
the great defender OF the city's fair
fame. ont Of 2S5 charges made
against policemen during his admins
tration 30 were investigated by tie
officers against whom the charges We're
made. Trust the system to keep the
reputation Of the city spotlesS.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
A SACRED INSTITUTION.

We begin 10 soc low wages for women
workers i'm their true light now that
we have read the reamS of denun'la-
tion that the Illinois Investigators have
brought upon their devoted heads h
seeking 10 learn whether or not. II
women workers were paid enough 10
! live on. fewer Of them would 20 wrong.
lIf the IllinoiSams had attacked the Ark
of the Covenant they would not have
come i'm for such general abuse
our progressive neighhor The New
York World" scolds them for going io
Washington and trying 10 enlist the
President I'm movement which would
subject generally the employer who
undergrad his women workers 10 Tin"
kind Of publicity which has forced
some Of the Chicago employers of that
sort To raise the wages Of their girls.
SAYS "The World
II s. week would have cured the
social evils complained or. some ol
those who have been giving them Sc
rious consideration for thousands "I
years would have hit upon and applied
the remedy long ago.
Gently Gently No one says that
Il every Girl worker were lifted above
the half starvation point these evils
would be "cured." All that is scrl-
ously alleged IS that If this were done
one source Of temptation would be re-
moved.
Moreover. il is no easy thing 10 at
tack successfully parsimony and eco
inomic wrong. aS the chorus Of abuse
meeting the Illinois ideali>ts shows.
Attack il and a powerful body will rise
up and show You somehow that YOU
are attacking morality itself. Just as
the abolitionists were proved to be al
tacking religion itself when they at
tackled slavery. You will speedily learn
tc your sorrow that low wages are one
of the last props Of virtue; that II
women were paid enough to live on
they would not enjoy the splendid
moral discipline Of fighting off tempta-
tion when half starving. and that if the
world once conceded that some women
fell because they hadn't enough TO live
on who might otherwise have kept
straight its own supporting principles
would totlcr to destruction
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
THE CLOSED STATION
A Commuter Tells of Complaint
That Produced a Reform.
Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Mention was made few days ago
I'm the daily press Of the fact that a pas
senger IN New Jersey often could not pur-
chase ticket or find shelter because
railroad station was closed.
II has been a common practice Of some
SUBURBAN railroads To close their stations
So that passengers had TO stand out iil
blizzard and rain until train time. one
railroad ran trains up 10 midnight. but
after : y M no ticket could be purchased
nor could a passenger get in the waiting
rooms
This thing had gone on about far
enough I'm Northern New Jersey. when a
fcw weeks ago ! wrote a note TO the then
Governor Wilson and also 10 the Service
Commissioners Of the state, detailing
these circumstances. An invescgdtioh
was al once ordered. with the result that
certain stations heretofore closed are now
opened til midnight for the comfort and
convenience OF the travelling public.
The people who travel out twenty-five
miles from New York are certainly en-
titled TO rights and privileges guaranteed
them under charters granted to railroads
and the attention OF Chairman Mccall IS
respectfully called to similar abuses IN
the State ~ New York
One reason given FOR this practice was
the chewing gum machines In the depot
were destroyed by boys unless thcy
closed the stations | never supposed the
chewing gum industry OF the state ot
Ncw Jersey was so important as To in
convenience the travelling public to sHch
an extent The railroads I'm question can
thank themselves that no bills from doc
tors FOR attendance ON pneumonia ana
bronchitis have thus far reached them.
n a few more people would just assert
their rights corporations would not be
walking an over people with iron feet
THEODORUS VAN WICK.
Ncw York. March %. 1913.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
COLUMBIA HAS NEW PLAN
Lectures To Be Given at Cost
of Two and One Half Cents

y series or three hundred lectures and
entertainments will he opened in October
Tn the extension department OF Columbia
University The cost to members will not
hc more than two and one-half cents FOR
each lecture This Is said % be the first
Undertaking Of its kind ever attempted by
any university.
Milton J. Davies. formerly supervisor OF
lecures and concerts or the Brooklyn In
stitute. who has been made assistant TO
Professor James 6. Eghert. the director
Of extension teaching. will have charge or
the Lectures and entertainments. MIR Da-
vies was at one time secretary 10 Prcsi-
dent Vincent OF the Chautauqua Instltu-
ton Speaking OF the new project yes
terday. he said.
The university recognizes that adult
education Is more and more necessary for
the protection of our democratic institu-
tions. and the aim of this institute is 10
furnish "a platform for the free and un-
biassod discussion of current social and
economic questions; also To afford a thor
ough programme FOR general culture and
to give the public something of the col
legc outlook II will provide system OF
adult education and rationalized recrea-
tion of an educational nature for busy
peOplp "
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
BETTER PAY FOR DIPLOMATS

President Wilson's frank confession
Of the embarrassment TO which he is
being put in asking men 10 serve the
country abroad at sacrifice OF time
.Cf means and of opportunity at home
ought 10 stir Congress 10 making more
liberal provision for hose who accept
the higher diplomatic posts. 1t is be-
meath the dignity of a great ana opu-
lent nation like the United States 10
try to get people to work for ii AT their
own expense 1t ought not to he asked
when ambassadors and ministers are
appointed. Can they pay their own
way" As a matter Of Self-respect and
fair dealing the government should pay
their way.
Congress made good start in l9l |
when il authorized the Secretary ot
State TO acquire buildings in foreign
capitals. where il has none for the
use of the diplomatic and consular es-
Establishments. But 50 far no approprla-
tions have been made to carry out the
authorization. All the other great
powers provide homes for their am
hasSadors and ministers and meet the
cost of repairing and furnishing them.
The embassy is permanent. as 1t should
be. and the cost of IFS maintenance Is
not put as a personal charge on the oc-
cupant II IS only proper for the couh-
try to bear the expense of observing the
diplomatic and social customs of the
various capitals 10 which ENJOYS are
sent. Definite standards are thus set.
and 1t becomes a simple matter for dip
lomatic representatives to adjust them
selves 70 them. The country should not
shoulder on them personal RESPONSE
bility for upholding American credit.
It might not be advisable to increase
materially the salaries of ambassadors
and ministers. Those salaries are high
compared with the compensation of OH
Gals of the first rank at home. The
trouble is that the government com
pels diplomats TO use their salaries 10
pay expenses which are in no way per
sonal. If embassies and legations were
TO be built and maintained at public
expense. and suitable entertainment
funds. varying according to the cost of
keeping UP an embassy in the different
capitals. were TO be provided. the pres
ent salaries might serve.
The President has found it difficult
to get men Of moderate income to 20
abroad The combination Of wide cX-
perience. knowledge of the world ca
pacity for diplomacy. private means
and the willingness to use them in the
public interest is rare. II merit and
distinction alone are 10 be recognized
in filing high diplomatic posts the con
ditions of the service will have 10 be
elevated The Presidents recent
statement leaves Congress no further
excuse for blinking the facts.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
THE POWER OF BANKERS
1t Cannot Always Prevent War /;
Reader Accurately Points Out.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. Your editorial In which you called
upon the international bankers 10 pre-
vent European strife eavcrcd more OF
the lonc-hairod id alism OF "rhc Indc-
pendent than OF the good common sense
usually displayed IN your editorial col
umnS.
y nagrant error was 10 cite one David
s. Jordan-ma his offended ego forgive
the omission Of "Starr"!-as YOUR cham
piOn of European peace, I'm theory. Mr.
Jordan's continued repetition in the pub
lie press and from the lecture platform
Of discredited false historical statements
and equally dscreditcd statistics and
theories. lis absurd bugaboo of a vague
and chimerical armament trust" and his
consistent tactics OF refusing to look
facts in the face. all stamp him as One
unfit to bc accepted and heraldod by The
Tribune as an authority. Perhaps his
large retaining fee from Mr.. Carucgic's
sclf-adyertlsirg scheme. the Peace
Foundation, Will explain to you his rc-
markably active sophistry.
In September last your news columns
frequently made public the assurances
that there would be no Balkan war. be-
cause, forsoOth. the money lenders
frowncd upon il to the extremity Of re-
fusing the opportunity to supply the
financial sinews therefor. oh. dear me-.
No war. Never, But the war has beer.
nevertheless. fruitful source OF news
for your scarehead pages these several
months past And the great powers Of
Europe had joined the fiscal kings IL
their frowning, too,
Your proposition fails simply because
no man or group of men controls all the
resources of Europe. nor yet Of any one
great power thcrcof-this your own argu-
ments anent the money trust" during
the sittings of the Pujo committee rise
up TO proclaim; again, because intcrna-
tional politics still take their color from
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
A SIMPLIFIED HOLOCAUST.

That explosion i'm u shinclc factory
lately displayed aS ~ Nude De
Scendng a Stairway in the CupiSi
Show-vcry accurately forecast the
latest assault Of the Simpliiicd spoilers
upon our mother tongue
This is no mild. old-maidiSh shipping
of a loose "e" here or a dangling "gh
there. At last the reformers nave
caught the spirit Of their task. Ihey
have wadcd through knce-deep in gore
hacking left and right. and the man
cled remains would shock anybody not
a cannibal or a matricide.
There is naturally something mag
nifcent and StupcndouS about TINS
final onslaught. And yet we cannot
help feeling tingc Of melancholy III
the scene
Who does not remember the b.lthr
beginnings of the movement. Ih're
was 10 he nothing revolutionary. noth-
ING swift. nothing terrible. Word 10y
word. letter hy letter. the American
Ncoilc were 10 W. liI'"'' "''' )" ''' = 90
tie art Of murder. one happy morning
we were 10 wake IN and find that our
beloved mother tongue had been gently
simplificd into another and happier
world
And now. instead. comes the present
tragic end. Recalling how lonesome
the simplificrs have rcmaincd-despitc
their cloquence and subsidy one can
no, help feeling that they have now. I'D
despair. not only blown MP the SlIlpii-
fed spelling factory but have them
selves jumped. rithing and rigging
int. tlo ,.ornr11e rpcEooc
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
TWO YEARS LATER.

To-day is the anniversary ot the II
angle Waist Company'S fire. iW"
years have passed since that terrible
catastrophe. and yet it is possible for
the Committee of Safety 10 report. ~
if did the other day. that there are nun
dreds of factories in this city today
where the Triangle fire might he re-
peated. hundreds of factories over
crowded. with unsafe. inadequate or
obstructcd exits. with piles of run
hiSh and infammable material III them
that are menace To the lives of the
workers
The Legislature has investigated
largely upon The Tribunc's inSlstcncc'
and has passed laws to make work III
factories safe. II is about 10 pass
more laws. But what is needed IS the
enforcement of these laws. what l.
needed is vigorous campaign against
the factory owner who imperils the
lives of his workers Fines ana I'M
priSonmentS would make greed careful
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
IN THE WAKE OF DISASTER,

The tornado is an old enemy of man
i'm the Mississippi Valley region ana
one that no knowledge or foresight can
defeat The hurricane at sea has lost
some Of its terrors for the ship in It's
track, for with the development OF
meteorology the captain who keeps an
eve on "the glass" and quick mind
in his head can dodge the worst or
cyclonic conditions.
But for the city or village in the path
of the land storm 70 such precautioh
avails. The ruin that came 10 Omaha
and the other ill-fated communities or
The Middle West remains part OF that
lightning and tempest" from which
man. however wise, cannot deliver him
self.
We venture TO add that the American
snirit in the face of disaster Is more
than wisdom and better than safety.
The whole country to-day throbs with
sympathy for the hard hit cities ana
towns. The prompt telegram or PreSl-
don't Wilson said we'll what each OF
rs feels. Best of all, the whole coun-
try shares in the pride and pluck
with which the Mayor Of Omaha tells
Of a stricken city rising from its RUNS
So reads the story all along the line
The case of san Francisco is still
fresh in every ones mind. 1t will al
WAYS remain the great example or
American courage before overwheim-
nc disaster. The country helped then
rs It must help now. 1t is no time 10
count generosity. and in many ways
the federal authorities. the bordering
states. the private associations OF re-
lief and the business world as well can
and will be Of real assistance.
The inspiration for the nation, how
over. is the sheer American pluck with
which beaten community shakes its
head and returns 10 the fight. OF such
4 stuff we like to think, IS America
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
THAT QUESTION OF FLAGS
A Henglishman Looks Into Tammahy
all hand Reports.

To tho Editor of The Tribune.
Sir. I'm answer to the question oi "'e
i'm the Tribune Of March l9-welI' lam
many Hall IS not a city or state nan
You can hire the place for ball ana p".
,,p any flag. even the English has' OF .
balls or anything so long as you pay ,lo
management ON this occasion the "al-
way girls ran bail was there. sd"
many American flags inside and did"
overhear any plot Matched among thoSe
"nawsty" Irish to annex the l. , NO
indeed
felt worried "a the writer did. IN TACT
could not sleep. So | got up ana went
there with blood in my eyes to cut IN inc
bud any such po, a. the anneNinS Oh
the t. :. TO ireland. but To- to my sor-
row instead the general opinion was that
if We could only be annexed 10 the good
old T.. 5. \. they all claimed they would
be happy found them very American
inside even though that nawsty Nag OF
Ilreland was on top outside.
Brooklyn. March %. 1918. COCkNEY.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
A PAPAL INDULGENCE
The Rev. Dr.. Brann Contributes a
Definition of the Term.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir. was surprised 10 read these
words in "A reputcd dispatch from Rome
published I'm to-day's Tribune announc-
ing a Papal indulgence:
Those thus attending the Jubilee will
enjoy plcnary indulgence of, all their
sins
Turning 10 tho definition Of "indul-
roucc" in the little catechism used IN
our parochial schools. find.
AN Indulgence is the remission in
whole or I'm part of the temporal pun
iehmcnt due 30 sin" Again: AN indul
gence is not a pardon of sin nor Ii
ccnsc to commit sin. and one who is IN
a state Of mortal sin cannot gain an in
diligence"
When will the misrepresentation OF the
sixteenth century cease?
HENRY \. BRANN. II. u.
Rector OF st. Agness church.
New York March lS. 1918
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
FENNING SALE DRAWS MANI
Bidding for Porcelains at Fifth ave
nue. Galleries Is Brisk.

old English and Irish glassware Ve
Dutch. English and Oriental porces'".
and some Staffordshirc plate formeu -.
features of the first session OF ihe =,
yesterday at the Fifth Avenue M' u".
lcries. of the collection Of antiques "
longing to John FenninG.
\ large throng of bidders and bu'e'-
filled the galleries. among the best hh'",
being H. H. Pell. Mrs. L. Y. boch"VN.
Mrs. f.. +. Witmark. Mrs. II. Mar"ys
John Farr, X. Sulzer. j. LaneL D. NJ
captain j. Deiamar. II. A. Mchenna a."
Frank Bowlcs. q,
The total of the session was s5,s'f. -.
this amount j. r. Thornton gave N'V :,
a marble bust Of Louis XIV. lrVihs
Wiles paid sS2 for a pair of OLD i'a"',
church stalls David Wasstar "p'a'"
for s6o a dozen Wedgwood dinner p'sV
and q. l.. Ileimerdinger gave s0' % -,
Chinese decorated vase and cover. ,.;S,,rsse
MitchelrS purchase was also '"''
vase. for which he paid SS5.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25

which has Withdrawn from that loan
scheme and has done 50. among other
reasons. because it disapproved the op-
preSSive conditions which the other
powers intended to impose upon the
borrower If that Withdrawal shall be
promptly followed with recognition OF
the Chinese Republic. the gloomy fore
casts of some at Shanghai may he dis
appointed and the bonds of peace.
commerce and honest friendship he
tween this country and China may he
greatly confirmed.
New-York tribune., 1913-03-25
CHINESE VIEWS OF THE SIX
POWER LOAN.

II is not at all surprising that. as re
ported by our shanghai correspondent
in Sundays Tribune. there are those
IN China who misinterpret the with
drawal of the United States from the
siX-power loan negotiations and regard
il as either confession Of American
weakness or q deSertiOn and betrayal
Of China i'm her time OF need. Such
views are not. however. by any means
universal There are those who regard
that proposed loan as n grave menace
tc the fiscal integrity and independence
of the Chinese Republic. and who Will
therefore feel grateful TO this country
COR taking step which may wholly
defeat that project. Thus "The China
Republican" of Shanghai, journal
earnestly devoted 10 the new order Of
affairs i'm that country. says Of the six
power loan proposals:
1t may be seriously doubted whether
in the whole history of modern inter
national finance any responsible gov
ornment ever before treated such mon
strous loan conditions seriously. Yet
to-day the higher authorities at Peking
who have purpOsely concealed the
facts. who could lawfully back out but
show no disposition TO do the right
thing who with their eyes wide open
would deliberately saddle this young
republic with an intolerable burden.
who know full well that there is not
the smallest reason or justification for
rushing matters at this juncture-will
plunge the nation into a financial
morass whence eXtrication will be both
costly and difficult.
In that view of the case China has
cause TO regard as her friend the power