davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
The District Bill.

III nder the general order for the curtaii-
lsent of all appropriations at the coming
SESSION of Congress, the House committee
ks cut the District bill far below the
IGint warranted by the prospective local
avenues and even below the Commis-
siopers' estimates. which were themselves
Int far beneath the revenues. The Dill
r4aches the House carrying s11,3o2,-
sbSI5. whereas if it followed the
principle laid down in the or
sanfc act it would have carried s15.-
2pa.27O. double the amount of local tax
revenues estimated to be available Tor
appropriation by this measure.
1.-THE effect of this curtailment Will be
b leave unappropriated in the Treasury
se0ia of District money. accord
d. to present estimates Such sur
uhus is in theory impossible under the
5ct of 1878 defining the procedure OF
fiscal legislation. In fact, however. it is
Inevitable under the existing condi-
rtonS and the present practice OF Con-
iress that large amount of District
avenues will he left uneNpended, even
though the municipal current needs are
dressing and numerous large and ur-
Gent projects of permanent improve
bent await authorization. So long as
he District was in debt to the United
Jtates for advances on improvement
accounts this surplus of local cash
build be probably expended for the
liquidation of these obligations. Now
Ill this floating debt has been paid and
10 other debts are known to exist to
N extent to absorb the unappropriated
finds.
lit has been suggested that so long
As Congress is by existing circum-
stances required to curtail the ap-
topriations in general and the Dis
ttfct bill in particular the surplus Dis
tiiet revenues should be applied to the
sinking fund for the eventual extin-
eSuishment of the funded debt. This
would be satisfactory to the local COM
r3uHity, provided no change were made
in the terms upon which this indebt-
edness. amounting to approximately
ss0U6.o 900. is now being paid; that is
TO say. on the half-and-half basis. the
United States matching every District
dollar with a federal dollar in the
liquidation. No other plan of debt pay
rnent is possible under the law. None
other should be proposed.
The District bill in its present shape
- a disheartening product of economy.
There are many unrecognized needs,
many urgent projects unprovided for.
IN only one trifiing respect is there any
advancement. and that consists in the
increase to $500 of the MINIMUM salary
paid to District employees. Modest as
they were. the Commissioners esti-
mates, which provided for a very few
new works of necessity. have been
pared numerically. In the light of
he Districts own prospective reve
lues and pressing municipal needs, the
ill is but poor provision for the
Ipkeep of the capital municipality.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
The Pistol Trade and the Law.

New York has a stringent pistol law,
which makes it a felony to buy and
bear arms save under certain restric-
tons This statute was enacted only
after s. hard fight against the interests
affected, the manufacturers of and
dealers in small arms. 1t is working
fairly well in some respects. but. owing
to the nearness of New Jersey New York
ers are able to obtain weapons almost
as readily as before the Sullivan law
was passed. In a recent issue of the
Sporting Goods Dealer. trade journal,
a certain case of late happening is
cited to throw ridicuIe upon the SuIli-
van law. 1t appears that night
Waterman shot a would-be burglar
who was endeavoring to enter prem
ises that he was engaged to guard, and
after the wounded man had been
taken to the hospital the police
CHANGED to think of the statute and
learned that the night Waterman had
no permit to carry revolver, so he
was arrested. The trade journal re-
CARDS this unquestionably foolish pro-
cedure as making the pistol law and
New York itself ridiculous. OF course,
the night Waterman had a right to be
armed. for his business was specifically
of the kind to warrant his possession
of a weapon. But he should have
| taken the precaution of getting a per-
nit when he accepted the job There is
nothing in the law in New York to
prevent night watchmen from arming
themselves, and this case in no wise
justifies contempt Of the law, which is
designed to check the easy procure
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
New York,

Gov.-elect Whitman will appoint his
successor in the office of district at
torney for Greater New York. He is
seeking a f1rst-class man. He offered
the place to former Attorney General
Wickersham. who would have filled it
of course admirably. But Mr.. Wicker
sham's private engagements prevented
acceptance.
Something for the state and for Mr..
Whitman has, however, been accomplish
ed even by the offer. 1t shows how high
an appreciation the newly elected head
of the state puts on public service. and
how DESTROYS he is of making the right
sort of appointments. When he shakes
down at Albany he will probably give adj
ditional evidence of the same spirit.
There is national interest In the New
York situation. 1t is deplorable in the
extreme In the big town, notwith-
standing all that Mr.. Whitman as dis
trict attorney has done to punish and
check crime. crime is still bold. The
man who succeeds Mr.. Whitman will
he fail or even fall slightly below
unfortunate for the community.
In state affairs there is "a mighty
sight" to be done to restore order and
efficiency and honesty. The record
for the past few years is almost the
worst ever. Public moneys have been
wasted, prominent officials discredited
and confusion and Generalization sown
broadcast. Not in forty years has such
a picture been presented.
The republicans have been called in
to clean house. They will soon be in
full possession. They know what is
expected of them, and are partly adj
vised of what to do. If they fail, their
chance to figure inf1uentially in the
next national convention and carry the
state later for the republican presi-
Dental nominee will go glimmering.
But the very size of the order and
the fullness of party control make
peril. Factionism may develop. Per-
sonal rivalries may set UP. Divisions
about patronage and legislation may
show.
AS governor, Mr.. Whitman will have
both a large opportunity and large
responsibility. He is fully aware of
the fact that his election has made him
a national figure, and that much atten-
ton will be fixed on him. If he is
faithful and successful over the new
things at Albany, he may be set over
the many things in Washington. 1t
will be his first essay in a large field
But he is starting well, as this offer
m Mr. Wickershan nrOves
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
Golf and Politics.

From the Virginia spa where the
Tammany chief recently recuperated
from his latest campaign toll comes this
interesting item of news:
Golfers are interested in new
method of handicapping adopted by
oscar Underwood and Charles Z. Muir
nhy in their matches here, 1t being d
modification of the Yorkshire handicap
Mr. Underwood was slightly the better
player. Instead of giving Mr.. Murphy
three bisques, for instance which
would be three strokes wherever the
latter wished to take them, his oppo-
nent gave him stroke on every hole
following one Mr.. Murphy had lost
Thus a flexible handicap was created
several golfers here have tried the
plan and say IT works WE'LL
It was golf that brought Mr.. Murphy
and Mr.. Underwood together in closer
bonds than they had known before.
They were not unfriendly when they
met on the Virginia links, but their
contests there revealed each man to
the other in more pleasant light, and
they parted on the best Of terms. One
Of George Eliot's most famous obser-
vations is that "a difference as to jokes
is great strain on the affections
May it not be said that an agreement
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
MEXICO'S PLURAL PRESIDENT.

From the Detroit News.
.At the present time" reads a dis
patch from Washington, there are
three distinct governments in Mexico.
And heaven only knows how many
others that are extinct.
From the Knoxville Journal and Tribune.
Which of the four presidents now sit
ting on the lid in Mexico will turn out
to be the conquering hero?
From the Duluth Herald.
It's poor stick of a general in Mexi-
CO who can't proclaim himself pro-
visional president.
From the Columbus Ohio State Journal
We've stopped trying to remember
who's provisional president of Mexico
at any given moment.
From the Rochester Post Express
Mexico reports bumper crop of
hand picked and carefully graded pres
idents and expects an early revival of
European export trade with them.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
MONARCHS AT THE FRONT.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel
The kaiser is standing pat while the
allies drew a king. Cousin George hav-
ing left London for the continent Now
for the showdown.
From the Buffalo Commercial
The kaiser and the car being busy
watching their armies and each Other
in Poland. King George takes a whirl
over to France.
From the Columbia State.
King George seems to be tired of
managing from the bench.
From the Chicago Evening Post
Georgy and Willy and Nicky are all
at the front. Where's Frankly Josie?
From the Buffalo Express.
With the kaiser and the car both at
the front. why not call off the men
and let the principals fight it out?
From thr Toledo Blade
King George braved the battlefield.
but probably. he carried an umbrella.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
THE DENTIST.

dentists ways are very rough.
He keeps you wondering still
To find your mouth is big enough
To hold a rolling mill.
Washington Star.
Before he's got your stumps ground down
And got your Crowns to ht.
He's got YOUR mouth stretched big enough
To hold a plumbers kit.
Houston Post
And ere he gets the plugs plugged in.
Wbv this has come TO pass:
You feel you have the Jawbone Of
Il needn't write 1t out.)
Memphis Commercial l-Appeal.
And when the crown work is complete,
Another job he tries,
And with his hammer. drill and lathe
Constructs a bridge of size.
New York Sun.
One thing about the dentist makes
Us mad as all creation:
He fills our mouth with funny fakes,
Then hogs the conversation.
Youngstown Telegram.
And vet when toothache have
For him We run instanter,
He ..suns the roots" and then we laugh
And sing aud Jest aud banter.
st. Cloud (Fla.) Tribune.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
THE WAR TAXES.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
The war tax question just now isn't
so much What do we have to stamp"
as it is where do we get the stamps"
From the Boston Globe
A heavy war tax on any telephone
user who hogs a party line would be
warmly approved by other users of the
line.
From the Portland Press
If the revenue tax bothers you, it
will be well to remember that it was
not made necessary by the war at all,
but was passed to make good the def
icit created by the democratic tariff
bill.
From the Hartford Courant
They don't call it the emergency
tax or the war tax" The common
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

term for it. when they run up against
it, is the democratic tax" 1t seems
to have been devised SO ingeniousIy
as to give the maximum of annoyance
with the minimum of revenue
From the Chattanooga Times.
Unfortunately, the tax on talk is only
distance telephones
From the Concord Monitor.
It is almost as hard to get accurate
information about the war taxes in
this country as about the war move
ments in Europe.
From the Baltimore Star.
That ten-cent war" tax on mar
riage licenses Is unjust considering the
amount of peace" tax the average man
has to pay afterWard.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
Mt of weapons by irresponsible per-

ment of weapons by irresponsible per-
sons.
The Sporting Goods Dealer goes on
to say:
zone of the implements used in urg-
ing a law that will do away with fire.
arms is the cry about SO many homi-
cides. suicides and SO many accidental
deaths. On first thought this may ap-
pear to be good and sufficient reason
for prohibiting the sale of firearms;
but more deaths are caused BY auto
mobiles than by firearms: yet nobody
has attempted to prevent the sale of
automobiles. More people die by TAX
ing poison than by shooting them
poison they want and nothing Is said.
There is no excuse for the existence of
poison-there is good and sufficient
reason for the existence of firearms"
Apart from it's misstatements, this
extract is a poor attempt at justifica-
ton of traffic which in the minds of
all reasoning citizens urgently re-
quires regulation and restriction. It
is not proposed in the District of Co
lumbia, where the need of a new law
has lately been SO shockingly demon
strated, to prohibit absolutely the sale
of firearms. 1t is. however, proposed
to make it just little more difficult SO
that persons cannot rush in in temper,
in drink. in jealousy or in other pas
sions and arm themselves for the COM
mission of crime. Night watchmen in
We shington could, under the proposed
law. get and carry weapons. House.
holders, apprehensive of the robbery
of their goods or persons in occupa-
tons exposing them to danger. could
arm themselves with but little hin
drance or delay under the suggested
statute. But minors, insane persons,
drunkards and people under sudden
impulse to commit crime would be
estopped. That is all that it is pro-
posed to do at present, and no dealer
in weapons who has the public welfare
at heart should throw any obstacle in
the way of an enactment that will cor
rect the present deplorable condition.
Public opinion is rising rapidly on
this question. and The Star looks con-
idently to such a presentation of the
matter to Congress at the next ses-
sion as to lead to the passage of a
pistol law that will prove effective in
lessening crime in the District of CO.
lumbia.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
The Mighty Contest.

Oh. base ball used to be a game
That tried a players nerve,
And babe him seek, mid loud acclaim,
To hit another'S curve.
1t was a test of Drawn and skill,
Where lusty warriors met
To feel the battles mighty thrill
OF triumph or regret.
The players still rush round the field
To score the needed run;
But, with the promise there revealed
The contest is not done.
There is no wild exultant roar
Amid the strife profound
To see who hits the highest score
When pay day comes around.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
Details of Elegance.

Hiram" said Mrs Corntossel, at the
dinner party, 1.-The table decorations
were elegant, weren't they?'
yes" replied her husband. as he
pushed his finger bowl away. There's
only one little thing they forgot"
whats that"
"They didn't put any goldfish in the
little aquariums.'
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

The best way to avoid feeling that
the post office is quite incompetent to
handle the Christmas package rush is
to mail early and So absolve that or
ganization from the impossible task Of
handling everything at once
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

The official canvass of the ballots
cast in New York in the recent cleo
ton discloses only 1856 votes for the
progressive candidate for governor,
and yet no cry of fraud has come from
Oyster Bay.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
Fathers Christmas Makeup.

When as old SANITY" father dear
Gets ready to rehearse.
He needs those clothes and whiskers
queer
He needs his checkbook worse.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Perhaps the most practical way to
help both the Belgians and our own
people would be to set up cotton fac
tories in that war-stricken land and
to send over our surplus bales.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

sfFIn order TO avoid delays account OF
Efsonal absence letters to THE STAR should
81 be addressed 10 any Individual connected
18th the Office. but simply To THE STAR. or 10
b. Editorial Business Department. according
tenor purpose.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Matters have reached such a pass in
Mexico that newly announced pro-
visional president gets less newspa per
space than even New York bomb
explosion.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Patient waiting for nearly week
has failed to be rewarded with an opin-
ion by Amos Pinchot of the way Mr..
Perkins managed the recent progressive
experience meeting in Chicago.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
Gossip.

"Biggins seems to be remarkably
fond of mushrooms"
HE isn't. His married life is so I'M
happy that he keeps eating mushrooms
in hope that he will get a toadstool by
mistake"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Perhaps some musical genius can
arrange a medley of national airs which
the American sailors can sing without
offending any sensibilities.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Now Lord Kitchener denies absolutely
an interview lately printed. That al
legged interviewer will be safer some
where this side of the censorship.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Portugars foreign war announce
luent has been followed so quickly by
z cabinet crisis as to suggest that
perhaps some one spoke prematurely.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Payable in advance-by mall postage prepaid:
DAILY Sunday included. one month, 30 cents
DAILY Sunday excepted. one month. ~ cents
Saturday star. 81 year; Sunday Star y ~ year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Uncle Sam ought to do all he can
to enable his workers to shop early
by giving them couple of half holt
days.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

The rush of war histories is certain
to be so great when the fighting is finish
ed that many Of the historians are
writing them already.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
A Polar Theory.

II wonder why SO many men seem to
enjoy polar exploration
Il don't know, replied Mr.. Crow
cher unless it is because they like to
find a place where they are not per-
petually admonished about catching
cold or tracking snow into the front
hall"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
Line to Baltimore
Double-Tracked.

Double-Tracked. n menf a. this hual time
fifty years ago. The news of it is told
in The Star of December 5, 1864:
THE work of laying the double track
between this city and Baltimore has
been completed The last rail was put
in place yesterday morning, and now
Washington may rejoice in being dou-
bly, tied to Baltimore. The track in
some places needs ballasting. and the
new one will not be used for passenger
trains for day or two. In the mean
time the repair trains are using the
new track. and will have it in stanch
order before it is turned over for gen.
eral use. This work was of greater
magnitude than the public would sup
which the old single track passed
having to be widened, and in other
places large amount of grading was
done. The new track is ballasted In
the most substantial manner and will
stand for years. This work was of
great importance to the travelling pub
lie. as, with the two lines, in case it is
necessary, trains may be kept running
constantly without chance of collision.
Thus our branch road has her double
track completed first, and no doubt
with this Improvement the time on the
road will be much shortened. The p,
w. & l.. road and the G. & A. road to
New York will soon have their double
track completed, and then the travelling
community will have all the faculty
and accommodation they can wish be-
tween New York and this city"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

irhe Evening Star. with the Sunday morning
Elton is delivered by carriers within the city
A. cents per month; daily only. D certs per
az he sent by mail or telephone Main 2440
Injection is made by carrier TT the end OF eaci
pnth.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

4nsiness ONCE nth ST. ard Pennsylvania Avenue
New York Once: Tribune Building
Chicago Office: First National Bank Building.
Nropean Office: . Regent St. London, England.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Though the stock exchanges have al
most all reopened no one has yet been
heard to complain of the noise of the
tickerS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

so far the New York GUNNER have not
p AIKEN to dropping dynamite from air.
planes, at any rate.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

tered as second class mail matter at the post
office at Washington. ID. G.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Many a man has saved himself a
great deal of annual care about his
New Year resolution by simply insist
ing on living in a dry town.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
The Sultan's
Artillery.

A4:I1 their installation. The
effect was formidable
Each shot knocked out parts Of walls
or towers and it was through these
breaches the assailants entered and
captured the place. The moral effect
was disastrous; the formidable explo-
sions and the irreparable crumbling of
the ramparts struck terror to the inn
agfnation; the catastrophe was immi-
nent. Nevertheless the besieged fought
by the side of Constantine and his
brave Genoese and Venetians with
desperate courage; with trunks of
trees, wooden balls and casks filed
with earth they built temporary ram
parts behind which they contested the
ground foot by foot. The superiority
was the Immediate cause of the dis
aSter.
There was a second cause, which was
the transport over Pera hill of a part
of the Turkish fleet to the extremity
of the Golden Horn. The Genoese and
Venetians who fought with the Greeks
were masters of the sea. Not only
their fleet was secure in the Golden
Horn. protected by the chain which
closed the port between "Pointe du
Serair' and Galata. but their large
ships with sails possessed absolute
superiority over the small boats and
galleys of the sultan. The goth of April
four Genoese boats, which arrived from
Italy to succor the besieged city,
stayed during several hours the des-
perate effort of hundred of the boats of
Admiral Baltoglon and finally pene-
trated into the Golden Horn, not with
out inf1icting serious loss ON the Turks
The sultan, eAasperated by that check.
sought an occasion for revenge. All
the efforts to break the chain which
closed the port having failed. he re-
solved to turn the difficulty by trans
porting his boats over the abrupt Pera
hill in order to pass them into the
Golden Horn. This operation, which
astonished all and frightened the
Byzantines, was not without prece-
dent. Already the khagan. or chief of
the Avars, in the siege of SIS had ac-
complished the same feat. Fourteen
years before the actual siege the We
netians had thus passed fleet from the
Adige into Lake Garda, and Archbishop
Leonardo de Chic, one of the historians
OF the siege, tells us that it was the
same Venetian engineer who directed
the work for Sultan Mahomet ii.
The operation was less prodigious
than it appears. The Turkish vessels
were only light boats known as ''fus-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06

Unfortunately there was discoi
among Venetians and Genoese, betwee
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-06
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

in relation to the parents bed and
baby's cradle. which she keeps In the
room especially for the purpose. She
explains the method of obtaining fresh
air without producing undue drafts,
and assists mothers in scores of ways
on how to better the condition of their
children Although this woman gives
all of this service voluntarily for the
benefit of others in the community, she
is only a workingmans wife, with no
independent means; lives in small
cottage. and has a large family of her
own. She is able to join in the work
of helping others. and at the same time.
according to DIR. King. has sufficient
time to attend to all of her household
duties and to keep her homo in apple
pie order.