davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
wonder why he comes 80 often from

wonder why he comes 20 often from
West Hurley or darkest Hohokus or
Devils Lake or Pike County, Missouri,
or indianapolis, Ind. At some other
time we may ponder his chronology
and speculate as to whether forty.
thirty, twenty or even ten years resi-
dence entities him to his ancient
For to-day 1t is enough to
lsalute him. and. contrary to sound
marine custom, bless his eyes.
And they are blessed with those
Knew street signs specimens whereof
are now on view on Madison avenue
above Twenty-third street and where
with other and streets are
sn)n to blossom. Signs legible day
anil night. legible from all sides. sim.
pie. good TO look at. and cheap and
lasting, the Public Works folks say.
Too many heads are now deforested
Of the venerables who remember the
first concession to aesthetics in Man
haitian street tokens. the first white
and hnue. Put EN- where you can't
see 'eiu. put EN- too high. scatter 'em,
hide the side street names. let the
stranger within our gates but seldom
know where he Is at from municipal
guide posts: this has been the rule.
Now he VINO runs. rides, even he who
has four sheets in the wind. may
collect his topography with a glance.
What has taie old New Yorker TO say
to that? Probably he will continue
to grumble: he will predict that 1t
won't last For u good old friend
Is always Q little bilious, and long
Manhattan habit has made him dis
trustfuI. Besides, he knows his way
and the ways Of New York. Still,
there are the new signs in the same
old town. Will he deplore them as
an Improvement?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
Poor Men In Public Life.

Does President .HApLEY OF Yale
breach a wholesome doctrine when he
urges young men with their way to
make in the world not to go into
politics because they may succumb to
temptation? 1T is" says Or. HADLEY,
only the man with an independent
income who can with safety and
honor accept a positi on in Congress"
We hardly think members Of Congress
will agree with him or like such a
point Of view.
Some men have talent for public
affairs and some Of these men also
have ideals and are self respecting.
although they may tave no private
means. II must also be remembered
that TO Representatives and Senators
who come from a country town the
salary Of $500 paid to members Of
Congress Is large enough 10 permit
Of annual savings. This compensa
ton may lift them above temptation.
admitting for the sake Of argument
the plausibitity Of President HApLEY's
view that If tempted they might sue
cumb. Why should useful men deny
themselves political Office because
temptation may come in their way:
We are sure that President HADLEY
did not mean TO reflect upon pool men
who serve their constituents in Con
gress and other Legislative bodies, but
we question the wisdom Of his advice
to the students of Yale. There has
never been n period In the history OF
the country when men dependent upon
their salaries "a legisla tors did not
walk in the straight and narrow path
and distinguish themselves. rising to
the highest positions In the republic.
To-day public life Ia sounder and
cleaner than II ever was before. Con-
slider what Congress was In the not
remote Credit Mobilier times,
BY all means let poor men 90 into
politics II they hear the can and have
the ability TO serve the people. For a
solid success character is needed in
all walks Of life. in business as well
as in public life; and the man who
would he honest as a professional man
or a merchant win conduct himself
honorably In Congress or In the State
Legislature.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21

The Panama Pacific Exposition,
which began yesterday q career to
which THE Sun wishes the best for
time, is but one Of many invitations
TO Americans to view their own goodly
heritage Of beauty and wonders, their
memorabilia. the things worth seeing
in their own domain. Nobody wants
Americans in Europe except for what
humane service they can do. The
easy, pleasant. loafing sightseer has
no place on that great theatre Of anx-
iety and suffering. To many places he
cannot 60. Nowhere is he welcome.
At best he is a cumberer Of the ground
and a reducer Of the food supply.
He must turn to the too neglected
charms Of his own country. There
are in it landscapes and w%aterscapes
az mysterious and desolate. beautiful
and terrible. as bland and idyllic, as
wildly or peacefully lovely. antres as
vast and desarts as idle as he will
iindAQnywhere. From the Maine lakes
of Amerindian names unpronounceable
10 awful Shasta's icy shrine" from
san Juan TO Manila. from the ter
raced houses of the Pueblo Indians
and their mystic rites to head hunt
ers Of the Philippines. and the X
tremest verge Of the farthest Alaskan
island. wide is the variety and infinite
the choice Of experience.
California itself Is a palace OF
ALADDIN. a marvel Of the world
Take in the San Francisco show. il
YOU can; remember thar these United
states and their anneNes constitute
a perpetual exposition. ever if it
wants the measly little funiculars
table d'h6tes and multilincual porter-
so dear TO Americans abroad.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
FROM A REAL AMERICAN.
An Accurate Exposition Of Sentiments
Too Rarely Set Forth.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: AS
n constant reader of THE Sun for twenty
years I admire and appreciate along
with many thousands the splendid Amer
lean stand you are tiking In regard to
the war and Americas position in re-
gard tHoieto.
Macmillan Harden in an article in
the Zukunt of Berlin. quoted in the
London Times, bitterly and contempt
uously attacks the United States, saying
among other nasty slurs that "Ameri-
cans care nothing about anything ex-
cept money making Cannot this fool
he informed even by German sympa-
thizers that the actual state of affairs
In America shows that 1t is not money
making" but money saving" home
saving and life saving that interests and
inspires the vast majority OF Ameri-
cans, and that a war brought on by
Germany is costing America hundreds
" millions OF dollars. hundreds OF
thousands OF American citizens the
very roofs over their heads, and many
thousands of Americans their very lives
through privation and want ard abso-
lutte starvation?
The plea Of President Wilson at the
outbreak of the war has been needed
by the people OF these United states to
an amazing extent. n virtually all
classes of Americans have aDidcd ny
the Presidents request and RETAINED
from discussing the war even under the
abuse and criticism cast upon US not
only in Germany but by Germans ltv-
ing in this country and processing TO
be American citizens.
Patience ceases to be a virtue at
times. and | think this is one OF the
times and If "mouthpieces' Of Ger
many like R~eventlow and Macmillan
Harden and their kind continue their
attacks much longer they will see Amer
leans stir and move and come TO life.
Americans. secure in the u~nequalled
heritage passed down to them by their
patriot fathers, rave thrown our coun-
try open to the homeless and the alien
for many years. ard lulled into a fools
paradise. have all u%nthinking slept and
dreamed away until a rude awakening
Is upon us. We come to the knowledge
that we have handed over u COM
mcrce. banking. business and all but
our LAND itself 10 the alien. and now
that alien wants that too, stating in
many cases that II would be a good
thing to nsve Germany run our coun-
try for ".
We should not sit sup.ne under kicks
and cuffs and curses any longer. | be
lieve this Is the way ninety-iVe million
on, of the hundred million feel in tho
United States GEORGE l.. UPsHUR.
NEW YORK. February 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
An Absurdlty Of Taxation.

In its endeavor to convert the in
come tax law by Interpretation into a
rack Of torture which will compel the
surrender Of the ultimate dollar Of
the citizens subject TO the law the
Treasury might at least make an ef-
fort at consistency.
No income tax ruling which the
Treasury has made has provoked 80
much derision and execration as the
regulation prohibiting taxpayers from
counting losses made in lines Of ac-
tivity wherein II profits accrue they
must he reported as such. The Treas
ury Is determined to win in any event.
but how ridiculous II makes itself IL
shown by its dealings with the ma
tional banks.
Under the supervision Of the Comp
%troller Of the Currency. who has direct
charge Of National bank accounts, the
national bank examiners are vigilant
to detect losses taken or shrinkage
occurring in investments which the
banks are permitted to make. When
bonds which they are allowed to hold
d~epreciate in value the banks are
obliged by the examiners to write OF
the depreciation as loss.
Naturally In making up their re
turns for the corporation income tax
for 1913 the hanks, following the prac-
tice prescribed for them by the Comp
troller OF the Currency. counted as
losses the depreciation in investments
which the bank examiners would
force them to write OF. Now. even 20
long after the submission Of the re-
turns and the payment of axe the
banks are hearing from the revenue
end of the Treasury Department that
his procedure is utterly unsatisfactory
10 the income tax collectors. They are
notified that the tax bureau OF the
Treasury will not sanction the reports
of losses which the Treasury regula-
tors of the banks regard as losses.
Common sense has been an almost
unknown quantity in Washington for
two years. The Treasury Department
seems To contain the central void.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21

structions that the United States OBJ
jected to. As a matter of fact, Cap
tain Dow was familiar with Section
10 OF the merchant shipping act Of
1904, which authorizes misuse Of
the British flag by foreign ships to
escape capture. and he acted upon
the principle that turn about is fair
play.
It is nevertheless a fair conclusion
that the Lusitania and other British
liners will not make a practice Of
displaying the American flag during
the remainder of the war. and chiefly
because the United States Govern
ment does not like it and has pro.
tested. The flag incident was a hard
thing to handle for both nations. They
are self-conscious about il and would
as lief have the matter dropped.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
WITHOUT FEE.
Mr.. Bryan's Civic Forum Lecture OF
Next Wednesday.

To THIS EDITOR OF THE SuN-Str: In
THE SUN OF February is Secretary
of state william Jennings Bryan vas
criticised for looming TO New York to
deliver a lecture in Carr, gle Hail to
which an admission fee was to he
charged This criticism WAS evidently
made In ignorance of the fact that Mr..
Bryan's address on Wednesday even rg.
February -. Is TO be under the auspices
of the civic Forum. He will speak
under the same conditions under which
addresses have been delivered during
the past seven years from its platform
by e1-PrcSident Taft. eN-Presldent
Roosevelt. Justice Charles +. Hughes
6when Governor of New York Statel.
President Emeritus Eliot Of Harvard
University. the Right Hon James Bryce
when British Ambassador at Washing
tom. the late Justice David J. Brewer
Of the Supreme Court. Colonel George
w Goethals and others.
Admission to the Forum meetings is
free to It's members. About 1900 tickets
are given away TO teachers. students tDd
others. Some of the boxes and parquet
seats are sold at each meeting to the
general public and the funds thus de-
rived e. toward the annual maintenance
OF the Forum on the princp pie Of demo
cratic support. THESE funds are never
NAANA . ~ NhF 4 ff"N 49,
aid OF subscriptions for THIS purpose
No honorarium Is paid to lecturers and
no salary to the executive MANAGEMENT.
Secretary Bryan accepted the Civic
Forums invitation on the distinct un-
dersta nding that he was TO receive no
money compensation. In accordance
with our custom, we offered to pay his
travelling and hotel expenses. but even
this he said he preferred not to accept.
His engagement with the Forum was
conditional on the primary claims Of
his duties at Washington. He was 10
have spoken for US last year. but the
exigencies OF his work compelled him 10
postpone the engagement to February
- OF this year.
We the undersigned trustees Of the
civic Forum are OF different political
faiths and represent different points Of
view regarding the policies OF the pres
ent Administration. but we united In
inviting the Secretary Of state to ai-
dress the Forum. and We desire 10 have
the facts regarding his acceptance OF
our invitation clearly understood.
ISAAC y. SEIIGMAS.
JAMES BRONSON REYNOLDS,
HENRY CLEws.
f. II. l.. GoULD.
I,pwIS TRowBRIpGR HAIL.
w, VI BLISS.
JoHN mitchell,
ROBERT ERsKi.H Ely.
NEW York. February 10
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
THE GREATEST LAP DOG.
or Vrsus Major. Periwlgs. R~lackhaIls
and the Esthctic Sot.

To THE EplroH OF Tur SuN-Sir. Mr..
Schuyler's DEF, nee Of the great foot
slave ~ literature in TUE SrN Of
February ~ fails, because there * no
defence for what Is admitted Boswell
was born tn he a lap dog He came ~
London looking for q master. lie grow
clled at Feruey AZ the feet OF Nultaire .
he lifted about from lumiuary tu lumi-
nary, even considering Mr.. Tom Paine It
one time. And then ne meets Doctor
Major at Tom pavies's bookstore. thereby
stumbling hcadlong into Immortality
That he should Ice attracted To the
pillar of Orthodoxy after seeking
Noltaire and Paine, is evidence enough
that a mans philoSouhicul nr religious
bias meant nothing To him He sought
no obscure genius TO introduce to an
unsympathetic world. The game ne
hunted was success.
Johnson was 80 when he nrSt met Bo.-
well. lie was then the lion OF litera-
ture of his age. His pension Of f300
permitted him to discontinue his patrons
age OF "suhtorraneous beef shops and
~'ordinaries - Shoe lauc,' which Mi-
caulay tells us he and Savage knew SO
well. Indeed his garh was now hrtt- -
ordered. his pcriwig most carefully made
at a good shop in Fleet street.
So Roswell in his last and Creates,
ATTACHMENT Inks up with "A man
arouud whom all literary ENGLAND re-
volvcd a man who introduced him into
"A circle uf wits which would have other
wise been closed To him a man who
ever forced his membership into the
Literary club, where sat Burke Rcyu-
olds, Goldsmith and others equally OK
pert In Juggling the hlackball hut
BnZ2y was a "cluhhable fellow" nr.
Johnson assured them, n limited az
rrsigning II he were not admitted 10
membership Assuredly Johnson was
the bcrrflcior Of Boswell and not Bos-
well of Johnson, as some BoswcllianS
would like us to believe.
A. Tor his being called a low, drunken
sol. object 10 the Terms. lie mlpnl
have frequently been drunk lie nigh
have been low (for example, uul,r tine
tahlel, hut | credit him with more
grSthc,icism than a sot. He was mean.
as Goldsmith could tell YOU he Wa
vain. as a stray line now and then 'u
his works shows, he was selfish as
Mrs Boswell could attest
hut withal, he was the greatest lit
eralN lap dog Of all time RAssEINs
NIW NoEK. February %
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
The Lusitania Under the British Flag
Again.

On her voyage from Liverpool to
New York. which ended yesterday,
the Lnsitania did not display the
American haC either in the Irish Sea
or in the Atlantic. although the names
Of many Americans were on her pas
senger list. Captain Dow, who de
clares that he has received no in.
structions from the Admiralty. is
monarch OF all he surveys on his own
ship. When he was leaving Liver
pool the other day he laid down n
rule for himself about the use or the
misuse" Of the American flag. That
rule was that if there were more
Americans than passengers of any
other Ia tionality upon the I.uSitania
he would fly the Stars and stripes
when German submarines were re-.
ported in the Irish Sea. on her last
voyage from New York To Liverpool
American passengers were in the ma,
.iOrity, one or more enemy submarines
had been seen in the Irish Sea and
WI Nflll W max SUPPOSE NhlNi
Captain Dow. no doubt with a twin.
kle in his eye. they would sooner
die under the Stars and stripes than
under the British mag
Now, when it is considered tina
every German naval officer knows the
lusitania to be the only four fun.
nelled liner sailing the seas, what
ever flag she flies, what was the
Stars and Stripes on the IuSitanil
cOursing up the Irish Sea hut II sig
nal to the Germans that she carried
American passengers: As any Ger
man naval officer knows that IL would
he impolitic. 10 say the least. to send
rundrcds Of Americans To the bottom
in the submarine warfare on British
commerce. we maintain in all serious
ness that Captain Dow in dying the
American flag on his last home voy
age placed the German Government
under an obligation, Ii may not ht
acknowledged, however.
The flag incident no longer looms
large ia the public attention. In his
note "a the state Department pub
liShcd Yesterday Sir EDWARD GREi
stated that the British Government
The German Admiralty to the con
lrary Notwithstanding, had not in
structcd merchant ship captains t.
nsc neutral flags as n ruse, II wa
.,..A1, 9 nat Ar p.N,s E.. a..
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
THE SCHOOL OF SMOKING.
Approaches by simple or Base SuhstI
tutcs 10 the Holy Herb.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Str The
letter a. simon CrHel on The Holy Herb"
in to-iay's SrN arouses my sympathy.
OF a sed. ntary temperament and a con-
hrmed smoker OF years standing, | can
advise. | hope. the only consolation in
smoke that will suit Mr.. Creel.
To enable him properly 10 appreciate
4 real smoke II Will he necessary TO
take a course, in which he will event
ually find soldce.
Regin with a cigarette made Of ordi-
nary newspaper. not THE SUN. tilled
witt a real blend Of hayseed. which
should he smoked behind his fathers
barn. he sure to have a, least one
friend accompany him TO give courage
and stump him to smoke II short.
When the supply of hayseed s con-
suned. II is time 20 lay In n supply Of
sweet fern" THIS can he fouud in most
any pasture or "cut down" and should
Ne dried and rolled in the palm OF the
hand, as father rolls his'n. and smoked
IN a clay pipe. ! would advise procur-
Ing a new one. as fathers may have a
taste Of tobacco. and AZ this stage Il
would not he appreciated as much as
later on. when ones education has been
partially. at least, completed.
IntermiNed with the sweet fern"
might he used some mullen lear with
results that II not entirely satisfactory
would he a step Ia the great and consol-
Ing future for which he is fitting.
should there not he enough tang 10
the efforts thus far. a little rattan pro-
cured from an old whip or misuimed
willow chair" would enable him to- d q
tinguish between bite and non-bltc.
Surreptitiously. he should nov procure
a package Of cuhcb cigarettes, which
are for nasal troubles and are to the
~nostrils what real tobacco is In the
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
WASTE IN SINKING FUND.
Some Startling Computations for Tax
payers to Consider.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Sir: The
New York State 1922, 900, 900 Az per
cent. fifty year loan, now being adver-
tised to be sold at Albany, March 10,
1915. and to he issued under the sink
ing fund method, will, II sold at par,
ultimately cost the taxpayers about
s7,S51.916 the sinking fund earning
3k per cent, more than under the
Massachusetts serial bond method. or
about s6,667,25i more II the sinking
fund earns 4 per cent; calling the
bond rate 4 per cent. instead OF 4A
per cent. to simplify computations. a
precarious and costly archaism for the
Empire State.
In January, 1914, New York bor-
rowed s5l ,000, 600 al Az per cent. for
fifty years. under the sinking fund
method. and so successfully" as 10
have received a premium therefor of
s3.099. 900. The number Of bids re-
ceived was 467, and no wonder!
so pleased" Il was reported, was
acknowledgment and congratulation To
Comptroller Sohmer."
And yet the excess cost of that loan
under the sinking fund method over
the serial bond method vii! be about
$4,000. 900. II the sinking fund earns
3k per cent. or about sl5.000.0 900 #
II earns 1 per cent, reckoning the
bond rate al 4 per cent. instead OF Az
per cent.
The future tribulations Of the bor-
rover appear to he ignored.
The serious effect on real estate
hereafter and on the great middle class
appears to be overlooked.
The bait Of a premium in such
cases is wofully elusive; and the At
traction Of a sinking fund proves hut
an oppression.
The sinking fund pays no part II
the interest, which in the above ex-
ample is. under the sinking fund
method. s1O2. 600. 900, whereas under
the serial method the interest would
be s52. 900. 900. a difference in favor of
the serial method of sac, s0,000.
4. D. CHANDLER.
BRooKLINE, Mass. February 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-21
THE BEST INHERITANCE.
An Opinion That Only Genius Can
Rise Superior to Poverty.

To THE EDITOR Oh THE SUS-SiT: IL
is with much interest that | nave read
the editorial article entitled The Best
Inheritance ! beg to differ from tho
views expressed In your N upon
the sociologis;'s letter.
The old view that poverty and want.
wh.ch have sometimes been mistakenly
characterized a. simple plain living. -
Mere necessary for the production OF
manly men and womenly women has
been pretty well exploded. In the rear
ing and education Of children to-day
and In the future we shall not start out
with the Idea that we are striving 20
produce geniuses like Abraham Lincoln,
whom you cite as a shining example OF
the product OF poverty. Most OF US be-
lieVe that ii Is better for The human race
TO produce normal men and women who
VIII fulfl their responsibility 10 society
and cad healthy upright lives. The
general experience is that this 10 best
accomplished by the means OF sum
Client food, clothing, education and
healthy. natural play, so that childhood
and youth a be Joyous instead OF
miserd bls.
1t has always seemed TO me to De a
false doctrine, as SO often expressed in
our fiction and newspapers, that our
American society is necessarily success
fu!, because IL has produced such men as
Lincoln. Garfield. Rockefeller. Carnegie.
Edison and Henry Ford, who. by sheer
force Of genius. ave risen above their
circumstance and achieved great sue
cess These men are exceptional, Thou
sands ~ the children OF poverty have
persisted in the cruel hard struggle. II
is just beginning to be realized that
thousands OF young men and women
become discouraged, demorali1ed ana
,l,vralal la.ungN he pnvarfy ne thatr
parents has denied them the proper
start In life, For every genius there
nave been 800 failures.
The sociologist voices the modern n
humane view of lie, that OF 'the greatest
good OF the greatest number" He be-
lleves that this is best accomplished by
more comfort. more humanity, by n
square deal all around" and more equal
opportunities for our young people on
the threshold OF life's battle.
NATHA BAlLIN.
BRookLYN, February 20.