davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
THE HOLY HERB.
Advice and Directions for the Dweller
in the Tents Of Nicotia.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SvN-Sir. I:
is a sinful shame that Simon Creels
cry for bread should call forth only
the gift OF a stone. Is the heart OF hu-
man.ty dead In It's bosom nat no reader
Of THE SUN is moved to heed the voice
N the wilderness pleading for a place
by the hearth Of the tranquil soul and
the altar OF the con;empldtive mind?
The natural laws OF the super-meta-
ply sica! substance OF serenity are:
The measure OF COO r~efreshmcnt is
directly proportional to the length OF the
pipe stem. A shorr bulldog Will inCiner-
ate the tongue OF a clay image a long
chuFchwarden cannot harm the sensitive
huccai appar!tioa OF an ethereal spirit.
For the needs OF the human animation
~ the former ny the latter a pipe sem
not less than six inches long is the per
feet fu.flment.
The measure OF biting remors. Is in
verscly propOrtlona. to the native pun
eency and acquired desicCation OF the
tobacco. such Internal produces as Turk
ish and perique WI corrode the lingual
membranes Of q vitriol soaked shrew
pure, mid Virginia tobacco will not tar
nish the functional parts of a silver
tougued orator.
Then again and thirdly, 20 he endur-
able and Sweetly amiahle the pipe must
be clear and open for easy cleaning.
Furthermore and f%ourthlv. to b. per
feet ia preparation the tobacco must he
plug cut. or at least Of a sufficiently
masculine texture 10 hurn moderately
and dispass.onately.
II simon Creel is blessed with a
sound organic constitution and possessed
~ that peculiar fumiferous adaptahil!ty
which IS born In a man, and not made,
he win be able presently to smoke will
IMMUNITY and uumcasured qualification
plug cut mild Virginia tobacco in A Gala
bash or other considerable pipe of worthy
design throughout his waking hours. and
$50 far as ! know to continue his de-
yot.ou TO the end OF his mortal days.
II ne is OF liberal and obese person.
ality he Will lose presence and become
physically more refined II he is OF
meagre habit and evancsccnt he Will re-
man so through the crisis Of life. lie
VIII Increase in virtue, wisdom and
resignation. And ho Will enjoy a com.
pdnlOnship more enduring than that OF
man. more reliable than that of woman.
and more beat!hc than that of an easy
conscience. FREp METCALF.
~PLAINFIELp. " j, February 20.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
The Commercial Theatre.

Nothing will do more to lncreas.
the prestige Of the English actor-man.
ager now In this country than his pop
ular success, which has 50 far been
made In two plays that would ordi-
narily have appealed but slightly to
the general public. He has not only
established his position as a novel
and artistic producer" but he has
shown his ability to draw the public
to the box office. which Is a power
that will endear any theatre manager
to his sponsors even when art Is thelf
aim rather than financial success.
This combination of talents has
arrived at the psychological minute.
The appreciation OF the commercial
theatre has recently increased. There
Is no longer a tendency TO look upon
that form OF tn. drama which must
be supported by financial contributions
from packers and other philanthro-
pists as the most effective manifesto
ton Of the dramatic art. Thousands
OF dollars have In this way been
wasted in this country during re-
cent years without result. The ex-
pertinent of substituting theatres has
not been confined TO New York. On
less ambitious plans the various cities
OF the country have attempted the
81 me scheme that was tried here in
the New Theatre.
Few OF these institutions continued
10 exist after a year or two. The IN
difference of those who founded them
was perhaps as potent in causing Their
decline as any other reason. II cannot
be recalled that any dramatlsts were
created by them, that any new actors
were developed or that the art OF the
theatre was in any degree advanced by
their costly mlniStrations.
II Is for this reason that the com
mercial theatre. which must pay It's
way or shut It's doors, has nor seemed
Of late so altogether lniQuitous an
institution. Thousands OF dollars
have been wasted In amateuriSh and
unproductiye enterprise TO provide a
substitute for the theatre that must
depend for It's existence on the sup
port OF the public. The futility Of
some Of these schemes has finally I'M
pressed. itself on the thoughtful ad-
mirers Of the theatre. The manager
who is able 10 conduct his theatre sue
cessfully and with the necessary rec
ignition Of the principles OF art In
the drama seems a somewhat more
dignltied figure than he used to be.
In the meantime It Is f~ortunat. for
the distinguished English manager
now here that in addition 70 earning
the praise Of the discriminating for
his artistic achievements. his efforts
have brought the public TO his
theatre.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
Our Burden Of Debt.

Between the years 1902 and 1913
States that comprise it and their sub
divisions, rose in the aggregate from
the sum of S2.S3S, SOC, 122 TO the
amount Of Si.S5O.46O 713. or by a mat
ter of S2.Ol2,OO0 ,OO0. In each ella SSifica.
ton there was an increase. The debt of
the United States went from S9d9.4j7.-
241 to S .O2S. 564, O55: the States added
to their burden Sll6.5OO.OoO. bringing
it up to S3i5,9i2,3O5; the Subdivi-
sions OF the States, classified as
minor divisions" incurred obliga-
lions that swclled their debts from
81 3O,OG9,GlO to S3,475,o5l353.
But these figures are almost mean
ingless. Like the distances between
sta rs, which astronomers n under
stand, these figures make no impress
sion on minds not trained to compre-
bend their significance. They are
capable, however, OF resolution into
sums that can be grasped by the or
uludIy tIllEt1, lIbuEH tue Simple
method of computing the per capita
public debts for the two years. From
this form It appears that each emu
merated inhabitant OF the United
States in 1902 bore the weight of pub
He debts aggregating $3.50. by 1913
this had increased by S1i, or exactly
"a, tho sim Of $40 OF
Under any circumstances this in
crease would be p%urtcntous. But
when II is compared with the increase
Of the preceding twelve years its
full message of extravaganza, ex-
tended municipal activity and gen
eral lOosening of the purse strings be-
comes more apparent, In 1890 the per
capita net indebtedness was S31 10.
The figures for the three years de-
serve to be set side by side:
PR CAPITA NIT i-NpEBrEpNEss
Year, .....,,,.. 1880 1902 1913
Amount .,.,.... ,S3l.76 $3.50 1897
1t will DO seen that in the years
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: !
note that, according to "A despatch from
Germany, the imperial Government has
requested the United States 10 investi-
gate the condition and welfare of leu
tonic prisoners OF war In Japan.
trust the American people viii not be
oeguiled into my such action or de-
fusion IN regard 20 this matter. The
German Government has full liberty to
send any OF It's representatives to japan
to make inquiries and need not make
questionable and peevish appeals TO the
United states or to n other nation.
The Germans may be assured that. the
treatment Of these prisoners OF war is
more humane and civilized han the
treatment the military forces of Ger
many have gwen to the civilian popula-
ton OF Belgium, according TO authentic
reports.
! Will say In conclusion that there are
female and male relatives OF these pris-
oners In the United states, and il NIGH,
not he necessary for the United States
Government To send any one as far as
Japan TO learn the truth.
A. CHIRIpA.
NEW YORK. February %.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24

hours. They came back to New York
at the end Of tho third day.
And that's the other side of the un-
employment question"
Much is heard OF the difficulty OF
bringing Jobs and jobless together,
the implication usually being that
some fault Of government or employer
Is responsible for suffering in one
settlement while work remains In
done In another. The facts that In
many cases the sufferers are unwill-
ing to leave the community with
which they are familiar, or to pre-
pare themselves for tasks to which
they have not been trained. receive
less attention than they deserve. A
complete absence Of ambition, an ap-
palling supineness Of disposition, con-
tribute their share TO render more
intricate a situation which with the
best Of good will on both sides would
be hard TO better.
And yet the pains OF starvation are
just as acute to an un%enterpris'ng
mar or woman as they are to one Of
model habit and the most elastic
disposition and a~daptability.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
Seagoing Submarines and Aeroplanes
for the Navy.

The naval appropriation bill re-
ported TO the Senate calls for the con-
struction Of Ave seagoing submarines
with a surface speed of twenty-five
knots. There are no such boats. in
existence to-day, but the tendency Is
toward greater speed both under and
above the water. U-21, the pioneer Of
sever large seagoing submarines in
the German navy, has a surface speed
Of twenty knots and a radius Of 1000
miles. Her under water speed is not
known outside OF Germany. but prob
ably 1t does not exceed twelve knots.
In addition to her torpedo equipment
she carries a 80 inch u on a dis
appearing mounting and a IA inch
gun on a fixed mounting. U-21 has
a surface displacement OF 900 tons and
her length is 213 feet. These details.
supposed to be correct. come from a
British source, and it may be doubted
whether the British navy has a sub
marine superior to the U-21 type.
Rumor Is busy with new German
submarine construction. 1t IL said
that since the war began two ever
larger boats have made trial trips at
the mouth OF the Elbe. It Is limited
that these submarines will be able TO
keep the sea for forty days with oil
fuel. Conservative designers may dis
credit the report, but submarines on
an unheard OF scale are being planned
by both Great Britain and Germany.
II will therefore be well for Congress
to call for the largest and most pow
erful submarines that can be built. In
view Of what has been already &C
compllshed in Europe the provision
by the Senate Naval Committee for
submarines with a surface speed OF
twenty-five knots, vessels that will
cost S1,500,0OO each, shows a sounder
understanding Of the development OF
tn. submarine than was displayed by
the House when II authorized tenta-
lively but one vessel.
The Senate Committee on Naval
Affairs Is also to be commended for
reporting an increase of the aviation
appropriation from 100000 to ST.
100000. 1t Is not the time for half
measures. The navy, no matter how
many dreadnoughts and submarines
IL contained, would not be adequate
without a large fiotilla of aeroplanes
for attack as well as reconnaissance.
Our present naval flying corps is
doubtless considered a Joke by Great
Britain. France and Germany. When
thlrty-four aeroplanes cross the Chan
mel and lombard bases on the Belgian
coast without losing a man it is un-
pleasant 10 realize that the United
States could do nothing OF the sort.
Our meagre array Of aeroplanes could
undertake nothing but a %reconnais-
sance and might not make a success
Of that in q real war. II the Senate
sends the naval appropriation bill
10 conference with provision for Ave
large seagoing submarines and for
an effective aviation corps. will II he
too much TO expect concurrence by
the House in this day Of campaign
object lessons?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
URSA MAJOR AND BOSWELL
The Views Of q ~Singularly Devoted
BOswellian.


1 IHh EDITOR OF NE SUm-H", "hS
shouIu lhe ~auNo,aI's OF hoS"t" a"n
.he cnarhPlons OF Johnson 'Ioss MIR
'ectudi rapiers over questions "h'ch
40 NOT auii, OF 'omod'iNe pEro'e'h-
mes Ihat bos"eI shouId nave sought
me OF the I't'taFN men OF nus
udE was certainly no u'scIeult 10 MN,
anu Una. ne must nave oeeh n man OF
Id,r sociai auu I''i'ecluaI cap''i'y -
eVlnced py the lact ina ne was al
hltted 20 the compromising OF Sucn
continental giants az rousseau, joan
N..N,S ana lt'a' ms surely d'u not
can lor me JoAn'o''an rnhoer stamp
Oh certlnratlon as your of''Sp"hueh
ftass'IaS Claims was necessary Tor MS
auhlt'dh'e To the Literary Gun.
mas always seemed TO me that IN
me desire TO pay tribute to IN" Dos
wei system ot h.okrf'h,'aI writing
nlS auI'terS nave CARED hHWh the IN
HoIy n"u UNJUST "Id.n OF 'H"S" VINO
"ol"h'P "ioHt AZ 'He J"h"~'n SHRINE
~ may nave o.rn th' a'in" OF ny
p"0I'sH On ptlt' out surely
no ma" cvu'u nave written IN "A more
"u,"p'e YIN. 80 "u'h'r ms ever eN-
Vel''u M" IN tiM'htt'hE sell from CON
IrtSi''""S winch wee purely PERSONA II.
'1NiNoh - 1He uGih..A'4hE l.'"r Inc
carton voice. with Boswell always act
InS as ieeu,r mere is no internal
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
TALK OF OPERA MERGER.
Plan Aims Mt One Company for

The report from Roston Nat ~ A
Ellis with Or. Carl MUCK - ,lo Boston
symphony might take. over 'te vtr
agement Of the Boston opera C1r'..
next season led TO consll"rth', 49,. 3s.
ton IN music circles here rrs'.r. %
tho effect that a merger % 'h- f. 't.
delphia-Ch."ego Opera Cowu1'' t'I -.4
Boston organization was 90. e .I
OF. with indications 't1t ~ Or -lt ma
'er!alze hv next SEASON.
Ih" reported merger % 'N"sA ...r
pan.es, u was pointed ou'. tts .
attracted considerable aft.t' nr .r -.
ton, hut so far Cleofovto 't.... .
the Chicago company bias ~,~l.tal s.
lent II competitive d.n.rI-'... ..s .
overcome. IL is said. p un m %. '-
two companies viii he formed 90 u, =
one strong opera COMPANY g. -t~ys 'r'.
caTo, Boston and ph'laat'rH I
Financial support TN sur" EN- rees.
ure from music lovers OF 81" 'h-aa -
is assured for he rcv w.. 'l~a .l' '-a
merger is being held up r-... Ho-
cause Of differences as 20 policy c' "a
part or those w.7 would DO H-, y
concerned In tho d"s'
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
HAVE WE A SECRETARY OF
STATE?
Questions Inspired by the Pcrusal Of
the DAYS News.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: Has
the present Government of the United
States a Secretary of state?
As It was understood at the time
President Wilson teoh up the duties of
his Office that he mad appointed one
William J. Bryan to the important post
as head of the state Department. Is
Mr.. Bryan still the holder OF this office
These questions, in the light of pres
ent conditions. seem entirely proper and
justified as we read day after day. no
matter how important the matters In
hand at Washington. the Acting Secre-
tary Of state, in the absence OF Mr..
Bryan, gives out the following" sc.
When so worldwide and Important a
matter as the stand of Germany on the
war zone" occupied the attention OF the
Government. we read that Mr.. Bryan
was in Indianapolis, Ind. delivering a
lecture to workingmen on the subject
OF their relations toward employers and
business, a most fitting subject, 1t would
seem, for Mr.. Bryan. as he was at the
time absenting himself from his W
duties, and Is most of the time.
Later we hear Of several lectures
delivered by the same gentleman before
various societies, clubs. &c, In Chicago,
and stlll continues the European war
with its daily questions arising that
mean so much to this country of ours.
We all know that during all the ex-
citing days Of the Mexican troubles Mr..
Bryan was absent from Washington.
Possibly by the desire and In the wis
dom OF the President, but now It would
seem indeed that in these days 80 vastly
important in the making OF the worlds
history the man holding such n
post OF dignity and Importance az the
head OF the State Department OF the
United States should be on duty, unless,
as possibly may be the case. he feels
himself altogether helpless trying TO fll
the chair of a John Hay and others
who have helped 20 make It a place OF
power and honor. OF It's present holder
OF the honor the chair must indeed
protest.
HENRY HAMILTON ROBINSON.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, February 81.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
Politics Remains Highly Political.

Subject 10 the accidents which be.
fall the intentions of the appointing
power whenever the expectations OF
job hunters are concerned, 1t Is Gov.
ernor WHITMAN's intention to replace
the present Public Service Commits.
Sioners for this district with these
gentlemen:
Colonel WILLIAM HAYWARD. late
secretary of the Republican National
Committee, late chairman OF the Ne.
braSka Republican State central com.
mlttee and a nominee for Congress
in the First Nebraska district in 1910
Mr.. WILLIAM Il. WILCOX, Park
Commissioner Of New York under
Mayor Low, postmaster of New York,
chairman of the Public Service Com.
mission by appointment OF Governor
CHARLrs EVANS HUGHFs;
Mr.. MCDoUGALL HAWKES.. Dock
Commissioner of New York under
Mayor Low, In which Office his lease
of Pier 81. North River, 70 a company
in which the then Governor of the
state, BENJAMIN Il. ODELL. was In.
tereSted attracted much attention:
Professor +. II. \. SrLiGMAN. whose
activities in politics have been con
slant and highly Interesting:
And a Justice of the supreme Court
Of the State of New York whose
name Is not now disclosed.
We reclte the names of these emf
nent gentlemen with the purpose no,
Of commencing them for public Office.
% Of suggesting that they may not
be ideal selections for the manage
ment of the vast public enterprises
that may or may not he committed
to their supervisory care. nor Of es.
tah'iShins the fact OF their geographi.
cal association. We merely wish 70
point out 10 a discriminating and in
telllgent public that each and every
n of them has been a politician. IS
a politician and will unqueStlonably
continue to be n politician and that
The serious consideration Of their
names at this time gives force and
support 70 the reflection that the di-
yorce Of politics from politics is a
difficult thing, II not a completely i'm
possible and undesirable thing "a
bring about.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
beginning with 1890 and ending with


1902 the public debts increased by
$4.23, while in the succeeding ten
years they rose by $13.9s. Nor should
It be overlooked that in the period
1S9O-19O2 this country fought a for
eign war, while between the latter
year and 1913 we remained at peace,
under no extraordinary expenses, and
called upon to make no unusual ex.
penditure for the national defence or
the national preservation.
The direct and inescapable lesson to
be found in these statistics must not
be ignored. Particularly 1t presses
for recognition and acceptance on a
day when the national Treasury Is
emptying at a rate that c%onfounds the
most optimistic; when this rich State
finds Itself in a financial position en-
b%arrassing, II not absolutely Grip.
ping and when a city with the re-
sources of New York confronts a real
estate market OF the disturbing char
acter that now exists This lesson Is
that by prodigal spending, by reckless
m~ortgaging Of the future to support
the whims and fads Of the present.
we have brought ourselves TO a point
where retrenchment becomes not an
amiable virtue, but a hard necessity.
It must Impress upon us that w and
not the authors OF European war have
wasted our substance and overloaded
our taxpayers, and that II we are to
find relief from our oppressive incu-
bus we must seek 1t in the amend
mcnt Of our own practices, and not
look for relief in the outcome of
foreign battles.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
Argetsinger, the Reacti0nary.

Senator ARGrTsINGFR says in behalf
Of Ms revision Of the primary and
election law that the effect Of It's
enactment would be to promote eli
cheney, simplify the task Of the cleo
tor and save a quarter OF a million
dollars a year to the treasury. But
this is plainly rcactionary, corrupt
and indefenSible.
Among other things. the Arget-
singer bill would allow a voter 10
cast a straight party ballot by max
Ing n single mark. This c~Ontravenes
the first principle of election reform,
which requires that the majority who
want to vote straight tickets must be
penalized in behalf of the minority
who want 10 vote split tickets.
Have We not been taught for years
that any form Of ballot that ohstructS
the party man is In its essence inf
nitely better than one which would
afford help to him?
Moreover, Senator ARGrrsINGrR
would recognize a form of the conven-
ton which exists now only as a con
ference; II would enable large and
well established bodies OF citizens to
act together more easily and more III
rertly, and this, in the mind of truly
reformatory habit, Is had, very bad.
What Is really wanted, of course, Is
official regulation Of the prcprimary.
now "A well recognized part Of our
political machinery, and no bill that
does not provide that can be called
truly '~prOgressiye"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
Another Aspect Of unemployment

So seldom is the incidence of non
employment considered except from
thp vicwpoint Of the wageless that the
ha~rdshlps under which employers
labor is usually overlooked. Only
occa SlonH'ly is this recalled, as in an
incident recorded by Miss GERTRUDE
ROBINSON SMITH, chairman OF the
Vncntion Committee, who has had
several hundred iobloSs young women
under her care this winter:
"In ~rumberless cases II Is the girls
own fault IL she has not a good Job.
take the case OF just ono manufac-
order on band for 100000 uniforms
for one Of the warning countries. His
factory is IN New Jersey, less than
Two hours journey from New York, He
wants girls To help out on this rush
order. lie is willing to pay them from
Sl2 % week up.
"Thc iameutahle fact now comes We
have told pir.. about this and urged
them to go, having tho manufacturers
promise to n FOR them good, respect
able homes.
apo they go' Tuog ID not, They say
quite frankly they prefer TO stay in New
York and run the r.,l, Of starvation.
Three girls yeutur'd 10 take our ad.
vlcs and they Went 10 another Jersey
town, where they were comfortably
housed, we'll paid and mad very nns
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-24
omy. politics and sociology, creates
the Farmers Progressive party and
endows It with a platform wherefrom
we Gull these Instructive "nledRAs,.

Vhy' pViillSs anu ocClOiOSy, CTcdtcH
the Farmers Progressive party and
endows It with a platform wherefrom
we Gull these instructive pledges:
"A guaranteed yield per acre for all
crops planted tthe State to make I'D
any dclcit).
"A guaranteed minimum price for all
farm products.
IAN eight hour day for farmers
wives tthe State to furnish extra help
when required to insure eight hour day..
ono C1) full days rest In seven for
farmers and farmers wives, n Satur-
day half day holiday.
Animal insurance for ali domestic
animals (chickens in the south ex.
cepted).
kaleidoscope service at all district
schools.
Guaranteed dry weather during har-
vest.
Guaranteed maximum Of ten uo)
days drought.
"A Federal commission to determine
what other laws can be passed to make
life easier and more enjoyabls for
farmers and their wives and children"
The Toledo blade may be even
sharper than he seems. Every one
OF these "planks" may we'll find 4
place in "A party platform. The more
absurd, the more likely. And why
shouldn't State or nation guarantee
the weather Just as II is asked TO
guarantee bank depos,ts1
We are living, we are moving in n
grand and wondrous time, when levi
tation by ones boot straps is become
an ordained and a statutory feat.