davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1915-02-15
PHILOSOPHY FOR THE MOB.
Spcncerian "Flapdoodle" Fit Only for
"Half Educated" America.

To THE Editor or THE SuN-Str, When
trat solemn HapiooI- philosopher
Herbert spencer coined his cheap
.atrh phrase the survival % the tt-
,o~'' he 10 ght easily have foreseen that
'ue hlr educated mob would taAr the
precious JUNCTION 20 It's soul and regard
.t~eir as constituting the flower Of the
"ntt'st.'
spencer is Thoroughly d'scredited
"ph,lo1 pher" in his own native land to-
day. II is only among Americans Caud
other half educated peoples) that he sttlI
ENJOYS any prestige
"Drwiuism" meaning TIE "ph'los
oihy' which regards human beings as
In no way differentiated from the lower
animals In their struggle Tor existence
s.. AS the aw.able Germauic- Darwiuic
"pt..usop ots' undoubtedly would say,
.uu~Et.p.r.''
Either "DarNlu.sm" Is right, and thc
Germans are r.sht in carrying 1t out To
.t- rigorous '.C.t.L oouClus!ou. Or bar
NIr.-u' ia wrong. and tht Germans are
Hroue
"DAiS niSm" was conc .!1"d in Bed,
lam Germany Is giving the world
tangible proof OF wha. applied Darwin
.sm" really means IN all its naked and
brutal fcrocity. WILLIAM DAVIDSON.
LITCHfELp. Conn. February l2.
The sun., 1915-02-15
After Seventeen Years.

Seventeen years ago to-day war be-
tween the United States and Spain
was made neuctable 10y the destruc-
tion of the battleship Maine in Ha-
vana hnrhor.
when the way came It was fought
by US under conditions Of unprepared-
ness that made our concentration
camps more deadly tn our soldiers
than the bullets of the enemy. A sys-
TEN adapted to The routine eXerci >eS
OF an army Of 21.oOO broke down Ut
terly when It's task was suddenly and
Unexpectedly increased
The unnecessary sufferngs of pa
triotlc young men ger 10 serve their
country. the needless tOrtures II
wounded soldiers. the waste of lives
the subsequent scandals and the reve
latiOn OF our weakness: have these
been forgotten by the nation In The
passage of half n generation?
Or will the rccoi,cctiuns aroused
by the recurrence Of this fateful an
niyersary enforce the disintereste'
urglngs Of those who to-day remin'
the citizens Of the United states tha
courage, devotion and loyalty only
partly equip man to serve his couu
try on the march. in the trenches an'
on the field OF battle?
The sun., 1915-02-15
The Change in Rate Regulation.

Erroneous statements are being cir
cu.Hted that the Interstate ComM.rc"
Commission. In the great modification
which 1t has just made of the original
ruling In the lntermouutdiu rate ease.
has for the first time recognized the
influence Of Panama Canal cumpcti-
tiou on transcoutinental railroad trJf-
fic. The error Is worth pointing out
because the facts Illustrate how mu, u
public policy iu the matter of railroad
regulation has altered recently for
the better.
Until the middle Of last year the
common carriers Of the country were
oppressed by national and state regu-
lation alike. II was on the eve Of the
European war that Il decision was
1 handed down In the Eastern rate case
making only minimum Of practlca!
/ concession 10 the necessity Of rel!cv-
/ ing the railroads from the financial
difficulties threatening through per
Slstent restrictive and downward reg
ulatiOn of their Interstate commerce
charges. In the last six months a
change has come over tn" spirit Of tho
dreams Of the Federal railroad rcgu-
Dators at least.
New blood has been injected into
he membership OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission and cognizance
ina, been taken of the significance oT
"a radical shift Of public sentiment
REGARDING the political gripping OF the
rurriers. 4 straw which plainly
showed the commission how the wind
of public sentiment was blowing was
the Missouri referendum vote against
a, full crew law. The logical express
sion OF the new public attitude was
contained IN the declaration OF ne"
public policy made by the revised
ruling in the Eastern rate case hand
ed down last December, rulinG
which gave the railroads the hrea'
Of the real relief asked for ana no
the stone they had been accustomeC
10 receive from their governmental
overlordS.
How much Of change has take'
. place In the Interstate Commerc'
Commis ission Is evinced precisely b,
the fact that Panama Canal compet'
tion is not for the first time recoG
n,zed in the revision OF the Inter
mountain rate decision II was r~'oe
nl2cd in the original ruling. but how
different were the results Of th
. earl, r,-uen,ii"U'
In 1911 the commission, in order
, ing sweeping reductions I'm the trans
g continental rate schedules, SO as T.
e diminish very eXprnSIycly for th
4; railroads perfectly legitimate dispnr
ties between lower rates for the Ion
e haul to const points AMI higher rate
e. for the short haul To intcrmcllnt
i polnts. used the Panama Canal pros
- prrt rs an argument In iu~t!li'atio
Il Of It's innlcton OF unnecessary losse
on the carriers The commission sal
. at that time:
j THE railroads must soon meet wit
The sun., 1915-02-15
competition by water moro intense than

competition by water moro intense than
any that they have heretofore suffered.
for within three years another route,
one more important. searching and de-
terminative In it's effect upon railroad
rates than any others, Will be opened
a route, all water, by way of the Pan-
anna Canal"
This reference to the Panama
Canal seemed clearly intended In the
commissions 1911 decision to put :he
railroads on notice that because their
through rates would be shot to pieces
by water competition they must pre-
pare TO suffer heavy losses through
bringing their intermediate rates
down in coincidence. The new Inter
state Commerce Commission takes a
di ifferent view. 1t says:
"The Panama Canal In but one OF the
agencies OF transportation that the Gov
ernment OF the United States has fos-
tered between the Atlantic coast and the
Pacific The Government has. from the
beginning of railroad construction. en-
couraged their construction and opera
/ ton by private capital As we View It,
the Panama Canal Is to be one OF the
agencies OF transportation between the
East and tho West. but not necessarily
the sole carrier OF the coast to coast busi-
ness II the railroads are able to make
such rates as will hold to their lines
some portion of this traffic with profit
to themselves, they should be permitted
SO to do. The fact that rates
to the terminals are unusually low does
not Justify the maintenance OF rates TO
intermediate points that are unreason-
ably high. but a lower rate TO the ter
mlnal being fixed OF necessity las the
result OF Panama Canal competition. for
examplel. rates to intermediate points,
which are higher. do not necessarily un-
Justly discriminate against these points
In other words. the new Interstate
/ Commerce Commission refuses 10 de
eide that rates made to meet Panama
Canal competition are an excuse for
tearing down profitable rates on non
competitive business. The Interstate
Commerce Commission as II was con
Siituted until recently could not see
the railroad situation In this light
There is world OF difference he
tween the two views. and the differ
encc is Of most encouraging omen To-
railroad enterprise. and accorlingll
for the recovery of investment conf
deuce. on which the revival Of genera
business prosperity in the tnitc'
States depcnds.
The sun., 1915-02-15
SHARING THE BURDEN.
should Women. who Benefit From
Government. Assist II?

To THE EpITOR oF THE SUN-Sir. The
championship by Everett =. Wheeler II
hose women who's" iical OF democracy
means disfranehisemeut Of half the peo-
Pile makes HIM ever ready TO cast slurs
on those who d.rtor with them. lie crit
ioiscs f"w.nisis fur ncGleUtiug such chart
'iys as the Belgian relief work. In thc
interest ~ suffrage II would becom"
him hrtter % criticiSr those who made
tho Belgian relief work necessary, then
20 reflect that n was a surragist, Flor
cnce nightingale, who founded the Red
Cross society.
have heard much about keeping
women from the "mir," ot tho Govern
mcut, but 'hs Is the first time have
heard any one say that they lower "tho
tone uf politiCs' RoCaus" OF their com
plrt" devotion TO principle, Mr Wheeler
t'cus suffrI gists ut doing rvu iu order
tp hr,uG about the good they Imagine
important,
Il 20 for an sharing 'Ne privileges
~ the Government who ass ~ In bearing
its burdens 10y no means excluding
women" said Abraham Lincoln, and We
an know that Mr., Wheeler differs with
him LlNpA l.. CoNrr.-.
New York, February l3
The sun., 1915-02-15
Neutral Rights In British Waters.

We supposed that Count Won RE-
vENTLow. who as naval critic dis
tinguishes himself as much by furious
Trades as by the liberties he takes
with facts. was not regarded seriously
In Germany, but what are we to think
when he Is put forward in the Berlin
press as an authority upon the Gov
ernment's Intentions In "the area of
war" declared by the Admiralty?
Thus in commenting upon the Ameri-
can note he declares that II Is "out
OF the question that the identity of
every ship with neutral flag be
ascertalned." since a submarine boat
no more than a submarine mine "can
learn this Identity" The Count goes
on TO say that "the German declara-
tion in itself must furnish proof to
Americans that the possible destruc-
ton of American ships after Febru-
airy Is cannot afford the Washing
ton Government any ground for com
plaint Of any nature against the Ger
IIan Government"
If these views reflect the Govern
meut's attitude then there Is trouble
| ahead. although blockade by sub
marines of the British coasts is i'm
possible. In seas whore there is No
blockade. or one that is Ineffective.
the ships of neutras have a right to
go with cargoes and passengers. and
/ to prevent them from traversing those
seas would be to remove the pre-
rogative OF neutral nation. This
the United states cannot consider
without showing the white feather,
and its commercial interests demand
that such course shall not he
Isderci.
As to the contention that \ suhma-
rine that IS to say. It's officers. cannot
he expected TO ascertain the identity
of neutrl! ships. nothing could be
more preposterous and indefenslhle.
There is no difficulty about the mat.
ter. The British submarines are
hnlling neutral ships and stopping
them every day. and no German ON.
Ger in his senses can plead incapacity.
although he might feIgn It by obey
ins secret orders.
On one point there must be no
doubt In the German official mind.
The United States will hold Ger
many strictly accountable for mis-
takes that cause the destruction of
American merchant ships or the loss
of American lives. If the German
Admiralty Is not 10 be regarded
as responsible for the freely and
widely published utterances Of naval
critics like Count Ernst Won REvENT-
low, then the censor should clap an
eXtinGulSher upon him, for his per
mitted judgments affect the relations
of the two countries unplea sanity and
may ensly lead to regrettable mis-
understandings.
The sun., 1915-02-15
CAPT. DOW AND THE FLAG.
lie Flew II to Protect the American
Passengers. Not the British ship.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuS--Sir: Sea
captains are fdtalIsts. TO 10 down with
their boats is as much a part of tu,ir
lives as eating breakfast
II Captain Dow had consulted hs own
inclination there Il not the slightest
doubt that o." would never have taken
down the British flag and replaced Il
by ours. Full steam ahead. and let the
submarines blow her w II they can.
Her destruction would have meant the
end uf the Wir.
The boat was practically an American
boat fun of American citizens, including
the daughter OF our Secretary OF the
Treasury. wto Is the son-iu-law OF the
President an ex-senator OF this coun-
try and also many other Americans.
Every bclligereut sea captain knew the
Lusitania II was no deceit. Il was sim
,ly notice 20 the submarines given
.,y tho Cuuard captain. telling them t't
.u Co. what u is iucou,c .vdhle that any
a...., would want 10 90. Il was dove
.oi the benefit OF tho Americans aboard
doubt If il VIII he used again.
Wake up Yankees. and use your
thinkers AMERICAN.
Nrw YORK, February 13
The sun., 1915-02-15
Belgium's Future.

Although the Rockefeller Founda.
lions report on the condition Of Be.
gium Is document devoted almoS:
entirely 10 the hardships and TRACE
dies of war stricken land. il i not
without significant passages which
once the opportunity is given, may
recover more quickly than has gen
orally been believed from the effects
of the struggle. The agricultural
population has provided for sea
sons crop. The individual farmers
have shown wise foresight IN the
preservation and use Of seed. In eS-
scncc. what IS needed Is mot repair
hut liberation" and:
'If tho paralyzing restrictions imposed
by the war were removed to-day the
country would rebound from It's help
less inertia tomorrow resume most =
It's normal occupations aud soon be Al 20
to feed. shelter and clo;he It's owl
sufferers"
That the desire and ambition "
the Bclslans is 10 remain In their
homes and through their own Efforts
10 restore their land 10 It's former
I condition their conduct ahundantly
/ tcStifies. Even where the wreck i
most complete the people cling tena-
. cious,y to the sites of their former
Indications. \ family Of six lived for
more than two months in 4 pig pen
rem hv twelve feet. They camp In
every Kind of remnant OF shelter;
We found people living IN cellars un-
der the ruins Of their homes, In lotts
over the COW stalls; saw children that
had been born IN hen coops and p's
sites. and learned OF one man who con
sldercd that he was doing well when the
population of his poultry house was
reduced from twenty-five 10 eighteen
refugees
While this tenacity in certain cases
unuucStionably results from despair
and drlectlon. in greater part II Is
TO be attributed TO determination not
To abandon the country. This spirit
ronvlnclngly shown under n hateful
alien domination. Is not less fine thar
the courage Of the soldiers In th'
trenches Read together these mani
festatlons Of national pride and rcso
luton supply AZ least litt'e grounC
. for confidence in the future rchabili
tation OF community now PROSTATE
and sharkled through the harsh for
; tunes Of war
The sun., 1915-02-15

f. THE turoR or THE SUN--Sir Either
BUiy Sundays methods are no, novel or
II was In a spirit OF prophecy that
Thackcray wrote In The Newcomes".
Then, a. may be, a blwlng quack.
who has rrlthcr knowledge nor scholar
ship nor charity, hut who trENt"us the
public. wrb dcuun. .iattor- uud rousoS
t",u with tNo cro'g, of his wrath, sue
,,,IS ' hrrEIug .hrm together for a
whsle ull thry ;,rc of his din and curses.
MrumNilii" i,- ruud uii uuiu. ,uuu ,hv-
ruum about ring their accustomed bell
open their sabbath gates and receive
their tranquil cnugrcgat .ons and sober
priest, who has been busy all the week
at schools and si,lt beds with watrafu,
teaching. gentle counsel and silent aims"
!. NJ LAMAR.
ScHENrCTApY, February ~
The sun., 1915-02-15
THOU SHALT MOTT
Effect Of statutory Prohibitions on
Their Victims.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir. The
man whose profession necessitates his
travelling from state to State In tnls
commonwealth ie constantly brought 10
face with the old saw Right on this
side of the Pyrenees, wrong on the
other 90
In the United States virtues and vices
have become geographical. II one travels
and would keep within the laws he mus
be alert. In one state the most griev-
ous crime is TO smoke a cigarette, In
the next the playing of cards is equally
unlawful.
Sixteen States have declared for pro-
hlbtion. The field workers for the drys
declare that in Ave years more AT the
furthest we will have national prohi-
bition
1t is interesting to consider what sor;
Of a person the young American OF a
few generations hence will he. reared
under these Thou shalt not" laws.
! happened to be in Kansas on New
Years Eve In town OF 10000 people
Kansas IL the model OF the drys. 1t Is
the state where II Is claimed prohibl-
tiun is actually enforced and has been
enforced for many years. william Al
len White quotes statistics 10 prove
that the percentage OF illiteracy Is the
smallest and the per capita bank de-
Union. was astonlshed on New Years
Eve in this town OF 10000 people that
New Years Eve passed like any other
evening There was no noise no shout
ing no ringing of bells. no footing oil
horns. Just deadly quiet ON the fol
lowing morning | expressed my sur
prise to the proprietor of the hotc
where ! lived.
The people in this State are licked,
al
there Is to II. There are so many laws
against everything and so many busy
bodies prying about trying to convic
some one Of something that people hav'
lost all heart and cannot even shout
They have become callous to emotions
OF any kind whatever"
And so they appeared to me as
viewed them in the street eplritiess
'hcked, just licked 80
DO We really want that sort Of Amer
lean citizens. even though the per cap!ts
bank deposits are greater than in am
other state in the Union?
What shall it profit man II III
gain the whole universe and lose hi
own soul?"
In Texas few years ago q law wa
, passed by the Legislature making 1t
felony to play cards on railway train
This law WAS amended later also t
/ MAKE II l"lo 10 play 'hrbS IN
hotel Last year this law was amende
| 20 make IL felony punishable by
nnc OF $50 70 play cards In ones owl
home on two successive nights Tha
is Mr. and Ms Jones are respectable
lawabidlnE citizens II they play pi
uochle In their own home Monday an
Wednesday nights. but II they pla,
Monday and Tuesday nights they ar
criminals and may he subjected TO
fine of $50. And Smith. the next doc
neighbor. II he peeps through their shut
ters and secures the conviction Of NJ
and Mr. Jones, Is entitled 20 one-ha.
the fine. s25.
In Arkansas there is an an'i-cira
rette law making 1t a crime punishabl
nv rre or Imprisonment not only TO So
Cigarettes hut TO buy or to off,r TO bu
them
In Oklahoma legislator introduce
a bill making stra ght beat nus
Ia a game of draw poker. strange t
say, 1t was cot passed.
w n WRIGHT.
SAN BERSARprHo. Cal, February 9.
The sun., 1915-02-15
Experience Teaches.

r. Tur EplruR oF THE SrN SIP. Does
IL never ~'r'l Is" the auti-sunrarist that
a." organization og wG.rh she * a part.
formed 20 oppose IN" entrance uf women
M" politics, has during the last r,.w
years entered into practically every
phase of political activity?
with what result Certainly with
none OF the disastrous effects they them
selves have predicted.
I venture the opinion that not only
have the an'i-suffragists found that the
political methods modelled on the meth
"ds of the suftrag.sts are the only cr-
i,'tul methods to promote their cause.
hut they have been stimulated and
hroad"noi 10y working NrouTh assoclA-
ton for common cause even though
the cause hc a mistaken one
Why not become an integral part ~
their countly's machinery for govern.
ment instead Of prolonEins th,s make
believe, playing AT politics indefinitely 7
NEW YoRK, FEBRUARY 10. IL A. q.
The sun., 1915-02-15
MR.. WILSON IN CONGRESS.
The Presidents Interference with the
Legislative Sharply Criticised.

TO THE EDITOR or THE SUN--Sir: Re-
ferrng t. the Information from WASH
ington I'm THE SuN Of February 10. that
Wilson'S fiat Is Pass the ship bill or an
extra session OF Congress- ] think the
country should be thoroughly aroused
to the tendency of the Executive to in
terfere with the legislative branch of
the Government.
Under the Constitution tie President
has certain powers and privileges. ono
being to inform the Congress from time
to time. by a message, concerning the
state Of the Union. II by caucus and
by private conference, by threat and
by hope of reward the President of
the United states has such a hold upon
the representatives of the people that
he can make them do his bidding, then
truly the Government is a farce.
II is far better that the theory of our
Government be carried out than that
acts which arc extraconstitutiOnal be
indulgcd In for temporary relief. The
harm that Will come from such acts. in
my judgment. is far greater than the
inconvenience suffered because one de-
partment OF the Government does not
carry out the will of another Con
grcss IS presumed g. have the neces-
sary wisdom and discretion To pass laws
that are just and right. without Inter-
ference, and If Congress does not dc
IT, the members composing that body
should receive ACCOMPLISHMENT at Tie
hands Of their constituents II Is sur
prlsiug TO mo that In spite OF the poll
ties that is played by the various par
ties .he natl has made as much prog
rcss as IL has | hope the time vii
come when We shall be able to send
To- Congress- and the state Legislatures
men OF sufficient str Myth and ability
10 he above Jarty politics Perhaps
am asking too much Of human nature
W. f. HAMPTON
The sun., 1915-02-15
Justice to Women Clerks in the De-
partment Stores.

From the shocking allegations made
by witnesses before such lnquisltorS
as the OIIara commission, which
gravely attributed immortality to low
wages and even nguged To establish
"A standard Of incomes which wudid
insure virtue. to the sober and careful
findings of The Investigators under the
direction Of the Committee of Four
teen is q long step, and the proShlc
truth brought forward In the commit
tees report is not likely to attain tie
popular hearing that was won Hy the
sensational charges which inspired II.
Yet II acrords with common ohSerNn-
ton ana experience. and as II i"es
Justice % n muligned body OF citizens
t deserves particular emphasis.
In the outburst of amateur phllan-
thropy which three years ago con
cerned Itself with the morals or WON
on employed IN retail shops II was
asserted first that an ahnormally
large proportion Of these workers were
urchastc. and secondly. that their un
chastity resulted from low wages. Cd
yiOuSly = the first contention were
shown TO he unfuunded the second
would cease to bc Of importance "
this aspect OF q serious problem. Th'
Committee OF Fourteen set 10 worl
to get NJ the facts NJ TO the morals
Of SalcSwomen, and It's conclusion
The sun., 1915-02-15

Congress Not In Touch VITA the
ppupIp

To THE EDITOR or TiE SUS--Sr: one
4 the evils Of the continuous sessions
OF Congress which the President IL in
dieting ON the country IL that the men,
hers of both houses. Hvng most Of the
time IN Washington. and getting their
pay checks with regularity. do not come
IN contact with the voters or the busi-
ness conditions I'm their districts.
If tie members or Congress could see
their voters shiyeriug in the bread lines
or the business men hoping agains. hope
thcv could soon end this perpetual CON
gross and leave the President TO pursue
his chmcrds alone
There Is money enough, but nothing
g so timd. and It hides Itself, while
no man can tel what new and threat
en'ng Il uds may arise In Washington.
Congress cau do no more patriotic
act than to finish the regular business
" the session. drop all fancy business
and 70 hom,. l.. r. l..
NEW York. February 10.
The sun., 1915-02-15

II 4. not beyond the bounds OF hu-
man probability that before President
WILSON engages himself TO use his In
nuence IN favor of an embargo on
foodstuffs he may want more informa-
tIon on the subject of our grain sup
ply than he can obtain from the report
which Mayor mitchell has forwarded
and which suggests this radical action.
The Mayors immediate concern Is for
New York city. The Presidents re-
sponsibillty is to the nation. and he a
not l!kely to overlook the fact that the
document cited by the Mayor was pre-
pared under me supervisory auspices
OF an eminent Progressive or TO forget
the fun political meaning Of bar at
this time on our overseas trade in
cereals and meats.
The sun., 1915-02-15
possesses a thorough familiarity with

the problems with which 1t deals.
This fact contributes substantially to
the weight and value of its opinions.
The incident that the original charges
never obtained credence among intelli-
gent men must not be overlooked. but
the propriety Of doing justice to the
victims of a SANDER not rendered in
nocunus br its inherent improbability
Is not thereby affected.