davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1916-12-23
The Prima Donna Again.

For more years than probably the
present generation Of operagOers can
remember there have been few women
singers Of important roles In opera
that came from Italy. That country,
traditiOnnlly the home OF all opera
singers, has rarely failed to supply
the world with great tenor. Be
fore our cOntempOraneous CARUso
there was TAMAGNo, and a little bit
earlier there wac MAsINI, who was
unique In never having come to this
country. But the Italian singers who
have gained an international reputa-
tiOn within the past score of years
have been men.
All the time the leading roles In
the so-called italian repertory were
sung by Polish, Australian, American
and French singers. During the
golden days Of the history Of the
Metropolitan Opera House there were
only Italian singers In more or ,esi
Incidental roles. OF tenOrs and 30
pranos there were few.
Now there has come q change owe,
The sun., 1916-12-23
UNIVERSAL TRAINING.
Only In II Can Adequate Defence OF thu
Nation Re Found.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir. II
does not need General Scott or General
Wood or anybody else to tell any man
OF ordinary intelligence that the experl-
ment Of federalizing the National Guard
Is a iamentable failure. 1t was fore
doomed to fail, and probably when Mr.
Hay put his army bill through Congress
ne knew II would turn out failure. He
and others. including President Wilson.
did not want the country TO be prepared.
and devised the fraudulent army bill to
defeat the wishes of the people.
There is but one way for this nation
to have an army adequate for Its pro-
lection. and that is to adopt universal.
compulsory military training.
Every young man. rich or poor, be.
tween the ages Of eighteen and twenty
one, unless physically incapacitated.
should be compelled to serve year In
the army. and then 90 on the reserve
list. NJ. T. II.
NEW YORK, December 20.
The sun., 1916-12-23
Explanations Of Explanations.

The new model craftsmanship Mt
Washington is an amendment too long
deferred. Imagine II administered by
the Siguers Of the immortal Document
of July 1, 1916:
I'VE have learned from several quar-
ters that our recently promulgated Dec
laration has created an erroneous Inn
preston, which We hasten to correct.
While still holding as self-evident - .
We desire to have II understood that It
was not our intention to intimate -
and We regret that our words were open
to any other construction"
Or imagine SEWARD and OLNEY ex-
planning the Emancipation PrOclama-
ton and the Venezuela Message, and
then explaining the explanations!
The sun., 1916-12-23
PLANT THE SASSAFRAS!
It Is One Of Our Most Beautiful and
Useful Native Trees.

To THE EDITOR or THs SUN--Sr: An
act Of vandalism recently committed on
tho grounds Of Colonel Roosevelt at
Oyster Bay and reported In THE SUN
involved the destruction of fine sassa-
fras tree. a choice specimen undoubt-
edly and highly priced by its owner
Reading the account Of II called to mind
THE SUNS perennial springtime tribute
to an interesting native, by way OF the
homely but spirited sassafragian ode.
from favorite contributor. The sassa-
fras. Sassafras officimle. like our COM
mon chestnut, hickory, beech, tulip.
cedar, &C., has been the best known
among our native deciduous trees. 1t
may be said to be no longer common
by failure assiduousiy to cultivate and
plant them. or the widespread destruc-
tion by noxious insects, fungi. &C. II
more planting In not done we shall come
to viewing types Of some OF these as
specimens to be seen only in our botani-
cal gardens.
The sassafras is an interesting tree I;
It has valuable medicinal properties. en-
tirely aside from which, however. its
characteristics of form. structure and
foliage make It a desirable addition in
any deciduous tree planting scheme.
The curious feature Of variety in the
leaves on the same tree should greatly
interest children, which I have often
found to be the case. The tree does not
usually grow very large hereabout, but
occasionally fine specimens are to be
found. as was the tree at Sycamore
Hill. In the South much larger trees
are still to be seen growing there. Some
readers familiar with our old country
roads will recall the little groupings TO
he found commonly by the roadside Of
| the sassafras and cedar usually, and
forming effective and picturesque feat
ures of the landscape. Subsequent road
improvements. alas, did not include the
possible preservation of these simple ad-
juncts OF beauty. There may be those
still living in Cambridge. Mass. who can
remember fine specimen OF our native
sassafras growing there. It deserved
better fate than that which happened
to II. The tree had attained q diameter
Of more than three feet. was quite ter
feet IN circumference. and fortunately
growing apart from other trees its form
was fully developed. its height nearly
sixty feet. This tree OF exceptional
characteristic beauty was sacrificed
however. that n projected stone wal
should rlgidly exemplify the exaction,
Of a straight line, as We were taught
In our youth. the shortest distance be.
tween two points. This happened In
| Cambridge
I would recommend the sassafras &c
nurserymen for more general cultivation
and tho planting OF it by tree lovers
nor should we be unmindful of the pos
sibillty OF restoring our common chest
nut and the preservation Of the hckor,
and our naples. JOHN Y. CULVER.
New YORK. December 20.
The sun., 1916-12-23
THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF PRESIDENT
WILSON'S NOTE COMMENDED.
Appeal Beserens to Negotiate for Peace Proper First Step
Toward Permanent Cessation Of Armed Enmiiss.

crimes, and that the people OF Ger.
many have acted only under its bale.
ful influence and command. then one
which we have the greatest interes,
II we are true to our ideals-can be
attained II the menace of that Prus.
sian power be removed. Is IL true
that this can be accomplished only
by the further killing OF the German
people until the nation itself has los,
its vitality and ability TO resist
May not discussion OF terms and con.
ditions presented in concrete form and
discussed aloud result in the German
people themselves being represented
in the negotiations as factors inde.
pendent of the Prussian junkers?
We must not blind ourselves to the
fact that the objects OF the Allies are
not entirely altruistlc or unseltish
They are not fighting for the benent
Of civilization alone. We have but re.
Gently read of an agreement between
England. France. Italy and Russia that
Russia is to have Constantinople and.
to strengthen her hold upon II, that the
Turk Is to be excluded from Europe
Russia's statesmen have given sum.
cient evidence that the goal Of her am.
bition for which she is fighting lie.
there. Italy entered the war 10 wrest
back the Trentino from Austria. A 70.
distribution Of Ealkan territory was
promised as an inducement In Ru-
mania to take up arms. While France
was the first to he attacked and did
not seek n conflict for selfish reasons
nevertheless we must have in mind
that when the guns were heard within
the Belgian lines the call for recon.
quest Of Alsace and Lorraine rent the
air q France. With Englands cham.
pionship of the cause of weaker na.
tions Is attached the defence Of her
national existence through the preven.
tion OF Germany's extension Of nor
coast line in the north or her territorial
expansion within striking distance Of
Egypt and India.
The Presidents letter must he In
The influence of the war Is acting. and
will act. upon us so acutely that We
have the right. not only in the gen.
eral cause OF humanity and of civiliza.
ton but of our own special Interests
to ask and to urge upon the Govern.
ments abroad that they make an
earnest effort to open the way for
negotiations looking to the cessation
OF hostilities and to the outlook Tor
|, "A future secure against tho POSSIBILITY
of recurrence of this awful strife
ho apl, h,.t
The sun., 1916-12-23
SIDEWALK SNOW.
Additional Benefits Of Partial Clearing
Of the FOotways.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: The
letter OF Carl +. Pelz published under
the heading sidewalks Too Clean"
makes an admirable suggestion. Mr.. Pelz
however. does not state one of the great
est advantages Of the plan.
10 carried out II would leave the snow
In the roadways with an even surface
Of uniform depth. Under such condi-
tions even very deep snow is not a seri-
Gus obstacle to traffic. and IL the traffic
Is heavy the snow Is rapidly conHacted
into reasonable smoothness, or else melts
much more freely than at present. The
plan could not, of course. be applied
where the sidewalks are more crowded
than the roadways, but this Is true on
comparatively few streets.
The fact that the sidewalks would
remain wet In thawing weather Is OF
little importance. since the seas OF slush
through which we have to cross streets
under present conditions take away all
the benefits which result TO the pedes-
trian from dry sidewalk. c.
New YORK, December 22.
The sun., 1916-12-23
Boston Beatinc.

Hot on her hills. exempt from chills, tho
Hub revolves this morning:
Her outer rim. all tight and trim. 10 ready
for a corning:
OF Sunday tires her banded choirs. so
late returns betoken
A fellow feeling binds; one nnds each spoke
has loudly spoken.
Upon It's rod tho Sacred COD like Phrbus
scintiilates now:
The River Charles no longer snarls. but
smooths itself for skates now;
The whole Back Bay views with dismay
the beaks of Beacon Hiilery;
The Parker House prepares to souse-roN
In. " red Artillery!
A shining star Is every bar that beckoneth
emphatic.
And kindly fate refuses straight to make
streets unerratic:
In scoiisy Square each passengairs swaps
punches with his fellows.
And thus begun a common bun the citi-
xenry neilows.
Now hand In hand leap Bacohus and his
gang Of gay bacchantes;
The blushfui grape In perfect shape IL
raising-something Dante's:
John Barieycorn enwreathes the horn that
Abstinence was tossed on:
The Demon Rum wins out, by 6umi Ia
bestinc Bostoat
laAylsou NosMa
The sun., 1916-12-23
Time for stock Taking.

The estimates by State depart
ments and commissions Of expenses for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1917,
reach the respectable total of $780,
OOO,OOO. Governor WHITMAN and
those associated with him ~ the
dreary task Of conserving the taxpsy-
ers' pOcketbOok hope to cut this by
$l7,OOO.OOO. If their best intentions
are fulfilled the appropriations for
1011-1S will exceed those for 1867
by $4,OOGOOO, and exceed the esti-
mated revenues by $1S,OOO,OOO. AS
the possibilities Of indirect taxation
have apparently been about exhausted
a direct levy of $1S,OOO,OOO will be
necessary.
Some of the Items going to make
ND this total admit of no argument.
The State debt service is forced up by
$2.295, 600; judgments call for 1,1OO.-
900; the high cost of fOOdstuffs will
make the feeding of State charges
about $l,OOO,OOO more than its cost
this year. These are samples from
an unpromising list. The situation
Is disheartening to the man who foots
the bill. particularly so to the man in
New York city who bears his own
burden and part Of the burdens of
others. Nor is 1t easy to see how any
individual can be blamed. Perhaps
there are thieves in the State service
We know there Is favoritism in the
distribution of the spoil. But the
electors themselves have acqulesced
in or demanded the expenditures that
are made, and they have not even
shown any interest in projects fol
those checks on waste that might bt
applied through enlightened business
methods. Chairman SAGE of the Sen
ate Finance Committee puts the facts
succinctly:
s''The only way to institute econom,
IN regard to these tpublicl institutions IL
by careful systemization and coordina
ten Of their activities.
1.-THE only way outside Of this for tn,
State to save money in the future is I,
take care properly Of its present activi
ties and to cease creating new ones.
1.-THE report presents to the taxpayer
Of the State In concrete form the ques
ton. do We wish to involve the Stat
in new activities which cost larg
amounts Of money. or have we reache,
the point where we shall pause. tax
stock Of what we are doing. and adop
measures to conserve and consolidat
what we already have?'"
In other words, II we have not nc
tually reached the end of our rop
we are too close to it for comfort, an,
the duty of the State and its peopl
Is to refrain from new Governmen
enterprises until they find out wha
they are now doing and how muc
the development of their present un
dertakings will cost.
The sun., 1916-12-23
Distant Rumblings Of Scandal.

The idea that any person high In
the Administration or nearly con-
nected with any person high In the
Administration was concerned on
Wednesday or Thursday In a manip-
ulatiOn Of the stock market Is too
abhorrent to be considered, except to
dispcl. Yet n resolution Is now In
troduced IN the House demanding n
legislative investigation to determine
whether the abhorrent suppOsition
Just stated Is indeed fact.
This abhorrent supposltion is part
ly based on the extraordinary discrep.
ancy between the first and second
explanations Of the Presidents note
which were put forth on Thursday by
Secretary LANSING.
Yesterday afternoon our neighbor
the Brooklyn Eagle. a newspaper
friendly to the President and loyal
in It's support Of the Democratic
cause. pointed out the irreparable and
unnecessary damage done on that
day to values In the market by Mr..
LANsING's first statement. The Eagle
went so far as to say:
EITHER It should be made perfectly
plain that Mr.. LANSING spoke without
sufficient warrant. In which case his
further usefulness in the State Depart
ment must be seriously questioned. or
all the information needed for a clear
understanding Of the situation las to the
verge Of war'l as 1t actually exists
should be laid before the public"
The resolution In the House is in
troduccd by reputable and honor
able member. Mr.. WooD Of Indiana
who. although n Republican. cannot
be suspected Of IL partisan motive In
suggesting so serious step.
Inasmuch rs the suspicion referred
to seems to be notoriously prevalent
in Washington, however unjust II
may be. we should say that the friend,
Of the Administration in Congress
could do no friendller deed than tC
join In promoting the inquiry as thu
best means Of squelching scandal.
The sun., 1916-12-23
DIR. O'Mallcy's Geopraph,

To THE EDITOR or THE SvN- s.
don't know the subject of lr - NJ 70
lecture that provoked I'll" ron'r y"-"
between him and ,lr powuus about tie
climate Of Mississippi hut II the 30 to-
was as ignorant Of his subject o. "
seems to he about some other matters
It makes very lttlc difference Whist
the subject was fur example, "" .lN'
the only human thug thJl over N''
in Mississippi was Booker We Z
ton" Booker never lived IN Mis- So ~"
but at TuskcCec. Ma And ne s'''
General Phil Sher.dln who cam" '"N
my part OF ireland, said" Sc, r
General sheridan never came fr"a re-
land at ALL hut was born ~ NlrtN
y. Y. II appears talt the doctor H'l'
that the United states south Of >'r'f
Carolina Is not - ~ habitat f'r me
white man. tn" Confederate SOL 'Fs
most OF whom We're from south Of Nor''
Carolina" stood M pretty No'l a. n'
tho soldiers from more unrto"rn c'mS
Including some trnu ,ht a" 'tnr.7 ~
Of Ireland" ! ha,r heard Il SAT- ~"
Il is a vcry aaa tam. I" b" Il - W.
man. and The do,'tor triaS io 30
as well as sarcastic.
J. II. s&TIGa'.s-''
SELMA, Ala, December is,
The sun., 1916-12-23
THE GUARD NOT USELESS.
And Plattsbure Hardly . Short Cut
to Military Efficiency.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sir: The
National Guard may be little or color
In spots. but when General Hugh Scott
says that II IL useless ! believe he is
using pretty strong language.
General Scott says that Il would have
been folly. or words to that effect. to
have taken the Guard into Mexico be-
cause Of its lack Of training and in
ability to stand long and forced marches.
This may be true. but We must not
forget that the Guard while on the bor-
der made several long marches In very
good time. and generally, from a phys!-
cal standpoint. the men held up splen-
didly. Personally I believe the training
Of the men in the Guard has been good,
as reports OF many of the United States
army inspectors will show
In 1s9s In the war with Spain the
Massac chusetts National Guard proved
that the Guard was not useless.
The General tells what good thing the
Plattsburg training campi Is. realize tina,
such encampments are of benefit 10
those who attend, but when the General
or any one believes that these men after
two or three summers of training are in
our country l think he stretches imag!-
nation just a trifie.
know OF several men who have taken
part in these training camps. and judg-
ing from the work ] have seen these
men do would say that It would take
at least ten TO fifteen summers 10 whip
them into shape. One case In particu-
lar, which comes to my mind now. is OF
young man about twenty years old
who was n member OF the Plattsburl
training camp last summer and the year
before. who cannot properly execute the
manual OF arms. This young man is ar
unusually bright chap. and when the
militia was at the Mexican border he
was appointed corporal, hut owing tc
the fact that his military knowledg,
was not equal to the office it was nee
essary to reduce him to the grade OF
private.
A DEFENDER OF THE GUARD.
WHITEHALL, December Fl.
The sun., 1916-12-23
SOUTH AMERICAN TRADE.
An Exposition Of the Transportation
Facilities From the United States.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sfr: Mr.
Laurence Ottingers letter and your edi-
torial remarks thereon give your read
ers the impression that the shipping
facilities between North and South
America are inadequate and that our
exports TO South America are therefore
not increasing as they should.
While It Is OF course true that there
is general shortage of shipping all
over the world. II Is also true that our
exports have grown to hitherto un-
preccdentcd volume. and the scarcity OF
freight space Is a result OF large exports.
not a cause OF small exports. as both
Mr.. Ottinger and THE Sun appear to
believe.
In proportion to the demand II Is
probable that the freight space avail
able for South America Is greater than
for any other market. due to various
conditions. including the large cargoes
from South America.
There are seventeen lines OF steam
ships operating between New York and
South America. not counting the lines
operating to the nearby Caribbean ports
OF South America. all OF which lines
advertise in New York
Mr.. OttlngeJ complains of SO per
cent rise in freight rates, but other
factors entering into trade costs have
risen far more than 50 per cent. Again.
this rise is result largely of active
export trade.
Mr.. Ottinger states that there is a
lack OF American or other competitive
| lines to South America. or the seven
teen lines already mentioned no less
than six are American. Ave are neutral
and only six are British. and one Of
these British lines is actually American
in ownership.
Long established American lines to
| South America are the United States
and Brazil Steamship Line. Barber &
Co. Inc. Merchants Line, New York and
South America Line and Norton Line.
| 4 new American line is the American
Transatlantic Company
| Long established neutral lines are
Lloyd Brazilciro tBrazilian). Funch.
Edge & Co. tDan!sh. New neutral
lines are Kerr Steamship Line Busll
& Daniels and Commercial South
| American Line.
| Long established British lines are the
Prince Line. Lamport & Holt Line
Houston Lines. IIoulder. Weir & Boyd
Inc. Booth Line, West Coast Line
This last is American owned but on.
crates British vessels.
As regards the supposition that our
exporters have not increased their trade
in South America in recent years. your
attention is called to the figures issued
by the Department OF Commerce show,
ing that for the ten months cndet
October 80, 1915, our exports to South
America were valued at si79.7il 900
approximately so per cent greater than
for any previous ten months record. TIE
growth for ten months ending October
for the past few years IL shown by ths
following figures:
The sun., 1916-12-23

II is difficult for ordinary people to
understand why a communication OF
the vast importance of President Will
sons letter to the belligerents In
Europe should be SO expressed as to
leave legitimate doubt as to It's true
in all respects. One always
feels in reading document Of this
character that the writer has no sharp
ly defined line Of action in view. or Is
not sure of his own ground, and wishes
to provide a way, by means OF explana-
tion, to meet possible adverse reception
or criticism.
The general purpose Of Mr.. Wilson's
letter is. OF course. obvious. and with
that general purpose every right
minded person should be in sympathy.
No greater blessing imaginable could
come to the world at large than that
peace should be restored without fur
ther bloodshed and destruction. The
fighting nations are a. anxious for this
as we are: in fact. more anxious.
The open question Is only one OF
terms and conditions" II that be
conceded. then It inevitably follows
that peace can only come by virtue OF
such exhaustion Of one side or the
other that negotiation Is useless for
the vanquished. or as the result OF an
earlier agreement in respect Of terms
and conditions" Mankestly no agree
ment can be reached without knowl-
edge Of proposals and counter pro-
posals. Each side has stated its de-
sire for peace. and each side Is skir-
mishing for position before discussing q
the terms Of peace. Germany gives
warning that they must not be so Sc
we're as to amount to a denial OF her
right to future expansion along legiti'
mate lines. Tho Allies. on the other
hand. say that there must be complete
restitution, complete reparation and
complete guarantees for the future
peace of Europe. without defining wha,
would be considered compliance with
these requirements. Each side Is lef'
by the other in the dark. while each
processes at least to desire to seek the
light. What more opportune time ther
could there be than now for the inter
position of outside aid?
We, detached as We are In sense
are Influenced In our opinions OF the
relative responsibilities OF the con-
tending nations by the circumstance
that we believe Germany to have
been the aggressor for selfish pur-
poses. and that her conduct OF the
war has been in violation OF the rules
OF human and divine law. II II bt
true, as apparently it is, that what Ii
referred to as the military caste o.
Prussia Is chargeable with thest
The sun., 1916-12-23

The American mules that were sent
to the French army have been silenced,
says a despatch from Paris. The mule
has followed armies almost as long
as there have been armies. trudging
patiently along with camp equip
ments. yanking supply trains out OF
muddy tracks and fleeing with the
swiftcst In retreat, but always voic-
ing his remonstrance to his Job. He
Is hushed. though. now; science has
cut out his bray as effectively as II
has the racket Of the automobile.
1t makes him better "critter' for
war: but the innovation will not be
popular back in Missouri where he
came from. There II is his right to bray.
II Is no more disturbing than mans
yawn. He Is the Missouri nightin-
gale" to his admirers. and his trum-
pet call on the prairie is a reassuring
signal that all IL well.
The sun., 1916-12-23
GETTING THE BIG MAIL.
One Joy which the High Cost Of
Weaknesses Does Not Touch.

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