davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1916-12-29
AUTHORS.
Mes>rs. Anon and ibid Are StiIl Puz.
zllng Would BE IdentlAprS.

To THE EpIron OF Fur SUN-Sir: After
writing and publishing a Dictionary OF
Smiles was surprised to find that so
little Is generally known OF those re-
noUncd authors Anon and Ibid. A great
number of names which arc only TO I've
discovered in the catalogues OF the Con.
gressional Library and the British Mu.
scum. and known only to biblioileuds
were passed over without question. IL
appears, however. that Anon and Ibid
have stumped a number OF studious prr-
sons. And this despite tho fact that
Messrs. Anonymous and Ibidem are the
most voluminous OF writer's.
correspondent from Brooklyn writes:
In YOUR book | have noticed. I'm quoting
tn" different SMILES, YOU have added IN.
authors name in each case. The word
Ibid seems 10 puzzle quite a few pcop,c
myself Included, who have seen these ouo.
tai,ons, and as have tried to locate sam.
In encyclopedias and different books Of
similar nature, and being unable 20. I
would consider It a great favor II van
would write and tell me II this word ar
nam" Ibid was an author: or II not
what the origin OF the name is.
made Of curse a polite reply. He
is now very likely airing his erudition
I hope SO,
n lady from Newark. y. j., wrote me
Ar" YOU not mistaken In creditlns the
follow ing ines To hid:
"Swector than tho lids of Iuno's .y,s
or tynthia's breath
am quite sure that they are by William
Shakespeare.
II appears then that those popular
writer's Anon and ibid are little known
to the general public.
FRANK J, WusTAcu.
NEW NoRK. December 81.
The sun., 1916-12-29
Uncle Sans Undivided TwO.thirds
Interest.

Senate Bill 1910. referred to the
Senate Committee on Commerce. which
consists Of eleven democrats and
eight Republicans, is entitled:
~ bill to promote interstate COM
merce, agriculture and the general well
fare by providing for che development
and control Of waterways and water re.
sources; for water conservation for
food control. prevention and protection :
for the application OF Hood waters to benz
efoial uses and for cooperation in such
work with States and other agencies ;
for the control OF the floods Of the Mis-
ss sippi River and the Sacramento River,
California and for other purposes
Among the other purposes appears
tn he n deliberate intention To rob
Uncle SAM of IN undivided twO-thirds
interest In values to be created by the
expenditure Of his money.
The bill carries ST., OW 900 TO re-
claim privately owned swamps along
the Mississippi. Land now worth
from 30 cents to so an mere Is to be
made worth 500 an acre and up.
ward; the owners expect to sell 1t for
$50 an acre. Sixteen million acres
are involved. II we average present
values this land Is worth 6O,OOO.O 400.
When 1t shall have been reclaimed II
will be worth At least 81 ,6OO,WW,O OO.
Uncle SAM is TO spend $40, 900
and as much more as may he ncccs-
sary to make these swamps tIllable.
Sound engineering opinion thinks that
II the project raj bc carried through
at all 1t can only he made permanent
by facing the miles of levccs with CO.
ment. That would bring the cost to
SoOO, ,OOO. Uncle SAM Is to spend
from SI5,OOO,OW to 2OO,OOO,OOO to
present private property owners with
a clean $144O,OOO,O 900.
AS he Is to put up two dollars for
every one put up by local interests,
Uncle SAN has indisputably an undi.
The sun., 1916-12-29

patriotic spirit, n fact that their civil.
Ian critics have overlooked.
We undertake to say that when
regiments were found to be unsol-
dierly and unfit, the States from
which they came were largely to
blame. You can count upon the two
hands the States that sent fairly
well trained material to camp and
border. As u whole. the organized
militia has never taken It's work seri-
ously enough. 1t has been over.
praised by partial friends, and 10.
cally no one has had the moral cOur-
age to tell the truth about It.
Now we have spread on the record
what regular army officers think
about the National Guard. II Is hon.
est and unspnring criticism, and in
that respect General w. A. MAINS
report is invaluable. Let every Guard
officer read and profit by 1t. There
Is Il good deal Of splendid material
In the Federnlized Militia, and 1t con.
tains regiments Of regular army quail.
,ity awaiting development and finish.
The problem of training the National
Guard to be fit for the first line Is n
most difficult one, requiring new leg.
islation and n still more intimate re.
lation with the regular army. Every
National Guard regiment should have
as Its Colonel In the process Of devel.
opment n regular army officer.
The sun., 1916-12-29

The metropolis Is the mich COW Of
the Post O'iicc Department. From It's
receipts a proii, which FOR 1916 may
reach s25. oo0 600 or more. Manhattan
furnishing The greater share. is drawn
To maintain Improbable services else.
whcrc.-Thc World.
We have been able TO accept
this theory as sound. The "unprott-
able services elsewhere" arc essential
factors in n system of which New
York is a part. Without them. there
is no telling what the New York oper-
atoms would amount to. II costs more
tn carry n letter by railroad train.
steamship and dog sled from Column
bus Circle to rcmotcst Alaska than il
does to carry "A letter from Madison
Square to Union Square by AN: but
the Alaskan route contributes to a
complete system. which must bc ON
s,dercd as a whole.
The sun., 1916-12-29
lIemnOs and Iokl.

10 riIf t.pIror oF THE Sr~- s,
regard to Lcmnos and l.oIl | note
sources. but all Greek reference,
menlner o my youth as We. a.
celebrated Greek t|ragrdios Ia
upon the point that rhiloytcrc- ua
on a desert, appropriated island I'm
well known tragedy he yump.a.t-
peatedly that he is left on a doscr,
and Would Homer and tho en-
writer's of tragedy class I.cmnos o..
d'ser, island"
AS 90 l.oki, the only source
fdda and in lialdur's death . 70
IN detail how the black dAarlS mad,
spear out Of tho mistlctnr and hos p
i'edur kills Baldur with this spct
rather rely on the Eddl saga thar
RullIinch, *. G~ulrrEN,>
NEW York, December %.
The sun., 1916-12-29
Pigs Isn't Pigs.

| used to think that pigs was pigs.
And also pork was pork,
But that was fore they lot mo read
The papers In New york,
Now. far as | can figure Il,
\ Congressman's "a pig,
And pork IL Just n building, or
A harbor. deep and big.
! used to think a lamb a lamb,
with fuzzy wuzzy coat.
But Wall street stories say that bear.
Have made the lamb a goat.
A chicken used to cross the street
Well. everybody knows
Blu daddy says they cross II now
To show their pretty hose.
1t must he time has wrought a change
In things like pigs and pork.
III have to go to chool again
Down here In old New York.
NELSON Q. Hyps.
The sun., 1916-12-29
Concrete Application Of Plain
Programme.

Al leHst one preliminary programme
for industrial and military training
and preparedness presented to the
convention of the scientists Is so plain.
SO concrete. as TO provoke admiration
THE entire population OF the United
States should be card c~atalogued n the
men classified according to their various
abilities or adaptation under the letters
A. b. c. d. &c. showing their fitness for
various vacations according to a per-
centase up to 100. An examination Of
these men should be made two. three or
four times a year. SO that one could
Judge in the case OF a ditch digger, q
mechanic or a soldier whether the man
was at 90, so or 100 per cent. standard"
Let us he equally concrete and try
to apply this scheme TO one man. Who
snail he he but the author Of the pro-
gramme itself: The catalogue would
reid somewhat like this:
"KuNz. GEORGE FREDERICK b. y. Y,
1856.
Educated pub. schools and Cooper
Union tHon. 4. NJ. Columbia. 1898 ;
rh. l.. L. OF Marburg. 1908 Sc. D.,
Knox. l907.)
Occupation: Gem expert and vice.
president Tiffany & Co.
Experience: Special agent l.. s. Geo
logical Survey. 1SsS-IsO9: in charge de-
partment OF mines at the expositions OF
Paris. Kimberley. Chicago. Omaha and
Atlanta radium commissioners at the II.
Louis Exposition special investigator
for the L. :. Fish Commission on Amer
lean pearls special agent In charge OF
precious stones. l2th Census; delegate
from the United states TO the Intcrna-
tior al Congress, Paris. 1900. &c. SC.
Foreign honors Officer dIns;ruction
Publique I'rancc) officer Legion OF
Honor uFrancc) Knight. Order ST. Olaf
Norway honorary member. Museum
OF Natural History. Paris, Sc. sc.
Writings: Gems and Precious Stones
OF North America 200 papers on gems.
minerals. folklore, Sc"
There would be other items, no
doubt. showing whether the subject.
under test. worked as hard after
luncheon as before: how he responded
to Binrt-Simon questions and what
number Of calories he consumed per
diem.
Let us fancy n Ut the .yO.,aU Gov
ernment examiners stepping up to give
DIR. KuNz his quarterly examination
Now, my good man. we shall see
whether YOU are st!ll up to the standard
OF vocational fitness. Tell me. quickly.
all you know about gems"
Perhaps the Kunz programme would
work out all right. We nre sure the
author OF 1t would he patient under it.
But there are others.
The sun., 1916-12-29
THE SOUTH AND THE PORK
BARREL.
A Patriotic %Southerner Thinks the
Question should BE Ignored In the
Interest Of Unity Of the Sections,

Question should BE Ignored In the
Interest Of Unity Of the Sections.
To II EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: I
have been reading your paper every
morning for eight years. which Is the
number Of years I have lived NORTH
In New York. I came here from the
South. or course neither you nor your
readers are interested In this part of
my story.
For some time now you have had a
great deal to say about the pork barrel
and the South getting the lions share,
&c. ] was for Judge Hughes for Presi-
dent. and have never been for Wilson,
but such articles as you have been
putting in our paper are calculated to
cause bad feeling by one part Of the
country against the other.
+ was travelling In the South Just be.
fore and after the recent election. and II
you could have heard the unkind re-
marks (mostly BY the ignorant. how
ever) about New York and the East
being whipped by the West and South,
and that Wall Street would never run
this country again. &c.
Now. ! a the same opinion Of their
remarks and editorials as I have Of
yours. for we are n people, and I fear
1t may mo- be long before the North,
South. East n West. Democrats, Re-
publicans and Progressives. will have
to Join hands and go out to fight for
our very existence. and now why should
such a big brother as n Sun is to
the press OF our country, Judge Hughes
The sun., 1916-12-29

This office. where good things are
appreciated. has always a welcome for
that excellent magazine OF letters,
principally contemporary. the Book
NAN: and we observe with interest
its announcement that with the cur
rent number terminates the editorship
OF ARTHUR BARTLETT MAURICE, who
since October /. 1899. has made It an
increasingly valuable literary record
and repository,
The late FRANCIS r. BRowSE of the
Chicago Didi in a letter humorously
defined h purpose OF his magazine.
to notice books as they appear and
authors as they disappear. When MIR.
MArRicE goes to take up the work
with the American Relief in Belgium
for which he has volunteered, a full
regiment OF authors will wish him
bon voyage the more heartily be-
cause he has helped them to recog-
milton before the time for shutting
on this mortal coil. And to their
fluctuations and expectations ad-
dressed to the ne~ editor, Mr.. G. G.
WANT. our own cordial congratula-
tons are Joined; along with a friendly
reminder that most folks object to
any sudden and extensive change of
literary diet.
The sun., 1916-12-29

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: OF
all the fine things that were done in
New York this Christmas season. the
finest OF all was the Christmas OF the
police to the children Of the poor. None
OF the urchins will be afraid Of n cop
again. and that is as 1t should he, The
had their satisfaction in the happl-
ness OF the Riddles, but their best re-
ward will come in the confidence and
trust OF the children in the days that
are 10 come. AN ApMIRER,
New YORK, December 81.
The sun., 1916-12-29
The Vigilance

TO THE EDITOR or THE SrN-Sir, Your
editorial article I'm the Saddle" I be-
licvc in, for every word of il is the
absolute truth. AS you have suggested.
! believe that every honest newspaper
In this country ought TO take decisive
action in the matter.
Allow me to call your attention TO an
other article ! saw In our good paper
relative to Wilson'S plurality that is
placed at 56S.s22.
Where do you think all this plurality
comes from ! find that wilson's plu-
rality in the solid South is 762.115.
Therefore the South naturally think
they are entitled TO all that is good in
that wonderful pork barrel.
WILLIAM HENRY HARErsoS CLARK.
M~oNrCtAIR. y. j.. December IS.
The sun., 1916-12-29

\ case now before Justice NATHAN
BUR OF the Supreme Court OF New
York involves the legal status of a
four months old baby in an apartment
house. The parents OF the child assert
that their offspring has the right to
20 ny and down in the main elevator
in her carriage. while the owners Of the
building contend that the baby in her
conveyance must be relegatcd To the
lii devoted To moving garbage. express
packages and groceries. Public senti-
ment In connection with this interest
ing case is bound to be divided. An
individuals attitude toward babies az
an institution il likely to place him
AZ the outset on the side Of either the
plaintim I'll the defendant. The diff
Guilty If getting "A jury in LITIGATION
OF his nature is apparent the moment
tho basic issue of the ease in hand il
fully Comprchendcd.
The sun., 1916-12-29
OUR MOTHER LAND.
Does America Spring Not From Eng.
land, but From All Of Europe?

To EDrroR OF TIE sUN-Sir: Per-
init a native Of Massachusetts, to take
issue with Francis Lynde Stetson's as
tonishing speech at the New England
Society dinner Friday night. To few
other men born In America would II have
seemed hitting to repeat n toast offered
at the Plymouth dinner In 1853, "A
speedy and lasting union between Great
Britain and her colonies" when they
considered that In only four years Bos-
ton harbor was turned mi a teapot and
a few months later Paul Revere stood
In the shadow of Bunker Hill w%atchfully
waiting for a signal light In the North
Church tower. Paul Revere saw the
light, but apparently Mr.. stetson never
did. or possibly the light has been OBJ
scured by Mr.. stetson's we'll known close
relations with Englapd's loan brokers
and munitions agents in this country.
Moreover. Mr.. Stetson should know
that England Is not our mother coun-
try" New York, the greatest city and
the greatest state in this Union. greater
than all New England. was settled by
H~ollanders. Florida. the Gulf country
and California were settled by Span
iards. The central West. from Detroit
to st. Louis. was as French as the names
OF Its cities. SO many millions have
come from every country in Europe
that the descendants OF the English are
a bare one-fourth Of our people. Europe
is our mother country, not England.
Possibly John Hancock and those
signing after him on July 4. 1875. did
act most unwisely," az Mr.. Stetson
But all save a microscopic mi
nority OF Americans venerate Hancock
and Washington. love the ideal they es-
tablished and are firmly resolved that
these United States shall ever remain
free and Independent. with nc cntangling
alliances. and that the 'British-American
Union" will never. never come TO be.
Far more astonishing than Mr.. Stet-
IONS speech Is the fact that II went
u%nrebuked by an audience made up OF
the all too fast disappearing descend
ants OF what President Lowell called
"the older Inhabitants of New Eng
land" whose ancestors hated England
as dearly as Mr.. Stetson loves II.
JOHN d. MooRR.
NEw YORK. December rs.
The sun., 1916-12-29
Memories Of Alcoholic Alchemy.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Sir: Let
me Join in the wall Of "~Heartbroken"
and 'Fishbali' for the lost drinks of
our youth. ] came to New York thir-
teen years ago a raw Western hoy. |
won neither fame nor fortune, bu, i'm
those early days ! could AZ this time OF
the year drink five or six Tom and Jer-
rvs or eggnogss. as the spirit dictated.
on my way home from the office each
evening. Now l know OF but two places
that pretend TO serve SO much AS an
eggnogn, and what they all by that
hallowed name is nothing but a milk
punch. Thirsty.
NEW York, December 20.
The sun., 1916-12-29

The name of Chcesequake Creek be-
came significant nearly forty years
ago when Miles Ross. a native Of
Middlesex county in New Jersey. was
in Washington. Ross was a Democrat
and served in the F'orty-fourth. Forty
fifth, Forty-siXth and Forty-sevcnth
Congresses ,Deccmber 6, 1875. to
March 3. 1889. representing the then
Third Congress district OF his State.
In Ross bailiwick there was a
stream called Ch~eesequakc Creek. our
Uncle Sam spent several hundred
thousand dollars on Cheesequake Creek
and the significance OF the name is
historic.
The sun., 1916-12-29
COMMUNITY MUSIC.
4 Merited Word for the Com m unity
Chorus and Its Work.

To II EDITOR OF THE SuN-Si. II
seems to me that one Of the finest things
that have been done by any New York
newspaper. as relates to music, in years.
Is the most admirable account of the
singing OF the Community Chorus in
THE Sun Of December 81.
II was music OF the people, by the
people and for the people. and when we
recall the unselnsh origin of the Com
munity Chorus. tho unscllsh work of its
leader and the most excellent results OF
Tuesday night, collectively we have ag-
gregated one OF the greatest things that
ever have been lone in the history of
music in the United States.
ions II, Foster,
New YORK, December IS.
The sun., 1916-12-29
In Defence Of James r. Mann.

No student of the political activi-
ties of the Hon. JAMES II. MANN Of
Illinois and the House of Representa-
tives will hesitate for an instant to
accept his denial OF the charge that
he Is an unselfish and d%isinterested
labOrer In the cause Of Prussia and
Pan-Germanism. Mr.. MAINS career
Is a complete and satisfactory refuta.
ton Of this allegation.
Indeed, Mr.. MANN and his defend
ers can safely 60 further than they
have In their efforts TO cxculpate him
from suspicion of altruistic self-sacrl-
flee. His record establishes beyond
question his innocence Of conscious
bias In behalf of any programme,
project, or scheme Of politics interim
tional or domestic that has not been
definitely and prOftably associated
with and contributory to the preser-
vatlOn and advancement OF the inter-
ests of JAMES X. MANN OF Illinois. If
In any instance he has strayed from
the consistent path his acute and in
curing intellect has marked out for
his we'll disciplined feet, that lapse
from the virtuOus habit Of a lifetime
Is to he accounted for by reference to
n OF those unhappy mental hiatuses
which, like ia is in the highest veins
OF minerals, occasionally Interfere
with the workings OF the most
straightforward minds.
Mr.. MANN has conformed rigidly
: Ideal. II his conduct may have
sean transferable into friendship for
The sun., 1916-12-29

To THE EDITOR or THE SrS-Sir: Your
correspondent, ."Nindex" misses a nice
distinction in his letter about the bray.
ing OF mules. Tn. mule Is indlspensa-
bile. poor beast. The jackass is the
symbol OF the political party nov per-
forming at Washington. often in the
last three years must these lines Of
Wordsworth have been recalled by bacls
ward looking persons
Once more the ass did lengthcn out
The long. dry scesaw OF his horrible
bray"
FHEpERfCk VAS WICK.
NV YORK.. Dernmhcr &c
The sun., 1916-12-29

Prussia Nc may be sure that no at.
tachment to the Kaiser's kingdom in.
fiuenced the Illinois wasp. Rather,
the Kaiser was conceived by Mr..
MANN's best friend and warmest ad.
mirer to be useful in the prosecution
Of Mr.. MANN's business; and hence
followed the association which the
thoughtless now strive to misinter.
pref to the injury Of Mr.. MANN.
The sun., 1916-12-29

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sir: In
your very able and highly Favored cdi-
torial article I'm the Saddle YOU refer
to "Cheesequake creeks in both North
and south" knew OF a C~heeseauake
brook in the suburbs OF Boston. Are
there many Of them and why You
use the name as though it were signlii-
cant. l.. NAS DrzEr.
NEW YORK. Decemhcr %
The sun., 1916-12-29
H "Wosld" on the Way to Safe
gusrd the Monroe Doctrine.

The effect Of American participa-
don In q league to enforce peace in
Europe was discussed the other day
By our esteemed friend the World:
THE suggestion that such a league
would impair the Monroe Doctrine seems
- Be baseless. That policy has resulted
n . formidable league against conquest
n the Western Hemisphere. As 1t Is
bstter understood 1t gains in strength.
Tie proposed league to enforce peace
would be an extension Of the same prin-
sipis to the Old World. Entered upon
u good faith by other important ma
tons. our refusal to participate in It.
Instead Of safeguarding the Monroe Doc
tine. would more likely be accepted as
The abandonment Of tina Doctrine"
With due respect to our neighbor's
i%ntellectuals. we are bound to say
that this Is a little too metaphysical.
The Monroe Doctrine was clearly de-
fined at The Hague, and in conven
lions resulting from the two confer.
ences at The Hague. The declaration
y ms clear rs Tahoe water:
"Nothing contained in this Conven-
Ton shall be so construed as to require
he United States Of America to depart
from its traditional policy Of not en-
tering upon. interfering with. or en-
tangling Itself in the political questions
or internal administration OF any for
elgn State. nor shall anything contained
In the said Convention be so construed
q to require the REIMBURSEMENT by the
United States Of America Of its tradi-
tional attitude toward purely American
questions"
We a see how the World might
favor the abandonment Of the Mon
roe Doctrine and the REIMBURSEMENT
Of our traditional attitude toward
purely American questions for the
sake Of entering into a league Of
Powers to enforce peace in both hem.
ispheres. That position would be in.
telligible, II debatable.
But We confess we cannot see. and
cannot imagine how the World sees.
how the refusal to depart from the
Monroe Doctrine by entangling our
selves In the political questions Of
Europe, and the refusal to abandon
the Monroe Doctrine by relinQuishing
u traditional attitude toward purely
American questions, could he accepted
by anybody except the Mad Halter
and the March Hare as the abandOn.
ment of that doctrine.
The logic of that proposition quite
t%ranscends the receptive capacity Of
intelligence.
Yesterday. returning to the same
subject and speaking In the same mys-
tic vein, our good neighbor quoted and
commented as follows:
Germany. OF course. does not men,
ton the Monroe Doctrine. II is left to
the imagination whether her proposal
includes cooperation in the prevention
Of wars in Mexico.-THE SrN.
A international league to prevent
future wars might have as little to do
with insurrection in Mexico as with a
domestic uprising in Germany"
To which we can only reply that |
1t might and again 1t mightn't.
The sun., 1916-12-29
4 Positive Opinion.

To THE EDITOR or THE SuN-Sir: After
reading your editorial article to-day I
the southerners have certainly
got full control and before another year
Ohio. California inc a few other States
will be damning themselves for voting
encouragement to that crowd.
A DEMOCRAT.
New YORK. December Is.
The sun., 1916-12-29

The difference between a league to
enforce peace and a league to i'm
sure" peace Is radical. What effect
upon n lawless mining camp would
n vigilance committee exert that sub
st1tutcd moral force for side arms
The sun., 1916-12-29

some years ago an exasperated Con-
gresham advised the South to raise
less hell and more hogs and hom-
my" Hominy statistics are not at
hand, but 1t is evident that the South
is at present long on hogs.
The sun., 1916-12-29

II should he constantly borne in
mind in these controversial times that
the German Chancellor asserted in the
l~ieichstag that his Government de-
liberately intended to flout in~terna-
tional law in 1914 and to hack its way
through Belgium.
The sun., 1916-12-29
TW enty-n.e Mills. TN ofrr

i" " Enron or TUr SIS so
are TO nave the two and q nn'f cent % 70
whi'h we need very much, tn 'pgl , .'
for IT is "tWofcr." Cu,HtrS II. .>g
SHARioTrE, y. G., Dryrmhcr 70.