davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1916-12-19
MISSISSIPPI CLIMATE.
Statcsmcn's Opinions Quoted to Gun.
found DIR. O'MalIey.

To THE EpIToI or THE SuS-Sir: II
the deliberately expressed opinions OF
public men OF reputc arc found To lie
justified, then ] take exception to Dr.
Austin oMalley's opinions regarding
the climate uf Mississippi. Surely 1t is
not to he compared with hadcs II II
covers 100 miles one side of the Missis-
sippi River. white adjacent to 1t is
Louisiana, of which the following speaks
yelts message to Congress December
I, 1907:
The territory lying adjacent 90 tho Mis-.
sissippi along its lower course win become
ono Of the most prosperous and populous,
as 1t is one Of the most fertile farming
regions in the world,
EN-Prcsident Taft's opinion
The valley of tho Mississippi is po.it.-
cRlly and commercially more important
than any other valley on the face of the
globe. Here moro than anywhere else viii
he determined tho future Of tho United
states.
Fred Ramney Of the Missouri and
Kansas Farmer states:
There Is no place within the United
states whore the climate is more pleasant,
where the people are more congenial. where
II IL easier to make "A living, where tho
return Is greater for the labor expended
or where oao can live more like ideal char
actcrs OF fiction than in Louisiana.
FRANK AUSTIN BLAND.
New YORK. December ID.
The sun., 1916-12-19
FORBIDDEN SNOW.

The poet stood in Central Park and
Sazed for minutes across the unbroken
stretch Of now that lay upon the
Meadow.
II know" he said. that this Is a
long way from Greenwich Village. |
sort OF sneaked away from our set to
see this. I wanted to sec "A lot Of snow
and be where persons were not sneer-
ing at it,"
Don't they like snow in the VII
lagc?"
Not at all. Snow is not in revolt.
II doesn't rebel; it just Conqucrs.
Lars Ounce. the futurist painter, said
he liked snow in the country because
there II hid nature and kept her from
|distracting him from his landscape
work. Magda Laurclinc Van Dowd.
the poctess. says snow was only meant
TO bc written on in ink from the veins
Of kings. Her husband, Rene lIezitz
Van Dowd-hc hat Mas "A I;cZitz-
who is n sculptor. remarked that moth
ing good ever came from anything so
white and formlcss as snow. Tho
heavy fail affected Gerald Schwarz-
baum. who Is leading "A new labor foi
all movement. terribly. Iic hid under
tho bed lest the %janitor press him int
the shovellins crew. None of them
knows that ] came up here TO look a,
"A lot Of snow"
surely they wouldn't object; isn't
II their doctrine that every person
shah do as he pleascs?"
"Ah. yes. so long as he does some
thing abnormal. How they took or
when they caught me reading Tcnny.
son. Abdullah NICHOLSON. the leader
of a brotherhood of man cult, didn't
speak to me for a month";
The sun., 1916-12-19
DEAD LETTERS.
Are the llllterates or the Careless
Most 10 Blame?

WASHINGTON, u. c., Dec. 1s.-Almost
eleven million pieces OF mail matter
were posted last year so blindly adj
dressed that experts in post offices were
compelled TO send them to superexperts
In the famous dead letter division OF the
Post Office Department for final exami-
nation. These readers OF blindly ad-
dressed mail not only deal with the futile
attempts of iiliterates but with the edu-
Gated careless. as tho records Of the
work show.
During the year ended June 30, 1919.
there poured into the offices Of the dead
rlctter handlers the amazing number of
l0.939.S70 letters and parcels 70 blindly
addressed that post Offices throughout
the country were unable to deliver them.
The meaning of this is emphasized when
II Is known that before "A piece of mail
is sent to the dead letter office It's adj
dress. such as IL is. had been called out
to carriers who might by chance UNDER
stand IL, then has been studied by an en-
pert with the aid OF telephone and other
directories. then has been copied as
nearly as nay he into typewrlting and
posted for the inspection of Office forces
for look over" as Il Is called. and
finally has been advertised in the form
which seems nearest to the intention Of
the end Yet after this milling nearly
eleven million pieces go to the dead let
ter experts.
I%lliteratcs are not responsible for all
Of this confusion. In the period named
there were ound in letters opened in
the dead letter office checks. drafts,
1 90. .Hla. ..r -,l-- - -.
OF the total alu Of s2.302, 1885. Such
pa pers, especially checks and drafts. are
not commonly dealt in by illiterates. yet
the people who do deal in them through
the mails to the respectable amount men,
toned SO blindly addressed their letters
they could not be delivered.
The parcel post business has dcvei-
oped another lot of careless mailcrs.
Last year no less than 3?5,lGl parcels
were so badly addressed that the utmost
efforts OF experts We're unablc To find
addresses for them. The First Assist
ant I'ostmastcr-Gencral says in regard
10 this matter
Experience has demonstrated that the
accumulation of this matter tblindly al.
dressed parcel post mttirrl ~ the division
headquarters OF the railway mail service
has become 50 large a. to make 1, dInicult
TO lind space for Its accommodation.
one III the most interesting side lights
on this matter OF blindly addressed first
class mail matter is tho extraordinary
number OF wedding invitations which lind
their way into the hands OF post office
"induircis." as they are called. These
by tho hundreds will come into an office
more or less blindly addressed. and after
carriers have helped out with their gu.
rious methods OF sensing the real dos,
tination of a piece OF mail there vii
remain dozens. perhaps, Of Invitation,
which never reach addresses. students
Of tho mystery can only guess that there
Is such an unusual excitement about, !.
household where wedding invitations arc
being sent out customary carcfulucs,
does not prevail.
The sun., 1916-12-19

said that 1t WINS made up from an old
nest Of tables and part of a side table.
MACMuLLEN declared that It was n
tirely modern. VERNAY insisted That
1t was Of the latter part If the eigh-
teenth century or the beginning Of
the nineteenth. Georgian, said Nip
DLEKooP, but e work made Of old
boards. LENYeON thought 1t was
made late In the eighteenth century,
with inlay added afterward. We
quote from the digest relative to an
other piece in controversy:
THOMAS testified that item sls was
a commode and a modern piece Of new
material and new design. vrRNAY said
that Il was an Adam satin wood cabinet.
with an old carcass reveneered and bear
ing entirely new decorations. He said
that the style on the old top part had
not been carried out and that the ex-
ecution was wholly wrons MiDDLEkoor
held that II was q commodc which was
entirely new. LENYGoN declared that II
was a satinwood cabinet on a stand; that
the table was quite new. Of new wood
and bore new venccring. new painting
and new gliding"
The six experts for the importer had
no such doubts. They agreed. n and
all. that all the pieces In the shipment
were more than one hundred years old.
The court decided that they were right
and the Collector Of Customs went
away foiled, without n nickel.
The ease proves just what we and
all collectors Of furniture have be
lievcd: that all antique furniture Is
old. 1t Is all Mt least a hundred years
old and It Is as much older than that
rs you wish II to he.
The sun., 1916-12-19
Ia. T. STEWARDS PORTRAIT.
Did Melssonier Paint One. and II SO
Where Il II?

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir. When
! I was a boy living in the near vicinity
Of Washington Square. A. T. Stewart
lived in Depau Row. a block Of Blocker
street. south side. extending from
Thompson street to Sullivan. Depau
Row was composed Of some four or five
buildings. as I remember. constructed
after the style Of the prevailing exclu-
slve family dwellings in Paris OF that
day devoid OF the usual form OF en-
trance. stone steps. Ratings, &C., and
consisted Of an opening and passage
way through the building. with stable
/, in the rear. This porte cochere was for
tilted by great folding doors. which when
closed, as usually they were. made q
sombre impression. full Of mystery even.
upon our youthful minds.
Tho corner building at Thompson
street was occupied by the then ceie-
brated surgeon DR.. Mott. whose fns
face ! can recall to this day. Tho
westerly corner at Sullivan street was
occupied by Mr.. Stewart. I often saw
Mr.. Stewart as he drove In his carriage
to and from his store. Later ] saw
| him occasionally. both in the broadway
and Chambers street and the present
Wanamaker store. which latter store.
! by the way. is quite interesting as rep
resenting a special idea OF Mr.. Stewards.
carried out successfully by an English
architect, in which the dominant feature
was to secure from any level. at n
point. an open view Of the interior OF
the building. AS n structure Of iron
the building represented exceptional en-
terprisc at that day.
As I remember him. Mr.. Stewart was
OF medium stature. rather pale. with
sandy hair. Many years later I saw
him somewhat more intimately during
| the voyage from Liverpool on the last
trip OF the old sidewheeler Scotia. I
had a seat at the captains table In
company with Mr.. Stewart and Judge
Hilton. who was in constant attendance
upon him.. Mr.. Stewart at that time did
not appear to he a robust sailor. The
table was lavishly supplied with fruit
by Mr.. Stewards order and those at the
table were invited to share 1t.
on the steamer I had several con-
versations with Judge Hilton about pic
lures. NOM other subjects. lie stated
that Mr.. Stewart was a great admirer
Of MISSIONER. hat he had several OF
his paintings and had purchased before
leaving a small one. about fifteen inches
square. for which he had paid $lI 900.
Ii Is in connection with these CONVERSE
lions hat m memory persists in recall
ing the statement that Mr.. Stewart, be-
fore leaving Paris. had had his portrait
painted by Melssonler. and the impress
sion Of this includes my having seen
this portrait, showing the subject in a
sitting posture. in the gallery OF the
Stewart mansion at Fifth avenue and
lThirty-fourth street.
Did Melssmnier paint portraits? Did
he paint that OF Mr.. Stewart, and II so,
where Is 1t? joins Y. CULVER.
MorST Kisco. December II.
The sun., 1916-12-19
The Submarine Line Of American
Defence.

General HuGH l.. ScoTT's argument
for preparedness before the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs yes
terday afternoon was impressive in
the extreme.
Surprising the hostile coalition OF
two Powers now numbered among
our friends. namely, Great Britain
and japan, the Chief Of Staff of the
United States Army expressed the
opinion that upon the outbreak Of
war Great Britain, with the command
Of the seas, could transport to our
shores, without delay, n million
equipped soldiers, while Japan, In al.
lance with Great Britain's sea power.
would be able tO send its army of q
25O,O without serious danger Of cOun-
ter invasion.
It is not necessary to discuss the
diplomatic and sentimental consider
ations which may render unlikely such
q concerted attack by these particu-
lar Powers. The suppositiOn is Illus
trative only, but the illustration Is
striking. 1t has led the War College
and the rest of the General Staff to
The conclusion that u military es-
tablishment should consist Of ut least
1,5OO,OOO trained and organized troops
to meet the first onset, and an equal
force to he available ninety days
later; in all, an American defensive
army of three million men!
Is there not, however, another con
clusion quite as obvious and ever
more direct and immediate, assuming
that the enemy could bring across
two oceans the %stupendous force which
figures in General SCorr's startling
hypothesis?
We refer to defensive submarine
power: n sufficient force Of adequate
submarines to make oceanic transpor'
tation on that vast scale a doubtful
enterprise.
So far us the lessons OF the prescn,
war ~cnlighten us, the submarine would
be Americas first and most effective
weapon Of defence against n threat
ened invasion from the other side o'
the Atlantic or Pacific.
They cost less than battleships
They cost less than huge standing
armies. They have proved time an,
again their ability TO do the job tina
belongs To them.
Yet the number of submn rines rec
commended by the Secretary of thu
Navy for new construction In 1911
Is only eighteen; four fleet uniersci
boats and fourteen of the coast type
And the number recommended in tn,
larger estimate of the General Boar,
Is only twenty-seycn; nine fleet I'M
dersca boats and eighteen of tn,
cOast type.
Herein Is II broad question for tn
Congress of Constructive Patriotism
to he held mex month In Washington
under the auspices of the alert Ma
tlonal Security League.
Submarines, submarines, subma
rines!
The sun., 1916-12-19
The Attempt to Compose the Rail.
way Labor Controversy.

A good deal of uncertainty invests
the reported attempt of the railways
and their trainmen Ia arrive mt Il mu-
tual understanding aud avert in the
future such dcadlocks as that which
led to the enactment of the Adumson
law. None of the persons principally
concerned in the negotiation of the
compromise exhibits IL willingness to
talk about 1t. The only utteranccs so
far have come from FRANK MORRISON,
the secretary Of the American Fc.l-
Grafton of Labor, with which the
,rainmcn are not affiliated, and from
MIR. ADAMsoS, who displays needless
vexation in his remark that Congress
twill spank both sides to the contro-
yersy If necessary"
Mr.. MORRISON points out that the
American Federation of Labor has al
ways held that wages and working
hours are matters to be settled be-
tween employers and employees, with
out recourse 10 legislation, by the
process known as collective bargain
ing. 1t must he remembered that
neither the railways nOr the trainmen
appealed to President WILSON. lie
interviewed to avert n nationwide
strike, the failure of collective bar.
gaining In this instance having
brought the country face to face with
great peril. The Adamson law, pic.
turcd by the brotherhood chiefs y.
n compulsory settlement, has proved
In advance Of It's operation so full OF
possibilities Of disaster for the mel
whom 1t was intended TO benefit, tn.
President has shown such firm insis
fence on his plan for delaying strikes
apd tho public temper toward dis
The sun., 1916-12-19
TRADE BRIEFS.

Chinese brass coins are being bought m
and melted because they are moro valuable
"a metal than as a medium Of exchange.
Dry goods and notions are needed In
Chile.
\ Swiss nrm l. in tn. market for Call
fornla wine,
Inquiries have been mad. hy a French
nrln about electric carpet cleaners.
Ilpulln. the huc yellow powder 81 hops.
is being extracted in large quantities nv
= Arm in California. This powder was
formerly imported from %,;crmany.
II IL estimated that this year, cocoon
harvest In France viii amount to Gi4T.ioo
pounds, an increase uf Glt2 per cent. o,e.
thu 1919 harvest.
Philippine palm brandy IL being brought
to tn" attention Of importers IN Hongkonr
1t Is hoped that thl. viii widen IN" mar
ket for the alcoholic products OF tho ISL
anda.
Ticking for mattresses is needed In
Canada.
Rains hav. delayed the grinding Of tho
Domlnican sugar crop from two tn three
weeks.
, The mining industry In tho R'ucncIds
Il strict of Nicaragua IL being rapidly de
vclopcd, \ new ncld for American min
Ing supplies should bn opened as a result
OF this activity.
Gasoleue motors make ready sales ~
cuba. Core 'pondcncc regarding this de-
| mand should he in spanish.
shipments OF manganese ore from the
Russian port, of roti and Batum de.
creased from Tss,.li tons In 1914 to a,TaO
tons In 1919.
Rotary sewerage strainers are needed In
Canada.
The Bureau OF Fisheries Is experiment.
ing with shark skins in the manufacture
Of leather.
Mother of pearl. tortoise she'll and ccllu-
loid arc needed In Catania, Italy, In tho
manufacture OF mandolins.
Dealers In Portugal are In the market
for ~perfumrries, soaps, powders and other
toilet supplies.
Nicaragua most important exports are
coffee. gold. hides. bananas and cahineI
woods. Exports Of rubber have fallen on
In the past few years.
a firm In England is In the market 10,
100. 600, 900 paper fasteners.
The sun., 1916-12-19

General MAuDE. commanding the
British army in Mesopotamla. would
be surprised TO learn that the arm
chair critics in London are saying
that he could have taken Kut-el-
Amara any time these three months.
The Turk would hardly agree. In
spite OF the threat OF n Russian army
somewhere in Armenia and a reorgan-
lied British army in the south the
Turk still smokes and dreams II Kut.
While its strategic value may not be
important just now Kut seems to be
a hard nut to crack.
The sun., 1916-12-19
Cupid - Q Birdman.

Cupid ~ . Bl1dmon.
The prediction Of optimistic bird.
men that n%eroplanes are destined 10
become as popular as automobiles and
that mir navigation in the near future
Is to be, so to speak. brought down TO
the masses renders the suit Of LELAND
HAMMOND, a Chicago aviator. against
Mrs. WHO'LL BovELL for breach Of prom
Ire a matter Of wide interest. Mr..
HAMMOND demands 10000 from the
defendant on the ground that she
agreed to marry him while enjoying a
ride with him in his flying machine.
and that she subsequently. having
come down from the clouds, welded Il
tiller Of the soil. a Mr.. BovELL. n pros
porous farmer who eve goes up in
the air.
Several nice questions Of law I'M
precedented in the history Of juris-
! prudence are sure 10 present them
selves when this peculiar cas ONE TO
trial, not the least important Of which
may relate to the problem as to how
far heavenward the jurisdiction Of n
court Of law extends. DO all statutes
| that run on terra firma retain their
force when applied to the high alti.
| tudes to which aviators betakc them.
selves and their passengers: And
doesn't a title to anything of earthly
| value, including the plighted troth Of a
woman plainly under duress and neces-
sarily in n filghty condition. become
J clouded at great heights above the
terrestrial globe?
These technical legal points, how
ever, are Of minor significance COM
pared with the psychological problems
that spring from Mr.. HAMMoNp's
breach Of promise case. The choice
that presented itself To the defendant
between a daring adventurcr of the
skies and a successful raiser OF farm
products. between Il modern knight
Grant who Tits with the windmills
Of the heavens and a ploddcr who
keeps his feet on the ground and his
eye on his crops, Ia, in It's way, typical
OF the conflict between romance and
reality that most womc are obliged ("
co through. The hero, the daredevil,
the reckless seeker of perilous adycn-
lures has always appealed to the heart
and Imagination Of the gcntler sex.
But us a life partner the man with the
hoe has from time immcmorial pos
Scssci recognized advantages over his
rival of the wandering foot.
Nothing In the above Is To he taken
as an intimation that aviatiOn ncccs-
sarily units an acronaut for shinln.
to advantage In the realm Of domestic
life. There can he. of course, nothing
fundamentally antagOnisiic between
an inclination for the rarcficd atmos
phcrc of high attitudes and u longing
for the less stimulating brcczcs that
enter the open windows Of II happy
home. The case under discussion does
not. in fact. involve the question as t.
whether the average aviator Is likely
does put forward the pertinent query
as Ia where and when Il birdman Is III
liberty to POI, the question. Is It fail
to everybody concerned in his love nf
fair, including his rival or rivals, fol
him to take advantage of I'M agitatins
crisis, when his lnamoratn Is hurtlin,
through the sky at the rate Of Il mil,
II minute, 10 nsk her for II promis,
that will affect her whole future liz,
upon the planet revolving beneath hcl
agitated eyes!
The sun., 1916-12-19
II BLUE S
Later the Duryee Zoua,ps Wore Vel.
low PIumcs.

To THE EDITOR oil THE S~rN-Sir: The
Durycc Zouavcs wore "A red fcz with a
hluc tasscl which WAS later changed TO
a yellow tasscl on "A white turban. The
outside Jacket was blue, trimmed with
red. WHAT THE T. refers to AS tho
waist was "A shirt with red stripes from
the waist up. The red sash was trimmed
with blue. The red, baGIy trousers
were claspcd in white canvas ieggings
which afterward became calrskin leg.
gings. l.. V. J.. PuRpy,
Company T.. Fifth New York Vol
unteers. "Duryce Zouaves."
ST. CLOUD. Fla. December Is.
The sun., 1916-12-19

The Greek island Of Lemnos. which
has 80 defantly issued a proclamation
declaring King CONSTANTINE has for
feited his rights TO the throne, Is deal
TO ancient Grecian mythology. 1t was
the home OF HYPsrPYLE. the origin Of
the Nemean games, a stopping place
Of the ArgOnauts and the island where
P~HILocTETEs was bitten by a serpent
when on his way to the siege Of Troy.
1t was on Lemnos, too, that the
, women killed all the men out Of re-
venge for their neglect. an early in
stance Of militancy to which reference
Is sometimes made. This is the sea-
son when the climate of Lemnos is at
is worst, and when. according to an
old sea captain. any one living on the
island "is justified in doing any mean
thing that m into his head"
The sun., 1916-12-19
How Old Is Antique Furniture?

1t Is not our intent. In what fol-
lows, to shake the faith of owners Of
antique furniture, but rather to Dol.
ster 1t II such faith rye needs prop
'na up. which indeed we doubt.
Every owner of a Washington four
poster knows that 1t Is the one into
which GEORGE flung himself in all
WEAKNESS soon after crossing the Del
aware. Every pocscssor Of a highboy
that came over In the Mayiiower
knows that JOHN Alden kept, In the
top drawer, the pen with which he
signed the pact in the cabin. To u.s.
sault the authenticity OF old furni-
turc after 1t is bought and paid for Is
throwing split peas against Harvey
ized plate. Therefore, we turn to the
record of the United States Court of
Customs Appeal. United States VS..
SHALLUs, in the matter of antique
furniture without misgivings, being
about to show that no man can prove
that any furniture Is young.
The Board of General Appraisers
passed in n flock, cOvcy or mess OF
furniture free Of duty on the ground
that 1t was more than n hundred
years old, that being the law. The
Collector of Customs tried to cOllcc,
tariff on the shipment. The importer
called six expert witnesses, the Gov
eminent five. OF the latter, THOMAS
and MACMuLLEN are customs exam
incrs of furniture. The three others
VERNAY. MIDDLEKoor and LESYGoN
are dealers in antique furniture. W.
quote from the digest of their tcsti
mony us to one of the pieces:
EXAMINER THOMAS said that item 81
was a cabinet OF old and modern oak
with modern carving. Examiner MAC
MULLEN said hat the piece was %cntirel!
modern. VERNAY said that 1t was an oal
buffet, presumably OF the Elizabethal
period, and that It was made out OF oil
wood, but that carvings and moulding
were new; that It was entirely ney
work with the exception OF the door
and possibly the back. MIpDLEKoor sal,
that II was n newly constructed cabinc
and that 1t was made of old wood whicI
had been carved over. LENyGoN de
clared that the article was an oak buffet
the large or body portion of which nigh
be Did, but that the lower part of 1t wa
quite new"
Please to remember that these OK
perts were not ranged against ono an
other; they were all hired on one sid
Of the case. They were In doubt a
to whether the foregoing article wa
a cabinet or II buffet, but the mex
piece, all agreed, was n table:
THOMAS said that item 929 Was
side table, with modern carving. Vel
NAY declared that the piece was a VIII
lam and Mary table of walnut. the cai
cass OF which was old, reveneered. an
W ~ pNtft NV " y" tops Nv
legs me a stretcher. MlDDLEEooP state
that the article was an old William an
Mary table which had been repaired an
reveneered. LENY1oN held that tho al
ticle was a walnut table inlaid with var
GUS woods. and that the piece was er
tirely modern"
When 1t came To item 9G3, THOMA
said 1t was n dresser made of n nc,
carcass with new mOuldings. VIZ
NAY said the body was more than
century old. MIDDLEKOOP said 1t WI
IN old Flemish kitchen piece, lat,
, dandlficd. LENyGON said 1t was orig
: nally 80 plain that the new carving
Z, and m%ouldlngs made 1t Il new piece.
OK q dining room table THOAA