davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
The "Damnedest Rot"

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SvS-Sir The
process OF reasoning by which "Ammi
Wright and Editor Belts blar, Theo-
dore Roosevelt for the iuniction upon
this country Of a mouthiug. minCing,
phrase making professor for a Tr"sl-
dent IL Identical with that Of the Ger
mans who have figured out they are
the injured party and that the British
are the ageressors in the war.
Politicians and henHhmou % politi-
clans. heelers, men who depend for a
livelihood on the favor az that unNholc-
some breed OF which this nation mus,
rid Itself and will rid ITSELF az Havana
was rid Of yellow fever. they are the
only ones who can deliberately and un-
d~erstandingly agree will this conclusion
OF Teutonic logic.
"Ammi Wright and the dupes OF
politicians are the ones that elected vii.
son. II was not Roosevelt. They had a
chance to vote for Roosevelt. Why did
they throw their votes away
This talk a,oIt a violated rledEe Is
ROY. the damnedest rot mat ever was
uttered when II Is uttered against
Theodore Roosevelt In connection viii
his last candidacy :or the Presidency at
the United States
THEODORE S~TAREETr,
NEW YORK, January Is.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
AfOntenegrO's separate Peace.

The agreement of the Montenegro
King and people to sign terms Of a
separate peace. as announced yester-
day in the Hungarian Parliament by
Count TIs2A, constitutes the first
break in the ranks of the Allies.
This action Of Montenegro follows
closely upon her loss of the Lovcen,
her greatest stronghold, and the sur
render to the .Austrians of her entire
army. Montenegro issued her declara-
tlon of war against Austria soo after
the Austrian attack upon Belgrade
and followed II II few days afterward
by a declaration II hoStilities against
Germany. The small and poorly
equipped force for modern warfare
that she was able u put into the field
was not of great value even TO the
Serbian army. with which it usually
cooperatcd. Its defeat by the over
whelmlng Austrian army. sp.endidly
equipped with artillery Tor mountain
fighting, was from the first almost a
fOregOne conclusion.
In making Il separate peace Monte
negro evidently did not break any
agreement with the Allies. for there
is nothing to indicate that she was
bound By the compact entered into by
the Entente Powers. Great Britain,
France and Russia. She WAS really
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
Two Policies: No Reform.

Governor WHITMAN's brand Of econ
Omy in State administration has been
rejected by the statesmen whose ap-
prevail Is essential to It's adoption.
They have examined II with scrupu-
lous care and impartiality. and have
reluctantly condemned 1t rs inappro.
pirate to the needs of the public.
In Its place they propose n reform
Of their W by which S20.O0O,OOO
would be saved in the expenditures
to be authorized by the Legislature
this year. This saving will be ef-
fected by the simple device Of chang.
ing the opening Of the fiscal year
1918 from October ] to July I. thus
reducing the period to nine months.
and abolishing n number Of Jobs held
by Democrats and therefore obviously
useless. The simplicity Of attaining
economies by altering the fiscal year
appeals; why not cut It down to six
months. and thus save half the cost of
government? Nor should we overlook
the gain to the taxpayers derivable
from abandoning the Democratic "1n-
dustrial Colony for Tramps." and Or
ganizing, say, the Republican "voca-
tional Retreat for Migrants"
How deep is Governor wHTMAN's
attachment to financial reform. a seri-
GUS and entertaining subject, vi have
no means Of knowing. The feeling Of
the legislators toward It is notorious.
What is now planned at Albany Is a
mock fight owe retrenchment, de-
signed to obscure the real issue In
Quarrels over details and adroitly
avoid any step toward relief for the
burdened taxpayer.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
INDIAN JUGGLERS.
Inferior In Resourcefulness. They Are
Unsurpassed In Technique.

To the EDITOR OF THE SrN-Sir: The
explanation in THE SIN of January Ii in
reply to -. l." Of the wy in which In
tia iugglers cause "A boz apparently to
disappear after climbing a rope thrown
into the air =, Gear. more ingenious
than true. The late DIR. Richard Hodp-
son. secretary Of the American branch
OF the Society FOR psychtcal Res arch
mad" a SPECIAL study of lcCerdemain,
and while in India IN the early 500
learned from the jueGlcrs the methods
Of performing th,ir most famous tricks.
~" told m" about tn'.ty wears ago tina
there is no cyldt..re worth considering
for the performance Of the trick about
which - y" Inquiries. aud that he had
sunret led in tracing the story to Its
suuroe, u reporter ON a Brooklyn news.
paper. who told him frankly that he had
Invented it to make copy
regret very much that, after the
APPS OF so many years, | auNot 'ecall
ir detail his discussion Of the evidence,
his reasons for reg trdiue it as WORTH
'"ss, and the amusing particulars of his
long search for the man who first gave
the story currency.
! may add that i've thought the abili-
ties OF the Indian jugglers much exag.
G~ratcd and far inferior to those OF the
best observation-disclosures Of tho West in in
gcNu.ty and rosourVcfu,ness. Few could
perform more n SIX or seven tricks,
hut in technique he thought them uu-
surpassed. lie told Inc that after he
had seen In detail the method of per.
forming tho famous mango trick" ne
Witnessed It's performance In bright sun
light 10y the same ~Jugglcr, and Mas quite
as unable TO see how II was done As he
had been before he hu-W the secret.
w. RoMAINE NEwRoLp.
PHILADELPHIA, January u.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
Nr. Dana and "Sam" RPwey.

To TIE EplToG or THv Sr~ SIR,
Thomas :. Weaver. Superintendent OF
Schools ~ Hartford. Who worked w.;l
t.lIah Mum Rcwcy on the Worcester
Dd,ly Press. says OF him.
sam Rcwey, as he WAS hnoNh. was
ON tre Worcester Press win Charley
Russell, afterwArL Congressman from
the old Third with Edglr *. Apgtr.
4 brilliant writer. ami utn'"s. Wis
foreman Of the evening edition or that
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18

10 far as the public knows. the
proof of the German allegations about
what nre called the Baralong muir
ders Is not of the most conclusive
character. Sir EDWARD GREy's offer
to submit the facts TO the arbitration
Of a neutral board of American naval
officers, together with the facts in GER
tain other cases of alleged brutal
fare, does not indicate that the afiida-
Wits of the American muleteers are
credited by him.
The cry for vengeance for the Bar
along murder by means of swift and
impressive repriSal from the
German newspapers and from indi-
vidual members of the Iteichstag. The
nearest approach to an official threat
Of reprisal Is contained in the utter
ance of the Under Secretary of the
Foreign Office, in the Reichstag on
Saturday. The Government" said
Herr Zimmerman. rs reported by way
Of Amsterdam, will lind the right
means to punish the revolving deed
sharply and impressively."
Let every friend of Germany and
Of humanity hope hat the ycprisat
now In contemplation at Berlin may
fall short OF the butchery of prisoners
innocent of the remotest connection
with the Baralong affair.
Whatever may he the technical
right Of reprisal. the quality Of the
evidence in this cast does not war
rant the ruthless application of the
principle of life for life. If there is
left Gas who doubts there is:) some
regard for the opinion Of the civilized
neutral world, policy should appeal
not less forcihly than humanity to
the men at Berlin who are II dictate
the method of rrpri>ni.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18

for the public interests; In the stand
ard Of art, which Is set by the price
Of n painting or statue, not by the ex-
cellence OF It; even in the notice
served on society by the "modern
woman" that the fuller life
before her duty as wife and mother.
Continuing his speculations. Mr..
ADAMS says:
"As a unified organism we are nearly
incapable OF sustained collective thought.
except at long intervals under the Sc
verest tension. Ordinarily. we
cannot think except individually or To-
cally. 80 We can organize no effective
needed 20 construct an effective army
must be frittered away TO crafty locali-
ties. nor can we have a we'll adjusted
navy because we can persevere in no uni
fed plan developed by a central mind
with much Of this we believe that
Mr.. ROoT would agree as a veteran
legislator and Cabinet Minister. In
the end Mr.. ADAMS utters the solemn
warning that II the American people
do not come to their senses and adopt
and practise team work, the hour
| cannot be far distant when some SUI
perior because more cohesive and In
telligent organism. such az nature has
decreed shall always lie In wait for
its victim. shall spring upon us and
rend Ills rs the strong have always
I rent those wretched because feeble
creatures who are cursed with an
aborted development"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
SAFETY ON SUBMARINES.
Elimination Of Storage Batteries +;
Problem for Inventors.

To THE EDITOR oF THE SUS-Si': Tine
explosion on board the submarine r.
aga!n calls attention to the d~eslrability
OF getting rid OF storage batteries. Last
summer when Mr.. Ford spoke of his
jtncy submarine. which was to run
without storage batteries. YOU were good
on the subject. At that time | sup
posed that Mr.. Ford might have solved
The problem ot an engire which would
exhaust under the pressure due 20 dif-
fercHt depths o! water, but J have
since learned that his idea was to have
the subma rine travel at only a few feet
down, 50 that the engine could exhaust
through a pipe reaching the surface
\ boat OF his sort would not meet All
the conditions OF n modern submarine
but Mr.. Ford IL a clever engineer and
has millions az money which might y,
successfully applied to solving this I'm
portant problem.
Some work has been done IN this d.
rection In this country by using com
pressed air. but a seriou objection 20 Il
is that Il leaves the same wake OF bub
bles on the surface that now discloses
the track OF n Whitehead torpedo. and
thus one Of the most important sources
There il also a French invention using
oxygen, but ! have beer old that Il
make TOO u noise. Neither system
has, however. been tried out yet
+. NJ. BARBER,
Captain United States Navy. retired.
NAsHISGroN, D.. c., January l..
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
THE SUPERcOLONEL.
All Things to All Men. He Is the
Human Best and Worst.

To EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir. Mr..
Roosevelt Is the most spectacular figure
this generation has seen. He revels and
goes into interminable rhapsodics over
popular applause and consideration. OF
tremendous mental and physical activ-
ity, he Is irrepressible. audacious. fear
less. optimistic. lie takes defeat with
philosophical resignation and signal tri-
umphs without superiuous boasting. lie
is generous to a foe and loyal to a
friend. Like the great Napoleon. he is
never too proud to recognize a poor friend
With all that. he carries himself Will
a dignity that is actually infatuatIng
and again he INDUCES in side steps,
when his higher and nobler self seems
to be buried.
People like n man who will roll up
his sleeves and get to work. use strong
language coin a few unusual
phrases. II Roosevelt did not have n
good education. n little Dutch common
sense n an idea OF responsibility he
would make a first class socialistic
ranter. Nobody knows what he Ii going
to do or say next. When people think
he Ia dead and completely forgotten he
reappears with a cheerful and capti-
waiting smile. With all his ceaseless ac-
uvity he knows enough to rest. or he
would have fallen TO pieces long ago.
When he Is attacked he can strike back
at his adversary with telling effect.
He Is not a mere deinagogue clamor-
ing for the destruction Of everything ex-
cept what appeals to his fertile brain.
He IN nor 70 consumed with selfisnness
and presumption as to imagine that all
the political wisdom of the ages IN locked
UP In himself. lie knows more thar
most Americans OF to-day OF the prob
lama TINT aYo ola ynprfnev fny solution
because he has made them his life
study. All his public life he has been q
close and conscientious student OF
human affairs. On any question that
arises his opinion Is worth considering,
although not always correct.
Roosevelt when ~dennuncIng wrong
and defending right has used strong and
emphatic language because the occasion
required II. When a disease enters So
clety and threatens the dis Indignation
OF the state the most strenuous and
drastic measures must be used for its
eradication. There Is too much false
country now. There are some who think
nat no matter what happens things
will be all RICH, In the end
Some think that II he we're President
now We should be plunged into war
II he we're President the country would
be Just as safe as II is nov and the ma
TONS honor would not suffer. lie IS
not a man who says things Just to hca,
himself talk. The people trusted him
before and they a trust him asain.
The coming Presidential election will
be an exciting one and few can %prophesy
the result. l hope for the good Of the
country that Roosevelt. with all his
faults. will be returned TO the White
House. Grave questions will arise de
mandlng immediate solution and he 4,
the one man with his experience. knowl.
edge. ability. statesmansh!p and patriot
IAN 20 solve them in a manner that vii
bring glory and honor 70 the country.
:. VI. +.
HoosfcK FALLS, January u.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
GOOD HEALTH IN KANSAS.
Not Prohibition, the Canss
Of the Low Death Rate.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir An
article published IN THE Z Of Ian
nary II contains some e~xtravagant
claims aa To- the alleged beneficial re-
suits OF prohibition in the State of Kan
sas made by w J V. Deacon. registrar
OF the Kansas Vital Statistics Bureau.
Mr.. Deacon asserts that the low
death rate OF his state Is due To prohl-
hltion. Kansas has a very low death
rat" Kansas prohibits the sale % T.
quors. Therefore prohibition must be
the cause of the low death rate.
Unfortunately for this kind Of REASON
ing Ne find on turning To the mortality
statistics OF Maine. a state that has en-
joyed the farce of prohibition FOR more
han nifty years, hat the death rate
in that State is 10 3 per cent. The rate
In wet Ohio IL only 10 per cent, IN wet
Missouri only 1875 per cent. and In wet
Montana only 10 per cent. Applying Mr..
bescon's logic We find Maine has pro-
hibition. Maine has a high death rate.
Therefore: prohibition is tho cause OF
the high death rate in Maine.
The real explanation Of the low death
rate in Kansas is to be found In another
paragraph of Mr.. Deacon's report 10
the United states Census Bureau. where
he says kansas is rich. and the peo-
pie are enabled 10 1--we we'll. TO clothe
themselves properly. TO have comfort-
able homes and n~ourishing food" Given
conditions that enable the bulk OF the
population to live in comfort the aver
age death rate will he low.
Anticipating the prohIbitionist reply
tina, the prosperity of Kansas IL due 20
prohibition. instead Of to the great nat
ural resources and the energetic char-
acter Of her people, ! wish TO point out
that the report of the Comptroller OF
the Currency for 1913 shows that Kan
sas had LAS savings bank depositors
In mutual and stock savings banks for
each 100000 population, Thirty-two
license states have a greater number Of
dcpositors IN proportion to population
than Kansas, The average savings OF
each depositor In ALL the savings banks
Of the United states is s&3o.07. The
average savings in Kansas ts only
t23i,Go. The average savings in wet
lthode Island II &544.s3 and in wet
New York s545. 30. This effectually
disposes Of the claim that prohibition
Is the cause of kansan prosperity.
Hon LICENSE.
NEW YORK. January IA.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18

A resolution introduced by Mr.. Com
m the Senate authorizes the Tresi-
dent to enter into an agreement with
General CARRANzA for the employment,
of both Mexican and American troops
20 restore order and make life secure
in n zone running along the border on
the Mexican side. The resolution was
referred TO the Foreign Relations Com
mittee. General CARRASzA's response.
hility extends TO the confines Of his
country. Moreover. he had already
given notice that he has no power
under the Mexican Constitution to al.
low American troops TO cross the Dor.
der. MIR. GoRE's resolution was a waste
of his own time and the Senate's.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
QUARANTINE.
; Ormpr Health Oficer W. 7. Jenkins
Argues Against the Transfer.

To THE Enron OF THE SCN-Hirs \
concerted scheme Is aEAiu revived 10
transfer Quarantine at the port OF New
York from state 10 national control
This plan TO Increase national patronage
and TO place the hea III of 1000, 600 peu-
pie under "A general and complicated
supervision is chiefly based urnn the al
legation that the maintenance OF our
Quarantine entails a loss Of 500, o0U a
year to the taxpayers of this State.
This argument Is for New York use only,
and Is absolutely Inaccurate. During
the years OF nv tncumhency as Health
Officer there was always "A balance to
credit. The effect Of tho present move
ment Is TO relieve the steamship com
panies OF the burden OF payment. which
means hat II be saddlcd upon the Gov
eminent. Nine-tenths Of our immigrant
passengers. under normal conditions. are
brought hither in foreign steamships
therefore "A release OF these corporations
from support Of ths Quarantine station
would he chiefly for the hencnt of for
elgn stockholders and at the expense OF
the United States Treasury.
In the propagdUGl conducted IN the
newspapers | seriously object to and pro-
test against utterly incorrect statements
regarding the manner in which the
dreadful cholera menace OF 1892 was
handled at this port. Was Health
Officer at the time, Even these critics
do not deny the gravity Of the situa-
ton. In "A report 10 the New York
Academy of Medicine one r.. II. Levin
ski-Corwin makes at least two misstatc-
ments when he asserts that New York
State was unable to cope with the
cholera situation in lS?2." and that
Federal officers had to hc scut to as
sist the State officers" lie Is equally
inaccurate when he alleges that "on nc
count OF the double set Of authorities
conflicts sometimes occur that may he
fraught with serious ~Onscqueucos to
the public welfare. Such a conflict TOOK
place In 1892. when the Health Officer
declined to recognize the risht OF prcs,-
dent Harrison to Impose a twenty day
quarantine" This statement is an utter
perversion OF facts Tho Health Offccr
of this port, entrusted with tho duty of
keeping cholera out of this great city,
with its slum centres in which the dis
ease would become epidemic had Il sin
gle case got pas, his scrutiny. did not
Yield an inch. Surely tho people Of this
country have not forgotten how, when
the Government officials attempted TO
wrest the custody of the informed pas
sengers from the custody OF the state.
Governor Flower advanced $4,000 from
his W pocket, purchased Fire Island
at my earnest appeal and fitcd up a
detention camp IN twenty-fOur hours.
Responsibility for tho health Of the
greatest city Of this land cannot be
divided, New York is the proudest pos
session OF the American people. The
New York Legislature ought to appoint
a special committee at once to tnvesti.
gate recent statements made by DR.. q
/. Dana, on the authority OF Mr.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18

York's ~neighbors to the west Of the
Passaic River. We have wondered what
atmospheric conditions peculiar to the
Jerseys produced this manifestation,
and intended to inquire into its cause
at the first convenient opportunity.
We now learn that It Is not a natural
phenomenon, but that the air Is OBJ
secured by the dust kicked up in a
row which certain belligerent residents
of Newark forced upon the militant
librarian, JOHN CoTroN DANA. We
have not yet had time to inform u
selves IN the details Of this affair and
shall venture no opinion on It's merits.
We feel at perfect liberty to say. how
ever, that the fellows who picked on
Mr.. DANA will know. when the trouble
subsidies, that they have been present
at a fight.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
VICIOUS MAGAZINES.
with This Warning TO Parents an
Unpleasant subject Is Dismissed.

u, H.. c,. Go. I'm.
io TIVE EpIioh VI "a ~, tle
uer 'ne heS"'lH "uina., a, ,,hich
wee you ASK '.r''Il uuss',o an
am uiSp'seu " a'on.., ,i,o ~
lnuiViuudI ~ a. ~ 800 ~,
an orsa'nN"'io. az" CO.'S,
Founs SOUS anu oaus".eIS c,r
arg petceuuse VI 49,. 49,.
whose oenr't ~, ,,u, a.,
enacted l"tse III u low senn "a
ne men anu "o.ne., - Lii mo
iio'ners y, ~ 'ou"'I!' 49,
s~upp'ah.so AFTER nov So ih".' 90 -,
tHsiI oIiSpf'ns. "e'''ins .s
caliore from tn@r pareh'H' .me 10y. ,atra
eiris OF 'o-ua'. 'Nnt g.,
III lhe ih,eIest VI oolih',S senunn -,
sNreguard the morais OIL 'he ''''"'e" ~
'o-uaE' ,,..
IL IS "hly Witnih receH, !ea co..
SERIOUS EFFORT has zen '"duo W 81
promiscuous trainc III na.'o'n r.
because o, .heir narih.ul e'r.t w. ~
minus anu pou!es oi '""H- 'n"u,s'nS -.
their use Inc ins'uious ere VI N.I.ouS
h'era'ure upon 'ne immature ve" ."
more Widespread because III '"e e u
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18
OLD NEW YORK LAW.
The Case Of Thomas Lee. who Was
Executed for Burglary.

To THE ltr1NoR or THE SuN-Nr. What
ever may have been the practice In Eng
land when the rope refused - carry put
the law ON tho condemned, the follow
!ng extract from an old New York news-
paper shows that here Justice ~cu.tUueL
on the job until II was finished
Yesterday was executed, pursuart 80 sca.
teu'c for burglary, Thomas lee, a l.a 4
man. During the execution tnN l~,pe
slipp"i and caught him by the chin. in
which situation he was suspended -.
near two minutes lie 'hen spoke. saving.
at docs not choke me- on Witch tho
platform was raised and tho rome rrop,r,t
fxcd. when he was launched into e~,eru!'v
lie appeared to have littl, concern Or h,
unhappy situation and hut an imperfNn;
idea OF tn. future STATE
Interesting too Il Is 20 notice Iha'
executions seemed no certain deterrent
then more than now The newspaper
goes on to complain that.
notwithstanding tho awrll .poc'arlt a
number OF hard"u~d Villains tn" sA,n ,
night broke open the store 81 Mr. Rhine
lander az Burliug Slip and carried OF m
iron chest "ontainiug cash to the amount
81 loo pounds Ths they couvryei :,
'he shipyards. hut heing unab'o 70 for
II open. they broke into q blacksmith
shop and procured 'he necessary .mpl,.
ments for tho purpose.
In SIR Gilbert Tatkcr'S novel Tho
Battle OF the strong there ~ am ac-
count Of an abortive attempt t. "strag
a Jersey Island smugglcr and pirate.
This man wa released Whether tho
incident is historical or not | do not
know but the story purports ,o ~
mn laacrrhInU rhn,nal Ia,n,l' ,,,It
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-18

the conditions and weapons Of com
bat, these notes may be Of interest +:
To challenge to a duel is to incite to
breach Of the peace, and is therefore
an offence considerable by the officers
Of law. TO engage In a duel Is to
commit an assault with deadly weap.
ons To wound your adversary Is
attempt to murder. Killing in a duel
Is homicide. Seconds share the guilt
Of the principals.
The Pittsburg duellists chose weap-
ons deadly indeed one Of the men Is
beyond capacity to plead in extenu.
alton his ignorance Of the law. the
other may soon he. But the bold
Esculapinns Of the Windy City had
better bewarei They r warned.