Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-22

FIFTY YEARS Ago
IN THE STAR
After tho civil war. notwithstanding
the great poverty that was felt in some
sections Of the country.
Reckless there was an outburst Of
extravagance that caused
Doyms' a heavy inflow Of articles
Of luxury into American ports. In The
Star Of october 16. 1866. is the follow
ing protest against this recklessness
OF buying:
"Oflcial statements recently prepared
show that our people. in utter disregard
OF the warnings Of the past, are indulg-
ing In the same ruinous extravaganza
which on previous occasions has re-
suited In financial disaster and ruin
Thus our imports at the present time
are more than double the value Of ex-
ports. and for the heavy balance against
US our bonds are being shipped to Eu-
rope in lieu Of gold at a discount OF 20
to 80 per cent. Such a state Of things
cannot long continue without bringing
a day Of reckoning. That It may be
seen for what luxuries we are mourning
this great risk we may mention that
In the four and a half millions OF i'm.
ports received at New York the hrst
week OF this month there are included
$52.s4s for jewelry. $66.097 for fancy
goods. $21,187 for champagne. 1858 for
cigars. $33.157 for toys. $6.s21 for per-
fumery. $61.397 for wines and $19.65S
for brandy.
Our resources are almost unlimited
and our recuperative powers wonderful:
but they should be devoted exclusively
to the payment of the national debt.
When that task is finished we can bet
ter afford to indulge ourselves. How
ever, while money, so-called. is plen-
tiful. we have no idea that any moral
izing, however well intended, will pre-
want and can pay for. Let them bear
in mind, however, that the future Is
very uncertain. and in case OF general
commercial disaster. precipitated by
recklessness. the weightiest purses Will
be somewhat lightened.'
The postponed gift concert drawings
tober Is. 1866. and were
Gift Concert reported in The Star Of
n the next day. One OF the
OlaWlngs. managers of the enter
prise appeared and explained that the
expectations of the promoters had been
disappointed, owing to the fact that
opposition to the scheme had developed
in the press, notably in The Star, and
that only $4,000 tickets had been sold.
SO that it was necessary to lessen the
amount of real estate and only $4,000
worth could be presented instead OF
$4,000 worth as originally announced.
The tickets declared to have been sold
drawing Wheel" which was simply
large cask with two openings. one for
the insertion Of the tickets and the
other for their extraction. The feelings
drawings may be imagined from the
fact that with two exceptions all the
larger prizes went to out-of-town hold
ers Of tickets. as noted in the follow
ing paragraph in The Star;
announcement was made of the first
ticket drawn. 258, 1926. emitting the hold
er, J. Taf1nger of Hudson City. N. j..
to the house and lot on H street. val
was 1924. giving the house and lot
on 10th street. valued at $1,000. to
Isaac Witt er. New Holland. Lancaster
county, Pa The third prize. diamond
H. Woodford Of connestoga. N Z.
ticket 27S,313. No. 59.4S9. George B.
McWaster. Wheeling. w. Va. drew the
fourth prize. a grand piano valued at
was drawn by No. 14o.25s. D. B. Pur-
rintong, Coldwater, Mich. No. 101.14s,
the Union Department Club Of WASH
ington, drew the sixth prize, piano
valued al 5000. No. 1884, W. Blessland.
Washington. b. C., drew one diamond
ring valued at $780,
Editorially The Star. in the same is
sue, declares that The Star had OPP
faith in it's integrity, and that the fail
ure Of the promoters to advertise in
it's columns was due to the fact that
they could not purchase editorial ap-
prevail 1t proceeded to point out that
the real estate offered as prizes had
not been actually purchased by the pro-
motors of the concert, and that nego-
tiators for the highest valued property
had not been opened until the day of
the drawing. concluding:
They failed simply because the at
fair was not managed in way to Sc
cure public confidence. We have here
of such a scheme and the impossibility
of carrying it out; and when a scheme
Of this colossal character was under
taken by individuals of whom the pub
who failed to give a single guarantee
of good faith, the failure of the project
was assured. If we are to credit the
stat Elements Of Mr.. Morse as to the items
of expenditure, no babes in the woods
could be more untitled for the manage
ment of business affairs than these
managers. Mrs. Toodles herself would
certainly never have paid $4,000 for
their pile Of cheap trumpery, and sure
ly 5000 never before was invested
in printers ink, printing and advertis-
ing, SO unprofitably. But we think these
gentlemen unwittinglx do themselves
an injustice; Hall has the eye of a
hawk and the beak Of an eagle, and
Morse has the air and bearing OF a man
who has the possession OF his percep-
tive faculties to remarkable degree
They are certainly too humble by
half"
After the civil war 1t was hoped that
there would be an improvement in the
capitals water
New York Steamer t r a importation
Line Projected. Star OF october
IS, 1866. IN an item bearing upon new
project in this direction:
I'VE are glad to know that there is
now good prospect for the establish
ment of a permanent line Of steamers
between the District cities and New
York. Satisfactory preliminary nego-