davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
Risks Of Rural Credits L%egisIatiOn.

Rural credits legislation is down
on the Administration programme for
enactment Mt the present session of
Congress. If the lawmakers get t"
It., II bill to launch this long mooteh
experiment in the facilitation Of ug-
ricultural borrowing will be passed.
1t will not do, however. tn assume
that the mensure which receives final
Congressional approval will resemble
closely. In essentials or details, such II
bill or such bills as may he presented
with the brightest early prospects for
passage. A good many lawmakers
have been taking n hand In framing
bills of the sort for years past. They
have been especially Industrious in
the last year, and enough preliminary
agreement has been reached to make
rural credits legislation possible, hut
from the outset there should he wide
spread and intelligent public scrutiny
Of any measure which promises to
gel on the statute DOCKS.
In its early form II may he reasOn-
ably sound, but 1t will he necessary
to bring public opinion TO bear to
keep 1t sound. The experience of the
country with the banking and cur
rency legislation in 1913 known as
the Federal Reserve art Is warrant
for the prediction that a similarly
satisfactory rural credits law will be
passed only II the Bedlamites Of
cheap money and unsOund finance are
opposed Mt every step Of the way.
The dangers especially to he
guarded against are manifest. There
must be no rural credits law condu-
Give. to the tapping OF the Federal
Treasury directly or indirectly for the
purpose Of making loans on farm
lands or commodities. There must be
no contrivance for the issue of "corn.
tassel currency" such ms the advo-
Gates Of cheap money and plenty Of
1t tried to get into the Federal Re-
serve act. Finally, safeguards must
he set up against the provision OF
excessively cheap credit. Practically
all the risks which attend the pro-
jected legislation are represented In
these categories.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

n condition will undo all that the
most enlightened warders and disin-
terested administrators can accom-
plish In the execution Of their tasks
and must produce eventually a situa.
ton subversive Of Justice and dan
gerOus to the peace Of the State.
Mr.. WHITMAN has skilfully avoided
accepting responsibility for the con-
duct Of the prisons up to the present
moment. He has been content to let
matters drift, apparently hoping that
he might permanently evade the ex-
ercise Of his prerogative. But the
existing conditions are intolerable,
and even a Governor anxious
to preserve his own tranquility than
to perform his function cannot per-
petually dodge the issue.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
United states Of the World:

Neither its idealism nor the magni-
tude Of It's difficulties is II fatal defect
In the scheme for II United States of
the World. which some of u CORE
spondents have discussed, IL the prop
OsitiOn Is not inherently opposed To
the plan and laws Of creation. But
reflection on its possible constitu-
ton produces chaos in the mind not
superior to mere fact. Its seal should
display with prominence n question
mark rampant.
Would the gentleman from Swift
zerland debate with his Senatorial
brother from Abyssinia In sign Ian
guage? Would Volaptik or RO score
Q long deferred triumph? Or would
the Balance Of Power rest with the
corps of interpreters? Would the
belligerent delegate keep poison out
Of the lozenge passed with tender
sOllcitude for the rasped throat of
his neighbOr across the aisle?
Would racial antiIhithies automat-
ically cease at the frontier? Would
all unite to squelch the one hot for
rebellion? Would the comprehensive
organization work against nature and
destroy the instructive tendency to
partisan alignment? Would civil war
he less bitter than international
armed conflict?
If disarmament cnn he effected,
why the admitted need of II police
power? Would pledges to abstain
from military preparation he more
dependable than treaty troth? II the
Russian Empire should secede. what
force would he used to subdue her:
warships with English or French
crews, armies If Turks or Bulgars:
Which would he the more efficient
agents ~ suppression. ancient enc
mics or more recen allies? Or would
ships crews and land forces he re-
cruited proportionally from all ma
tionalities? Would a u crew made
up Of c%ountrymen of julius CESAR,
NAPOLEON. Butcher. NELSON and
GEORGE WASHINGTON work we'll under
n gun captain issuing orders in the
language of CoSFUCIUs:
If the universal constitution Is tn
he amended ny fiat, shall II be the
FIAT Of a world which has never
agreed with itself? Why discard the
substance Of sense? Why seek the
apOtheosis Of the illogical? Why gov
ern the world by a dream In which
the processes of the normal mind are
suspended, effects are produced with
out causes and causes have no Sc
nuence in effect?
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

The situation created by the sink
ing Of the steamship Persia will not
be clarified, o will the interests of
any nation he advanced, by discus
siOns based on. incomplete Or imper-
fcctly understood facts. II is not
In derogation Of the dignity Of the
United States for " citizens to with
hold their judgment until they have
received through trustworthy chan
nels a reliable statement Of all the
circumstances. With this ut hnnl
the Government may he depended
upon to take whatever steps shall be
necessary to further the policies to
which 1t Is committed, which have
received a notable Endorsement from
patriotic citizens in all parts Of the
country.
We conceive the present moment
to be highly inamspicious for indul-
gence In s%peculatiOns based on par.
tial reports and for the enunciation
of proposals in the Technology Of
which the mischief breeding conjunc-
ton "if' plays an important part.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

To ruE F.pIroR OF THE SuS-Sir: All
friendly relations between us and other
American republics should he cncour-
aged and strengthened. but no alliance
should bc formcA. We SHOULD adhere to
W%ashlngton's Farewell, Address advice
TO avoid e~ntangling alliances with other
nations.
We are ~ to nationality much dif-
ferent. and quite different 40 to religion.
Furthermore, Canada, a great n en-
lightcncd province. Joins us and We are
very friendly. This would cause Jealousy.
Alliances have proved to he poor sal
walton for nations. Look al Europe.
Remember Austria and Serbia. II we
join ourselves with other nations We are
likely To- Fare like the fellow that yolScd
himself up with the bull when the ami
NAL stampeded,
Should we form a Pan-American al
lance here our former friends and rela-
tivcs in Europe would look with great
suspicion upon us. ]. A. McCLARY.
OCoEE, Tenn, January |.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

To THE EDITOR NJ THE SuS-Sir. In
an article on tho Russian ballet I'm TIM
SuN of December &c. 1915, Mr.. Ivan
Narodny questions whether any of the
ballots by Tschaikowsky have been lone
outside of Russia. particularly the
sleeping Beauty" Snow Maiden and
Lake of the swans"
As to the first two ballots I have. no
data. hut n performance OF the Lake
OF the swans in four acts. music BY
Tsc~haikowsky. was given nj the Metro
politan Opera House on the afternoon
of Tuesday. December 10. 1911.
This ballet was also given In London
by the piaghclev Ballet Russo in Novem-
her. 1911. July. 1912, and July 7 and Is.
1914. II. p. KREINER.
NEWARK. y. j., January l.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
10 HONOR DIR. T. A. EMMETT.
American Irish Historical Society
to Give Dianer.

Friends Of Dr. Thomas Adds Emmett
including All the members OF the Ameri-
can Irish Historical Society. were much
upset last week over a slight accident
which befell the doctor. In a man OF
delicate health ~ his age Of 40 years
a small shock might lead 20 great pros
tration, but happily he rallied quickly.
The historical spciety's dinner to-rnor-
row evening at the Waldorf Astoria a
specially in Dr. t.mmet's honor, Fatlter
Kavanagh Of Notre Dame. Ind. Is COM
ing 10 pronounce the appreciation. For
mer Governor Glynn. Mayor Curley OF
Boston and Prof Rcmy OF Columbia
University will also take part. Inter
esting historical papers will he read at
the afternoon meeting, including on.
discovered by VI. j. o'Brien. the society's
h~istoriosrapher. giving an account Of a
hitherto u~nreported episode in the career
of Msjor-Gen. John Sullivan IF Revo-
.lutionary fame.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
The CITY school House In 1918.

Fathcr KNICKERBoCKER would stand
In awed amazement were he privi-
legged to read the last annual report Of
District Superintendent T.. W. STITr,
In charge of recreation centres, vaca-
ton schools and Fairgrounds. He
would marvel at the tremendous tx
tension Of the. course Of instruction
beyond the three RS to branches that
in his day were regarded as the field
of private education. While his conf
mon sense might not approve some
Of the fancy educational branches, he
would begin to comprehend the "wider
use of the school plant" set forth
by Mr.. STIrT, for recreation. ath-
letics and social intercourse, through
games, libraries, reading rooms and
assemblies. Most Of all would the
old gentleman he astonished by the
Introduction Of dancing as II mode
Of public education. 1.-The demand
for dancing" writes Mr.. STITT. has
spread all over the city. and par
ents' associations. civic organizations.
clergymen, settlement workers and
others interested in social welfare
have made possible n great extension
Of the field"
The general supervision OF a teacher
In charge and the immediate con-
troll by neighbOrhOOd committees Of
women have developed these social
activities In the interest Of the neigh
bOrhOOd. BY eliminating ragtime
music, by proper introductiOns and in
sistcnce upon correct department n
great improvement In the demeanor
Of the young people Is said to have
been effected, so that "the character
Of the dancing Is much higher than In
| the public dance halls"
Other uses of the public school
buildings r equally extraordinary.
Study rooms are assigned for those
whose facilities at home preclude the
preparation of lessons. The Organiza-
ton Of 1887 clubs Of various kinds,
conducted under parliamentary rules.
during the past year is an incident Of
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
MUSIC FOR THE SOLDIERS.
Interesting Appeal for Machines and
Records for the War Hospitals.

To THE EprToR OF THE suN-Sir. Last
winter I had appeals from friends in
E,rope asking for eraphophones and
records to he distributed among the
French and English hospitals and
camps "to help make things cheerful
for the soldiers"
When II heard how much pleasure
the little I WAS able to do gaye the
men. and upon receiving more appeals
lust lately. I decided to see what l
could do. Princeton and Yale Uniyer-
stiles and the Junior War Relief. which
il doing such splendid work. are all
most kindly helping me make this col
lection of machines and popular rec
ords as large az possible, to be sent
over and distributed among the hos
pitfalls and camps. So many people
buy quantities of popular records. play
them n short time, then nut them
aside for new ones. Just think of the
pleasure these would give in a French
hospital. where there In nothing to
amuse and cheer the men during the
long. weary days Of W. or in an
Australian or New Zealand hospital,
where the poor fellows are lonely and
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
THE FLAG ON THE SEAS.
IT'S Prospects on the Atlantic snd How
10 Keen IL There.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sfr:
Wishing o all a happy new year
also IS. w. A." In to-day's SUN, l sym
pathize with him upon the disappearance
Of the flag from the Pacinc. but II Is
going to ny upon the Atlantic. 80 all
hope has not to be abandoned. How
ever, sentiment does not run steamship
lines and railroads.
II our good friend referred to the
Mauritania or the Lusitanla when ne
'squashed" the Scot he Ia not quite
right in stating that they were subsi-
died. They were built by money Dor
rowed" from and repaid TO the British
Government by the late Lord 1nverclyde.
another canny Scot, at a very low rat
of interest, and they were to be held at
the call of the Government In case OF
need and for which call" they. natural
~, were compensated. Lord Inverclyde
had the British Government "on the
run at that time, as the were
putting on fast. large steamers and he
put through a very clever business prop
osition. The Mauritania Ia now doing
that very duty. military transport or
hospital.
The British Government dispatches
mail by any steamer, no matter what
nag 1t flies. that is, In normal times.
For quite a good many years one
coulu see Na''uus 49,. 49,. S,,,. tacI
up the ->or'n I''ei "'" " ~. i. :.
position to state just how they were all
compensated, put uho very - 60"
they were at the disposaI ol ~ Nv
eminent emitted the o"ne's " so"'e
compensation.
quite true, the rrench sups'ulAe .ner
steamers. but one cannot be enthusiastic
over any extraordinary piog.ess IN Ile
French merchant marine a''ho"s" '"oy
have some very hne snips'
The amount of subsidy pa'u oy ureAt
Britain AS compared win m''iions o.
tonnage that Is absolutely unnamed
refer 10 the cargo 'trafhps is ha'oiy =
drop In the bucket
ii Just seems as H. "hen " oppo,-
tune moment comes IKE the pressn,.
when building mere Is ABOUT on q par
WIN Brlttn COSTS 'esis'a',o" e'''" :"
and ~strangles the whole business; -
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
SOLDIERS OF THE CAMPUS.
Columbia College Military Training
Half . Century Ago.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: Ex-
President Taft is reported in a recent
address AS saying. II am IN favor of
introducing military drills for the first
two years OF college life and This
might prepare some Of the students to
become officers"
Columbia College did this IN a very
limited way in the spring of 81. soon
after the beginning OF the civil war.
The trustees selected two members
from zach class to be taught military
drill.
The object was to At them in case of
necessity to act as officers n be able
to drill the students. The Hon. Il. II
I.acombc and myself were selected from
our class c63). We met in a loft on
lower sixth eel and were drilled
by a former United States army SER
geant. Fortunately u services were
never required. Many Of US, however,
enlisted. SruYvEsASr +. MORRIS.
NEW YORK, January l.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
LITERARY SHIPPING.
An Author Objects to Kindly Meant
Invasion Of His Copyright.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: When
a book Is published IT has long been
customary for the publisher TO give
the author some early copies, seldom
fewer than six. and very seldom more
than twelve. II the author wants more
he must pay for them. So far. very
good But the author wants only one
copy for himself. INC there Is nothing
for him to do with the others but
present them to certain relatives n
deal friends. who in most instances ex-
pect the gift. Still good! But 1t Is
very common for the recipients to LEND
their copies TO their friends; and
usually they think they are %favoring
and pleasing the author by 70 doing.
II does not occur to them that II their
friends are interested in the book that
instead OF borrowing II. Each such
lending deprives the author of the lit
tie royalty on a y that should be
his. l call IT literary sniping.
Once ] gave a copy OF one Of my
books to a cultivated and naturally
very bright young lady. In scknowl-
edging IL she expressed high appre-
citation OF 4, and naively added that she
was going to lend It to all her If
teen boys IN succession that she had
told them about II and they were wait
Ing for It. BY her boys" she meant
a class Of young men whom she m
structs In a certain branch. II oc-
CURED to me that II they could afford
to pay her tuition terms they should
he able to buy an occasional hook.
on another occasion / published a
modest volume of verses and gave a
copy to a learned lady who always
looked kindly upon such a perform
ance and was ure 10 discover any
creditable lines that IL might contain.
She wrote me n handsome acknowledge
inent and added that Mrs. Y. who was
visiting her. admired several Of the
pieces and therefore | have copied out
six of them for her" My highly es-
teemcd friend did not dream that in
transcrihing those verses she was vio-
lating the law Of copyright nor did II
OCCUR 60 her. az it occurred to me. that
II the wealthy Mrs. Y. was so much
pleased with the book II would not
seriously hurt her 10 spend a dollar for
a copy L~iTTERATEuR.
New YORK. January J..
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03

Sheriff GRTENHAoBN's farewell to his
ONCE contains n recommendation for
which there should be no occasion, and
from which no respectable man will
dissent. 1t Is that In which he again
urges the abolition Of imprisonment
for debt. The injustice and inhuman-
ity Of the law In respect Of this sur
vival Of barbarism arc notorious and
undisputed: It's i~nadequacy to correct
the evils It pretends to cure Is adj
mitted; and yet the State permits It
to endure. in the face Of intelligent ef-
forts to correct II. That d~ishearten-
ing inertia Of the political body which
does not actively combat. but merely
sufocatee. accounts for the c%ontinu-
ance Of the abuse. and II Mr.. GRrEN-
HAGEN can overcome this he will have
won a victory worth while.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
Indianians Discover . Treasure Trove.
Prom the North Crruon Plain D.oJ.

Tho iuemen Of the local telephone COM
psny made a strange discovery when they
removed a pole on West Walnut street
last week, The pole was known to he
faulty and II was decided to remoy. II
and replace Il with a sound pole. when
the pole was felled a small hole, prc-
sumabiy tho work of q woodpecker, was
found IN the top, but Whenever the pol,
was moved the men heard a strans. noise,
a. though something was rafting inside
They decided to cut it open to md the
cause Of the noise, and upon doing So
discovered the pole was hollow for quite
a distance from the top. the cavity being
entirely flled with small hickory nuts
when the NUTS were taken from the mol.
and measured Il was found that thrre
were SIX gallons Of them. Mr.. Brassneld.
manager Of the telephone COMPANY. saws
that his force OF mon will testify to the
truthfu!ness OF the story, and he has the
nuts to show to any one who doubts IT,
Whether or not the nuts were stored there
by the woodpecker or by a squirrel or both
remains a question.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
PsychOmetry Triumphant.

The psychological experts Of Chi
cago have devised n method whereby
to tell whether n seemingly intelli-
gent being Is really mentally sound
or merely lucky in his guesses. If
without consulting n dictionary You
can define the words "chamfer."
'dibble," ''gambit." '~synecioche," ties
tudo." ''mitosis," "%peneplain," your
intelligence Is established.
This method Is cheap and expedi-
tious. BY Its compulsory use 1t will
be possible In the near future to
measure the mental stature of large
groups Of people who appear intelli-
gent. Used as a test upon the pas
sengers who recently sailed on n
steamer from New York to make
peace In Europe 1t might have saved
a well mean expedition from becOm-
ing the laughing stock Of II world not
at present given to hilarity. Every
apostle Of peace at any price should
he made tn prove his intelligence ut
the muzzle Of n dictionary.
When the population has finally
been classified rs to the intelligence 1t
will be possible for a political party
to adopt a platform that contains
no buncOmbe and to which every in
telligent voter al give his support.
1t will be possible for a candidate to
run for President without using words
to conceal his thoughts.
The Chicago psychologists have
put salt on the elusive tnil of the
millennium.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-03
The Medium Priced Motor Car.

The outstanding fact emphasized by
the exhibits at the automobile show
this year is the improvement that has
been made In medium priced cars.
The expensive specimens of the motor
builders art continue to show refine
ments in details and advance In en-
gine design and construction: the
low priced vehicles convey nm i'm
preston of power and sOlidity gained
through Standardization and careful
adoption to their field; but In no
section of the comprehensive display
is the progress that has been made
so marked ms II Is in the products
which fall between the luxury cars
and those specifically intended for
light service and small pOcketbooks.
Here the ingenuity Of engineers
and body builders has been exerted
to put on the market machines that
men of moderate incomes may buy
without m%ortgaging their futures and
operate without emptying their
pockets. The makers have had con-
stantly in mind the needs and limi.
tations of purchasers who must drive
and care for their W motors. AMI
who van machines which members
Of their families can handle without
difficulty. In this class the simpliti-
cation Of control that has been at
tained Is conspicuous: not one. but a
large number Of models invite the
driver, man or woman, Of limitel
technical knowledge. Self starters.
reserve fuel supplies, convenient mr.
rangement of the buttons and levers
that govern the mechanism 4; a hun.
dred devices to encourage the owner
who keeps no chauffeur are now pro-
yided as a matter Of course. II
might fairly be- said that IL the buyer
will furnish a head and a hand. the
manufacturer offers everything else
that Is needed in these medium
priced motors.
Nor has the appearance Of the
ears been overlooked. In outline and
finish they are carefully planned.
There is no sign OF skipping. no hint
Of shoddy. no lack Of grace in their
aspect. Sound judgment has die
tated that the bodies shall be adapted
to the desires Of persons Of good
taste. The absence Of freakish depar-
lures from approved lines is nota.
BILE: the dignity Of complete suita-
hility has been generally embodied In
the output Of the factories.
The road records Of these cars are
the convincing testimony to the ex-
cellence Of their construction and
the sOundness Of their motors. They
have been proved capable and endur.
ing In use. Indeed, the manufacture
ers could not afford to put on the
market machinery incapable of meet
ing the requirements Of their Gus.
toners. The investments In fac
tories and distributing agencies are
too large to he jeopardized by faulty
models or inexpert workmanship;
the reputation of n car Ia too deli
cate to be imperilled by n policy Of
parsimony In its making. They rep
resent "A skilful effort to the
demands Of those who want quality
at n moderate cost. and are too in.
telligent to accept anything for VIVA,
1t Is not.