Evening star., 1945-12-30
Fifty Years Ago

Association, it was announced in The
Star of December 81.
Historions in 1895, were expected to
Convention gather at the Arlington
Hotel and in the hall
OF Columbian University during the two
days following Christmas to hear .
number of papers by distinguished
scholars. The wide variety of subjects
to be considered is indicated by the
titles of few of the papers to be read.
chosen at random. as follows "Dismem-
berment of the Turkish Empire" by
Prof. Edmund K. Alden; Light on the
Underground Railroad" Prof w. H.
Siebert; Suffrage in the State of North
Carolina" DR.. j. S. Bassett; Colonies
of North America and the Genesis of the
Commonwealths of the United States"
DR.. j. M. Toner. and Democracy versus
Aristocracy in Virginia in $780," DR.. j. r.
Bracket. Senator George F. Hoar of
Massachusetts, was the presiding officer
OF the assembly.
Wars and rumors of war" insisted
The Star of December "a, 1895, will not
be permitted to in
Christmas Cheer terfere with the
UnspoiIed merrymaking in the
households of the
President and the members of his cab
met tomorrow" Mr.. Cleveland and his
wife, 1t was explained, would observe the
day quietly as usual" but they have
provided large Christmas tree and lots
of other things for the entertainment of
Ruth, Esther and Marion" Congress
had declined to take "a holiday recess" ;"
but many members of the House" never
theleSs went home for the yuletide
Government offices in general would be
closed but the Police Court was to oper-
ate in its customary routine and num-
ber of vagabonds and drunks were ex-
pected to be sent down" by the presid-
ing magistrates. The payment of sew
eral hundred dollars on account of fines"
as result of the annual Christmas
celebration subsequently indicated "to
the minds of the court officials a de-
cided change in the financial condition
Of the city" Even the habitual unfortu-
mates were more prosperous than they
had been year earlier at the same
season.
Prof. Thomas Wilson of the Smithso-
MAN Institution, an anthropologist and
archeologist of
PostoI Sovines Bonks distinction in
Proposed his time, is not
even mentioned
in the Dictionary of American Biogra-
ply, yet he should be remembered if only
for statement which he sent to The
Star for December "a, 1895, suggesting
the setting up of a national system of
postal savings banks. Among the 81
millions of people which we have in the
United States" he argued, there are
enough who will have a few dollars
which they would gladly deposit, If 1t
could be done with absolute security,
with low rate of interest-say 2 per
cent-(anO with the privilege of with
drawing after few days notice. There
are enough of these people in the United
States to make deposits of a sum of
money equal to, if it does not exceed,
our entire national debt" Both France
and Belgium. it was affirmed, had proved
the success of similar undertakings Prof
Wilson died in 1902. The postal savings
banks which he had foreseen we're es-
tablished about decade after his demise
in the administration of President Taft
r r
The Manuscript Department of the
British Museum in London, according
to The Star of
George Washington Christmas Day.
To EorI Of Buehon 1895. contains q
letter in the
handwriting of George Washington ad-
dressed to the Earl Of Buchan, his inti-
mate friend, reading in part: II believe
1t is the sincere wish Of United America
to have nothing to do with political in
trigues or the squabbles of European
nations but on the contrary to exchange
commodities and live in peace and unity
with all the inhabitants of the earth;
and this I am persuaded they will do.
If rightfully it can be done. To adj
minister justice to and receive 1t from
every power with whom they are con-
nected will, hope, be always found the
most prominent feature in the admins
tration of this country; and fiatter my
self that raothinr short of }y,nrer.ao,,s