EVENING LEDGER-PHILADELPHIA, SAITIXBPAY, SEPTEMBER 26, ' 1914.
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EVENING drSila LEDGER
I'UDLIG LEDGER COMPANY
CrnUS It. K. CUtlTIS, rnsstntsT.
Om. W. Ochu, Secretary : John C. Martin, Treasurer t
Charles II. I.mllngton, Philip S. Collins, John D. Wil
liam. Dlrectorii. .
EDITOntALBOAnDt
CTntm II. K. Ccbiis, Chairman.
P. IT. WIIA1.BT . . . KTecntlve. rMUor
JOI1M C. MAItTl.V Ocnernl llinlneMMojnnRer
PtibtldhH dally, except Sunday, at Pi-ntto T.ekieb
niilWInir Indepcnilenco Sn'iaro Philadelphia.
LtMM CrNTXt nroad and Chetnut Bttttl
ATtANtlc Cltr prrss-t'nlort lliilUllnR
Niw YoK 1T0-A. Metropolitan Tower
CmcAoo SI" Home lnurnnce Iiuliainjr
London 8 Waterloo Plice, Pall Mall, S. VV.
Nnws BunnAva ;
nAmmmeiin Ilmnr The mirlot Mj;
Washington Hchfid The roil MM;;
New Yonis Ocbeau The Tjir lHHtdlnc
riEUN nt-BFAr W Frlcdrlehtra9
Lonpon ricBKAU 2 Pall Mall V?1'.?'!
Pabis IIciikad 32 Iluo Louis le Urand
SlinSCIlIlTIONTEnMS
By carrier. n.ul.T O.m-t, kIx cenn Uy mall, r"trvtil
fiutslde of Philadelphia, except where foreign pontftgo
Is required. Daily Om.t, one month, twenty-five cental
Dah.t Onlt. one :ear, three dollars. All mall subscrip
tions payable In nihnncc.
BELL, 3000 WALMJT KM MOM! M UN .1000
I Addreta nil commutilrrtflim to Evening
l.'daer fndrpe nrfciirc Unuart , 1'hllndelplita
eitmed at the nut trier run pimnriiou t second-
n sb Mtir mittkii
I'lIIUDEII'llIAtHVIPKlIU, M-I-TIAIM It 2(., 191U
No Grab This Time: TIip Light Is On
THE loan bill calls for $40n,noo with which
to purchase ground for the proposed Mu
nicipal Court buildings. The land Involved
Is scarcely one-fourth of what will he neccs
nary If the whole scheme for p.ilaces at the
taxpayers' expense rocs through. Some In
terested gentlemen are looking for Invest
ments. There will be rich pickings later on
If the city can ho dedicated to this adven
ture In so dubious a manner.
There is a smell of graft in the entire en
terprise. The drawing elsewhere in the
Evn.Ni.vo tiKDonn tells the story. If there
were any necessity whatever for abandoning
the excellent detention house already avail
able, if there were every reason for housing
the Municipal Court In the manner purposed,
ordinary business sense would require con
demnation of the whole plot of land, not a
part of it.
There was hurrying and scurrying to and
fro to secure the One vote necessary to over
ride the Mayor's veto. The full strength of
Penroseism was brought to bear in behalf
of this enterprise. The gang is still at work.
It is making ready to take its profits. The
plum is almost ripe.
It is a pity, with things going along so
nicely for the gentlemen with Itching palms,
that publicity should suddenly throw its
broad glare on the whole infamous con
spiracy. There Is nothing for those soldiers
of protlt to do now, of course, except give up
in disgust. A footpad cannot work in com
fort when a policeman's gun is against his
cheek.
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hammer to the new artist with tho new
message. As an English critic hrts written!
In music. In literature, In the conduct ot
life, our fathers used to build the tombs of
tho prophets whom their fathers had stoned.
Now, even If a stono Is picked Up, It drops
from the half-hearted fingers of tho critic,
who tloea not know whether In a few1 days
he nlll not have become a disciple.
Too hasty, too violent criticism has turned
nsldo many a sensitive artist from tho ac
complishment of great things. It has never
deterred tho "bounder." Tho creative lite
of society depends on never-ending experi
ment. It must not bo stltlcdj It must not be
hampered. Accept or reject, but do cither
with consldeiatlon. That Is what tho critics
have learned.
Quick Revolution in .Mexico
VILLA'S capacity as a geneial Is great.
There seems to be no commander in
Mexico who can contend successfully with
him, nor any body of soldiers which can be
relied on to check his vv ild troops. Carranza
is left in a position where discretion will be
tho better part of valor. His courageous
htand aguinst the demands of Villa marked
him months ago ns a strong man. one llkoly
to take the bit in his teth and awe even tho
former bandit Into compliance with civil
edicts. On the other hand, Carranza, onco
in the capital, has failed to distinguish hit
personal fortunes from those of his country.
He has not clung tenuciously to the program
of the Contitutlunallsts. There is nothing
left for him to do but accept a compromise,
if Villa can be persuaded to yield at all now
that the die has been cast. But this will not
bo a long revolution The result will be de
termined one way or the other within a fen
months at the most.
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Another Hostage to Health
NO CITV can be too well supplied with In
stitutions where the must expert medi
cal aid can be had at reasonable cost. The
hospital, especially when of mod. rn construc
tion, pleasing to the eye, as well as sanitary
and complete In all its necessaries, is vastly
superior to the average home. It gives bet
ter service: it p.-omotes medical progress;
and it is cheaper in the end.
The proposed new hospital, for which funds
nre already accumulating, is particularly de
sirable because of its probable location. Situ
ated near tho boundary lin of West Phila
delphia nnd Delaware County, it will serve
a distinct district. The overcrowded T'nlver
rity Hospital, the nearest to the east, is fully
four miles away, while the closest institu
tions in other directions are from five to a
dozen miles distant. In the case of many
Accidents and sudden illnesses, speedy access
to a hospital mans everything.
Calm of Germany
AMERICA doe not take kindly to militarism,
. Prusslanism or any of the relics of the
Dark Ages which om to have drawn what
Is otherwise the most progressive, finely
cultured nation of Europe into the black dlt.
aster of war. That ; only natural. Our
whole inheritance is . gainst it. We stand
with Schiller, tSoetht. Heethovrn ; not with
Von Kluk and Prince Frederick William.
But have we given Oermany the benefit of
the doubt'" Have we believed the bfst of tfje
land of the great p,s, philosophers and
musicians of ilu- Jstij century? ft u only
now that sober second thought is beginning
to draw from our minds the animus that was
natural to the first news of war. We ur
beginning to contrast the differing spirits In
ulikli the t'ombatunts have undertaken the
struggle. Wo are le.arnln more and more oi
the petty hysteria that t'ooded England and
France with confusion worse confounded. We
are discovering from returned tourists that It
did not extend to Germany. It does much to
bring buck sanity when n learn 'hat Berlin
proceeds on almost it normal course, with
theatres open, trams running, ready money
for all and no moratorium. We must at least
raspect such signs of civilisation In the face
Of world-wide ltuperatlon and hysteria,
Captious Critics of Capable Artists
ONLY in such Mnull matters as wars and
the fate of races are the American peo
pla given to snap judgments Everywhere
else, even down to fashions and the "movies "
they are chary of uuii'k iitupeiain.ii. They
have learned their lesson. A ft w W igners,
Ibsens and Darwins, misjudged jet tri
umphant, have been enough. Now it is the
brave or the foolish msi who takes the sledge
Highest Expression of Penroseism
THE highest expression of Penroseism In
Pennsylvania Is tho Organization, which
has been Impeding and hampering tho devel
opment of the city for so long that It has
come to be accepted by citizens, who do not
realize what a pack of cards it Is, ns a Phila
delphia institution. There Is no apologist
for this machine except among its beneficia
ries. Indued, ordinary citizens elsewhere nre
so satisfied with simple Americanism that
they would ridicule tho Idea of substituting
for It in Washington the trickery and loot
which so often In Philadelphia have gone by
the name of government. After an experience
with a mild form of Penroseism In Wash
ington the nation repudiated it utterly. It
will not now take any part In a conspiracy
to revive the political system Penroseism
connotes. Pennsylvania can recover her
prestige nnd political influence or she can
cut herself off from her sister States by lash
ing herself once more to a sinking and rotten
craft.
Put a Feather in His Cap
SENATOR HPUTOX can well afford to be
abused for his superb work In defeating
the extravagant Harbors nnd Hlvors bill.
Undoubtedly many meritorious items were
lost, but the country congratulates Itself
that Btlll more unworthy ones were stricken
from tho menstire. It Is not a good time for
"pork." It Is a period when national econ
omy Is Imperative. Senator Uurton pre
vented a. raid on the Treasury. Tut a
feather In his cap for it.
Stifled JNational Ideals
INTEKXATIO.NALISM Is not a denial of
nationalism. On the contrary, It presup
poses the free and unretarded assertion of
national powers and qualities. The race
hatred fostered In Russia, In German Poland,
in the Pual Monarchy, Is merely the logical
result of tho stilling of national Ideals atut
aspirations by oppression and despotism.
There can never be pence In Europe, there
can never be an end to race hatred, until
every people, from the weakest to the strong
est, Is given nn opportunity to a-ssert its man
hood and In the light of freedom lay Its
contributions upon the altar of mankind.
There can be no Parliament of Man until
every nation learns the lesson of democracy
and self-government In a parliament of its
own. If out of the holocaust in Europe there
shall arise a redistribution of national ana
racial boundaries compatible with the aspira
tions of the people's yearning for emancipa
tion, the price of the achievement will not
have been too dear.
Making Ready the Leaven
rn HE cause may be war or bad business,
1 but the colleges report record enrol
ments. The auditorium at the t'niversity
was crowded beyond Its capacity during the
opening exercises. The State College was
compelled to refuse admission to more than
200 applicants. Xo country need despair
whin its educational institutions are flourish
ing. They are tho true foundations ot pos
terity nnd prosperity. They make ready the
leaven. Industrial depression is always a
passing phase in the nation's progress, but
tho uplift from education is continuous and
without interruption.
Rip Van Winkles in Citizenship
PRELIMINARY to the November balloting,
the better element in politics must always
face that deadly enemy, popular apathy.
Ironically enough, it is not the ranks of boss
ism that are blind to public duty. Their
registration lists will be full on October 3
full to overflowing. It is the weakly-good who
barter their privilege for ease.
In an effort to bring out a big ugistration
a tablo has been prepared of the number ot
assessed citizens in 1913, the number who reg
istered on the three allotted days and tho
number a full third who failed to register
and who thereby cast a silent vote against
the public good. If Penroseism does not go
down to final defeat this fall, the blame can
be laid at the comfortably closed doors of
the somnolent third. Theirs Is the power,
and theirs may be the guilt.
Rewords of the Commonplace.
"TJ YOL want to go anywhere you havo
X to start from where you are." said llurke.
First steps are us important as last stops.
Starting from where one is involves a right
understanding of the commonplace.
A great motive invests every deed with
significance. Murillo painted "Angels'
Kitchen," The convent porter, faithful to his
humble duties, finds the klthen Ailed with
angels, each doing a simple service. The
monk's vision was hia reward for ordinary
work well done, Commonplace tasks become
great achievements when performed with nil
our might. The soldier dying in the trench
da he not euqual to tho king on his throne?
To do common things in a perfect manner Is
a, truer sign of religion than to do great
thing In an Imperfect manner. The rio
s,pied ordinary relationships of life may be
the rounds in the ladder that reaches to
the skies.
The organisation looks a long way ahead
for Its pioflts:
The area of Asiatic exclusion (loos not in
clude the theatre of war
Jrobing Penroseism may ho a good thing
for the liemocrats. but Uniting it would he
better thing for the Uepubjicans.
tnrector Warte. of the Hureau of Health,
wants STU.iiOO for the protection of the health
of the children of Philadelphia. To the ordi
nary citUen this would seem to ha a more
impart- project than tho building of
patowea for a Municipal Court that does not
need them.
The decision of the fnlted States District
Court upholding the right of the city to
maintain the Parkway route throughout the
entire difctun" e without taking immediate
ohiiul po-ac'saiori of all the property in
volved is a grtai triumph for the city. A
contrary decision would have required the
immediate expenditure of a great amount or
a vastly larger Investment later on.
PASSED BY THE CENSOR
MKfAPHYSICALLY speaking, Britain's
mental viewpoint Is best reflected In tho
"agony" or personal column of tho London
Times. At present, when the land Is dis
tracted by war, tho column Is a vcrltablo
mirror of human emotions, running tho
whole gamut, from pnthos to bathos; from
love messages to the salo of nn nuto. Most
often, "Brown Eyes" appears:
I LOVE you, speak. Yours, Brown Eyes.
Tho next day she spoke thusly:
llltOWN EYES probably off shortly. Don't
phono mo 116 till 1 let you know. B. E.
But she was misunderstood evidently, as
tho followlngnotlcc Indicated:
BltOWX EYES, for whom Is your messago
meant? Bo ns explicit ns you can. B.
But "Brown Eyes" was not tho only one,
for thero were messages from tho front,
tincensored, and from tho heart:
LIEUTENANT J. McD. My heart Is with
you JEAN.
ADA V. M.-Am stltl well nnd unhurt, dear
est. Every one In best of spirits nnd very
confident. All my love. AltCH.
But wo nre not through with women ns
yet, though this one Is of a different type
perchance a militant:
DOCTOR'S WIFE, middle-aged, will under
take to perform tho w ork ot any tramway
conductor, co.icliman, shop assistant or
other married worker with children, pro
vided that worker will undertake to enlist
and tight for his country In our hour of
need. All wages earned will bo paid over
to tho wife nnd family. Apply Mrs. Lowry,
1 Priory terrace, Kuw-grccn, S. W.
Then comes n plea:
BOY, 7 months, son ot officer going to war,
wants some one, good family, to adopt
him; It. C. preferred. Box II 140, Tho
Times.
There aro many others, some begging for
funds for hospitals; others asking help to
oblaln military equipment. One, extra long,
denounces Englishmen for staying home at
their work Instead of getting themselves
enrefully killed. And at tho bottom of tho
column we find:
TO THE CLURRY S'crmons supplied each
week. New, fresh, simple and drawing
lesions from the present war. Send for
full list and specimen, sixpence. Ouston,
43 Page street Westminster, S. W.
OX THE Isle of Cnprl, beloved by the mur
dered Empress Elizabeth of Austria, is
an Inn some 50 years old, Vonducted under
the will of its founder, an artist of the school
of Intemperance and ill fortune. Tho will
provides:
"The charge a dny, two bottles of red
Capri wine included, shall never be more
than six francs ($1.14). If any artist is too
poor to p.iy he shall paint n. picture on some
wall space, receiving nil the accommodation
accorded those who pay the highest price.
If any Gorman artist shall come to the Inn
he shall be accommodated and shall receive
the amount of his faro to Germany upon his
promising never to return to Italy."
What grudge the proprietor had against
German artists is not known perhaps he
was one himself!
A MACHINE politician and an Independent
XXwere discussing the Penrose candidacy.
"Don't you llko tho way I'm dealing with
tho question?" growled the machine man.
"I don't mind tho way you deal," retorted
the Independent, "it's the way you shuffle."
LORD KITCHENER'S press censorship Is
mild compared to that exercised In 16G3
by Roger l'Estrange In London. Being pluced
In charge by the Government, ho advocated
a reduction in the number of master printers
from 60 to 20; ordered periodic inspection of
print shops; closed their back doors and
issued an order that all printers guilty of
even tho slightest infraction of his law be
compelled to wear insignia of their disgrace.
But liis special aversion was tho newspapers,
because "reading of them makes the multi
tude too familiar with the actions and coun
sels of their superiors, too pragmatical and
censorious and gives them not only an itch,
but a kind of right and license to be meddling
with the Government." He was so success
ful in suppressing newspnpers that he elicited
the admiration of the Government, according
to contemporaneous accounts.
SARAH BERNHARDT is raging at the
nefarious Germans, but never again will
sho bo as infuriated as she was once upon a
time, many years, ago, when she visited
Vienna. At that time tho Austrian capital
boasted of a wit named Srtphir, who edited
a weekly and wrote all of Its contents. Then
Mme. Karah was as thin as the pioverblal
i all fence. The day sho arrived Saphir's
paper contained tho announcement:
"An empty carriage drew up to the hotel
entrance und out stepped Mme. Bernhardt."
Tho actress threatened nil sorts of dire
things, but the worst was yet to come, for
when sho announced that bIio was learning
to play the ilute Haphlr came back with:
"Mme. Bernhatdt is learning to play tho
flute. In order to distinguish the instru
ment, she has decorated it with a blue
bow."
But it was as nn Impromptu wit that
Saphlr shone. Once, when ho turned a street
corner ho bumped Into a stranger.
"Donkey!" thundered the stranger.
"And MY name Is Saphlr," replied the wit
politely bowing.
ONCE upon a time an ox-President of the
I'nlted Htntes and the Governor of a
Middle West State wero taking luncheon at
the old Astor Houso in Now York city. Tho
country was anxious to know how tho ex
President, who was soon to be renominated,
stood on the free silver Issue. But tho ex
President was us silent us the grave, so
far as public uttornnco was concerned.
Now It bo happened that a repot ter on an
evening paper had Just received his salary
nnd In a moment of montnl distraction had
decided to eat at the Astor Houp, Fate
willed it that he sit at the tablo adjoining
the ex-President, to whom ho was unknown-
"Suppose Congress should pass a freo sil
ver bill. Mr- President?" asked the Governor.
Til veto It." thundered the ex-Presldcnt.
bringing his flat down on the table.
An hour later the newspaper on which the
teniperarHy rlcn reporter worked had an
extra on the street, announcing tho ex-Presl.
dent's attitude on the silver question.
And to the day of his death, the ex.Presl.
dent suspected the Governor of abusing hlj
confidence-
BRADFORD.
CURIOSITY SHOP
"Pot wallopers." the idiomatic name for
dishwashers, was originally applied to a class
forming the constituency of certain English
boroughs, or housekeepers considered suf
fU'ier.tly well established to boll a pot within
the limits of the borough over a fireplace
erected in the open alr.
The phrase, "who steals my purse, steals
trash." is not original with Shakespeare,
after all. It appears originally in the "Hom
ily Against Contention," Bet forth In the
time of Edward I, which says;
"For the ortaketh away a man's good
nnme, tho other taketh nway his riches, which
Is of much less valuo and estimation than hla
good nnme."
Tho superstition that certain persons havo
tho "evil cyo" has Its strongest hold in Italy.
In Cnmlola or Naples, or In fact In any part
of Italy. If you tell a farmer that Ills crops
nre good or his cattlo fine, ho will cxpeclo
rnto lit your feet to avert tho ovil. It Is said
that once, when driving through Rome,
Plus IX, ono of tho best beloved ot modern
Popes, looked Up nnd smiled nt n baby In a.
window. A llttlo while later tho nurso
dropped tho Infnnt to tho stroot. Ever after
the superstitious looked upon PIo Nono as
tho possessor of tho ovil eye.
IN A SPIRIT OF HUMOR
The Point of View
Tho days are getting short and dnrk, and
winter tlmo Is nenr,
The optimist Is filled with glee nnd Joy and
goodly cheer;
Ho does not have to swat the fly nor mow
the weedy lawn,
And he may sleep In pcnccfulncss, for
'skeeters now nre gone.
But, ah I tho peevish pessimist Is quivering
with Ire.
Ho must nrlso at B o'clock to fix tho furnace
fire!
Ho has to shovel snow nnd fit the doors with
weather strip,
And live In deadly terror of tho llttlo bugs
of grippe.
Ho hates tho work ho has to do, tho. Cold ho
does despise,
Thnt thrills the optimist lo whom it's merely
exercise.
"
On the Right Track
A seedy-looking man walked slowly up to
the farmhouse.
"Madam," ho said to tho farmer's wife,
"may I chop some wood for you? I'll do It
for nothing."
Tho lady looked at lilm suspiciously. "Do
you bo nccdln' exercise?" Sho Inquired.
"Not ovactly, madam, The only thing I
require Is thnt you lot mc sit by the woodpile
and paint for a few hours. I nm nn artist of
tho old school, nnd I have been commissioned
to do a futuristic Impression ot nn aeroplane.
I wish to use tho woodpile as a model."
Similiter Ahead
And then Turkey may bo superstitious. In
which event thero will be no Mohammedan
participation In the war until after Thanks
giving Day.
The Horrors of Peace
This is a neutral land of ours;
No foe Is at our walls;
But spite of nil our vaunted powers
Niagara Falls!
Lines to the Hen
O most serene, O calm, prosaic fowl;
O Hen, thy laziness makes millions growl.
O barnyard bird, O dawdling, dowdy hen,
When shall the laying mood seize thee again?
O loudly cackling and complacent bird,
By what elixir may thy blood be stirred?
Source of great wealth, so plain, so simply
plumed.
Each day we see cold storage eggs exhumed.
Each day we hear thy queer, discordant cluck,
But find no egg as motive no such luck!
And so a nation waits upon thy will,
Or with the grocer runneth up a bill,
For eggs "fresh laid" by thee and thine, O
Hen;
"Fresh laid," tho grocer salth aye, but
when?
A Kara Avis
A worthy man
Is Thomas Wollcr;
Ho never wore
A rubber collar.
Boston Transcript.
A sturdy youth
Is Guy Geblatz;
He never wore
A pair of spats.
In 19 Fill in to Suit Relief
Tho woman picsideiitlal candidate had
ju&t concluded tho keynote speech of her
campaign.
Hoarse cheer from tho multitude shook
the rafters of the big auditorium, and ns
to tho poor old welkin, it could ring no more.
An enthusiastic man, standing mi a chuir in
tho rear, throw away his hat and coat and
shipped a glum looking neighbor on tho back.
"Some .speech," he yelled. '"What?"
"Fair," said tho glum man, "but not the
kind that mother used to make."
One lo Carry
Teacher Who knows what triplets are?
Bright Pupil I know, miss: it's twins and
ono left over. Boston Transcript.
Where Wc Come In
When Europe wants peace and a meal
ticket she will see America first. Chicago
News.
All the Same in the End
Hotel Waiter Come, sir. you really must
go off to bed. sir. 'Yawns.) Why, the
dawn's a-breuking, sir.
Late Reveler Let it break nnd put It down
In the bill, waiter. London Punch.
An Meal .Match
"Aro thoy well mated?"
"Perfectly. Sho's afraid of automobiles
and he can't afford ono." Detroit Free I'ress,
In the War Zone
"Venus do MIlo is in tho Louvro's vaults
for fear of airship bombs." Naturally, being
unarmed. "Wall Street Journal.
Tin: vii.LAGi: ohaci.i:
Old Dati'l Hanks be says this town
Is Jr-st tho best on earth;
Ho says thero ain't ono. up nor down.
That's got one half her worth;
He gu s there ain't no othet Ktute
That's gooi as our'n, nor near;
And all tho folks that's good and sreat
is settled rlsht 'round here.
Says I, "D'Jcr evor travel, Dan?"
"Vou bet I ain't;" says lie;
"I tell ou what! Tho place I've got
Is eoocI enousll fer mo."
He says the other party's fools,
'Cause they don't voto hli wny;
Ho auys the "feeble-minded schools"
Is where they out'ht tcr stay.
If he was law, their mouths he'd shut.
Or blow 'cm all tor smash;
Ho says their platform's nuthln' but -
A great big mess of Hash,
Says I, "D'Jer ever read It, Dan?"
"You bet I nint!" says ho;
"And when I do well, I tall -qu
I'll let ou know, by gee!"
He Fays that all religion's wrong,
'Copt Just what he believes;
l(o says them ministers belong
In Jail, tho same as thieves;
Ho sas tliej take the bl'-njcd Word
And tear it all Co shreds;
Ho says their preachln'a Jm abiurdj
They're simply Itatheriieads.
Says I. "O'Jor ever hear 'em, Dan?"
"Vou bet J ain't!" says he;
"JM never go to hear "em, no;
They piake me sick tor see."
Some fellows reckon more or less
Before they speak their mind,
Ard bomutlmcs valkorlate er guess
But them ain't Dan'l'a kind.
The Lord knowa all things, great or small,
With doubt he's never vexed;
lie in bU wUdom knows it all
Uul Dait'l Hanks comes next!
m I 'How d'ir know ou're right?"
How cto I know?" enys he.
n il inv . I vum, I know, by gurol
Vm rUnt oecau'e I be,"
Joseph C. Llowln.
DONE IN PHILADELPHIA
MISS MARY E. PHILIitPS, of Boston,
who has been hero for a few days In
preliminary research for her biography of
Poc, told mo that her ltfo of Fenlmore
Cooper, which sho published Inst year, had
required seven years of travel and research,
and that when tho book was ready for tho
press It had cost, on nn average, more than
$2t n pago. As thero wero 400' pages In that
very excellent biography of tho author of tho
Lentherstocklng Tales, tho reader Who Is
quick nt figures will noto that It Is not
always a profltabto undertaking to wrlto n
book.
In the courso of a. conversation I had with
Miss Phillips sho made sovcral remarks
about Poo thnt surprised me. Probably tho
most astonishing was that tho Poo family
had declared to her that of all tho biog
raphies of tho author of "Tho llavon" to bo
found on library shelves, not ono really was
authentic. Evidently, wo shall havo to study
tho subject all over again.
MISS PHILLIPS has mhdo authenticity
her standard In biographical writing,
nnd sho assured mo that not only will sho
bo ablo to correct many errors nnd falso
Impressions about Poe that havo hecomo
familiar, but nt least ono-quartor of her
book will bo absolutely now.
Already sho has traveled from Maine to
Virginia for materials, Sho has corresponded
with I do not know how many porsons who
nro believed to possess untouched manu
script material, or pictures that nro un
known, but when I asked her when sho ex
pected to Issue tho book sho ropllcd that
sho would spend thrco years more on It.
I found sho appreciated tho Immense Im
portance ot those flvo years of Poo's Ufa
which tho poet spent In Philadelphia, nnd
she assured mo that her present visit was
a mero reconnoltcrlng of tho field r that sho
expects to return and spend a considerable
period hero studying such data ns arc avail
able only In th)s city.
DURING tho period In which Poo was a.
resident of this city, from 183D to 1S44,
virtually nil tho work that recalls his namo
to fame was written. Those wonderful talcs,
such as "Tho Gold Bug," "Tho Murdors In
tho Rue Morgue" and "The Purloined Let
ter," to name only a few, nnd his greatest
poetical work, "The Raven," were tho prod
uct of Poo's pon while ho was a poorly paid
editor of Philadelphia magazines.
For the last year of Burton's Gentlemen's
Magazine Poe really was Its sole editor, for
Burton was busy with his theatrical enter
prises. Poe not only edited tho magazine,
but he wrote tho book reviews And an article
or story for each number. When the mag
azine was combined with Graham's, Poe was
taken over with the property, and was an
nssoclato editor, reviewing books, writing
Ilternry criticisms of popular authors, add
ing a tale now and then nnd writing an
occasional poem. In addition to this labor,
ho was occasionally asked to revise tho
poetical contributions of talented ladjes who
could pay for tho revision, and tho writings
of some of these ladies wore found to havo
deteriorated after Poe's death.
One of the Impressions about tho poet
which seems "difficult to eradicate Is that Poo
was a drunkard. Miss Phillips assured mo
that this Impression was a very wrong one
and was not borne out by the evidence.
Neither, sho Informed me, was It truo that he
had died In a fit of delirium from drink, as
has been so often stated..
POE made many friendships during his
residence here; and there undoubtedly is
a great deal of interesting material about
this period of his life that awaits the Indus
trious seeker.
Unfortunately, there does not appear to bo
more than one residence of tho poet's re
maining that may have any claim to the
attention of the Investigator. This is the
small back building to the house at Seventh
and Brnndywine streets. Some claims havo
been made for a building at 25th street and
Falrmount avenue, but without much evi
dence, It seems.
But thero still may be seen at tho corner
of Moravian and Dock streets the building
whore Burton published his magazine while
Poo was his associate editor. Then, too,
thero wero until a year or two ago the former
homes of Burton himself. One of theso wns,
nnd may still be, on Ninth street below Vine,
nnd tho other on Thirteenth street north of
Rnce.
John Sartaln, who died about ton years
ago, when ho was nearlng tho century mark,
mentions In his book ot reminiscences that
Poo lived for a tlmo at Sixteenth and Locust
streets. Thero Is now, however, nothing
left of that framo house, for tho neighbor
hood has Improved both In valuo and archi
tecture slnco 1839,
POE wns also a frequent visitor to the
homo of Henry B. Hirst, who lived In a
house that stood on Sixth struct below
Chestnut, but was effaced In I860, when tho
Punuc Luduuu Building was erected on the
alto. The old Falrmount Reservoir, where,
just a week before his end In Baltimore, Poe,
showing .signs of nervous btralu and excite
ment and, accompanied by Sarlain, bpent
part of a night, has been transformed, Sar
tuln went with the poet to quiet his fears of
assassination and to protect him against his
fancied dangers.
Tlioio seems to bo little of Poe's Philadel
phia romninliig, but vvhai there Is has not
attracted tho attention it probably deserves,
for tho city has cause to be proud of having
lind tho poet for a citizen, oven If It was for
only llvu sears of his brief life.
GRANVILLE.
THE IDEALIST
Recently I overheard an intensely Inter
esting conversation between a young man
Who nppeurcd to bo In the mlddlo twenties
and an older man, whom I later found to be
an ominont business man of a largo Eastern
city.
Tho younger man was plainly despondent
and was freely unloading this spirit upon
his elder companion, ills progross, he said,
had been far behind tho hopes and anticipa
tions of early youth.
Jt was with a sort of disgust at the young
man's ravings that the merchant In a few
trlto words laid down a simple campaign
for him to follow.
"You say you've made no progress in the
last time years. Well, what is three years!
po you know, voung fellow, that If you had
gone on stepping upward each month of
theso threo years jour progress would
havo developed into nothing but a monot
onous process? For one thing you wouldn't
be as uggrlcved, or us spirited, ubout vour
future as you are todaj. Vou'vo got tho
advantage over a gooil many others of your
age in that ou really uro excited ubout it.
"When ou go back to your debk this
afternoon -o with tb expectation of finding
om-tiii'vi lo vio ilu t will mean the first step
In a higher future. If you don't flnfl Mi i
nflcrnoon, look for it tomorrow momih'a
But nover go to your desk without fuliv VI
right thoro beforo you. For tho very mihi,
you decide that It Is not going to be ih2
you aro doomed." "
The motive of tHo ndvlco was plain Tk
merchant had olearly brought out the v.
difference hotweon sitting around and won
lng for opportunity and actively looking for
Waiting Is a passive process) looking
means nctlon. And action Is creative.
VIEWS OF READERS
ON TIMELY TOPICS"
Contributions Thnt Reflect Public Onlni
ion on Subjects Important to City i
state nnd nation. j
To the Editor of the Kvenlng Ledger: '
Sir Now that "aermanophobla" has onu,
what subsided, I should llko to call tho atten
tion ot your readers to two fields of human tn.
dcavor In which Germany has set tho world's
pace. They are architecture and tho theatre.
In Germany alono has there been a distinct
contribution to the nrt of pubtlo building n
the last quarter century. She has evolved a
rare and beautiful new technique for tho hand
ling of mnsscd stone and tenuous steel work, ;
German theatres, court, State and municipal! ,
as well hs prlvnto ventures, havo similarly l
pushed the technique of scenic production years '
abend of tho rest of tho world. That Is why
Mnx Relnhnrdt's namo Is a byword for thtf ,
bcautirul and the unique In tho theatre. Ig a
nation that has perfected two such arts, among
dozens more, barbarian? Are theso arts to ba
still further hampered In their spread abroad
by tho victory of tho Allies? Both aro ques,
tlons worth the attention of nil Americans.
CARL BREMNEH.
Philadelphia, September 25, 19H.
,
SALESGIRL PLEADS FOR CONSIDERATION
To the IMItor o the Evening Ledger:
SlrI nm a saleslady In ono of tho largest
department stores In this city, and, noticing
that vou publish letters In your paper, would
llko to draw your attention to a certain matter.
I think that most snlrsglrls will agrco with
mo when I eay that tho thoughtless attltuda
of women purchasers is making ltfo very hara
for us. Theso women treat us as If we were
somo piece of machinery, ordering us to show
them article after article, when it is quite
obvious that they havo not the slightest Intent
tion of purchasing anything. Combined with '
this thoughtless attitudo Is a good deal of in
civility. Why cannot women be more polIU
and kindly toward working girls? A kindly or
appreciative word would greatly lighten th
day's ask, and would surely cost tho womaa
buyer but little. ,
A DISHEARTENED SALESGIRL.
Philadelphia, September 23, 1314.
LET THEIR NAMES BE SEEN
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger:
Sir Miy I suggest that for tho enlightenment
of unthinking votcra you place In some con- J
splcuous position as standing matter until after '
election a list of Councllmen who hold county 5
or State Jobs and namo tho yearly pay of eachf ,
Over It all lot tho caption be "Good Republi
cans arc we."
If the apaco required Is too great for Its dally
nppearance. how about several times a week?
It makes one weary to see every effort work-
lng toward business methods frustrated, not t&
s.iy anything about downright stealing.
JOHN S. EVANS.
1315 Noith Camac street.
WASH FRANKLIN'S FACE
To the Editor of the EvcMng Ledger:
Sh I nm glad to see tho EvENifin Ledoer
calling Philadelphia's attention to tho shock
ing state of Ben Fianklln's face. As your re
porter truthfully says, the head Is streaked
with tho weather, the waistcoat with nhat
might pass for gruel. Surely Philadelphia li
neither fo poverty-stricken even with a Muni
cipal Court to pay for nor so shameless, as to .
begrudge tho small courtesy of a bath to to
eminent a man. F. K. L.
Philadelphia, September 25, 1314.
ENGLISH HAVE THE ADVANTAGE
To the Editor of the Public Ledger:
Sir Tho English have the advantage becauM
they use our language and wo print their
poems. If some of tho stirring verse which has
been written In Germany could bo published In
the United Stales so that everybody could read
It, thTe would be a very great change in opin
ion. Wo only get the London point of view la
this country, and tho London Journalists never
let anything get by that is not favorable t
their cause. S. T. LEINBBKGIL
Atlantic City, September 22, 1314.
GARLIC OBJECTIONABLE
To the Editor of the Public Ledger:
Sir There should bo some law forbidding PM
pie who havo eaten garlic to ride on the aub
wny until tho effects have dissipated them
selves. Last Sunday the odor was to objection
able tlint I was compelled to leavo my seat and
walk to tho front car, where fresh air cam
thiough. Can't something bo done about this?
S. T. VHRN0.V.
Overbrook, September 22, 1314. ,
Down With the Dreadnought
From tho New York World.
When one submarlno can sink threo 12,000-toil
shlpi In 20 minutes, the forethought of tho
Germans In keeping their dreadnoughts In forti
fied harbors becomes apparent. If big navies
cannot go to sea wo shall not need them, for
thyj- aro altogether too expensive to maintain
as mero ornaments. .
King Cotton vs. King Coal
From tho Detroit FreePress.
To a man who Is llguriug where next winter'
ten tons of coal aro coming from, that "buy a
bulo of cotton" slogan sounds like sarcasm.
NATIONAL POINT OF VIEW
Whatovcr tho truth of the charges levelei
at Southern national banks by Secretary
McAdoo, wo cannot but feel that his method
of making them was seriously ill-advUea.-'
Baltimore News.
Tho National American Woman Suffrag
Association has appropriated from its slender
fund $700 to buy one balo of 10-cent cottoa
In each of tho 14 Southern States. Fin'
womanly helpfulness, sound ccoiiumy.
mlrablo politics! Winning hearts beat! ,
(mashing windows. St. Louis Post-DH-patch.
Thoso self-constituted advisers of tha
President of tho United States who urge tin
Chief Executive to drop diplomatic repre
sentations and tiiho Homo steps to "compel
tho contesting nations of Europo to put an
end to the war tiiould realUo that beyond
tho usual inethodH of diplomacy time Is n
way to persuade tho fighters to stop fighting
save making war on them from these shores.
Boston Post.
The order of tho Secretary of tho Navy t
tioso the Marconi vviluless btutlon nt bias
conset. Mubs., for violation of neutrality vvm
be contested after a fashion in the courts.
Enforcement of neutrality in war is lurtiiy
a Judicial function. If a court disagreea
with the Coinmauilcr-ln-Chlcf. who vvouw
execute Its decrees? Neutrality subjeit io
litigation would bo belligerent y and notmnb
else. The Marconi people may us well sur
render gracefully. They will have to sur
render anyway. New York World.
.So long as it Is reguided us good national
morals for a country to bur olhei countries
trade by means of tuilffs, there is goind to
main a possible muse of war Kansas u,y
Times,
President Wilson Is doing a gicat tlib'S J'
the country.lu bis effort to muke c'onsr3i
believe that "America is i,reaur tlua r
part." The Pieltlent may succeed m na""!S
ome Coiigresiinon belli. vc this, but ho
never be able- to muke Tammany H w
it Albany Pics.
Sound srruc unci sound paitlotwm a0
played in t fual parts by Pn-s.Uert V','", 'n" .,
hu refuses bis consent to a second trr'"K',
dorsempnt by the New Jersey Dcosgcral
Yoik World
at W i