Evening public ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, August 25, 1916, Night Extra, Page 8, Image 8

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EVENING LE1)J -rJbULiADKLlHIA, FR1DW, AUGUST 25, 1916.
Ktflttting 5jggj Utb0etf
PUBLIC LEDGER COMPANY
I fcfXtlUS If. K. CURTIS, Pjbjidimt.
CharUs It. Ludlngton.VIce Frealdentt John
fl. Martin, Secretary and Treasurer; rhlllp 8.
Collins, John B. Williams, Director.
KDtTontAi noAnnt
CtuBs II. IC Ccsris, chairman.
ft H. "WHALES ,..,. .Editor
JOHN C. MARTIN, .General Business Manager
i i
Published dally at Pcbmo I.mnom Building,
Independence Square, Philadelphia.
LtMnt Csntjul., iBroad and Chestnut Streets
ATtANTio Cm. ....... ....rrtss-Unlon Building
Nsvr YosR..... i.. 200 Metropolitan Tower
IM3T0tT.itit.it. ......... .,820 Ford Building;
ST. Irfims.iiiiii.i400 Olobe-Dcmocrnt Hulldlnr
Cniclao.i... .1202 Trillins Bulldtns;
NEWB-BUREAUS!
TVlimxaToN Bci0.... .... . ...RIses Bulldlnr
Navf Tonic BurtlUi...... . .The Tim.' Building
BintlN Hunriu.... ....... ..GO Friedrlehstrssse
JyONDOM BtrnsAUm... ..Marconi Home, strand
Piais Bcaua.n.i. 1.. i,02 Iliu Louis le Urand
SUBSCRIPTION TERMS
Br rnrrler. six cents per week. By mall,
postpaid outside of Philadelphia, except whore
loreJjn postait Is required, one month, twenty
Ut cents; one year, three dollars, All mall
subscriptions payable In advance.
Notics Subscribers wishing- address chanced
must civ oW as well as new address.
BELL. J009 'WALNUT KEYSTONE, MAIM IM9
' "
CT Aidrett nil communications fo Kvmlitp
Ledger, Independence Square, Philadelphia.
surcnto at rrtB riui.iDr.Lrnu rnsrorrici is
SECOND-CUSS Mill. Mints.
THE AVERAGE NET PAID DAILY CIR
CULATION OP THE EVENING LEDGER
FOR JULY WAS 121,009.
Philadelphia, Friday. Auiuit 23, 1916.
When vice prevails and ifnpioUM men
bear ttvay,
The pott of honor it a private station.
Additon.
The du Fonts havo powder enough
to blow Delaware Republicanism oky
high If they caro to uso It that way.
With a few moro strikes averted by
tho President thcro won't bo enough
value left In tho railroads for even a
receiver to bo Interested.
Does not Senator Penrose know he
Is wasting his time attacking tho Dem
ocratic revenue bill? What tho Dem
ocrats don't know about raising revenue
they will permit no ono to tell them.
Tho attache of Magistrate) Call's
court who told a political caller that ho
did not get paid for what he did but for
What ho know was evidently familiar
with tho kind of pu'.l that keeps some
men on tho city payroll.
Yet, after all, It Is the man who
does ten hours of work for eight hours
of pay who Is eventually paying the
wages instead of receiving them. Suc
cess Is work and then moro work, with
never an eye on tho hand of a clock.
While the authorities aro dealing
With that unmarried mother who
abandoned her babe, they might serve
tho ends of Justice If they would also
hunt up the father and make him share
In tho responsibility for what has hap
pened. s
The public-spirited women of the
city have onco more demonstrated their
alertness and their ability. They saw
tho need of caring for the crippled vic
tims of infantile paralysis and set about
raising funds. In a week they secured
enough to insuro proper treatment for
all who cannot bo nursed by their
families.
Philadelphia may not be the most
moral of all large cities, as the Mayor
declares, but It is doubtless as little im
moral as any. But It Is not In com
parisons so much as in facts that tho
good citizens of the community aro in
terested. There is a vice situation to be
cleaned up. Tho Mayor acknowledges It
nnd avers goodly intentions In tho pre
mises. But he retains in office the man
under whom vice regained Its ascendency
and under whom thero is little, if any,
cnance or an improvement In conditions.
We can havo flagrant vlco and the pres
ent Director of Public Safety or we can
have neither.
Tho growth and energy of our sis
ter city Chester are remarkable even In
an era characterized by almost mirac
ulous industrial achievement. In the
purely Chester advertisements appearing
In this lssuo of the Evening "Ledger
thero Is a variety of enterprise repre
sented. They can build ships In Chester
or they can build envelopes, but what
ever they build is unsurpassed anywhere
for excellence of workmanship and gen
eral integrity of manufacture. When to
Buch qualities are added a militant pub
lic spirit, which is keenly alive to the
possibilities of the day and the advantage
of publicity. It is not surprising that
Chester is jumping ahead by leaps and
bounds.
Before the latest reports of "black
rust" in the wheat belt were circulated it
was generally believed that the crop this
year- would ba less than 700,000,000
bushels, or only a little more than the
annual domestic consumption. If the
"black rust" is aa destructive as is now
feared, it is possible that we may have to
" Import wheat. Such an outcome would
be followed by higher prices for the
grain than have been known for years,
and we might be called upon to pay ten
cents for a five-cent loaf of bread, or to
fall back" on corn flour, Until there is
proof of the contrary, It will be wise to
assume that the unfavorable reports are
spread by the bulls of the Chicago
sjrheat pit.
The amount of money paid to rail
road employes of all kinds, including
general officers as well as the workmen,
lias more than doubled since 1900. The
figures are ?577,20-J,000 for 1900 and
31,381,117.000 for the last year covered
, by the' Government reports. Engineers
, averaged J 3.75 a day then and now they
get $5.24. The pay of firemen has been
. increased from $3.14 to $3.22 and that of
conductors from $3.17 to J47, The in
crease has been greater than In manu
tocturlns occupations and the present
imts of pay is higher than men engaged
' 4a production receive. Aa to the eight.
jMjuy Aty, there were 6.M5.04S persons
jwployed bt the Industries Investigated
wfeea Usej Census Bureau xsada an in-trfry-
tatfr th hour at labor, to 1W9.
W abate KMf t vra.-ku4 cJxkt toura or 1
less, or 7.9 per cent of the total. Thirty
per cent worked 10 hours. Everybody
works longer than he ought and no one
gets ns much pay as he deserves, but
when the average man considers what
the trainmen got and what they want
he Is not moved to pity them for their
hard lot.
LESS DUST, MORE WATER
AND MODERN METHODS
DISEASE lurks In dust. It may not be
Infantile paralysis that is dissemi
nated by the sweeping of the streets, but
It Is likely to be; If not that, It Is some
other disease equally as dangerous. When
tho lamented and distinguished Dr. S.
Weir Mitchell was allvo ho devoted a
great part of his energies to fighting this
prolific carrier of Illness and death.
It Is pointed out that the water supply
of the city is already Insufficient; that a
wnter famlno might threaten In tho event
that citizens generally took the trouble
to sprinkle before Bweeplng their walks.
It may bo that oven tho price of a llttlo
less water to drink would not bo too much
to pay for a llttlo less dust to breathe.
Certainly, In nny event, thero Is no good
reason why tho sidewalks In tho center
of tho city should not bo wot beforo they
aro swept.
Tho agitation for alleviating the dust
menace Is of double Importance, because
It emphasizes the extreme gravity of the
water-supply situation. There Is a high
pressure, raw-water system available for
use In caso of fire, and In tho central dis
tricts, wo surmise, to supply tho sprink
ling carts. But outsldo of this limited
area thero Is treated water only, and the
supply of that Is wholly Inadequate Tho
situation In certain parts of South Phila
delphia is positively disgraceful. It Is
truo that during tho Blankenburg Ad
ministration, in November, 1014, tho
voters authorized nn appropriation of
$500,000 for tho general Improvement of
the South Philadelphia supply, but It con.
tcmplatcd little real relief, since addi
tional feeder mains from tho filters at
heavy1 cost must bo provided beforo tho
supply can bo at all adequate.
Astdo from tho enormous wastage, duo
to carelessness, which may be reduced
by public education and the uso of meters,
It Is obvious that now facilities are Im
perative. It Is Just as obvious that thero
Is not likely to be any real solution until
there Is a chnngo In tho method of
handling tho water bureau. A now ac
counting system was Installed under
Mayor Blankenburg, and the form of tho
annual appropriations In 1915 materially
aided In making possible an analysis of
cost and a distribution of bureau ex
penses. But the system Is still Just as
unscientific and antiquated as the process
w hereby a street has to be dug up two or
three times If a leak happens to bo found
In a service pipe Instead of tho main
pipe.
The TJ. Q. I. leases tho gas works. It
turns Into tho city a certain per cent of
its receipts each year. Tho water bureau
should be managed by a board of experts.
It funds should be segregated. It should
report annually a deficit or surplus, under
scientific management It should, In
fact, bo conducted in much tho samo way
na tho gas works ore conducted under
the direction of the U. G. I., as a great
public utility, earning Its way and mak
ing such a showing as practically to be
able to finance Itself, for maintenance,
oxtenslon and improvements. Only so
can the cost of water be arrived at ac
curately, a fair price to users bo de
termined and the utility be placed on a
firm and solid foundation beyond the
rpacn of politicians.
Wo must get rid of the dust and we
must have all the water tho city needs.
Both objectives can readily be reached
by scientific and businesslike control of
the water system. Were the utility owned
by a private company, it would supply all
needs and be a great money-maker. It
is hobbled now by the lines of red tape
that tie It to councilmanlc politics and
loave it at the mercy of an overburdened
Finance Committee.
THE EVOLVING EXECUTIVE
HE author of "Tho President of the
United States," who now happens to
be playing the title role of that little
book, says in it:
In proportion as the President ven
tures to use his opportunity to lead
opinion and act as spokesmai of the
people in affairs, the people stand ready
to overwhelm him by running to him
with every question, great and small.
They are as eager to have him Fettle
a literary question as a political; hear
him as acquiescently with regard to
matters of expert knowledge as with
regard to public affairs, and call upon
him to quiet all troubles by his per
sonal Intervention.
He goes on to Bay that if the President
is not to collapse under this strain he
must trust more to the advice and as
sistance of others. Mr. Wilson did not
dodge "personal intervention" in the rail
road situation, and cheerfully consented
to try his hand at the "expert knowledge"
which the people unreasonably expect
their Presidents to have ad libitum. But
the rest of his railroad program does not
fit in with the evolution of the olllce as
he foretold it in 1908. His Administration
(that is, Mr. Wilson) is "to look wjth
favor" on the railroads rate increases,
which is another way of saying that the
Interstate Commerce Commission is to
share Its authority with the President.
And after conversing with Senator New
lands and Representative Adamson he
assures by January 1 a permanent com
mission to settle disputes. Instead of
the presidential duties being distributed
among advisers, they are evidently tend
ing to concentrate In the President's
hands not only In the administrative but
in the legislative field as welL
Tom Daly's Column
CHAUTAUQUATORIAL
SOMRWIinnE IN THE TALL GRASS,
August 95 degrees.
Chnutnuqualng Is lonesome worn,
Come on nlongl
Hurry I Wo must catch this Interurban.
Tho Interurban, If you go to your work
by It and you frequently do adds to Its
cargo units more and more Interesting to
you as you approach your Journey's end.
These units nro tho folks who are to make
up your audience. But do not flatter your
self! Tlioy will not all crowd Into tho big
tent to hear you, or, If they do, they may
not stay. They aro out to enjoy them
selves. It's the one big outing of tho year
for thorn; there a many attractions,
many things to see and hear, and you are
merely one. Besides, the majority of folks
"don't like lectures."
The woman who got nboard at that flag
Btatlon In the dazzllngly sunny meadow was
up and about her housework beforo dawn
to earn this wild dissipation. At the next
station she Is Joined by another, almost
an exact counterpart, who takes tho scat
besldo her. Thcro are little confused pre
liminary murmurs of greeting nnd then:
"Havo you been attending Chautauqua?"
(It Is never the Chautauqua.)
"So far, but I'm afraid I won't tomor
row." Whether her fears for tho morrow ma
terialize you will never know, unless you'ro
a band or something engaged for a week,
because by tomorrow, of course, you'll be
storming some other and far-distant barn.
But the "out-of-town" women attending
Chautauqua always have their fears, It
seems, anil tho men who come In from tho
bushes have always Just had their hair
cut. This last 1ms reference only to men
In their prime or under. Jlnlo hair In the
country Is very like grnss; It Isn't sup
posed to bo cut when Its summer wanes
and the frosts of winter threaten, but H
allowed to lie fallov In tangled or stringy
colorless wisps. Hut thai male visitor to
Chautauqua, whoso thatch Is still untouched
of silver, buys
him n haircut
first crack out of
tho box. It Is
usually cut high
and "finished
round" In tho
back nnd Its new
ness Is Hashed to
tho world by tho
segment of whlto
skin below tho
h a 1 r 1 1 n o that
hasn't yet had a
chance to get sun
burned. Tho coun
tryman's shirt Is
always sure to bo
Immaculate, too.
Honts rt r o far
Drawn by ourscl. from compulsory.
Tho wisdom of thl3 will soon bo apparent
to you. If you'ro not already wise.
Tho Interurban comes at length to tho
Chautauqua town. The committee's repre
sentative la thero to meet you. Ho singles
you out as easily ns you'd pick a Hick at
Market street ferry. Your superior air or
Is It your professional look? advertises
you.
You tell him you'd like to go ,to the hotel
to dress.
"Dress?" ho says, looking you over. Then
ho reminds you that you're expected to bo
on tho platform at 2:15 and It's already
1:23. Your middle name Is Lightning, you
tell him, nnd, reassured, ho takes you to
tho hotel In his machine. Ho sits at the
wheel and waits for you. You enter the
hotel onico. Thero Is nobody there. You
stamp on tho floor, humorously, and cry,
"Store!" An old lady In a rocking chair
In tho dark hallway crochets unsoclably
and pays no attention to you. But the
Hies coma and Investigate you with enthu
siasm. You shake them off temporarily and
through a window, letting upon a side
street, you question a native:
"Where's the clerk, do ycu know?"
"Round half-past one, ain't It?"
"Yes."
"Beckon he's out to nls dinner."
The files have found you again and you
quit smiling at the thought of a hotel
clerk going "out" for his dinner. But at
this Juncture help arrives. He looks as
though he may bd femme do chambre at
tho neighboring livery. Still ho has au
thority to lead you to a room, which ho
does. You proceed to strip for action, un
packing your light mohair suit or your
palm beach. Suddenly you discover that
you left your only good razor at tho last
stand. You remember having seen a bar
ber sign near the hotel entrance. You go
down there. The boss Is busy with one of
those "round finish" haircuts and there's
nothing for you to do but surrender to a
very young apprentice. He looks scared
when you tell him ycu want a quick shave,
but he goes at It unhurriedly. His little,
cautious scrapes with the razor drive you
mad.
"Here!" you cry. Bitting up in tho chair,
"I'm In a hurry. Give me that."
You take the razor from him and finish
the Job In a Jiffy Tho apprentice, far from
peeved, watches you admiringly. When
you have finished, he says, "I know who you
are."
Of course, you think, that's not very
remarkable, since window cards with your
photoengraving upon them, announcing you
as the famous lecturer, etc., etc., have been
liberally scattered about the town. Still
one always feels a thrill In being discovered.
So, slipping him his tip, you say;
"So you think you know me, eh?"
"Yes," he says, admiration leaping from
his lamps, "you're a barber from Kansas
City!"
Looking at your watch, as you climb
Into the patient committeeman's auto, you
are surprised to find how llttlo time you'vo
lost alter all. You
reach the Chau
tauqua grounds
long before Hoos
thlsnow's Hungar
ian Silver Cornet
Band has finished
its program and you
have quite a quar
ter of an hour to
sit in the shade of
a tree and become
acquainted with the
platform manager..
"It's pretty hot
In the tent." he
Cruun hit ourtelf.
isu.....,; W4f
i , J
fife ,.
'If ice ,
tells you, "but nothing like it was last
Sunday when Bryan was here. He spoke
at noon and the people didn't come out
like they usually do. Oh, he's still a draw
ing card, but the heat kept folks away.
It must have been about 130 In that tent
with the sun shining down on it, and he
hadn't been talking five minutes before he
called me over and asked for a chunk of
Ice. When he got it on the table in front
of him he'd let one hand rest on it awhile
and then pass his cold hand over his head.
Then he'd uso the other hand, and so on,
all over again. In that way he managed
to stay in the ring for an hour, talking
about Peace. But the audience suffered;
and ha suffered, too, in another way. I
figured that he got Just about one dollar for
every degree of Fahrenheit in that tent,
which is low for him. You see, Bryan's
terms call for the first $250 taken in at
the gate and half of the next $250. Ordi
narily, he'd stand to set $375 for his lec
ture, but the gate last Sunday only netted
$128 in all.
The band's starting in on its last piece
now. Let's walk over .here a minute and
I'll introduce you to our Senators. They
tt
-BUT THE BIGGEST FISH HI HEVEJR CAUGHT WAS THE ONE
THAT GOT HAWAY!"
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always escort tho lecturer to tho plat
form." Under the shado of several maples you
note an open mnrqueo, across the front
of which runs a muslin sign, which reads:
"Loyal Sons of Best. Don't walk when
you can stand ; don't stand when you can
sit; don't sit when you can lay down."
In front of the tent. In a circle, sit tho
nnclents of tho community. Tho placid
look of them recalls Stevenson's lines:
In the country places.
Where the old plain men havo rosy faces,
And the young fair maidens
Quiet eyes,
A
and you fall to hoping that you may havo
something In your little bag of tricks to
Interest theso sages.
They lead you, more or less solemnly, to
your place on tho platform, and when tho
ripple of applause passes you begin. You are
conscious, at first, of distracting noises "oft
stage," but these after a time cease to an
noy you. You center your attention upon
your Immedlato front. The earnestness of
your audience's regard makes you serious,
too; seriously determines you to break up
thoso facc3 that seem to you a trifle too set
and stony. Suddenly you become conscious
of nil tho fans and the newspapers and
programs that serve as substitutes wav
ing everywhere. You must forget about
them, or they'll fascinate you. You wipe
your brow nnd "pull a suro-flro gag," which
draws Just enough applauso to allow you
time to take a drink of water. A baby be
gins to cry, but the mother having nt hand
nn old-fnshloned Infant pacifier, uses It, nnd
that danger Is past. You struggle on, de
termined to Justify the faith and the hope
yes, and the charity of theso good peo
ple. About this time you become conscious
of a small boy In tho back of the tent, who
never for a moment has been Interested In
you, and who now Is engaged In tho ex
citing game of seeing how near he can walk
to the edge of the top bleacher-seat without
falling off. You try not to see him, nut
while your mouth utters mechanically the
talk It has so often repeated, your whole
thought converges to the eventual fall of that
kid. It comes, Just
as you reach the
climax of a pa
thetic poem. Your
voice goes on, but
your soul shivers
as you wait for the
thud of the small
body on tho
ground, tho cry of
pain, tho conse
quent uproar. You
ore agreeably but
marvelously disap
pointed. The thud
doesn't come, the
cry Isn't born, the
audience Is still
quiet and expect
ant That audience is
ml,
xjt
J . O
v.N
V
Brawn bis oursel.
a glutton for pun'
Ishment It will -take all you give, and you
grow more and more ashamed that you
have so little worth-while to offer. At last.
In sheer pity, you quit There la a burst
of applause but, again, beware! Most of
It may be for the bell ringers who follow
you. ,
You fade away, glad if you ore not
obliged to look again Into the quiet and now
you are quite sure disappointed eyes of
the ancients who are back again In the
circle before the marquee under the maples.
T. A, D.
NATIONAL POINT OP VIEW
What annoys ex-Secretary Bryan Is the
reflection that he forgot to appoint some
good deserving Democrat to be Ambassador
to Esperanto. Boston Transcript.
We shall have more confidence In 100
per cent patriotism when we find a pre
paredness ehouter welcoming an Increase
in his income tax. New York World.
More and more is the efficiency of the
National Guard as a working branch of the
army being demonstrated, and the state
ments of friends of the National Guard
that if given a brief time under tent the
National Guard would demonstrate Its effi
ciency as a military unit have been con
firmed. Milwaukee News.
At last the postal surplus has been
achieved. From the postal service $5,200,
000 has been saved during the year ended
June 30 last and on Saturday it was re
ported to President Wilson, when Post
master General Burleson announced that he
had sent a check for that amount to the
Treasury. Five million dollars would have
gone far to have made the service what it
ought to be. Bridgeport Standard.
Mr. Wilson says that he has no power to
compel the men to consent to arbitration,
and that Is true. But neither has he any
power to compel the roads to surrender the
principle. Or rather, be-has the same power
in both cases, namely, that of bringing pub
lie opinion to bear on both parties to the
controversy. And public opinion is by no
means convinced that all the fairness in
this case ls on one side, Indianapolis News.
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COST OF CITY WATER A MYSTERY
"Jackpot" System of Financiering Penalizes Great Public Utility.
Modern Methods Requisite Before Relief From Water
Scarcity Can Be Found
Yfl
IAT did your water supply cost you
last year?
How much did It cost tho city to deliver
it to you?
Is tho city supplying you with water at a
profit or at a loss?
Aro you paying moro for water than you
should?
Whether you are a humble householder
using a comparatively small water supply,
or a manufacturer using n large supply the
above questions must Interest you.
You know what you paid for gas last
year. You can easily find out that tho city
supcrtaxed Its gas consumers $1,932,122.27
In 1916. You know that this tax meant 20
cents for each 1000 feet consumed, and
you can easily calculnte how much of this
supertax you have paid ; but do you know
how much tho city has supcrtaxed your
water consumption?
Tho city of Philadelphia owns but one
of Its public utilities Its water supply sys
tem. If an Intelligent citizen wanted to
figure out through any and nil of the
sources of Information available to him at
tho City Hall whether or not his water sup
ply, based on his pro rata share of the total
distribution. Is costing him too much, ho
would find himself up against an unsolvablo
proposition. Ho would find the financial
department of the city's water bureau Is run
by the "rule of thumb," In tho present
method of keeping accounts and records of
tho various departments of tho city gov
ernment connected directly nnd indirectly
with the Water Bureau, there Is no attempt
at tho segregation of tho Income and ex
penditures of this most Important public
utility from tho Incomes nnd expenditures
or the other rovenue-proauclng departments.
There Ecems to be a general "Jackpot"
Into which are dumped revenues from the
Water Department, from the Department of
Wharves, from tho Highway Department,
from the "Shade Tree" Department, from
the U. G. I. Company; In fact, from every
revenue-producing department. And from
this "jackpot" are drawn tho various ap
propriations for expenditures for any and
all departments.
NO EXACT INFOBMATION.
Should the Water Bureau want an appro
priation for extensions or maintenance, It
Is taken out of the "Jackpot." Somo of this
appropriation may be money representing
profits from tho "Shade Tree" Department,
or from tho gas tax or wharf rents, but
under no circumstance could It be deter
mined at present Just how much of that
appropriation was actually earned by tho
Water Department,
But tho Intelligent citizen who is tryfng
to analyze his water tax, If he cannot find
exact Information, can get unlimited quan
tities of "approximate" Information
He can find that the collective plants
of the Water Department, which Include the
several pumping stations, the filter beds, the
service pipes, the real estate, the reservoirs,
hydrants, laboratories, etc., have cost the
city "approximately" $60,000,000,
He can also find that on this great public
utility there Is a bonded Indebtedness of
"approximately" $30,000,000, but let him try
to find out the actual cost of the properties,
or try 'o find the actual bonded Indebted,
ness by segregating the dates of issue and
the maturities of this $30,000,000 outstand
ing; let him try to find their various rates of
Interest and how many bonds are retired
each year by the Sinking Fund, or how
much of that annual Sinking Fund Is repre
sented by revenue from the Water Depart
ment, and he will discover another species
of "Jackpot." He will discover that no
bonds are specially marked or designated
as "Water Bonds," that all bonds Issued
In the past have been In blocks or blanket
Issues, covering everything in the way of
expenditures without reference to the par
ticular object to which the proceeds were
to be applied. When the Water Bureau
wanted money for any purpose some of
these "blanket bonds" would he assigned to
It, and from the same blanket issue the
"Shade Tree" Department or the Depart
ment of Wharves, or Highways could re
ceive its appropriation.
As to the Sinking Fund, It is apparently
a "potpourri" from every source another
"jackpot" In which the segregation of Items
would be impossible. Such a system might
meet the requirements of a city of 8000 to
10,000 population, but for a city of 1,700,000
it is impossible.
It is true that the Bureau of Water Issues
a report which shows a statement of "rev
enues" as compared with "cost of operation
and maintenance."
The latest statement available shows the
revenues of the Water bureau for
1912 $4,947,649
1913 ...., ,...,.. 4,918,701
1914 6,191,345
and the cost of operation and maintenance
for
1912 , i, $2,371,658
1913 - 3,013,823
1914 1,826,154
These figures are valueless to the iaiellt
gent citlij who would analyse his water
tax. According to the chief of tho bureau
they take no account of tho cost of tho
collection of water rents, which Is per
formed by another bureau ; of legal services
from the city's law department, of free
hospital service to tho employes of tho
Water Department etc., nor, on tho other
hand. Is nny credit given tho Wnter Bureau
for tho 15,000 flro hydrants throughout the
city, for frco services to schools, police sta
tions, city hospitals and public buildings,
street cleaning nnd flushing, or for the main
tenance of a high-pressure system.
But whllo the latest statement of tho
Water Bureau gives only the figures of
revenues and expenditures for tho three
years ending 1!)H, thcro are some startling
figures on this subject In that wilderness of
finance, tho "City Controller's Report for
1915."
CONTRADICTORY FIGURES.
In that report Bandwlched between such
corelated subjects as "Election Expenses"
and "Interest on Bank Deposits" (Pago 38)
will bo found the extraordinary statoment
that In 1915 thero was n decrease In Income
from water rents of $142,931.77, whllo tho
expenditures Increased In the same tlma hv
(44-?7R.R.1 . TCinn HlBM UnilM. .(nnlfl nt
-.-.-, . ....... ....... .....uw ..bull.-,, O, 111,11.1111
In themselves, aro of no value to the Intelli
gent citizen who Is trying to analyze his
water tax, as tho "jnckpot" principle of
general fund, general appropriation and
general Sinking Fund swallows them up
In the general mass with the figures of the
Highway Department nnd tho "Shado
Tree" Department and all tho others.
Imagine a medern department store con
ducted on such principles as this $60,000,000
property.
There Is not a modern denartment ntnr.
today where tho head could not tell at the
end of each day or week or month how
much each separate department Is making;
whether, compared with the previous day
or week or month or with the same period a
year or two years previous, It Is gaining or
losing, and if thero Is weakness, whero it
exists so as to remedy It.
Such a system can be established in con
nection with tho Water Bureau, so that the
taxpayers, who are also partners In
this $60,000,000 enterprise, can tell If It Is
earning or losing money, or whether they
aro paying not only a Just tax for their
water supply, or If, like their gas consump
tion, they aro also paying the city a super
tax for every gallon of water they consume
It is only fair to say that this condition
of the finances of the Water Bureau Is not
tho fault of the present administration, but
Is a legacy handed down from a long line
of previous administrations.
. It does, however, give a splendid oppor
tunity to the present administration, whose
publicly expressed ambition Is to give to the
city of Phlladelpha tho best business admin
Istratlon of Its affairs that the city ever has
experienced. There Is no more Important
city department than the Water Bureau
none that more directly affects the health
and life of Its citizens, none on which an
administration determined to give the best
business demonstration can show more ef.
fectlve results than the segregation of the
finances of this department from "Jack,
pots." general funds and general appro
priations, so that the taxpayers Its owners
can find out at any time whether or not
they are paying more than their water ac-
iu.ii, i., i (cos man it costs, and If
mnA nnw inlih .aha ...i ,. .l. -
-, -. .--.. ...vio, mm ii mis supertax
Is being used as Is the supertax on their gas
,-nnciirvintlnn In ka.!...... .11 .. n...
...,...,.,..... . ..uuto uuier items
taxation.
o
ENTHUSIASM
This is an editorial, but not ours. '
You may have read of the death In Baltl-
more of Tody Hamilton, world gVeatest
press agent-the man who Invented the clr.
cus-poster adjective. Years ago, n Bar-
num's hey-day, some one asked Tody "whv
do you exaggerate?"
"I don't exaggerate," said Tody. "I lust
get enthusiastic" r' l 3ust
And then he told thts story, which wa'll
call Tody Hamilton's editorial; "
There were two fish dealers on opposite
?hU.egn:,he Btre4t 0na 0t then K
FRESH CODFISH 10o POUND
thSf on t00k a look' and W
SUPERFINE SELECTED CODFISH
Just arrived en the .win American '
schooner,
NE PLUS ULTRA.
Flesb wWUj. ,jj drtjj. Ww. scats.
la nurcaa. g .p&,
A FEAST FOR MAN;
Uo cent. . poiSS, t,
TEN cent. XEH
Now, then, which of thM h-.,
think sold the greatei 4ea,er do you
What Do You Know?'5
Oiirrie e central Infertst ictll 7 '3
in thtt column. Ten omsrtons, ta. I." I
uhUh every toell-Inoratd" , Jw5T if
art atkti daily. "" '""M Hs -i
QUIZ
enV ffien,tntn?7,,l'mnc l ,,
2, Whn! Is a "lilnlrlnT,ji
. 8. Wint nttltnde Is ncrlued t . j
slon "with nrms fclmi, """ "' " tn..-$
4. The buttle nt Then. Terra t... v 3
Ther'Ln?..T),"n,0"Ae- W&t',
R lt'lM4 I- It... sin a .. ... M j
A&'.i)2SiJ!!teP..nI. tlW.flMt.MMM.u. .1
wi iriifls in inn --.-tmniri1 '(ttsa ,s
iaWhil is shako? " '" " uV'f
-..'-'tt? "J".J M'njfht I) MarM 1- .. !
fl ttla I il.. !. ... '
ImV nn nx to Vrlnd"? mnB ot th lis
iu. mint ninn ims been niooUJi a. . ... F,
differences with Mexico? "nDMI to Mtu,
Answers to Yesterday's Qn.li.
1. The 'hnrveat moon" nnpenrs il ,l , 1
rowsT."1 e"utnax- Tb "'nt".''R1JJ;r,. J
.J,.Yn,.'.',oP,!,,t,on In this ronnln, .. .
tho Mississippi In 1100 nbout JJs.ooo7 Mrt J
3. Von Ilnlockli German lood dictator "
4. Justice tlrnnilels said tho rntl..i j
snro ai.ooo.Ooo n ilar. railroads tnU.
trn
rrriiiurn in
ftYniinratlnn
fl. ."Ited fleet" nnd "bine fleet"! it.. .. .
Mimes nnmi squndrons now enrarej i. "
mtno mnneurers. "Be i p
f. TT nates tlnnliaHail T7..t. .
most famous" MlnleVo? nn mkY.'"' "Mi tt.
rail fipvirnpii miiininra tna . . --- sriim
mL
reiolutlonnrr activities. v "" "W It
0. Virginia Is .the State that la n.i .
10. Tho rnle of Interest on .moner hna f.n
slrndllr In the. course of the laa f.V""
tnrles. In tho time of Ilenrr VlHft ,Ji7.t":
10 per cent. " w' MI
Habeas Corpus
F. D. Tho early history of habeas, cor.
pus goes back to Magna Charta, W(
has a provision that was not clearly (nonrt'
defined to protect suspected or InnoaS
persons. In tho reign of Charles H Pr
llamcnt passed a habeas corpus act Thla
act provided (1) that any person UVm
to prison can Insist that tho person h
charges him with crime shall bring ho
bodily beforo a Judgo and Btate th vT
nnd wherefore of his detention. As smS
as this Is dono tho Judgo Is to declds
whether or not tho accused Is to ba ad
mltted to ball. No ono, therefore could
bo Imprisoned on mero suspicion and na
ono could bo left In prison an Indefinlta
Imh nl II.m Mn.-.ln. .. It.. .
uiMu in iiiu 1.H1J, ii-u ml i.uu powers that bs.
Imprlsonmont, In fact, must be for punish
ment nfter conviction or for safo cujlodT
until tho tlmo of trial. (2) That every per.
Bon accused should havo the question of
his guilt decided by a jury of 12 men and
not by a Government ngent (3) Thit
no prisoner could" bo tried a second tlmi
on tho samo charge. (4) That every pris
oner might Insist on being examined within
20 days of his arrest and tried by jurr
tho next Besslon. (5) That no defendant
wn3 to bo sent to prison beyond ths jeij.
Chester Motion Picturo Query
J. D. "Tho Birth of a Nation" Is not
scheduled for showing In Chester,
A Story About Crockett
B. E. C. The expression "a gone 'coon,
concerning which you Inquire, la generallr
understood to be a quotation from a story
about Davy Crockett A "gone "coon" Is t
person In a terrible fix ; one on tho verge
of ruin. It Is said that Crockett km out
ono day raccoon shooting, when he leveled '
his gun at a treo where a coon was partly
concealed. Having heard of Davy's unfail
ing; aim, It cried out, "Don't shoot, Dtvy,
I'll como down I"
MR. LANE OBJECTS
To the Editor of the Evening Ledger:
Sir A young newspaper man, with wtaa
I have had friendly relations In FhlUM
phla for Borne tlmo, came to me on Tuttliy ,
night, August 22, for nn Interview, lit I
expressly told htm that I had nothlttU
say for publication nnd declined to be littt
viewed. I even told him that I regretted
that I could not give him an Interview,
I liked him and would be glad at all times ,
i
to give him any news I might have, TVJth
this understanding, wo sat down to imolu
a cigar and entered Into a general comer
Bat Ion. Even nt the close of thla I ex
pressed to him my regret, saying: 1 am
sorry I havo nothing to give you for publi
cation." I request that you give this publicity, ti
I wish all to know that I am not given to
calling names, and when I have anything
to say to any ono I say It to his face.
In my many years of experience with nw
paper men I have found that, as t rule,
they ore nil trustworthy and seldom violate
confidence, but In this Instance I am furely
placed In the false position of being Inter
viewed, when It was distinctly understood
that I had nothing to Bay for publication.
Aa a matter of fairness, I trust you lll
glvo this space, thereby greatly obliging
DAVID H. LANE.
Hotel Strand, Atlantic City. August H.
tMr. Lane was Interviewed by the chief
political reporter of the Evbnino Lbdom,
a Journalist of long experience, who, has
never heretofore been accused of violating
a confidence. He reports that twice during
their talk Mr. Lane stated that the specl&a
subject then under discussion was not for
publication. Tho reporter, therefore, care
fully abstained from mentioning these nut
ters. "I havo had many talks with Mr.
Lane." says our reporter, "somo of tnem
confidential, but every time they were con
fidential he made It plain that nothing
what he said was to be printed. Ha "
said any such thing In this Instance i leei
certain that I could not have misunder
stood him." The Evbnino Ledger regrw
that publicity was given to remarks ymm
Mr. Lane did not wish printed, but "
not feel. In the circumstances, that raw
porter failed to conform strictly mw
ethics of his profession. Editor efw"
EVBNINO LEDQEIt.
M
AMUSEMENTS
STANLEY
MARKET AB0V8. WIS
HUB to lii"
joc, joc, i
m.A-MP.TTCT SWEET
m first "Pnhlic ODiniofl
Pn5flEiTkSEsiuB HAT5KAVTA
A" fai ffHE i IIONORAIILH F1I1ENO"
DATA PIT1 "" MARKET STSESt
PALlALlil WALLACERBID
In "HOUSE OF THE GOLDEN JVlNPga,
B. P. KEITH'S THEATER
Bert Kalmar & Brown Jessia
la "NURSERY-LAND"
Willi Solar: Avellns & Lloid; Douglas J.W
& Co.! Stelndel Bros. Other "-Vt-JJit
Today at 2. 8Bc aV BOc. Tonight , -M " -
PlntSo Theater "ju&"Ita
Dorothy Sherman Present, ita. lea. u-
"The Colonial Belles
..,. ,. n.m.lln Novelty. Otlart
THIS """" o
BBOADJrti-."
ta.N.w FLORA BE L L A
Garrickg28ggJig.ffiS
LYMAN H.'HOWES -ggg
Victoria TdmuncffS
In "WEAKNESS OgItS2?.FiW-
added Keystons Co. "PILLS i-t -5
T Ti CHESTNIT Bjloj ,"ji
Arcadia &ss& ftgiWi
,ra"rrci"te..'! vr isrftJnt
.. ""-'!."" "'! w intrmom.l.. -5i
i..rs no nnownnte (or chubsT
n. muenru uncner not on r wrote U a
words nnd miislo of his operas, hnt aiSI1!'
hooks, nnd nrtlflrs on Politic aafaHSWl
woodside .gy&3r
KSWOBKS SVB3X IWA WWJ"