12 HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH Established lßjl PUBLISHED BY THE TELEGRAPH PRINTING CO. E. J. STACK POLE President and Editor-in-Chitf F. R. OYSTER Secretary GUS M. STEINMETZ Managing Editor Published every evening (except Sun day) at the Telegraph Building, 216 Federal Square. Both phones. Uember American Newspaper Publish ers' Association. Audit Bureau of Circulation and Pennsylvania Associ ated Dailies. Eastern Office, Fifth Avenue Building, New York City, Hasbrook, Story & Brooks. Western Office, Advertising Building, Chicago, 111., Allen & Ward. .otatr??'. Delivered by carriers at Mailed to subscribers it SS.OO a year In advance. Entered at the Post Office in Harris burg. Pa., as second class matter. Hworn dally average for the three ★ months ending Nov. 30, 1014, 23,180 W Average for the year 1813—21,577 Average for the year 1912—21,175 Average for the year 1911—18,851 Average for the year 1010—17,405 HiinW EVENING, DECEMBER 11 AT THE OLD lIOME AS Christmas approaches, what heart that is not calloused with greed and selfishness does not ache with longing for the old home of childhood days? At this mystical season, if at no other, memories of childhood become smiling angels that beckon us back through the years. Idle sentiment? Not at all. All over our land Christmas brings hack to the old home the children and the children's children, once more to set our Hps to the spring of love that is pure and undetiled. Whether we turn back to it from successes and joys, or from failures and sorrows, the old home Is ever a sanctuary of virtues and the sweetest earthly interpretation of heaven. The king of finance and the prodigal once more become brothers, at the old home, and learn that the things which seem so important to us in this world are. after all, only a thin veneer. Whether we be wise or ignorant, rich or poor, great or little, the old home offers us satisfaction and in spiration to be found nowhere else in the world. If Christmas had no other meaning than just this—that it turns us back to the old home, that nursery of the infinite, and to the loves and dreams and longings and resolves of youth, the day would still be the happiest and most helpful day in all the year. FOOLISH POLICY MYRON T. HERRICK is home from France, as he says, to "earn some money." Mr. Her rick admits to having spent SIOO,OOO over and above his salary for the privilege of running his life into danger as ambassador of Uncle Sam to Paris. To be sure he has been decorated with the French Legion of Honor, but $400,000 for the oppor tunity to display courage and patriot ism is a pretty stiff price. Few armies could be raised on such a basis. The case of Mr. Herrick is merely an example. For years we have been training men for the diplomatic serv ice only to have them retire because they cannot afford to remain in it or because a new administration at Washington happened to be looking for jobs for some of the social climb ers who had helped it into office. Our very ablest diplomats, men who have won their spurs in competition with the keenest political minds of Europe, are at home while mere tyros at the game are holding posts abroad at a time when we have need of the very best representation possible it foreign ! courts. Our diplomatic system, for the most fart, was evolved when we were an infant amonp tVe nations ani notable to meet the expenses of maintaining car ambassadors after the fash on of older countries. But now we p.-»e as n leader in the world's affairs. It is clearly cur duty, then, tj live up to the role we are playing, and ono of the essentials is that we make our ministerial and ambassadorial posts attractive enough to take good men into the service and keep them there. IMPROVEMENT OF TRADE PRESIDENT JAMES A. FAR RELL, of the United States Steel Corporation, declared in New York yesterday that Industrial conditions are improving and that he looks for a decided increase in the op erations of the proper ties of the big combine. This notwith standing that the unfilled orders of the corporation show a sharp decrease for the month of November as compared with those of October. President Farrell is by no means a visionary optimist. He has not hestl t&ted to predict a falling off in busi ness when indications pointed to dull times ahead. For this reason his pres ent forecast of an Improvement in trade Is nil the more worthy of note. Mr. Farrell is in a position to see into the future of business if anybody in the country can. He has his finger on the pulse of the nation's trade. He knows needs and possibilities. He is acquainted with plans, for Improve ments requiring the use of steel. Ho knows what the heads of tho great railroads are doing In the way of framing estimates for the new year. Doubtless, therefore, he speaks with full knowledge of his subject. Another note of opptimlsin is struck to-day by the Dry Goods Economist, a publication that has with wonderful accuracy from time to time in the past FRIDAY EVENING, HAKRIS3URG TELEGRAPH DECEMBER 11, 1914. few years noted in advance both Im provement and falling oft In business. The Economist says that the textile trade shows a distinctly better tono, and although reports from retailers are not uniformly good, sales are up to the standard of prosperous years. A third encouraging Indication is that rates for money are lower, not only in New York but elsewhere, as shown by the reduction from 6 to 5% per cent. In the short time discount rates of the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta, St. Louis, Minneapolis and Dallas. ALCOHOL AND LONG LIFE OLD JOHN BARLEYCORN is cer tainly beset on all sides these days. The insurance companies, which have been after him for years, have set sail for his scalp with new vigor. For a long time the men who underwrite policies have looked with suspicion on the drinker. Now they are positive that their fears arc well grounded. Yesterday Arthur Hun ter, an authority on the subject, who has been making a careful investiga tion with the Insured men of the en tire country as the basis of his ob servations, reported to the Association of Life Insurance Presidents, in session at New York, that the use of alcohol in any form positively shortens the life of tho victim. His Is not a snap judgment. His conclusions are reach ed after a survey of the past twenty five years. Forty-three leading life insurance companies In the United States and Canada contributed their detailed rec ords on the two million lives in ques tion, which represented their collective experiences on many different classes of insured likely to have higher death rates than normal. Of Mr. Hunter's report the follow ing ought to be read by every man; Among the men who admitted that they had taken alcohol occa sionally to excess in the past, but whose habits were considered satis factory when they were insured, there were 289 deaths, while there would have been only 1110 had this group been made up of insured lives in general. The extra mor tality was, therefore, over 50 per cent., which was equivalent to a reduction in the average life of these men of over four years. If this meant that four years would be cut oft the end of the average normal lifetime of each man, there are many who would consider that "The game was worth the candle." But it means that in each year a number of men will die at an earlier age than they should. For example, at age 35, the expectation of life is thirty-two years; in the first year after that age. instead of say, nine persons dying, there would be probably twelve deaths: that is, three men would each lose thirty two years of life; In the next year probably four men would each lose thlrty-Olle years of life, etc. As a matter of fact, many immoderate drinkers would live longer than thirty-two years, but not nearly so many as would live if they had lieen moderate drinkers, and far fewer if they had been total ab stainers from alcohol. The Com mittee of the Medico-Actuarial Mortality Investigation did not make a report on the mortality among total abstainers, but suftici- I ent statistics have been published bv individual companies to justify the statement that persons who have always been total abstain ers have a mortality during the working years of life of about one half of that among those who use alcohol to the extent of one or two glasses of whiskey per day. In view of this, the effect of prohibi tion of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in Russia must be very great. If the Govern ment of Russia carry out their present intention to abolish per manently all forms of alcoholic beverages, the saving in human life wi» be enormous. It is not too much to say that the loss of 500,- 00ft men as the result of the pres ent warfare could he made good in less than ten years through com plete abstinence from alcoholic beverages by all the Inhabitants of Russia. This is preaching temperance in language any man can understand. It is reaching out after the man who sees no wrong in drinking, the man who does not look upon the practice as immoral and who feels that mode rate indulgence does not injure him because he feels no immediate ill ef fects. Slowly but surely John Barley corn is being forced to the wall, and when finally he breathes his last it will have been modern business as much as the forces of reform that will be In at the killing. BETTER DEFENSES IT is an old saying that where there is much smoke there must be some fire. Apparently this is applicable to the controversy now being waged as to the preparedness of the United States to resist invasion of an armed foe. The debate has reached a statue where the Secretary of War evidently does not agree in full with his Chief in the White House. When such a condition exists there is good ground for tho investigation which Congress man Gardener and others have been demanding. Let us know the facts. We shall then be better able to judge of our needs. If it is true that we have not guns enough to man our forts and not ammunition sufficient for the guns we have, then conditions certainly de mand attention. If, as has been as serted, the State militia is not the strong arm of support we had Imag ined it, then let us know what is wrong in very specific terms, so that it may be remedied. Whatever may be the fault on land, there can be no question about the navy. That must be enlarged. We have undertaken to guarantee the na tions of the two American continents from foreign foes. We have assumed responsibilities in far off islands. We must either renounce our intentions in these directions or prepare to de fend them if necessary. This can only be done by an adequate navy. Our position as a nation makes a first rate navy an absolute necessity. With an armament on the seas as unbeatable as that of England we may rest at ease. No nation would attempt an In vasion with such a barrier of armor and guns to overcome before it could hope to land a man on our shores. And even if the impossible did happen, the navy would give us months in which to prepare our armies to take the field. War is not a popular topic just now, but there is no use in shutting our eyes to possibilities, especially since we are about to take upon our shoul ders the additional responsibilities that will follow the creation of a gigantic merchant marine. EVENING CHAT 1 Employers and employes, manufac turers and labor leaders, heads of or ganizations of various kinds, will gather here next Thursday for a sym posium on workmen's compensation and it is expected that some general agreement as to the manner in which the campaign for the enuctment of such a law will be waged in the next Legislature can be reached. The meet ing has been arranged by the State Industrial Accidents Commission, which has drafted the bill to be submitted to the General Assembly, but which was requested to give a hearing to a num ber of people interested in other forms. It is understood that one of these bills will represent the ideas of people in Western Pennsylvania, while an other will come from the other end of the State, but no idea as to their gen eral features has been given. Repre sentatives of the State Federation of Labor, various manufacturers, welfare and other organizations have been asked to be present and criticise the drafts and to offer suggestions. It is likely that much attention will be given to the insurance feature of the pro posed bills. This Is a matter that has caused wide difference of opinion and unless some agreement is reached is likely to cause much discussion In the Legislature. Within a short time meet ings will be held here by legislative committees of various organizations to draft bills to present their propositions to the Legislature. They will deal with labor, insurance, construction and other subjects which have been moru or less in the public eye. Judging from the manner in which the three codes of laws drawn by the State Legis lative Reference Bureau are being dis cussed, they will attract much atten tion from the Legislature. Many sug gestions are being made regarding them, although there is much com mendation, especially for the simple manner in which the codification of borough law was made. Later on In the year the various organizations interested in the pro motion of agriculture and horticulture will have their annual meetings in this city, the sessions being of import ance to the rural interests because of probabilities that agricultural conser vation will occupy a big place in the legislative program of the new ad ministration. These meetings will be attended by hundreds of men Interest ed in such lines and will be watched by the legislators who will be just get ting down to their work. What will be of more interest, prob ably, to Harrlsburgers than anything else will be the session of the solici tors of the third class cities who will have a series of amendments to the Clark third class city commission gov ernment act and who will probably precipitate one of the most important discussions of the legislation. Attempts to amend the school code before It had been given a thorough try-out were blocked last year with the result that this most important piece of statute law was little affected by the storms which raged in legislative halls. In all probability there will be a similar dis position manifested in regard to the third class city act and only such changes as experiences have demon strated to be essential will be made to the public service company law. Fraternal organizations which have benefit features are also keeping a sharp lookout on the coming legisla ture because in the last half dozen sessions bills vitally affecting this branch of social life were presented and some regulations proposed which it was contended would be onerous. This city is one of the strongholds of secret societies, almost every order being represented here and some of them having numerous and influential subordinate bodies. Word spread about the city yester day afternoon that Dr. Martin G. Brumbaugh, the Governor elect, was in court. It was not Dr. Brumbaugh but the man looked like him except for the lack of the eyebrows, which are a distinguishing feature of the new executive. The man happened to be T. Ellsworth Davies, noted mining en gineer of Scranton. who was here on the coal tax case. There was some quiet Amusement among lawyers from the hard coal re gion in court yesterday over a break by a man from the soft coal region. It was not a break, but just a plain little misstatement. The lawyers had been talking about coal sizes and the soft coal man In discussing them went over the list, mentioning grate, egg, chestnut, pea, rice, barley and so on. He put in walnut. Now It happens that there is no such size as walnut but ex-Judge F. W. Wheaton, of Wilkes-Barre, who was seated inside the bar in tho courtroom, remarked "No such size, but h ear gold lllled cases—Elgin and Waltham Movements —worth sl2 and sls. Special at SH.OO CI!T GLASS BOWI.S, all perfect cut —In beautiful designs— an excel lent value at $4.50. Special at fi".3o Jacob Tausig's Sons DIAMOND MERCHANTS AND JEWELERS Reliable Slnee ISW 420 Market Street Open KTenluga The supporters of Dr. W. H. Hoskins, president of the club, won out night before last and at the next meeting they will back J. H. Berkley against J. H. Howard, whom they defeated at the last election. Mr. De Moll came out In a statement yesterday decrying "powder puff politics," charging that the faction affiliated with State Chair man Morris has been hampering Presi dent Hoskins, and calling on all of his friends to support Mr. Berkley. —Attorney General John C. Bell is being persistently mentioned in the gossip about appointments as likely to succeed himself and there Is talk at Philadelphia that he is strongly back ed. —Dr. Brumbaugh is said to receive i scores of letters a day about appoint ments. He has resolutely declined to talk to any one about the matter, say ing that he has his school matters to adjust. —Tho elimination of William T. Creasy as a factor in the State Grange Is foreshadowed by his retirement from the contest for master. There has been much objection to the man ner in which Creasy has been in poli tics while acting as head of the Grange. —Labor's declaration for the con stitutional convention will probably be echoed pretty strongly by the Demo crats and Bull Moosers who are in need of something to make a noise. —Democratic headquarters here be came a thing of the past to-day and by- Saturday all of the furniture will be removed. One of the loudest claims for the reorganization of the party was that headquarters should be main tained here, away from the Philadel phia influences. But things have hap pened since then. • —Senator Penrose and Governor elect Brumbaugh and Lieutenant-gov ernor-elect McClain were given a notable reception last night at the Union League in Philadelphia. Many Republicans congratulated them. OUR DAILY LAUGH 4 Doing your r o.n Christmas shop ped that's a JoSes^' ' well you sen I 'v want to git my Tfi 5 Wife's Christmas ! want present before my L J U .L creditors git »>< " £ n ,?; around to buy thou*!). so he'll ing their wife's bef» in to buj inine. [n cspnts THE CHRISTMAS CHECK . By Win* Dinger You'll see a lot of folks these days, And as you on their faces gazo You'll note that smiles play to and fro And set the countenance aglow. If it should puzzle you just why This happy state does now apply So generally, your mind don't vex— They've got their Christmas Savings checks. If you would join the happy bunch Next Christmas, here's a timely hunch: When all the banks soon advertise The next year Christmas Clubs, be wise. I Go join a club and save a bit Each week, as much as you see fit. Ana then when Christmas comes around Again joy will with you abound. I IN HARRISBURG FIFTY '1 I YEARS AGO TO-DAY [From the Telegraph of Dec. 11. 1864 1 _ V. M. C. A. Meet .T, ou " B Men's Christian Associa tion will meet to-night. Money Eor Soldier* The GUI School Presbyterian Church contributed S4OO for Thanksgiving cheer for the soldiers. Many l-'all On lee Many people have fallen on the Ice but no one has been injured. H. Marks & Son 4th and Market Sts. y Announce again for to-morrow. Hart, Sckaffner & Marx Blue Serge Suits at sls Former Values S2O, $22, $25, S2B, S3O Furs Will Please HER For Xmas SPECIAL PRICES Black Fox Sets, Formerly $25, Now $16.50 Raccoon Sets, Formerly S3O, Now $25 Skunk Sets, Formerly SBO, Now S6O Pointed Fox Sets, Formerly S6O, Now S4O Blue Wolf Sets, Formerly $35, Now $25 Hudson Seal Sets, Formerly SSO, Now $25 and S3O Fitch Sets, Formerly SBS, Now $65 Sitka Fox Sets, Formerly SIOO, Now $75 Black Wolf Sets, Formerly $22, Now sls Red Fox Sets, Formerly $25, Now $16.50 Hudson Seal Coats, $65 —$85 Pony Coats, $35, with Fitch Collars Men s Fur Coats Quilted Satin Lined and Persian Lamb Collar. Formerly S3O, Now S2O Marmot Lined With Persian Lamb or Hudson Seal Collar, Formerly SSO, Now S3O Xmas Neckwear For Men $1.50 and $2.00 Neckwear, SI.OO Special. Only 12 Dozen to Sell. Many others 25c and 50c . Sox, Bath Robes, Suspenders Gloves, all Boxed. We will cash your Saving Fund Check 'iL r 1 \ Be Independent A Bank Account will make you so. Start one to-day. Tlie First National Bank invites your account for any amount over one dollar. You can deposit large or small amounts, and get a regular pass book, which enables you to draw or deposit your money at will. On this modern plan you can draw a part of your money without disturbing inter est on the balance, and if your money has been here three months, you will get 3 per cent, compounded semi-annually. One of the Strongest and oldest banks in Central Pennsylvania; Capital stock $100,000.00 Surplus 500,000.00 FIRST NATIONAL BANK, 224 Market Street, Harrisburg, Penna. t 1 -% SEE Miss Cora C. Trench OF CANADA Poultry Expert She Is our Guest and is with our exhibit at the Poultry Show every afternoon and evening demonstrating the famous Prairie State Incubators FOR WHICH WE ARK EXCLUSIVE FACTORY AGENTS Everyone interested in profitable Poultry should take advantage of this opportunity to talk with Miss Trench and tjet the valuable practical Information she is able as an expert to give you. WITH ITS AT OUR MAMMOTH EXHIBIT OF EVERYTHING FOR Pori/I'RY AT Tin: POULTRY SHOW, CHESTNUT STREET lIA LI LI, THIS WEEK. Walter S. ScHell QUALITY SEEDS 1307-1309 MARKET STREET, HARRISBURG, PA. Vs====g .lii.- .. ggj rittututttuttttutmttuttttttuttttntttttn 'Tp VERY Man Should Read | XL* the Message That Is U Given in 8 I Doutrichs 1 H Advertisement on Page 11 xuntmxtmxtmttntttuxttxnxxttmnttxtttttl