The wedding in the dome of the Cap
itol at Washington, 375 feet above the
ground, may be classed with propriety
as a happening in high life.
The Brooklyn Eagle says that within
a radius of ten blocks of his oillce there
are twelve abandoned churches. The
population in the same era is greater
than it has been at any time in the his
tory of the city.
President Wheeler of the University
of California, says that football is be
coming more and more restricted to
the specialist, that it. tends to exclude
even the average healthy man, and
that it, on the whole, encourages "root
ing'' rather than physical develop
ment.
The sale of recent translations in
Japan indicates that foreign authors
rank as follows in the estimation of
the Japanese: Zola, Doyle, Gosse,
Lang, Bret Harte, Stevenson, George
Meredith, John Morley, Pater, Thomas
Hardy, Henry James, lan Maclaren,
Ruslcin, Steven Phillips, Tennyson and
Mark Twain.
Minneapolis Times remarks that
medical expert testimony in suits at
law has fallen in such disfavor that
Judges, lawyers and physicians alike
are casting about for away to restore
It to respectability. Expert testimony
should be candid, impartial and scien
tifically true. In practice the reverse
is too often the case.
London's latest fad is said to he a
system of somersaults for cure for fat
people. There is no question that tho
turning of handsprings has a tendency
to reduce obesity, but it is a heroic cure
and the average man or woman who
weighs over 250 pounds would be in
great danger of breaking the neck to
indulge in such gymnastics.
The recent appointment of a com
mission to consider the whole question
if Russian agriculture and the condi
tion of the peasantry marks a new de
parture in the internal policy of Rus
sia. Tho powers accorded to the com
mission are of the widest possible, and,
in fact, amount to a charge to com
plete the work begun a generation ago
with the freeing of the serfs. Thus the
entire manner of life with the Russian
mujik will form one of the principal
matters of consideration for the com
mission, which is empowered to pre
sent its proposals for the bettering
financially, educationally, economically
aud in general culture of agricultural
labor in all its phases.
The Cooperative union at Milan has
established the first Rowton house in
Italy, a huge building with 530 bed
rooms, with everything of the most
faultless mako and perfect pattern.
Cooperative pharmacies are much ap- I
predated by the working classes. There
are seventeen general stores in con- ;
nection with the Turin Cooperative a'.- J
liance, and excepting with regard to
bread, the Turin alliance has adopted
the old Rochdale principle. Bread is
sold under current rates. The stores
are open to all the world, and all who
deal receive the same amount of divi
dends, but provident benefits, free
medical treatment, and education at
the popular university are reserved for
members only. The productive socie
ties are for the most part humble.
The societies of bricklayers and stone
masons undertake contracts for execu
ting buildings, and give general satis
faction. Italian cooperatives do little
as yet in respect of providing laborers'
dwellings; but, on the other hand, the
agricultural hanking movement has
spread far and wide throughout Italy,
states the Economic Review.
It Is notorious that the confirmed
practical Joker is the least tolerant of
Jokes at his own expense. He is never
able to see any fun In being duped.
This adds much to the enjoyment of
those who manage to trick him. On
one of the big days at the Buffalo Ex
position the hotels were forced to make
new arrivals double up. A drummer
who was an inveterate practical Joker
proposed to have a room and a bed to
timself. He suggested to his friend
the clerk that should any applicant for
half his bed prove persistent, he should
be told that the drummer was Just con
valescent from smallpox. The drum
mer was aroused from his first deep
sleep by a man getting into his bed.
"Hold on there!" he cried; "didn't the
clerk tell you I have the smallpox?"
"Yes," replied th .newcomer, drawing
up the covers, "but that's all right—
I've got it myself!" With a yell the
drummer leaped from the bed, seized
his clothes, dressed in the hall and
spent the night tn a chair, longing for
the morning so he could get himself
disinfected. In the morning ho discov
ered that the man was a Joker himself.
The drummer was infuriated by ouch
shabby treatment.
AT THE SIGN OF THE APPLE.
X halted at a pleasant inn
As I my way was wending—
A rosy apple was the sign,
From knotty bough depending.
Mine host—it was an apple tree —
| So smilingly received me,
I And spread his choice and sweetest face
I To strengthen and refresh me.
Full manv a gayly-feathered guest
Came thro' the branches springing;
They lightly flew from bough to bough,
Their merry carols singing.
' Beneath the shade I laid me down
! And slumber sweet possessed me;
I The south wind sighing through the leaves
! With touches soft caressed me;
And when I rose and would have paid
My host so open hearted,
He only shook bis lofty head—
I thanked him and departed.
—Helen Walters Avery.
CCGOOOOOOOOOCOCOOGCOOOOOO
IDAVEHFQRT'S STDRYI
o a l 5
ls y 1.. M. Montgomery. . ( )
O O
O OCJ3OOOCjC£;OOOCOCSOOOCCwCSO
IT was a rainy afternoon, and we
had been passing the time by tell
ing ghost stories. That Is a very
good sort of thing for a rainy af
ternoon; and it is a much hotter time
than after night. If you tell ghost
stories after dark they are apt to make
you nervous, whether you own up to
It or not, and you sneak home and
dodge up-stairs in mortal terror, and
undress with your hack to the wall,
so that you can't fancy there Is any
thing behind you.
We had each told a story, and had
had the usual assortment of myster
ious noises and death warnings and
sheeted spectres and so on, down
through the whole catalogue of hor
rors—enough to satisfy any reason
able ghost taster. Ilut Jack, as usual,
was dissatisfied. He said our stories
were all second-hand stuff. There
wasn't a man in the crowd who had
ever seen or heard a ghost; all our
so-called authentic stories had been
told us by persons who had the story
from other persons who saw the
ghosts.
"One doesn't get any Information from
that," said Jack. "X never expect to
get so far along as to see a r§al ghost
myself, hut I would like to see and
talk to one who had."
Some persons appear to have the
knack of getting their wishes granted.
Jack is one of that ilk. Just as he
made the remark Davenport sauntered
in, and, finding out what was going
on, volunteered to tell a ghost story
himself—something that had happened
to his grandmother—or maybe it was
his great aunt; I forget which. It was
a very good ghost story as ghost
stories go. and Davenport told It well.
Even Jack admitted that, hut he said:
"It's only second-hand, too. Did
you ever have a ghostly experience
yourself, old man?"
Davenport put his finger tips critic
ally together.
"Would you believe mo if I said 1
had?" he asked.
"No," said Jack, unblushingly.
"Then there would be no use in my
saying it."
"Bui you don't mean that you over I
really had, of course?"
"I don't know. Something queer
happened once. I've never been able
to explain it—from a practical point
of view, that Is. Want to hear about
It?"
Of course we did. Tills was excit
ing. Nobody would ever have sus
pected Davenport of seeing ghosts.
"It's conventional enough," he be
gan. "Ghosts don't seem to have much
originality. But it's first-hand, Jack,
if that's what you want. I don't sup
pose any of you have ever heard me
speak of my brother, Charles. He
was my senior by two years, and was
a quiet, reserved sort of fellow—not
at all demonstrative, but with very
strong and deep affections.
"When he left college he became en
gaged to Dorothy Chester. She was
very beautiful and my brother idol
ized her. She died a short time before
the date set for their marriage, and
Charles never recovered from the
blow.
"I married Dorothy's sister, Virginia.
Virginia did not in the least resemble
her sister, but our eldest daughter was
strikingly like her dead qunt. We
called her Dorothy and Charles was
devoted to her. Dolly, as we called
her, was always 'Uncle Charley's
girl.*
"When Dolly was twelve years old
Charles went to New Orleans on busi
ness, and while there took yellow
fever and died. He was buried there,
and Dolly half broke her childish
heart over his death.
"One day Ave years later, when Dolly
was seventeen, I was writing letters
In my library. That very morning my
wife and Dolly had gone to New York
en route for Europe. Dolly was going
to school in Paris for a year. Business
prevented my accompanying them even
as far as New Y'ork, but Gilbert Ches
ter, my wife's brother, was going with
them. They were to sail on the Arn
gon the next morning.
"I had written steadily for about an
hour. At lust, growing tired, I threw
down my pen, and, leaning back in
my chair, was on the point of lighting
a cigar when an unaccountable Im
pulse made me turn round. I dropped
my cigar and sprang to my feet in
amazement. There was only one door
in the room and I had all along been
facing it. I could have sworn nobody
had entered, yet there, standing be
tween me and the bookcase, was a
man—and that mau was my brother
Charles!
"There was no mistaking him; I saw
him as plainly as I see you. He was a
tall, re "her stout man, with curly hair
and a lair, close-clipped beard. He
wore the same light gray suit which
be had worn when bidding us good-by
on the morning of his departure for
New Orleans. He had no hat on, but
wore spectacles, and was standing in
his old favorite attitude, with his
hands behind him.
"I want you to understand tliht at
this precise moment, although I was
surprised beyond measure, I wus not
in the least frightened, because I did
noi for a moment suppose that what
I saw was—well, a ghost or apparition
of any sort. The thought that flashed
across my bewildered brain was
simply that there had been some ab
surd mistake somewhere, and that my
brother had never died at all, but was
here alive and well. I took a hasty
step toward him.
" 'Good heavens, old fellow!' I ex
claimed. 'Where on earth have you
come from? Why, we all thought you
were dead!'
"X was quite close to liim when X
stopped abruptly. Somehow I couldn't
move another step. He made no mo
tion, but his eyes looked straight into
mine.
" 'Do not let Dolly sail on tho Ara
gon to-morrow,' he said in slow, clear
tones that I heard distinctly.
"And then he was gone—yes. Jack,
I know it is a very conventional way
of ending,up a ghost story but I have
to tell you just what occurred, or at
least what I thought occurred. One
moment he wns there and the next
moment he wasn't. He did not pass
me or go out of the door.
"For a few moments I felt dazed.
I was wide awake and In my right
and proper senses so far as I could
judge, and yet the whole thing seemed
Incredible. Scared? No, X wasn't
conscious of being scared. I was
simply bewildered.
"In my mental confusion one thought
stood out sharply—Dolly was in dan
ger of some kind, and if the warning
was really from a supernatural source
It must not be disregarded. I rushed
to the station, and, having first wired to
my wife not to sail on the Aragon, 1
found that I could connect with the
five-fifteen train for New York, I took
it with the comfortable consciousness
that my friends would certainly think
I had gone out of my mind.
"I arrived in New York at S o'clock
the next morning, and at once drove
to the hotel where my wife, daughter
and brother-in-law were staying. I
found them greatly mystified by my
telegram. I suppose my explanation
was a very lame one. I know I felt
decidedly like a fool. Gilbert laughed
at me and said I lind dreamed the
whole thing. Virginia was perplexed,
but Dolly accepted the warning un
hesitatingly.
" 'Of course It was Uncle Charley,'
she said confidently. 'We will not sail
on the Aragon now.'
"Gilbert had to give In to this de
cision with a very bad grace, and the
Aragon sailed that day minus of three
of her intended passengers.
"Well, you've all heard of the his
toric collision between the Aragon and
the Astarte in a fog, and the fearful
loss of life It Involved. Gilbert didn't
laugh when the news came, I assure
you. Virginia and Dolly sailed a
month later on the Marseilles, and
reached the other side in safety. That's
all the story, boys—the only experi
ence of the kind I ever had," concluded
Davenport.
We had many questions to ask and
several theories to advance. Jack said
Davenport had dreamed it and that
tire collision of the Aragon and the
Astarte was simply a striking coinci
dence. But Davenport merely smiled
at all our suggestions; and as It cleared
up just about 3, we told no moro ghost
stories.—Waverley Magazine.
Tlie Evolution of tlio Soda Fountain,
The rapid increase in the trade en
joyed by the proprietors of soda foun
tains in the leading cities of the Uni
ted States has led to the installation
of many very elaborate and costly
outfits. Most of the finer ones are
made of Mexican onyx and cost in
some Instances as high as $15,000 or
$20,000. A $15,000 soda fountain would
be made of the finest material and
would lie of great size. It might have
thirty draft tubes and 100 syrup cans.
Very beautiful onyx fountains of the
dimensions more commonly used, say
with ten syrups and three draft tubes,
can be bought for from SBSO to SI2OO.
In fact, a handsome onyx fountain can
be bought for SOOO. But not every
body wants an onyx fountain. There
are yet purchasers who prefer one of
marble. A marble fountain with onyx
trimmings could be had at, say, $450.
An old-style marble fountain might be
had for $l5O.
Fifty years ago or thereabouts soda
water was drawn from a silver tube
rising out of the counter. Then came
the first visible soda fountains, small
marble boxes, placed on the counter.
From these developed the elaborate
and often costly fountains of mnrble
that preceded the onyx fountain of the
present. Beautiful and costly marble
was brought from all parts of the
earth to be used in the construction of
soda fountains, but now the fashion is
onyx, with a canopy or superstructure
of wood. Along with its great develop
ment in beauty has come a correspond
ing improvement in the soda foun
tain's working parts. The modem
fountain is far more convenient and
efficient In operation than its old-time
predecessors.—American Exporter.
Scotland's Snbbntb Up-to-l>ate.
Even Scotia does not stand now
quite where she did, at least as re
gards certain of the more rigid ob
servances of her Calvinism. Says the
Dundee paper: "In the seventies we
were observing public fast day, and
careless laddies were rebuked for
whistling on the street on the Fast
Thursday. To-day ministers advocate
1 the running of Sunday cars. Fast
days are forgotten. The old-time
1 spring and autumn fasts are becom
ing holidays, and city and town folk
enjoy long-distnuce excursions at cheap
rates."—London Daily News.
TRAITS OF CECIL RHODES
ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT FIG
URES OF HIS TIME.
Power of Mental Concentration—Where
His Cireatneßß Lay—l tin Talents For
I-eaderaliip— Exercised a Fascination
Over Ills Associates.
Cecil Rhodes was the son of a clergy
man of the Church of England, rector
if Bishop's Stortford, a small town half
way between London and Cambridge.
Ho was educated at the grammar
school of the town. His lungs were
so weak that at the age of nineteen
he was sent to live with a brother
in Natal, whence lie presently drifted
to the recently discovered diamond
mines at Kimberly, and spent a num
ber of years there, acquiring "claims,"
and laying the foundations of his im
mense fortune, while returning from
time to time to England to keep his
terms and pass ills examinations at
Oxford. Ultimately he effected a con
solidation of all the numerous interests
at the diamond mines into one huge
company, of which he became the
ruling spirit, and turned to politics.
His career thereafter is known to all
the world.
The characteristic note of his intel
lect was its power of concentration.
He had no very wide range of tastes
and Interests, nor did his mind play
freely upon different subjects. It was
absorbed by a few ideas, was accus
tomed to brood upon them, and was not
easily drawn off, even ill general soci
ety, to other topics. Literature and
art seemed to have no great attraction
for him. Tile only department of his
tory that he cared for was the his
tory of the Roman Empire, apparently
because it touched his imagination,
and suggested to him analogies with
the history of the British Empire as
It has grown during the last two cen
turies. Indeed, he wns so fond of it as
to have special translations made for
his own use of the works of those
more obscure historians of the later
imperial period who had not been
turned into English; for though he had
taken ids degrees at Oxford, he had
no special turn for languages, and
had allowed his Latin and Greek to
grow rusty. But though he did not
shine in general conversation, those
who talked with liim were always im
pressed by the force with which he
spoke on any practical question. He
had always formed his views for him
self; lie held them with tenacity; lie
stated them with an air of almost pas
sionate conviction, reiterating them
again and again in almost the same
words, and seldom seeming to recog
nize the worth of any objections that
might be brought against them. He
could, when it was necessary, attend
carefully to details and be patient in
working them out. No such success
as he achieved in business nnd (for a
time) in politics would have been possi
ble without a mastery of details. But
he liked better to deal with large con
ceptions, and to dwell upon a few
dominant facts or forces, as if these
were the only things that needed to
be regarded.
Though he sat for mnny years in the
Cape Parliament and led it as Prime
Minister, he lacked the ordinary ac
complishments of the practical poli
tician. He was a powerful rather
than a persuasive speaker, and by no
means skilful in debate; sometimes of
fending people whom he ought to hnve
conciliated, and often blurting out
opinions which It would have been
prudent to conceal. Ills colleagues
In the Ministry were always nervous
when he rose, though his talent for go
ing straight to the vital issues, nnd
the force of his personality, made him
effective. He might in this respect be
compared to Bismarck (although the
lntter wns a mudi greater master of
expression), and while not an orator in
the recognized sense of the word, lie
often struck out phrases of extraor
dinary strength and point.
Although Cecil Rhodes was a socia
ble man, hospitable and always sur
rounded by friends, his intellectual life
was solitary and isolated. He did not
seem to profit much by the counsel of
others, nor indeed to feel the need of
consulting others. He thought things
out for himself, brooding upon them
In a lialf-dreamy way, which seemed
in contrast to the steady direction of
his thoughts to practical alms. This
habit constituted pnrt of his strength.
It gave his views consistency and so
lidity. I-Ie had reflected so deeply that
he feit sure of himself, nnd wus not
easily turned from his purpose. But
It had also a weak side; it gave him nu
undue confidence in his own stnr, n
confidence fostered by the deference
which lie received from nil those who
surrounded him, among whom lie
found no equal. And by putting him
out of sympathy with the persons he
had to deal with, it affected his judg
ment. He was so self-absorbed as not
always to foresee how his action would
strike other people. There can be lit
tle doubt that the anger which the co
lonial Dutch showed agninst him after
the raid of December, 1803, was not
foreseen by him, niul that, even ns late
as 1897, he expected to win over
enough of their votes to recover his
political position in the colony. Men
far inferior to himself perceived that
this was not to be hoped for.
This mistake—the capital mistake of
his life—which brought his political ca
reer to a close, wus largely due to a
singular feature of his character. He
had a clear view and a firm grasp of
all material forces. He knew how to
use money nnd how to appeal to men's
interests, hut lie did not equally appre
ciate the influence of sentiment. He
had carried the bulk of the colonial
Dutch with him in his struggle against
President Kruger, because the colonial
farmers resented the tariff which the
1 Transvaal Government had placed on
their produce, and thus he had eome
to look upon the whole question as one
of economic Interests. When the ra
cial feeling of the Dutch burst into a
strong flame on heading of the attack
upon the republic of their kinsfolk,
and when this feeling continued to
burn strong against himself, effacing
from their minds the recollection of
their old grudges against the Kruger
Government, he was taken by surprise.
A force was at work of which his phi
losophy had made but slight account.
It was said of him by one of his
South African colleagues that, proud
as they were of his abilities, and much
as they found to like in his character,
he had done something to lower the
tone of their political life by his con
stant appeal to material considera
tions. Yet, highly as he valued money
for the political uses to which it could
be put, he had a soul above 11101103*
and never thought of turning aside
from his larger aims In order to accu
mulate wealth. He had no taste for
vulgar luxury, and spent little upon
his own enjoyment. lie was generous
in his gifts and lavish in carrying out
any purpose which appealed to his im
agination. Neither was there any
thing petty or malignant about his na
ture. He roused strong antagonisms
ns well as Inspired strong attachments,
but he did not seem to be moved by
personal resentments, and would often
speak in a genial and liberal way of
those who had attacked or opposed him
most bitterly. The love of fame and
the love of power did no doubt largely
Influence ills course, but they were not
separated in his mind from the desire
to extend the dominion and consolidate
the power of England.
One of the most incontestable proofs
that he had a kind of greatness is to
be found in the sort of fascination
which ho exerted over most of those
with whom ho came in contact. He
found it natural to lead and influence
men because he had initiative. He
made the impression of knowing exact
ly what he wanted, of knowing how
he meant to attain it, of being quite
determined to attain it by one means
or another. His frankness and direct
ness, which had something Blsmark
ian about them, heightened this im
pression. Nothing so much disposes
men to follow as the self-confidence
of a leader with a record of success.
Cecil Kliodes did not boast, but it was
easy to see that he had faith in him
self.
He belonged to a type of man less
common In modern times and civilized
countries, because the conditions are
less favorable to their development
than they were In the Middle Ages or
have been In Asia —the type which
may be called in no unfavorable sense
that of the Adventurer, the man whose
imagination is fired by ambition, and
whoso power of seeing and grasping
facts becomes effective by being united
to boldness In execution. This type
most usually appeared In war, and
carried to greatness men whose talent
lay In military leadership. Now it has
other engines of power available. Mr.
llhodes is the first person who has
conspicuously known how to use
finance and financial combinations on
a large scale as a means of attaining
polltlcnl power and pursuing large po
litical alms. He is a now form of the
type, a form suited to the conditions
of a still undeveloped country like
South Africa. Even those who censure
some of his acts cannot but admit that
his aims were not solely personal, that
he was cast in a large mold, and that
an unkind fate denied him the chance
which he desired of retrieving the chief
error of his life. He will certainly lie
remembered as one of the most striking
and brilliant figures of his time.—New
York Post.
Sho Forthwith Obeyed.
A story is going the rounds wherein
figure two well-known Columbus
ladles and a parrot. * Mrs. A paid a
special call at the home of Mrs. B the
other day and was ushered into the
living room by the maid of all work to
await the appearance of Airs. B.
Mrs. B had come into the possession
of a parrot only a short time before
and had been keeping the bird in the
living room. 'Tolly has a very good
command of English, and appears to
know when to use It. Mrs. A sat down
with her back to the bird without no
ticing it, and as Polly made no sound
she remained in Ignorance of its pres
ence.
Observing a beautiful vase on the
mantel, Mrs. A arose from her seat
and, crossing the floor, took down the
dainty piece of bric-a-brac to examine
it. Sho gazed on it rapturously, com
pletely absorbed by Its elegant deco
rations, when suddenly from Just be
hind her came the shrill and stern
command:
"Drop It! Drop it!"
Airs. A obeyed and turned with a
scream to face the imperturable gaze
of Polly, who sat in her cage with her
green head slyly perked to one side.
On the floor lay the beautiful vase,
smashed to bits. At this most em
barrassing moment Airs. B entered
the room. Before Airs. A could explain
the situation Polly shook it out its
feathers and remarked.
"You're it! You're it! You're it!"—
Ohio State Journal.
A Zoological Stamp Album.
The latest novelty in postage stamps,
says Golden Penny, is made to look
something like a menagerie, each page
being covered with bars. The only
stamps admitted are those which bear
a design of an animal—and there are
more of these than one would imagine
at first sight. From the United States
come a pony and a buffalo, from Ln
l>uan a stag and a crocodile, Liberia
has a hippopotamus and an elephant,
Newfoundland has a dog, a codfish
and a seal, and AVest Australia re
joices in a swan. The book is made
doubly Interesting If it Is Illustrated
with pictures of the trees and foliage
belonging to each place.
A Boom.
x —y OOD roads work is making its.
I I / greatest headway, from I
! \ (."T accounts, in New York
I State, New Jersey having
, previously taken the lead in this re'
' form. Itoad work is going on in Newi >
' York, and plans are under discussion
i which give promise of results on a)
| large scale. For one thing, the .State
' Engineer and Surveyor proposes ni
! State bond issue of 910, 000.000 for
I road improvement, this sum being
I payable in seventeen years, and in'
j volving an annual State levy of $700,'
' 000—not a great sum for as wealthy a)
! commonwealth as New York. With
' tills fund it is estimated that upwards
j of 1200 miles of good macadam roadi
! can be constructed, which would con'
i nect all the counties in the
| central and southern parts of the
, State, and extend to some other conn'
! ties where road improvement is aviLf %
\ urgent need. The work, it Is figured,l
could be finished in four years. This
proposed system of highways contem
plates trunk roads connecting with the
prlnicpnl towns of the Stnte.
A State convention of road improv
ets, the third annual convention of the
kind, was recently held at Albany, the
Legislature being in session and !ta
members interested observers. In which)
the enthusiasm rose so high that it was
resolved to double the estimate of
tlio State Engineer and make the debt
$20,000,000, to honeycomb the State
east and west with thoroughly mod' 1
crn highways. Tills proposition Is nofl
being pressed by the road improvers,
but is put forth for discussion liy thoi
people. Meantime an appropriation of
$1,000,000 Is asked for the current
year and will probably be granted.
It Is reported tlint in the South roa. (
Improvement is being prosecuted with T
a zeal never before displayed in a sim
ilar undertaking. The greatest single
stimulus to this movement lu the
Southern States came from the co
operation of tlie Federal Government
and the Southern railroads in their ob
ject lesson of last fall, when a good
roads train was run through several]
Southern States, stopping at important
points, where, before large gatherings I
of townspeople and farmers, road work
was scientifically performed.
Some such object lesson would dol 1
good in Kansas, where good roads
would bring in large profits, to the
farmers In enabling them to get to
town with their crops and truck at
seasons of the year when these pro
ducts are highest in the market. That
it costs more to transport farm produc
tions to railway stations than to trans
port them to their destinations by thjA ,
railroads is a fact realized by few pro-c
ducers, hut demonstrated by the sta
tistics compiled by the Government.
A State convention of road improv
ers ought to be held this spring in
Kansas, and the co-operation of our
railroads asked for a good roads excur
sion train some time during the early
season. Experience proves that the
first cost of good roads is speedily paid
back in the better accessibility to mar
ket and the saving In wear and tear
on hoc,ics and wagons.—Topeka (Kan.)
Capital.
Gonlri Joins Crusade.
"Good roads" crusaders have won an
Important convert in George Jay Gould.
Automoblllsts, owners of good horses
and New Jersey farmers will call him 1
blessed when his proposed philanthropy,
bears solid fruit in macadam and
gravel on the drives in the country,
around Lakewood. A
Mr. Gould has written State Engl- ▼ '
neer Budd, of New Jersey, that lie will
pny one-tlilrd of tlio expense of making
first class the roads within driving dis
tance of his country place (Georgian
Court) if his wealthy neighbors and
the public funds will assist him iu ex
tending the system already Improved.
The National Good ltoads Associa
tion and the Automobile Club of Amer
ica have made rival claims for tlio
credit of inspiring Mr. Gould to euilst
under their banner. An estimate of j
the mileage and cost of the road Im
provements suggested by Mr. Gould
will bo prepared by State Engineer
Budd.
Wide Tire-.
It is worse than useless to create
expensive and valuable highways to
have them only cut to pieces by tho
use of uurrow tires as now used for 0k I
the hauling of heavy loads iu New ! H
Y'ork State. When you have got a
good thing It costs money and you
must take care of it, and change your
methods to help maintain It. Wldo
tires are of the greatest value in pre
serving ordinary dirt roads. A State
wido tire law should be passed, simple
in its requirements, positive iu its en
forcement and going into operation
two years from this dnte in order to
permit every wagon user to have am
ple time to adapt his wugou tires to tlio
new law In the Interest of road main
tenance.
What is Depending:.
New York's commercial supremacy
depends upon her ability to maintain
within her borders the cheapest freight
rate across the continent. The 12.000,-
000 tons of farm produce raised from ▼
the 22,000,000 acres of farm land In
New York Stnte should be taken to
market 011 a system of improved high
ways, costing not iu excess of the ca
nal improvements.
Silver Is naturally an antiseptic, and
is therefore less liable than paper
money to convey Infection.