Life — June 1, 1905 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“ While there ts Life there's Hope.” JUNE 1, 1905. No. 1179. Wust Tuinty-First Steeer, New York. VOL. XLV. HE Pana- ma Canal Commission needs two steamers to run between New Yorkand Panama. To build them at home would cost $1,400,000. They can be bought abroad for $750,000. Conforming to the opinion of the President and Secretary Taft, the Commission proposes to buy, or charter, them abroad. Steel dump-cars made at Pittsburg, some steel rails, and other commodii are needed for the work of canal construction. Pittsburg sells such things in Europe about thirty per cent. cheaper than at home. The Com- mission, the President and Secretary Taft concurring, proposes to buy in the cheapest market. It does not have to bring its wares into the United States. Why, then, pay United States high tariff prices? Of course, the apostles of high pro- tection are scandalized that our pro- tected manufacturers should not be allowed the privilege of squeezing their own Government. The New York Mazi, for example, declares that the Presi- dent and Secretary ‘have taken a step which is squarely against the national policy and should be retraced without delay." If such a decision should not be rescinded, the Maz/ thinks ‘it would be the duty of Congress to interfere at the first moment possible, andlay down the rule that American producers should have the preference in the purchases for the canal."". We guess the decision will not be rescinded. President Roose- velt does not intend to be his own suc- cessor in the White House, and wants to build as much canal as possible while he is still in office. He has no LTP E= special tenderness for the tariff as it stands, but believes in trimming it down. Moreover, there are four voters who want to see the canal economically built, and its supplies bought at the lowest price, to one who wants to see the highest prices paid for them. It is our money, brethren, that is going into that canal, Do we want to pay tariff prices for our steel unless we have to? Not on your life! HE papers say the President is dic- tating a book on bears, and has contracted to furnish some one with two magazine articles about his recent hunting trip. Let us hope it is true. It will be interesting to see whether the President or Thomas Lawson can boost a magazine higher in the shorter time. These two are our greatest liter- ary dictators. Lawson has the advan- tage in that he can dictate intimate statements about folks, whereas the President will doubtless feel constrained to confine himself to discussing critters. But that advantage is partly offset by the superior confidence of readers that what the President dictates is so, and by the better adaptability of bear stories to illustration. If anyone thinks it is unbecoming in a President to contribute hunting stories to the magazines while in office, it is sufficient to point out that the President pays the costs of his own hunting journeys, including the rail road expenses, and that the Pre dential pocket is not so long as it would have been if the last Congress had done what it should have done and doubled the Presidential pay. If the country cannot pay its President a suitable salary, there can be no valid objection to the President's turning his illustrious and energetic leisure to prof- itable account. That is better than accepting favors from the railroads, or staying at home to save money. HE German Emperor is better paid than our President, but it would be nice if one of the magazines should induce him to write up his own inter- national ocean yacht race. It promises to be an amusing gamble of a race, not altogether unlike a speed competition between an elephant, a pony, some deer and a squad of heavy-weight race- horses. The elephant may win if the going suits its gaits ; so may the pony; but there are chances enough to go around, and the very plethora of pos- sibilities adds interest to the competi- tion. It could be wished that Germany and England were more fully repre- sented, for there is room on the course for more yachts than eleven. There never was a better-natured race, or one less encumbered with rules or formalities, or more singly dedicated to pure sport. HERE is a How-long-oh-Lord- how-long quality about Philadel- phia politics that the contemporary experience of no other American city can quite match, The scamps, maraud- ers and graftsmen in that staid town dare more audacious feats of plunder, and carry them through in broader daylight and with a higher hand, than any rivalselsewhere. Thereis, or was, a system of solitary confinement in the chief penal institution of Pennsylvania which always seemed to us to be cruel. The way to test it, and, if desirable, reform it, is to fill the institution with citizens who have influence in public affaii There is a remarkable plenty of influential citizens in Pennsylvania, and even in Philadelphia alone, whoare nicely suited to test the methods of cor- rection used in the famous Eastern Penitentiary, but against all reason- ableness they keep out of jail. It looks at this writing as though they would sell the Philadelphia Gas Works to a favored corporation for about $25,000,- 000 less than they are worth. We pre- sume they will. But no pitcher, nor group of pitchers, can go forever to the well. Some day the Eastern Peniten- tiary will get some of those brazen rascals, and perhaps for their solace a future Pennsylvania Legislature will order moved to the courtyard of the same place the decreed statue of the lamented Quay. comicbooks.