The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 13

SECOND SECTION. THE BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE. SECOND SECTION. VOJL. 57.

NO. 79. SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 1897. PAGES 13 TO 20. HOW TO GOVERN CITIES.

THE WORLD'S NEWSPAPERS AMERICAN ENGLISHMAN. work when It is properly systematized, coordinated and controlled. If a large American city wants good government, it must intrust to some one man the full power of executive direction. The successful performance of any important branch of work in a great city calls for careful and intelligent organization and constant waltchfuilness. To obtain results as good as those reached abroad we must, through universal suffrage, seoure the adoption of the systems and methods best adapted for the pursose, and the appointment of administrative officers of the requisite capacity.

The task of directing any important department of a great city calls for ability of a high order. Public opinion must be educated up to the point of demanding that, whatever play may he given to political forces.only men of the requisite qualifications shall' be intrusted with high municipal office. This country is as rich as any in the world In capable administrators of large affairs; With proper city charters and the right men intrusted with power under them, we can Immensely raise the standard of city administration in a short period of time. A very large and Important part of modern municipal work is of a purely technical character. The engineer, the landscape gardener, the architect, the physician, and other men of professional training have to be intrusted erly organized department of the city government.

"Only the business considerations In favor of municipal ownership have been hitherto touched upon, but the broad political considerations are even stronger. The power now necessarily wielded by the great corporations which control such branches of public service as lighting and transportation often gives them too great an Influence over municipal governments. It has been said that the government must either control corporations or be controlled by them. Without fully accepting this sweeping declaration, it must be admitted that there have ben many cases in our American citleB wherd corporations have practically the action of city councils. Their influence over nominations and elections, where they choose to exert it, may often be a determining one.

Even a corporation holding a municipal franchise that has nothing further to ask of the city, and only desires to be allowed to prosecute Its business without interference, is often drawn into municipal politics by the skillfully planned attacks of politicians who have purposes ot their own In view. In short, the connection between quasi public corporations and the city is necessarily so close that corporate interests are bound to make themselves powerfully felt at times, both by their command of capital and by their Influence over large numbers of em the United Kingdom no fewer than 79 newspapers and periodicals which had passed the century. France is extremely well supplied with newspapers. There are 78 dailies published inParls, which is more than in any other city In the world, and almost as many as London, New York and Philadelphia put together. La Gazette de France is one of the oldest French papers, having been founded under Louis XIII in 1632.

Two other newspapers, La Moniteur Universal and La Journal des De bats are centenarians, dating from 17S9. Le Petit Journal, the well known five centime journal, enjoys the honor and distinction of having the largest circulation of any newspaper in the world. This circulation averages about one million copies per day, and on days when news of special interest Is expected the issue runs up to from 1,100,000 to 1,200,000. The paper with the smallest circulation is the Imperial Review, published for the Bole benefit of the Emperor ot Austria. It is made up from translations of all the principal items in the prominent European papers, and three copies only are made each day.

The newspapers of Austria comprise a variety of languages, among them being Croatian, Czechish, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Roumanian, Ruthenlan, Slovenian, Slovak, Servian and Polish. The newspaper Industry In the Orient has had a remarkable development. We have been so accustomed to look to the East for light on the great probelms of history, that it is difficult to associate the now so entirely modern affair as tho newspaper with the venerable and historic peoples of the Orient. Nevertheless, some of the most remarkable and Intellectual newspapers are published in Greece and Syria and India. Constantinople Is amply supplied with the means of dissem TWO ARE BORN" AND TWO DIE EVERY WEEK IN LONDON.

Nearly 43,000 Papers Now Regularly Published The Journals of Russia, Persia, Turkey, China and India Interesting Facts and Figures'. There are very few people out of the millions of newspaper readers who have any idea of the number of newspapers that are published dally throughout the world, and fewer still have any knowledge of the large variety of languages employed In their production. A census of the world's newspapers has been found to be almost an Impossibility on account of the extraordinary rate at which they come and go. The ups and downs In the history of Journalism are interesting and instructive, but exceedingly mystifying to any one who strives after even approximate figures. To day they are, and to morrow their place on the news stand knows them no more.

As an Illustration ot this, the tact may be stated that on an average two new papers come out every week In London and that almost an equal number disappear from the scene. According to the most recent and carefully collected statistics there are now no fewer than 5,410 regularly published dally newspapers, of which 2,110, or nearly two fifths of the whole number, are issued in the United States. The number and variety of languages employed In the entire list of the world's newspapers are astonishing. Not all the dally papers are confined to one language. Some are the United States It will be a matter of surprise to many people to know, as well as It is interesting to note, that they are printed in more languages than those of any other country.

No fewer than twenty three different languages are represented in tho newspaper press of this country, their names being as follows: Arabic, Armenian, Bohemian, Cherokee, Chinese. Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Hebrew, Magyar, Polish, Russian, Scandinavian, Sioux. Slavonic, Spanish, Portuguese, Volapuk and Welsh. There are also a number of so called Yiddish newspapers which, while in the garb of the quadratic Hebrew alphabet are made up of the Jargon that is spoken by the uneducated Russian Jew. It is somewhat like a mixture of old German, some Spanish, a little ancient Hebrew, a sprinkling of Russian and some obsolete Polish.

In 18G9 the number of papers in the United States and Canada was as follows: Dally, 519; tri weekly, 120; semi weekly, 91; weekly, all others, 577; total, 5,219. In 1896 the total had increased to 20,630, divided as follows: Dally, tri weekly, 43; semi weekly, 394; weekly, all others, 3,374. In the progress of the newspaper publishing industry some very remarkable and Interesting journals have developed. Papers for the rich and papers for the poor; papers for the blind, papers for lunatics, papers for convicts and papers representing nearly every separate trade and vocation that can be Imagined, from the Bill Posters' Gazette to the Journal of Science and Art. The largest newspaper ever issued was the Illuminated Quadruple Constellation.

It was the size of a billiard table being 8x6 feet. The smallest newspaper in the world Is II Telegranio, bearing the motto, "Much Meat But Little Froth," published at Guadalaya, Mexico. It is not much larger than 8x2 inches. One of the most curious of all journals Is the Beggars' Journal of Paris, which is published daily and gives a complete list of baptisms, weddings and funerals to take place the same day and which may be assumed to afford a good "pick." Tho Weekly Summary, printed in Braille type and published in London, is a newspaper for the blind which is having a great success. There is published at Dolll gen, Alsace, a journal which is printed on cotton cloth Instead of paper.

In the process of washing the news disappears, leaving the square of cotton clean and white. At the end of three months the subscriber to this interesting sheet, if each day's issue is saved, finds himself possessed of one hundred yards of serviceable calico. At Prince Albert, a remote village In the Canadian Northwest, a unique weekly paper is, or recently was. regularly published in the handwriting of its proprietor, who acted as editor, reporter, advertising agent and printer. This paper appeared in purple ink from a gelatine copying process or hectograph.

It Is a specimen of what an enterprising journalist can do without a font of type. A recent number of the Alaskan News was printed on wrapping and butcher's paper and wallpaper, owing to the non arrival of Its regular supply of white paper. The New Moon is the apt title of a lunatics' paper issued at the Dumfries (Scotland) asylum. The highest priced newspaper In the world is the Mashonaland Herald. It is published at Fort Salisbury, Mashonaland, and the price is 1 shilling 25 cents a copy.

The man who claims the distinction ot being the northernmost editor in the world is the printer and Esquimau poet, L. Moller, who edits the Illustrated Esquimau paper, Atuagagllutll, published at Godthaab, a Danish colony on the west coast of Greenland, 64 degrees north latitude. The only Kafir newspaper In the world is a weekly called the Imoo Zabantsundu Native Opinion published in King Wiiliamstown. South Africa. There are fifteen languages In each of which there is only one newspaper publication, and at least eleven countries In which there is not a single newspaper issued.

A Few of the World's Newspapers. MAYOR JOSIAHQUINCYDISCUSSES MUNICIPAL PROBLEMS. American and European Methods Contrasted The Question at the Public Ownership of Great Franchises First of an Important Series of Articles in the Arena. The Arena Magazine of Boston announces a series of articles upon municipal government and the development of American cities which! promise to be of unusal interest. They are to be contributed by the mayors of several ot the leading cities, who will discuss these questions from fhe standpoint of experience.

In other words, it will be a concensus of opinions contributed by men who may be called experts. Just now no more Interesting problems are before the people of the United States than the questions involved in the proper administration of municipal affairs. They aire problems that have taken on more of a business than a political nature; indeed, one of the factors in the problem is, how shall politics be kept out at municipal affairs? These questions have an especial interest for the citizens of the Greater New York," and the Arena articles will be likely to attract attention in this section. The first of the series appears in the March number of the magazine and Is contributed by Mayor Josla'h Qulncy, one of the ablest of the young er generation of men who have come prominently to tne front in political affairs within Mayor of Boston. line last few years.

Through the courtesy of the Arena the Eagle Is enabled to reproduce Mayor Qulncy's article entire. It Is entitled "The Development of American Cities." He Bays: "Observers of modern municipal development on both sides of the Atlantic cannot but be Struck with a curious anomaly. In some countries of Europe, where the administration of city affairs is controlled only to a very limited extent, or not at all, by the great mass of the citizens, municipal governments ere conducted upon broader and more popular lines than in the United States, where universal suffrage prevails. In a certain sense, Berlin and Paris are actually more democratic than New York and Chicago. The people of tne lormer cities have, indeed, nothing like the direct control over their city governments Which those of the latter enjoy, in theory at least; but if we form our judgment not by the scope of the elective franchise, but by that of.

services rendered, we shall have to award the palm for variety and usefulness of municipal activity, for benefits conferred upon the masses of the people, to the foreign Cities. An intelligent observer, with no other knowledge than that derived from a comparison of work done and results secured, would doubtless conclude that the people ruled more fully In Paris than in Naw York, in Berlin than in Chicago. In a score of different directions the interests of the average citizen are better and more fully cared for, his wants more fully met, in the great city of Europe than in that of America. Municipal govern ment in the old world seems to be for the people, if not by the people. "My object in calling attention to this curious rious contrast between the theoretical character of city governments and the results they actually attain, is by no means to draw a comparison unfavorable to democratic institutions or universal suffrage.

To an American, liberty of thought, of speech, of action, Is even more desirable than perfection of administration; we would not be the subjects Of an imperial master for all the advantages of Berlin. If we must choose, we prefer representative government even to good government. We would not exohange a poor administration representing the will of the whole people, susceptible of Improvement as they become wiser, for a better one expressing only the ideas of a ruling class. To slavishly copy the methods of older communities would be as foolish as to decline to give any attention to their experience. But with the rapid increase in the population of our great Cities, and the growing complexity of their life, we may well inquire whether we cannot learn something as to the lines of profitable municipal development in America by a study of the work done abroad.

When a European city is found to be promoting the well being of its people by services of a character not yet undertaken by our municipalities, the question should at once be asked, Why cannot we, in our own way, do as much? The presumption Bhould certainly be that the people of New York are capable of organizing any branch of public service which the city of Berlin finds it for the interest of its people to undertake. "There are three broad classes of municipal Services: First, there are those which are of absolute necessity for the existence of a civilized urban community, such as the construction of streets, water works and sewers, or the maintenance of police and Are departments, of hospitals and almshouses. Second, there are those which are now considered indispensable, if not of primary necessity, such as the Inspection of certain articles of food, the reg Clatlon of the liquor traffic, the protection Of the public health, together with the provision, either directly under the control of the city or through the agency of quasi public corporations, of facilities for passenger transportation through the streets, and of gas and electricity. Third, there are those branches of public activity which provide for wants which are above the primary ones, which oupply what may be called municipal conveniences or privileges; under this heading fall libraries and facilities for higher education, parks, playgrounds, public baths, gymnasia, and facilities for recreation or comfort. The principles of sound administration are Very simple, and they are the same in America as in Europe.

To make any executive organization efficient It must have a head whether elected by universal suffrage, chosen by a select body, or appointed by the central government who Is intrusted with proper powers of control and direction. Perfect men would doubtless make any system of government produce good results; men as we find them only do satisfactory public A CONTRAST BY AN ADMIRER OJ FREE INSTITUTIONS. Where One Is Ruled by Custom, the Other Is Ruled by Reason Tradition, Precedent and Authority Against Merit and Common Sense. The following article was written for tho Eagle by Mr. Ecklin Molyneux of 51 Wal pole Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, who rightly enough styles himself "an admirer of the free institutions of the United States of America:" When Alexander the great, trying to perplex the Gymnosophists, asked them, "What is the craftiest of all animals?" they replied, "That with which man Is not yet acquainted." What is this animal? The following description of him we take from the Natural History of Linnaeus: "Esto antiqua vlrtute et side! Instead following that which is right he is subjected to the guidance of manifest error; this envelops all his faculties under the thick vail of Custom; thus governed by Opinion he lives comformably to Custom, instead of being guided by Reason." If we examine the history of many times and of many nations, to see If this description of Man is universally true, or If he anywhere rises above that degraded thing, the puppet of Custom, described by Linnaeus, we find a much nobler being In Republican countries.

With the exercise of Freedom, the intellect expands, and Habit Is dominated by Reason. We have only to contrast the American with the Englishman to discover how rapidly the human mind progresses under Republican Institutions. There is no mystery in the process. It is a necessity growing out of the nature of things. In ancient monarchies abuses have been accumulating for ages.

Those who profit by the abuses, being aware that it is Custom alone which reconciles the public to these abuses, and having the direction of the education of the nation, foster In the pupil a docile obedience to Custom, and a distrust of Reason. Referring to this Sydney Smith, Id the Edinburgh Review, writes: "When Reason is in opposition to a man's interest his study will naturally be to render the faculty Itself, and whatever Issues from It, an object of hatred and contempt. It might almost bo imagined that there was something wicked or unwise in the exercise of At the present hour, in England, the crusade against Reason is even more energetic than in the day of Sydney Smith. The crafty animal of the Gymnosophists has succeeded In getting the whole of England's education Into its hands, and is manipulating its prize In tho manner which might be expected from Its character, as drawn by Linnaeus; Custom Is held up to veneration under the euphemism of "Conservatism," and obloquy heaped on Reason. At every school, on every platform, from pulpit, in Senate, in journal, novel, poem, play, the current cult is (denuded of its rhetorical disguise) that men are better without heads.

Acephalous animals get on very well without heads. Creatures are more conservative guided by the Instinct of Habit alone than thoy would be if directed by Reason, which is, by Nature, willful, self assertive, radical, revolutionary. Republican and desperately wicked. This cult, In sermon, lecture or speech, delivered by a competent orator, never fails to cause the credulous public to be afraid of their own heads, and to take home tho impressions that they have Just causo of complaint against Nature for having furnished them with brains. But Natural History tells a different tale.

Here we see that animals without heads are always and everywhere the prey of animals who have heads. Whether a creature shall be a victim, or a victim maker, depends upon his mental powers. Do not tell us to cast aside the highest faculty of the mind, the Reason. It is this which enables man to subject the less Intellectual animals to his wants and wishes. If the ass had more Intellect than the man it would ride the man.

If tho pig had more mirfd than tho man It would stick him. bleed him. salt him. cure him and turn him into bacon it Is Reason alone stands between man and this appalling fate. Reason is the only protector man has against the hosts of parasites which seek to feed upon him.

Reason Is the faithful dog which guards the sheep; the crafty wolf would persuade the simple animal to discard his natural protector. The hidden wisdom in the answer of the Gymnosophists Is now manifest. Man, the craftiest of all animals, intimately acquainted with all other animals, is unacquainted with himself. His vanity renders him blind. You show him his photograph, free from the disguises of rhetorical pigments, drawn with the unflattering truthfulness of the Sun, and he falls to recognize the unpicturesque personage.

Thero is a story told of an Englishman who, having employed a Chinese artist, celebrated for the uncompromising accuracy of the likenesses produced in his studio, to paint his portrait, was dissatisfied with the result and his exasperation was increased by tho explanation "no hah handsome face, no hab handsome So it is now, the Englishman is disconcerted by his own portrait, faithful as the reflection of a mirror. He sees not tho rational creature Nature designed him to be, but an artificial clockwork mechanism, moved by the spring of Habit, a marionette dajiclng to the strings of Custom; an automaton of the weather crick pattern marking how Opinion blows and shifting with every rhango of wind; an animal, tho loftiest faculties of whose mind are Imitation and Memory, only raised above tho level of tho monkey by speech and only above that of the starling, the magpie and the parrot, who have been to school, hy having a little more memory and therefore a larger vocabulary. "What animal is this?" the Englishman asks, affecting not to know. The Gymnosoph Ist roplitu: "This is the craftiest of all animals the animal with which man is not yet acquainted." But this is man only in those countries where it Is the interest of these who have his education in their hands to rob him of his Rea In a Republic, man is a very different being. The Englishman and the American may bo considered types.

Let us note the difference between them. The Englishman is a Conservative he Is ruled by Custom; the American is a philosopher he is ruled by Reason. The Englishman decides a question by Tradition, or Precedent, or Authority, the American decides It on its merits. Propound a problem to an Englishman and he consults not his Reason, but searches his Memory for an oracle. He asks: "What does Shakspearo say, or tho Times say? or Salisbury say? or Tradition or Precedent say? or Fashion say? Hl3 answer is as the echo of the mocking bird which repeats the notes it has heard the of tenest or the last or as the voice Edlson'i phonograph, which talks when you turn the handle, hut can originate nothing.

But (ho American is self contained. He has learned the necessity of examining every question for himself instead of taking his opinions on trust from others. Thus has grown up within bim a spirit of inquiry which raises him above the narrow little prejudices ot school and Custom. Propound the proposition to him and yon get a rational answer. He Inquires, "What does Common Sense say?" He holds that to shirk deciding a question on Its merits, to shuffle It over to an authority, le the laat refuge of folly and ignorance.

with lit, either as regular officials or through special engagements. It is of the first importance to a large city to have a regular and capable professional force, maintained upon a permanent basis, independent of political changes; and this is perfectly possible even when the party system of government prevails. It is cheaper to have a dual organization, one political and one technical, than to forego the advantages of having trained and experienced experts connected with every branch of work. When outside professional work or advice Is required for special pieces of work, the rule that only the best talent Is good enough for the city should be constantly laid down and adhered to. The amount of public money that has been largely wasted in our American cities In erecting buildings designed by second or third rate architects is something not pleasant to contemplate.

An aroused public opinion can readily control matters of this character. The question whether such public services, as lighting, by gas or electricity, and passenger transportation in the streets, should be Intrusted so corporations or performed directly by the municipality, Is one which is giving rise to a great deal of discussion in this country, and the sentiment in favor of municipal ownership is unquestionably growing. The fact that franchises and locations In the streets have been so universally given to private corporations in our great cities, and that an enormous amount of capital has been Invested In their securities, makes any attempt to Inaugurate the European practice of public ownership, with operation either directly by the city or under a lease from It, exceedingly difficult. But aside from the questlonof dealing fairly with vestedlnterests there seems to me to be no reason why an American city should not take up any service of this character which may be recommended by business and financial considerations. There is no principle that stands In the way, for instance, of the municipal ownership and operation of an electric light plant.

It Is purely a commercial question in each partic ular case. The electric lighting business in particular, with the present improved dyna mos and engines, is one which a properly or ganized city ought to be able to conduct for itself with some economy and advantage. The argument Is sometimes made that new fleld3 of work of this character cannot safely be entered upon until the civil service system Is more firmly established in our cities, and their general standard of govern ment is higher; but it does not seem to me that such reasoning rests upon a sound basis. Any extension of municipal functions mus tend to arouse a public interest which canno but assist In improving administration and hastening the adoption of a strict civil service system. The indifference of the more Intel ngent and well to do citizens, and their willingness to vote their party tickets blindly, while exercising little or no mnuence over party nominations, is the curse of many of our cities.

Business men of large and unselfish views can control a city government if they will take the pains to do so. If some extension of municipal func tions in the. directions above indicated would arouse some who are now apathetic to i sense of their vital Interest in sound adminis tratlon, It would do a good work. We should not therefore wait for a perfect municipal or ganization before we undertake any desirable addition to the services now rendered directly by the city, but should be willing to trust something to the educating and awakening ef fect of imposing further responsibilities upon a municipal government, and thus bringing it into a new and close relation with the citi zens. "It should also be borne in mind that muni cipal ownership does not necessarily involve municipal operation.

Even the highly organ ized cities of Europe, with their permanent civil service systems, find It better policy to lease certain franchises for a term of years than to operate directly such branches of pub lic service as street railway systems or gas works. Many who are alarmed at the sugges tlon that an American city should managa a great and intricate electric railway system with its hundreds or even thousands of em ployes, are quite willing to consider fairly, as a question chiefly of finance, the proposition that a city should acquire the ownership of the street railway locations and tracks In its streets, with a view to leasing them on proper terms and conditions for a period Qf years. It does not follow because municipal operation may be decidedly inexpedient that public ownership and control may not be desirable and beneficial. "In the case of electric lighting plants, the conditions are such that ownership and oper ation naturally go together. The comparative simplicity of this service, and the present per fection of apparatus, make it a peculiarly fa vorable field for municipal enterprise.

There are certainly many considerations In favor of placing the lighting of public streets, grounds and buildings, at least, upon a municipal basis. Indeed, it seems to me that the case Is so clear that the only question for a large city to consider is what legal difficulties or other embarrassments there may be in terminating existing relations with private companies. In the present state of development of electricity and steam, any competent city engineer should be able to calculate the expense of installing, maintaining and operating an electric lighting plant for a given duty. Of course, If a city has not a competent technical and administrative force, it cannot successfully Install and oper ate an electric light, plant; but neither can It properly build and maintain streets without such a force. The latter work calls for scientific and practical knowledge, as much as the former; if a city government Is properly organized for the one service, It can easily be adapted to the other.

If looseness In methods of accounting and bookkeeping la tolerated, of course the real cost of electric lighting will not be shown; but neither will that of other branches of municipal service. Aside from the question of general public lighting, every large city should maintain a force of Its own for doing all the electrical construction and repair work required In connection with its public buildings and institutions. Electricity must play a large part In the service of every progressive city, and everything pertaining to Its use be brought under the charge of a prop ployes. "The great problem of municipal government under universal Buflrage is to reduce the play of purely selfish or Individ dual interests, so that elections may be decided upon broad grounds affecting the great mass of the citizens. The modern municipality touches so many people In such a variety of mays and Is necessarily brought Into colllsslon with so many private Interests, that any narrowing of the scope of such interests is for the public good.

It may be urged, on the other hand, that the influence of the additional city employes made necessary by the taking over of branches of service now performed by corporations will be equally great and equally selfish, but experience proves pretty conclusively that this is not the case. It has frequently been demonstrated that any Influence which may be exerted by municipal employes In favor of a party In power Is likely to be fully offset by the opposition ot those who have been disappointed In obtaining public office or employment. And even those engaged upon city work are sure to have grievances, real or imaginary, against the administration in power, and are never solidly united in its favor. Moreover, with the extension and firmer establishment of the civil service system, public employes are coming to feel fairly secure of their positions, regardless of political cfianges. "In respect to the third class of municipal services above mentioned, namely, those falling under the head of conveniences or privileges, the American city has been far behind its European prototype.

In tho variety and excellence of public facilities for healthful exercise, both indoors and in the open air, for bathing and for the convenience and recreation of Che people, wo have much to learn from what has been done abroad, but we are fast waking up to this fact and are beginning to supply these deficiencies. Whatever theories may be entertained as to the proper limits of municipal service, or as to the pur poses for which money raised by taxation may properly be spent, the doctrine that a city may advantageously assume any functions gen erally beneficial to its citizens has in our time become firmly established in theory, and is fast being put into practice. Steps in tSie direction of what may fairly be called muni cipal socialism are undertaken with the full support of strong opponents of state social Ism, In Its broad aspect. The question where to draw the line has now become one of ex pediency, or of financial limitation, scarcely one of principle. "The wonderful growth of interest in ath letics and In various kinds of outdoor sports which has taken place In L'ais country within recent years, has naturally directed attention to municipal gymnasia, play grounds, and baths.

The public is awakening to tho fact that these can be supplied by municipal agency at an expense which is very small in comparison with that incurred for many other pur poses, or when measured by fho widespread benefits conferred. Facilities for cleanliness, for physical development and for healthful recreation tend to the social and moral de velopment of the masses of the people. The duty of ft city is to promote the civilization in the fullest sense of the word, of all Its citizens. No true civilization can exist without the provision of some reasonable oppor tunities for exercising the physical and mental faculties, of experiencing something of tho variety and of the healthful pleasures of life, ot feeling at least the degree of self respect which personal cleanliness brings with It. The people of a city constitute a community, in all which that significant term implies; their interests are Inextricably bound up together, and everything which promotes the well being of a large part of the population benefits all.

"Even from a purely economical standpoint, the provision of the municipal facilities above referred to is fully justifiable, through! their effect in increasing the capacity of men and women to perform useful service, whether manual or mental. The people of a city live by labor; they grow practically nothing from the soil, but they exchange their products of services for food grown by others, perhaps many thousands of miles away. Everything which Increases the efficiency of labor, whether ot the head or of the hand, increases the capacity of producing or of serving and, there fore, adds to me means or nveiincod of tho community as a whole. Tho man or woman who Is rested and stimulated by healthful change of occupation and by new ideas, who is afforded some opportunities of develop ment, ot enjoyment, and of social contact, becomes a more efficient agency for the pro duction of wealth, to look at the matter from the lowest point of view. But there Is a much higher and truer stand point.

If any civilization is purely material in its aims, If It regards the massos or man kind merely as human machines for doing cer tain work, or as animals to be housed and fed merely that an appointed task may be performed, It will deservedly perish. The social elevation of man must, Indeed, rest upon a secure material foundation. He must work, with all the powers with which he has been endowed, in order that he may have sufficient food, clothing and shelter. But he does not work for these alone; they are but the foundations upon which he Is to build. The object of his existence is the development of ail his faculties, physical.

mental and spiritual. Toil Is a necessary part of his training, but recreation is a part scarcely less important. "In cities men are brought more closely to gether and have a greater number of vital interests In common than in the country. The sentiment of municipal solidarity Is constantly growing and tho conception of the true functions of the city government Is constantly widening. If socialism Is ever at temDted.

it will come through irreat cities, not through agricultural settlements. In the great city universal suffrage Is sub jected to Its most crucial test; the results of that test, so run or import to humanity, will be estimated In the twentieth century. If the nineteenth century as the period ot municipal evolution in the United States has contributed Its full share of waste, inefficiency and corruption, It can show some great achievements. There are encouraging siens that its closing years will be slirnalized by the growth of a sounder and broader civic spirit and a higher conception of the duties and opportunities of a great municipality. For the accomplishment of results of far reaching beneficence nothing more is needed than that the same American intelligence.

energy and determination to succeed, which have gained such notable victories In every other field of commercial and Intellectual activity, should apply themselves to the special problems presented by city governments. inating news. Even In that polyglot place no one man scarcely can read all tho newspa pers. Ten languages are required to give ex pression to the industry of tho reporter and the reflection of the editor. If Turkish, French, Greek, Hebrew and English do not Bufflce the Inquirer can have Armenian, Bulgarian, Italian, German or Persian.

There are published in these languages 20 dailies, 10 weeklies, 1 bi weekly, 2 trl weeklies, 1 bi monthly and 3 monthlies. One Turkish paper is printed In Armenian characters. There Is no paper there published exclusively In Eu glisn, the two most important dailies are combined English and French. Tho city of Beyrout has 18 papers and Damascus and Aleppo have weekly official pa pers In Turkisli and Arabic. In Jerusalem there are two Hebrew weeklies.

In India, the present oldest newspaper dates from 1795. It Is the Bengal Hurkuru. The very first paper In that country was Hicklng's Gazette, started in 1781. The publications ot India comprise many languages. Those in the native tongues probably more generally circulated and read In proportion to the number of copies Issued than those of any other country.

It Is said that a single paper not infrequently its way through the whole of a small village, going from housfe to house and being read by each inhabitant thereof until even with the ten derest handling it is completely worn out. Many Interesting facts in connection with journalism in China might be told. It is pretty generally known that printing was common in China when Europe was still In a state of semi barbarism. Printing from blocks of wood dates from the year 581. In 904 the characters were engraved on stone, and In 1,040 separate characters were first used.

The Pekln Gazette, which is the official paper ot the country, was established in the year 911 more than one thousand years ago. It can, however, scarcely be classed as a newspaper in the usual sense of the word. Nevertheless this paper has been continuously and regularly published since the year 1,351. Its present form and make up is In general the same as the original Issue. It consists of ten or twelve double sheets of yellowish paper printed on one side only, the pages of the official edition (there are two other editions beside) measuring seven and a half by four Inches, divided Into seven columns ot fourteen characters.

The contents of this paper are curious reading for the readers of the modern newspaper. Of the other newspapers in China, with its 400,000,000 of people, there are but twelve 'daily and twenty other papers. In striking contrast to China is her neighbor Japan, which in Journalistic achievements has forged ahead, until there are now no fewer than 767 dallies and other periodicals published there. In the city of Tokio alone thero are seventeen political dallies. Seven newspapers form the entire collection of Persian periodicals.

Six are In tho native vernacular and one Is In Syriac. Persia has a population ot 9,000,000 and these seven papers suffice for the entire country. In Sweden, Norway and Portugal journalism is but little cultivated. In the whole of the latter country with a population of 4,900,000, there are fewer than fifty newspapers, a very small number in comparison with the single state of Pennsylvania, which has 200 dallies and 1,222 other papers. Russian newspapers, while numerous, are sadly handicapped by censorship.

There are nine or ten languages employed by the Russian press but the names of the papers are not noted for the brevity. Such names as WJedomosty Grandontshal strva and Terskya Oblastnlja WJedomosty are samples with which the newsboy has to contend. The Koreans have a remarkable paper published at Seoul. It Is printed on rice paper made up In book form of twenty pages, sizo 7x9 Inches. A specimen ot this paper is Bhown in tho illustration.

Tho first newspaper In all South America was called Southern Star, published In Montevideo in 1806. The first daily paper In the English language which appeared in Spanish America was the Buenos Ayrca Standard, founded May 1, 1861, and which is now the best known journal In South America. Ia connection with the papers published In printed in two and some In three different languages each Issue. In all there are eighty one separate languages employed. They are as follows: Arabic, Armenian, Albanian, Assamese, Basque, Bengali, Bohemian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Canarese, Cherokee, Creek, Croatian, Chinese, Czechish, Danish, Dutch, or Hollandlsh, English, Estnlsh, French, Flemish, Frisian, Fiji, Finnish, Grusinlan, Georgian, German, Gaelic, Guaranl, ancient and modern Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hindustani, Hawaiian, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Kafir or Xosa, Kalmuk, Korean, Latin, Lapp, Lettish or Livonlan, Magyar, Malay, Malagasl, Maori, Maltese, Marathi, Norwegian, Persian, Portuguese, Provencal, Polish, Rouman, Roman ese, Russian, Ruthenlan, Sardinian, Slavonic, Servian, Siamese, Swedish, Spanish, Slovak, Sinalhese, Slovenian, Sioux, Syriac, Tartar, Tamil, Telagu, Turkish, Tschwvaschlan, Urdu, Volapuk and Welsh.

The total number of newspapers of all kinds that are published throughout the world is now estimated at 42,800, the annual aggregate circulation of which is calculated to be twelve thousand million copies 12,000,000, 000. These 42.S0O papers are distributed about as follows: United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Austria Hungary, Russia 815; Canada, 870; Japan, 770; Greece, 580 Spain, 850; Belgium, 300; Holland, 300; Swit zerland, 450; Portugal, 50; Egypt, 36; China, 40; Persia, Australasia, 350. The question as to which country furnished tne nrst newspaper puDiication nas never been satisfactorily settled. Germany, France, Belgium and England each claim the honor. The difficulty of arriving at a proper solution of the question seems to turn upon what Is to be considered a newspaper, and a general agreement upon that question has not as yet been effected.

There are in the British Mu seum copies ot many early English papers. the oldest being what was known as the Weekly News, published In London in 1622. This paper continued until January 9, 1640, when It was succeeded by the Mercury. The earliest of the papers published in Germany, acoording to the most veracious account, was Die Frankfurter Oberpostamis Zeltung, 1615. The following year a paper published at irregular intervals appeared in Antwerp.

In 1643 the first Swedish paper was started In Stockholm. During the latter part of the seventeenth and the beginning of the eight eenth centuries a number of newsnaner? made their appearance in England and In various parts of the continent. Theso papers seldom consisted of more than two small pages of leaflets of text, and in this limited space was comprised all the foreign intelligence covering a period ot several dava while a considerable portion of the second page was devoted to advertisements. The first Russian newspaper (Moscovskla Vye domostl) was published under tho personal supervision of Peter the Great, January 2 1703, and In the Imperial library at St. Petersburg thero are now treasured up some proof sheets with corrections made by Peter tho Great himself.

On tho North American continent the publication of newspapers began with the Boston News Letter, April 24, 1704. A sheet known as Public Occurrences, Foreign and Domestic, was issued in Boston in 1690, but it can not be said that it was really a newspaper. In 1719 the Boston Gazette was started as a rival to the News Letter. Then the New England Courant appeared, 1721, and in 1732 the Rhode Island Gazette. On October 16, 1725, the first newspaper in New York city, the Gazette, was started, and in 1730 the Weekly Journal came out.

Of tho New York papers at the present time tho oldest is tho Commercial Advertiser, which was started In 1797. The Evening Post comes next, dating from 1801. The first Canadian paper was tho Halifax Gazette in 1763. At the beginning of tho present century there wero ninety one newspapers published in the United States as against 17,760 at tho beginning of 1897. In 1894 the Morning Advertiser of London celebrated its centenary and this brought to light the fact that there were at that time in LONG ISLAND TIMBER.

Celebrated for Its Oak, Walnut, Butternut and Chestnut. An Interesting fact not generally known is that Long Island produces better working timber than any other part of the country'. Its oak, walnut and butternut, for furniture and Indoor fittings, outrank that of all other localities in beauty of grain and durability. Its poplar and whitewood are harder and heavier than the same wood produced in the Western states. Another wood worthy of note is the white oak.

Like all the native woods, its grain is exceptionally handsome, taking all sorts of curls and waves, and its irregular lines strongly defined, producing a fine effect when polished. Trees that have attained a great age are notably rich in marking, as was found in thoJ Bryant oak, an immense tree on the poet's estate at Roslyn, which a few years ago was undermined by springs at Its root. The tree was stored away to season and preserved for the family's use, to be made into furniture. On learning that it had been a landmark for over a century and a favorite with many old residents. Miss Julia Bryant presented one ot the long arms to an old friend and neighbor, who had the wood converted into small articles for library use, such as paper knives, penholders and inkstands.

These were sold at fairs for the benefit of the Homo for Friendless Children, a county institution that Mr. Bryant bad been greatly interested in. A wood not as well known or appreciated by shipwrights as It should be is tho Long Island chestnut. It has proved moro durable than whito oak. The old sloop Mlewild, built over thirty years ago and always In commission, is timbered entirely with chestnut, ami not an Inch of this wood has needed attention.

Long Island Is aiso noted for its yellow locust and black walnut, and there is none finer In any part of the country than those found on the north shore. An amateur geologist accounts for this by the fart that largo amounts of siiica are in tho clay underlying tho surface soil, and that doubtless this quality in their earth food gives Long Island timber its superiority in beauty and durability and explans the hardness so wearing to workmen's tools. THE FIRST TEACUPS. Even after tea was introduced Into Europe and had come Into general use, teacups were scarce. At tho same time, coffee was introduced, but, apart from Constantinople, tho first coffee cups In Europe date back only as far as 1645 In Venice, 1659 In Paris, 1652 in London an'i 16i4 In Leipslc.

From tho first however, the conventional Oriental coffee cup. wiluuul HLL iu ui wiiit lutie useu, and in Germany not at all. The Chinese tea cup was used for tea, coffeo and chocolate as well. Specimens ot were undoubtedly introduced into Europe in the middle ages, yet not till the sixteenth century' wero cups imported frcm China in any great quantities and even then it was as articles of vertu. Most of these found their way back to Chiim again, as collecting porcelain is a lasting fad there, and mgti prices are paid for good spe cimens.

The collection of Chinese porcelain If only the genuine specimens are desired, requires immense study and knowledge, as the Chinese ru skillful imitators, and nut numerous falsifications on the market. 'Jew elers' Circular. The modern soup spoon has a deep, round howl, being fashioned somewhat like the bouillon spoon, but of course larger in size. I.