THE HORNING OHEGOKIAN, FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1901
EFFECT OF PROTECTION
BEXEFICIAL TO FEW,
TO MANY.
IXJUHIOUS
Professor Arthar Latham Perry DIs-
cssses the Policy Opposed to the
"Welfare of the Masses.
BOSTON". March 2S. The New England
Free Trade League Issues the following
article by Professor Arthur Latham
Perry, of Williams College:
The nature and effects of protective tar-
lffi, so called, can only be clearly and j
certainly seen in rne naiure ana enecis 01
all trade in general and in particular.
The constantly continued inductions of
thousands of years In all the civilized
countries of the world have sharply dis
criminated trade from the only things In
society liable to be confounded with it;
namely, from giving and from stealing.
Trade is good in its inmost nature and
results. It always was good and it al
ways will be good. It has preceded and
accompanied and followed every advance
In civilization and religion the world over;
und it is as certan as anything in the
future can be that every step of genuine
and persistent progress anywhere will
be initiated and accelerated by the vol
untary buying and selling of men for their
own advantage. This is alike and ob
viously the plan and purpose of God and
the welfare and happiness of mankind.
To put all these propositions beyond
the reach of denial or cavil, I ask the
readers of this paper carefully to con
sider with mo in the way of analysis and
Inductive proof (1) the parties to trade.
It takes two to make a bargain; that
is, a sale. This maxim is very old and
it is perfectly sound. One or both of
the parties to an ultimate sale may rep
resent, as an agent or official, the Inter
ests of other persons than himself, and
these interests may be very great and
complicated; but this makes no difference
In the radical nature of the transaction.
For example, I happen to know well the
person called the "buyer" In what Is said
to be the largest Iron foundry in the
United States; but, when he buys 10W
tons of coal or pig Iron, he stands and
acts In the nam6 and interest of the own
ers and operations of this immense es
tablishment; he Is a party to the trade in
the same sense as when he buys a suit of
clothes for himself of a neighboring tailor.
So of the other party, of whom he buys
the coal and iron. It takes two to make
a bargain only two. The action must be
voluntary and reasonably intelligent on
both sides. Else It Is no bargain. Force
and fraud are equally foreign to the
nature of trade.
Next let us look carefully to (2) the mo
tives in trade. The human impulses that
have led men freely to exchange one
thing for another during all the past. In
every neighborhood and village and city,
and across the seas, must have been ex
tremely strong. These Impulses are felt at
the present time on every habitable por
tion of the globe, more strongly and wide
ly than ever before; and all signs will fall
unless in the great time coming they
shall move the masses of men more Ir
resistibly everywhere than ever before.
What are these moving motives in the
minds of men? In the nature of things
they can only be the universal desire to
better their condition, to supply their
wants more easily, to apply pecuniary
gains whose only possible sources is trade
of one form or another, in order to ac
quire power and influence during their
own brief day on the earth, and so to
transmit to their children some vantage
grounds over those they themselves orig
inally possessed. Is not all this honor
able? Has It not proved effectual gen
eration after generation?
Now we will inquire in the third place
(3) what kinds of things are those which
are subject to trade? In other words,
what classes of things are bought and
sold jamong men always have been and
always will be, ' and no other classes?
To this question has rarely (almost never)
been given the attention which it richly
deserves, indeed, which it must necessar
ily have if one would understand trade
from the bottom up. The present writer
has applied his best powers (such as they
are) to this question, and a correct answer
to It during the whole of a long, profes
sional life. He Is satisfied with this an
swer. He is willing nay, desirous that
it be tested by the most inquisitive and
intelligent and profound minds in this
country or any other. There are only
three sorts of thing possible to become
the subjects of trade: that Is to say, to
be bought and sold. These are:
(a.) Tangible commodities, including
lands.
(b.) Personal services, whether com
mon or professional.
,(c.) Commercial credits, that is, prom.
ises written or oral.
The easiest way for my intelligent
doubter to overturn this classification, if
it can be done. Is to bring forward some
well-authenticated instances in his own
experience or that of others, in which
some other subject matter than one of
these three played an obvious part in the
bargain or exchange. Until such overturn
be effected demonstrably, it will be as
sumed that it is impossible to be effected
at all. Then it will logically follow that
only six sorts of trade were ever consum
mated or ever will be namely, a com
modity for another commodity; a com
modity for a service; a commodity for a
credit; a service for a service; a service
for a credit: one credit for another. It
follows, also, that it makes no difference
whatever, so far as tho two parties are
cpneerned, which of the three possible
-valuables Is in the hand or power of
which party for the purposes of that
trade. Each is a buyer and seller at the
same instant. Each is a buyer, because
he must pay for what he buys, and that
is selling; and each is a seller, because
he must take pay for what he sells, and
that makes it buying. Each must render
something and each must receive some
thing at the same moment. If a man will
not buy he cannot sell. If he refuse to
sell, he cannot by any possibility buy.
It Is only individuals that buy and sell:
Nations as such can have no part In it
except to interrupt and forbid It. Nations
by wretched laws may limit and lessen
and mangle trade; but it is way beyond
their power or function directly to foster
or upbuild it. When a nation pretends to
do this, and uses words to describe their
action to this end words Implying that it
can be done and that the nation is doing
it, as, for example, the United States at
the present time the words are used In a
deceitful sense, are designed to deceive
and do actually deceive many people.
Such a word so used Is "protection." It
is as full of deceit and deviltry as an egg
is full of meat. The only way in which a
nation can "protect" an unprofitable in
dustry (so alleged), or tries to do it, is
to tax; that is, always to lessen and some
times to destroy naturally profitable in
dustries, that only ask to be let alone to
be enabled to pay not only their full share
of taxes for revenue, but also to enrich
the country and themselves.
Now we will ask a question, which will
be the fourth (4) in order, and which goes
to the bottom of this entire subject. We
have seen already that trade Is good in
its inmost nature, that it quickens the
iritelllgence and enhances the powers and
satisfies the growing wants and accele
rates the progress and simplifies, while
apparently complicating, the sources of
present enjoyments and the means of fu
ture well-doing for every competent per
son dwelling upon the surface of this
globe. So God designed it to be; and so
lt;Is constantly and Increasingly coming
to 'be, except as certain short-sighted and
self-opinionated and greedy, grasping
men, thinking that they can outwit Prov
idence and rob their fellowcltlzens with
impunity, manage to kill by so-called laws
some naturally profitable industries of the
people, and to haggle many more of them.
The Question is, How can such a thing
be done; how Is It actually done in such
a country as the United States, with com
mon schools and open-eyed citizens?
First, while the men who really get the
"protective" tariff taxes passed In Con
gress, meaning thereby to feather their
own nests at the costs of their country
men, are relatively few in number, they
are often able by means of combines and
log-rollings with other members, who
have entirely other ends In view, to toss
their accursed burdens on the necks of the
common people, and partly also to conceal
It. You tickle me. and I will tickle you,
has been, in the United States, the com
mon principle of protective tariffs from
the Tariff of Abominations in 1S2S till the
Dlngley tariff of our own time, which Is
also a tariff of abominations. Second,
certain men become abnormally rich and
powerful through the action of tariff tax
es derived by themselves for that pur
pose, and 60 are able to pocket tariff-lifted
prices for their own wares through cut
ting off the natural competition in such
wares of neighbors who happen to live
under a foreign flag. It is not necessary
to go out of New England, which Is the
special field for rational effort of the New
England Free Trade League, to find a
striking Instance of this very process by
which a man of moderate talents has be
come artificially and wickely rich through
unjust law, and so assisted to tread the
steps of official life within his state to the
highest, and to- mock at the apparent
helplessness of those whom he Is helping
to plunder. Within less than a week of
the present writing, this man is reported
in the public prints as saying officially in
Washington. "While It may be necessary
to repeal or reduce some of the war taxes
at the coming session of Congress, it is
not needful to touch In any way the pro
tective tariff taxes." Why not? Why not
tackle the worst taxes first those which
make the people pay more, while the
treasury gets less? What makes this of
ficial effrontery the more outrageous Is
that no afflicted man or woman can raise
a marble memorial to the memory of their
dead in a single God's acre of New Eng
land without paying blackmail to one of
their public servants in the very presence
of death. And this is only one of scores
upon scores of Instances similar in prin
ciple and results all over this country.
And, third, the creation in a republic of
a privileged class, such as the combined
and compacted protectionists of this coun
try are at this moment. Is a constant men
ace to the continuance of its free institu
tions. Plunderers and plundered do not
and cannot coalesce well in the Intricate
work of government, although not all the
plunderers know themselves to be such,
nor all the plundered have yet learned
the nature of the cunning Instrument by
which their enormous losses are brought
about. What is needed Is light. What is
needed is to watch the motions and ac
tions of members of Congress as they foist
in and perhaps slip out certain clauses of
tariff acts. Each party to a trade inva
riably prefers what he Is about to receive
to what he is about to render. This is tho
universal motive to trade. Stopping trade
by statute creates losses by necessity.
Protectionism, therefore, in every degree
of It and in every Instance of It, begets
losses Instead of gains; that is to say,
losses to the many In the hope of fictitious
gains to the few. I have talked with
scores, if not hundreds, of protectionists
as such, and found in nearly every case
their opinion of it precisely the same as
my own when it came to tho bottom
points. My custom was to ask at length,
"Why not abolish then the tariff tax if It
does not benefit your business?" "Ah!
you have got me there!" I have also en
Joyed the privilege of hearing in private
members of the ways and means com
mittee unfold at length the deadly selfish
ness and short-sightedness of the schemers
coming before them for "tariff favors."
The late General Garfield, a pupil and life
long friend of mine, a fellow-member with
me and other Americans of the Cobdcn
Club of Great Britain, was one of those
discoursing thus of these enemies of their
country and of mankind. It Is by the
abuses of language, -accordingly, and by
the concealment of the substance of things
both economical and political, that the
L American people have been and are now
duped and fooled.
Finally, we will ask and try to answer
the fifth (5) question of our present series;
namely, what are the present grounds of
hope for a better issue In the time to come
of free-trade effort and discussion. One
is. there ore more disinterested citizens
than ever before billing to spend and he
spent In this service. Said William Cullen
Bryant In my hearing, "I have given 50
years ito this work, and have never
wearied of it." Another Is, Providence
seems to be pelting the nations with irre
sistible missiles in preparation for a
broader and more Christian method In
commercial and international relations.
What is this we hear to satiety at present
about the "open door"? God knows.
TIME FOR THEIR MEALS.
Hotv the Passengers of One Train
Obtained It.
Kansas City Journal.
"I have had some funny experience as
a conductor," said a man of punch and
tickets, yesterday, as he rested after
bringing ln his train, "but the most laugh
able one happened when I was running
down the Missouri Pacific branch from
Coffeyvillo to Fort Smith, about three
years ago. It happened at the eating
house at Wagoner. It was the custom of
the road to allow 20 minutes for meals all
roads do that and the passengers gener
ally bustle off, cram down their food and
rush back again. So on the occasion I
mention, there was no thought given to
the matter, and the customary announce
ment was made.
"Now, I was 15 minutes late, and I fig
ured that I could lop a few minutes off
that 20, and make up some of It. So I
fixed to have the train start at IS minutes
after we stopped. Four minutes gained is
four minutes, you know. So I called, 'All
aboard!' Just 15 minutes after we stopped.
"There was one smart Aleck in that
gang that I didn't take into account. The
crowd wasn't large, and most of 'em were
in a bunch. He got next to the scheme
at once, and tipped it off to the gang.
" 'Ladles and gentlemen, says he, Just
like he was making a speech, 'it Is only 15
minutes since we stopped. The card says
we have 20, and they are all too few for
us to eat ln. This is a good meal, and I
am hungry. Now this conductor is fool
ing with us. I propose that wo pay him
back. Every one finish his meal leisure
ly, and carefully, and take his roynl good
time. Ho won't start without his pas
sengers, rest assured.'
"The gang caught on, and yelled. Not a
fellow budged, and the only passengers I
had at that moment was a corpse In the
baggage car and one old woman who had
brought her lunch with her.
"I wasn't on to this, of course, so when
I saw no one move, I yelled 'all aboard'
again. The bell began to ring, the whistle
tooted. But those folks sat calmly eating
and calling for more.
"I was crazy! 'Ain't you going on this
train?'
" 'TjVhen we finish eating,' said the
smart Alec and then I caught on. I
yelled and howled and roared, but It was
no use. 'You have our baggage, and you
daren't leave us all here," said the smart
guy and I didn't.
"Do you know that gang held me there
nearly 40 minutes, all because that fel
low was smooth enough to turn the trick
on me? It was the worst and yet the
funniest thing that ever happened to me.
The superintendent was dazed when I
told him of it, and the manager had a
fit, but what could they do about it?"
The common and familiar thread spun
by Mme. Spider Is so fine that 25,000 miles
of It, enough to go around the earth,
would weigh only "eight ounces. And
yet, fine as it is, the threads consist of
1000 filaments.
AMERICA BESTS ENGLAND
GAIXIXG TRADE WHERE LATTER
SHOULD HAVE A MONOPOLY.
Boots and Shoes the Line British
Commercial Agent Officially
Discusses Subject.
WASHINGTON, March 23-The rapid
growth of the export of boots and shoes
from the United States is attracting the
attention of the manufacturing world,
and of the representatives In the United
States of the manufacturing countries
of the world. The British Commercial
Agent In the United States has forward
ed to his home Government a statement
regarding the exportation of boots and
shoes from the United States, In which
he cites figures relating to our exports
to the United Kingdom, British West
Indlnes, Australasia and Africa, and
says: "A glance at these figures will
show how American-made boots and !
shoes are being pushed with success
wherei British-made goods ought to have
practically a monopoly." 1
This report, a copy of which has I
COLUMBIA COUNTY'S
JAMES MTCKLE, SR.
ST. HELENS, March 2S. James Muckle. Sr., the oldest Inhabitant of St. Hel- t
ens, and perhaps of Columbia County, will be 02 jcars old In July. He was
born ln Northumberland, England. When 7 years of age he came to America
with his father, and located at Ontario, Canada, where he lived until 1877. when f
he came to Oregon. He ha? been the father of 12 children, eight of -whom are T
still living, three girls and five boys. The children, with one exception, are real-
dents of Oregon. Mr. Muckle makes his home with his children. He has carried
a key to the same pojtofllce box and has received the mall regularly for.0ears. f
Although past .jour score years and ten, be Js as spryabou hIajjrk.asCa youth. I
in Ins. teens. . " ,
t
reached the Treasury Bureau of Statis
tics through the British Board of Trade
Journal, shows that the exports of boots
and shoes .during the 12 months ending
December 31, 1900. to the United Kingdom,
British West Indies, British Australasia
and British Africa from the United States
have grown from 142,32S ln 1S?S, to 323,
rOS in 1S99, and 426,124 ln 1900, and that the
experts of a similar character from the
United Kingdom to British West Indies;
British Australasia, and South Africa
have slightly decreased meantime, being
In 1S9S. 1.092,001; in 1S99. 1,001,927, and in
11-00, 1,075,47S.
Commenting on the growth of Ameri
can sales ln British territory and ab
sence of growth of British sales ln the
same territory, the report says:
"Why this state of affairs should be
possible. Is not, at first sight, quite clear.
It means, cither that the American-made
article Is cheaper than the British-made
one, or that it Is of better quality. Tak
ing It for granted that the British boots
and shoes are not inferior to those of
America, there must be some Important
reason why the latter should cost less
than the former. That America is a large
exporter of leather to the United King
dom shows that they can manufacture
It cheaper. Considering that so much of
the raw material has to be Imported Into
the United States by the tanners,- there
seems no reason why leather should not
be manufactured as cheap or cheaper In
the United Kingdom. This applies es
pecially to the finer qualities, such as
patent leather, glazed kid, and others.
There is no doubt that as far as certain
classes of leather Is 'concerned, America
possesses consldreable natural advan
tages. There are plentiful supplies of
suitable bark growing In the different
parts of the country, and the tanneries
have been placed at no great distance
from It. The hemlock bark, which is
that most used for tanning sole leather.
Is obtained from the forests situated in
the states of Wisconsin and Michigan.
It is also found In New York state and
Pennsylvania, but the supply Is rapidly
diminishing. For tanning the finer qual
ities of leather chemicals and extracts
are used, a large quantity of which is
Imported.
"The United States is a large Importer
of hld'es. There were Imported during
the year ended December 31, 1900, 307,-
257.924 hides, valued at 10.74S.O07, of which '
152,792,232, valued at 3.815.9S7 were hides
of cattle which pay Import duty of. 15
per cent ad valorem, and ,121,650, valued
at 3,960,320, were goat skins, which were
admitted free of duty. Of the total Im
ports, 124,255,261. valued at 4,288,707
came from Europe, and 66,212,792, valued
at 2,191,451, came from tho East Indies.
"Those in the trade will doubtless be
able to say whether the disadvantages
of having to import this quantity of
hides, bringing them from such great dis
tances and paying 15 per cent duty, pay
ing higher wages than are customary ln
Europe, and heavy railway and steamer
freights, are compensated for by getting
cheaper bark. If not, there must be
somcthlnng ln the process of tanning
that enables the American tanners to
compete with other countries in their
own markets. Needless to say, only the
latest Improvements in the general pro
cess of .tanning are employed in the
United States. It Is the use of so much
Improved machinery that enables the
American manufacturer to turn out such
large quantities, and do It so cheaply.
"American manufacturers are going to
make a bid for the South American boot
trade as wpll as the European and Co
lonial. There is also some talk of an
American factory being started in the
City of Mexico. Practically the whole
of the boots and shoes made In the
United States came formerly from the
factories J situated in the East, Boston
being the center. Latterly, however,
tanneries have sprung up further west,
about Chicago especially, so as to be
I near the supply of the hemlock bark.
The boot and shoe factories have nat
urally followed suit, dnd consequently
a considerable portion of the trade has
been taken out of the hands of Eastern
makers, and they in turn have been
obliged to look for other markets where
they can dispose of their goods. It Is
therefore from that quarter that British
manufacturers must look for the severest
competition. It has been suggested that
a combination of American manufactur
ers should erect in different parts of the
world large warehouses In which could
be stored the different kinds and sizes of
boots and shoes so that retailers could
replenish their stocks when they required
it.
"The advantages of such a plan, should
It be carried out, would be considerable."
OLD WILL DISCOVERED.
American Heirs Will Claim an En
Kllth Estate.
NEW YORK, March 2S. Walter M.
Johnson, of Brooklyn, sailed for Eng
land today to claim on behalf of a doz?n
American heirs the estate of Thomas
Holden, valued at $1,000,000. But for the
discovery of the will of Thomas Holden.
who dIed ln 1S09' the American claimants
would be unable to establish their right
to the estate. This will was lost to the
Holden heirs for years. Holden left no
OLDEST INHABITANT.
-
children, and two -sets of relatives engaged
in a bitter strife over his property. Among
the effects of one. of the American heirs
who died a few years ago the will was
found. Mr. Johnson will take with him
the old will. He will have power of at
torney from the various American heirs.
Thomas Holden owned valuable real es
tate in England, and upon his death the
property went to his sister, Elizabeth, and
her heirs. She married Stephen Broad
bent. They had several children. One
of the sons, William Broadbent, married
Jane, daughter of John and Jane Ten
nant. This branch of the Broadbent fam
ily came to the United States about 1S50.
They acquired a tract of land covering
200 acres. A large part of this property
subsequently was sold to the Garrett
family. The Broadbents prosp'ered and
brothers and sisters of William followed
to this country.
There were eo many deaths among the
several heirs that ln time, according to
the statement made by Mr. Johnson, only
the direct heirs of William Broadbent
retained an Interest In the Holden estate.
The case was placed" in the hands of a
Baltimore attorney, who received Infor
mation from England recently which re
sulted ln Mr. Johnson's plan to go there
and claim the estate.
If the American heirs are successful,
the property will be divided among Wal
ter M. Johnson, William B. Stambaugh,
Daisy Stambaugh and Anna B. Stam
baugh, of this city; Joseph G. Johnson,
J. M. Johnson, Ella McGahan, G. V. John
son and Ferdinand Broadbent of Balti
more; Philip G. Stambaugh, of Blngham
ton, and Lady M. Durrett ami Viola E.
Stambaugh, of Fairmont, W. Va.
The Adnmi Warehouse Bill.
KINGSLEY, Or., March 25. (To tho
Editor.) Did the Adams -warehouse bill
become a law, and If not, why not?
KINGSLEY.
The bill referred to .was introduced In
the Senate, passed that body, and went to
the House, where It was referred to the
committee on commerce. This commit
tee refused to report the bill back to the
House, so Senator Adams Introduced the
samo bill again In the Senate, and se
cured Its passage; but this was so late in
the session that It never came up for
action ln the House. There was a strong
opposition to the bill on the part of ware
housemen, and It Is impossible to say
what action would have been taken had
the committee on commerco reported it
back.
A Golf Reminiscence.
, "Washington Star.
When we played shinny long aga
Our clothing did not fret -us.
Wo wore no coats of sunset glow
Our mothers would not let us. "
Oh. we were coKlsh ln our slee;
We- loved to prance and whinny;
We asked no "niblick" and no "tee"
When we were plalng shinny.
Oh, where are those companion now
The thin boy we called "fatty";
The boy 111 clad, with grimy brow;
The boy so neat and natty;
The boy who was so very fat
His comrades named him "skinny"?
There Is no friendship here like that
We knew while playing shinny.
Perchance, one day a club I'll take
And set the golf ball flying.
At least an effort I may make;
There's naught, you know, like trying.
But I shall miss those bojlsh friends,
So freckel-faced and grlnny;
No modern game can make amends
For those lost hours of shinny.
Needed Help. De Cash I see yon have 'taken
apartner. De Curb Yea; I had to. A man
can't keep a suburban, residence supplied with
servants and attend, 0 business, too. New
York Weekly. w".
GAMBLING IN S0CIE1Y
STORIES CURRENT IX SEW YORK
ABOUT LOSSES AT BRIDGE.
Serlons Dilemma of a Man Who Has
Lost 3500 Hostesses Who In
sisted on Prompt Payment.
When the Tranby Croft gambling scan
dal attracted attention ln England a
decade ago one comment on the subject
was an expression of burprlse that even
In the quiet of country life persons of
fashion should find gambling for high
stakes necessary to their enjoyment, and
could not finish the evening without re
tiring after dinner to the gambling table,
whero the diversion might be baccarat,
roulette or any other game of chance that
the guests enjoyed most. That the pres
ent King of England should have traveled
with gambling paraphernalia was thought
cnother elvdence of the seriousness with
which this branch of their amusement
was looked after by people of wealth and
distinction.
It was said that the exposures which
followed the Tranby Croft case put for
at least some years a quietus on English
society's taste for gaming, says the New
York Sun. At all events, attention was
not again attracted to this weakness as
it had been before, and no such criticism
of English social life has been heard ln
recent years as that which Is Just now
re-echoing from one end of New York
to the other.
For a long time certain houses In New
York have buzzed with gossip concerning
the losses made by this person or that,
and tales which seem exaggerated to all
but those who know the truth are told
of the misfortunes that have come upon
this" person or that through devotion to
the prevailing passion of the hour, or at
all events through the devotion of one
person to the game, whatever the Indi
vidual feelings may be of the man or
woman forced by circumstances to play.
For It Is curious that most of the stories
of serious losses refer to persons without
a knowledge of the game who have been
led Into the playing for the convenience
of others rather than from any desire of
their own.
It was a year ago nearly that these
stories of losses at bridge whist began
to be told ln New York. During the Sum
mer they came In greater numbers from
Newport, and this season they have
reached the public through the pulpit and
in other ways less direct. In the ac
counts of losses, and occasionally of win
nings, the names of persons conspicuous
ln society frequently occur, and, indeed,
most that has been told is limited to two
or three houses where only the most
conspicuous figures ln society gather.
Poker has temporarily disappeared ln
favor of bridge whist, and even the pri
vate roulette wheels, numerous now in
New York, are not nearly so active in
furnishing entertainment as they were
two .or three years ago. Bridge whist
seems to divide favor only with seven
handed euchre, which has lately become
an absorbing pastime for women; but as
the latter game Is rarely. If ever, 'played
for money, It is gambling only In a sense
that has never been seriously condemned.
It Is a fact that the popularity of games
of chance which now prevails has led
women to gather In the afternoon as they
never did ln the past merely to play
cards. The women's enchre parties,
which are usually limited to 21 persons,
making three tables, have supplanted the
women's luncheon tables as a means of
social diversion, and have even had an
effect on the afternoon tea, which has
lost its charm for those who can pass the
afternoon ln the more engrossing sport
of playing for a turquoise pin or a sliver
edged pocketbook. This phase of the
gambling craze Is not a serious one. how-
ever, and Is regarded by social observers
as only a sporadic "result of the more ab
sorbing passion which' has led to serious
financial losses.
Nothing can give a better Idea of the
extent to which women and men arc In
terestcd ln bridge whist than some of the
stories now floating through New York
society. The most serious phase of these.
and about the latest, refers to the case of
a young man who lost $3500 at the house
of a woman whose name stands as solidly
for millions as Trinity Church docs
for religion. He was foolish enough, or
weak enough, to play bridge whlbt at
this house one night and to lose $3300.
This sum, to his host, was a bagatelle,
and to the woman who had asked him to
play It meant nothing more. But it hap
pened that he was a young man living on
an income of about $6000 a year, and
keeping close to the limit of that.
His social life required an expenditure
of Just about as much as he made, and he
had no accumulation In the bank from
which this loss could be paid. It meant
social ruin to him to default. Probably It
can be maintained that there Is no need
for sympathy in the case of any simple
ton who gambles with his eyes open and
meets with such disaster. But it can be
said on his side that he was, In a meas
ure, under the necessity of doing what he
was asked to do by persons to whom he
was under social obligations.
The money has not yet been paid. The
story Is pretty well known, and the man.
I f HAIR AWf OTHEK 1
1 ISIllM SIMS T feilB WiKLSo
Hill . HARtURGbR", H0MH CO., MIRUFACT01ERI LAXG & CO., DISTRIBUTERS, B
who has found it more difficult to raise
the amount than anybody would have
supposed It would be for one of his ac
quaintance among people of wealth. Is
Just now the most observed of all the
young men ln his social set. When he Is
to pay and what he is to do under the
circumstances are questions that Interest
all his acquaintances. Their interest con
tinues great because there Is a well
founded belief that tho young man him
self has not yet seen his way out of the
difficulty.
If he does not pay, he might as well
leave New York, because knowledge of
the affair has traveled around through
his entire circle of friends, and he Is
likely to be known -for the rest of his life
as the loser who didn't pay. If. on the
other hand, he is able to raise the 52500.
his situation 1h likely to be embarrassed
financially for some time to come. In
any case, his social career here has about
come to an end.
A few weeks ago a man was asked to
dine at the house of a woman he had
known for some years as he knew 50 oth
ers in society. He found eight persons
there, including himself, and the dinner
was briefer than he imagined It would be.
not knowing that bridge whist was the
real object of the evening's gathering.
AVhen the coffee was served and the men
were notified not to linger over it too
long, as It was time to begin the game,
he declared that his Ignorance of the
game would prevent him from playing.
As only eight persons were present, it
would have been Impossible to have the
two tables planned without him. The
hostess said It would be Impossible to get
anybody else, and that three persons who
had come there especially to play bridge
whist would be deprived of the pleasure
unless he consented.
"Besides," she said, "you play whist,
and the rules are very much the same.
We can all help you with what you don't
know. He was a gentleman, and he took
a hand at the -table. Possibly because
he was a gentleman he consented to sit
at tho table until the game was finished
and he had lost $400. Now, one of the
rules of bridge, since It has become such
a matter of business in New York, is that
losses must be paid before the players
leave the house. Various amusing
stories are told of the means by which
women compel the players to settle either
with ca3h or checks before they leave.
Not all of them have the same disagree
able character as the experience that
befell this man. He told the hostess that
he did not have $400 about him: that his
entire cash assets were about $35 at that
moment, but that he would send her a
check the next day.
"But you know It's the rule," she said
to him, smiling Icily, "for everybody to
pay as soon as the game Is finished. Now,
we shall all do that, and you see it would
be rather well, rather awkward for
some of us If you should not pay when
you are called upon to do so."
The tone of the woman's voice and her
manner were a surprise to the loser. He
had known her for a good many years,
but he had never seen her just like this.
Perhaps that was because he had never
seen her nfter bridge, but he was too
much absorbed at the time to think of
the causes of her conduct.
"But It Is impossible." he said, "to do
more than I have offered to do. I do not
go about with $400 In my pocket. I came
here with no Idea of playing cards. I
never should have done so had I for a
moment expected to lose this money. I
cannot afford it, and did not know the
game, but I will send you my check the
first thing tomorrow morning."
The woman looked dissatisfied.
"But where do you bank?" she said.
"Perhaps our banks are the same, and you
could give me the check now and w
could settle the game, as I said we ought
to, before you leave the house."
Then her good manners asserted them
selves, and she smiled, apologetically.
"Don't think." she said, "that I am ex
igent about this matter, but this Is the
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I (JI1AJ UIJUC lU1t'lul',f - --fc.ffcvv
and If our bank Is the same you could
write the check now'
The banks were not the same, so that
expedient was impossible. The expression
on the woman's face was more deter-
1 mined than ever when she turned from
ner aesK. 10 wnicn me iwo naa reurea
leaving the others settling their scores
at the table.
"Isn't there a place In the world." she
. sajQt turning and facing him with a look
nf desneratlon. "where you could ret that
$400 tonight? Possibly you don't know
that I have lost $G0O myself, and that I
must pay these people before they go. I
cannot make my check for the amount I
owe them, because my husband has al
ready f 01 bidden me to play. Try to think
if there Isn't a place where you can
get this money when It Is so much need
ed." He went to the telephone and called up
a club ln which he knew a rich friend of
his was likely to be. It was his own club
as well, and the mention of his name
soon brought his friend to the telephone.
He told the friend to give him $100 if he
had it in his pocket by accident, and If
not to write a check, get It cashed at
the club and send the money to him at
the house.
The mere mention of the house at which
he was assured his friend that the cir
cumstances were quite as pressing as the
telephone message made them appear. So
the answer came back that the' money
would be there ln a few moments; that it
would be brought by the friend himself.
It was not half an hour before one of
the servants announced that somebody
was downstairs to speak to Mr. X. He
found u servant from the club with the
money and the message that his friend
was walttng for him outside. He took
the envelope, gav the $400 to the hostess,
who was waiting to discharge her own
obligations to two or three creditors un
willing to release her, and then he left
the house. He was careful to Indicate ln
his farewell to his hostess that he was
never likely to go there again.
Another anxious hostess who did not
propose to allow a guest to leave until
he had settled his financial obligations,
might have been compelled to go as far
as the heroine of this story, had it not
happened that she and the loser used tho
same bank.
"Can't you give me a check?" she asked
him, when the game was over, and he had
Promised to send her one the "tda. I
would Just as soon take the $90 ln a check
as in cash. If you haven't got a check
with you, perhaps we both deposit In the
same bank."
"My bank is the Beeswax National Sav
ings Institution," he said, half hoping
that hers was not the same, rather from
a desire to disappoint such seeming ava
rice than for any other reason.
The woman's face was wreathed In
smiles when bhe heard the name of tha
bank.
"Delightful," she said. "That's the sama
bank I kpep my money ln, and I have a
checkbook right here ln this drawer. You
can give It to me now."
It must be said to the credit of the
women that they usually pay. They, ot
course, are compelled to pay their losses
when the money Is owing to their own
sex, but It might not be supposed that
they would be so honest when they wero
playing with men. They have shown a
disposition to treat men ln the same way
as their own .sex, however. Unless a
woman chooses to pay a man there Is, of
course, no way of forcing her, and somo
women avoid as often as possible this
penalty of. their gambling Instincts. It la
entirely a question of their own volition,
for If they do not choose to hand over
the money they have lost no gentleman
can ever even suggest to them the pro
priety of It.
On the other hand, a man must pay
whether he wants to or not. It Is com
mon eonugh nowadays to hear young
women, and some that are not eo youth
ful, explaining the presence of a ring en
their fingers or a pin that they may wear
merely with the word "bridge." A young
woman recently made it a point to tell
all the guests at one of the balls glvert
Just before Lent began that the superb
gown she was wearing would have been
quite Impossible so late In the season had
it not been for her luck at bridge whist.
Last Summer, when the stories first
came to Newport of the hold that bridge
had taken on the Summer colony, most
persons thought that they must be exag
gerated. Practically every sport suffered
seriously from the devotion to whist. Ono
young girl who had become known In New
York society only the year before had
winnings up to August 1 which were
larger than those of any other woman.
She made no concealment of the fact that
up to that time she was $2000 to the good,
and all of her women friends spoke with
envy of her wonderful success in what
was the popular game of the season.
Further evidence of the hold that It took
on the people can be found In the story
of the party that went out on a steam
yachting to watch the races given in Au
gust. It happened entirely by chance that
the host and his guests made a party ot
eight. While they were drifting around
during the morning waiting for the races
to begin, somebody remarked that there
were Just enough on board for two tables
at bridge. It was then 10 o'clock.
The host gave orders for the captain to
steam to the course of the yachts and fol-
low them on the race so as to give his
guests tne nest view, mey were to De in
formed when the yachts started, and ln
the meantime went downstairs to play
bridge. The game began at a little after
10. The captain followed his employer's
orders and took the steam yacht over the
course followed by the racers.
The boats went to the stakeboat, camo
back to their starting point, and the win
ner was declared. The captain brought
the steam yacht back to the dock at New
port. It was not until he notified the pas
sengers downstairs that they were once
more at home that the game of bridge
was Interrupted. All day they had played
down ln the cabin unmindful of the cap
tain's warning that the yachts had start
ed, and ignorant of everything but ab
sorption ln the sport.
When they came home they realized for
the first time that the day. so far as the
races were concerned, had been a fail
ure. They had seen nothing and with
only a brief Interruption for lunch had
stuck to the game they began at 10
o'clock. But It suited them so well that
they did not regard their time as wasted.
They may have missed the race, but sonm
had the opportunity to lose and others to
win a very fat sum of money.