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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1904)
The First International Kite-Plying Contest DnBofTd ST. IvOUIS, Oct 25. Special Corre .spondence of the Sunday Oregonian.) That the kite Is no mere toy, but that It ranks -with -the balloon in strate gic Importance as a factor in war, as well as in scientific enterprise, was dem onstrated at the "World's Fair last week in the first international kite-flying con test ever held. Entries were received from, all parts of the United States and England and one from Japan for the contest which took place October 17 and 18, and in which the prizes offered by the fair ag gregated $2500. Among the 18 entries were men of International reputation, such as Major Baden-Powell, of the English army, who came all the way from London to participate, and Professor Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the tele phone. M. Cruzuka was the contestant from fair Japan. Among aeronauts the kite is regarded as essential to the solution of aerial navi gation, and it is interesting to note that Americans and Englishmen are devoting their energies to the construction of suc cessful kites and gliding machines, while the French have resorted to the airship Idea and are working with the gas bog. It is admitted by French aeronauts, bow ever, that the use of the balloon is. only a means to an end and that in due time the gas bag will be eliminated entirely from the flying machine. While the French are getting into the air first and striving toward the final elimination of the gas bag; such Americans as Professor Langley and Alexander Graham Bell are beginning at the root of the problem in an effort to produce the self-supporting aeroplane. The kite is the means to this end from the American viewpoint. Practical Uses of the Kite. The practical uses of the kite in its present stage of development are niany and may be enumerated as follows: Man- The Depositing of the Ballot for President THE 15,000,000 voters who will cast their ballots on November 8 will vote in all sorts of ways and under a great variety of regulations. The Constitution requires that "all "elec tions shall be by ballot." but If this wero interpreted literally all who have the right to vote would go to the polls and drop into specified receptacles little balls, such as used in our club elections. The earliest users of the ballot for vot ing purposes were the Greeks, who at their elections dropped Into an urn or "box, balls bearing appropriate marks. Sometimes they utilized stones and shells for the same purpose, but even these crude methods were more progressive than those still obtaining in some of our own states. They assured a secret vote, which ballot reformers in this country have been fighting for these many years past. And speaking of these voting shells ("ostrakon") of the Greeks, doubtless you do not know that they "gave us our word "ostracism." When a citizen became ob noxious' to the Greeks they took a secret ote as to whether he should be driven Into exile or not, by casting their shell ballots. First Ticket Ballots Roman. Voting by ticket was an invention of the Romans. If the vote concerned a change, in the law the tickets were marked ,"V. T-," the initial letters of the Latin words expressing consent to the new proposi tion, or "A," expressing adherence to the old law. In elections to public office these ancient Roman tickets bore the can didates' names. The Romans passed a law regulating secret voting as early as 139 B. but long before this, even, the popular assemblies voted by ballot. Throughout the middle ages these forms of voting obtained, especially the colored balls. Sometimes the division of these was by boxes, with mouths together, and co hooded that no bystander could see in wnlch the ball was dropped. Another method was to drop into the same box a white or bfack ball,, according to the Ticket "ballots wero used in America co .fore. they were adopted even .by England. "'These' werp Jhe "papers'.' which figured in Nw England .elections, during the early Colonial days, and. which the. Pilgrim Fathers are supposed to have seen first In . Holland. Our First. .Elections. Printed ballots gradually came Into vogue as our civilization progressed, and are now general in almost all constitu tional countries. But .in most of the states Of our Union, during more than a quarter century following .the establishment of the government, the state Legislatures "ap pointed" the Presidential electors, and the people voted only directly for them, their choice being expressed by their votes for the members of the Legislatures. South Carolina adhered to this practice even until the beginning of the Civil War. Pre vious to ISOt each elector voted for two candidates for President. The one who received the largest number of votes was declared President; the next largest Vice President. But In that year, the Consti tution having been amended, each elector voted for a President and Vice-President. Not until 1824 -did it become general for voters to cast their ballots directly for PSMidsaou electors; aeoce so rexertoce lifting for general purposes, where a bal loon is unavailable, for photographing with or without an occupant, for drop ping explosives, for signaling from torpedo-boats or other low craft at sea, for wireless telegraphy, and for meteoro logical observations. The exhibit con tests at the World's Fair have served to give only a suggestion of what may be accomplished at sea or over a battlefield. There were two classes of competition in the World's Fair tourney one for an altitude of 500 feet, to be reached with a line of 800 feet in length, and one for the greatest height attained by a single kite, to be not less than a mile, with any length of line. All kites were sent up simultaneously, the operators being sta tioned 150 feet apart, so as not to inter fere with one another. The $2500 offered as prizes was divided as follows: In the mlle-hlgh contest, first prize. $S00; second. 5500; third, 5200. In the 500-foot contest, first prize, 5500; eecond, 5300; third, 5200. The heights of the kites were measured trigonometrlcally, the altitudes being de termined by quadrants for measuring the angles, from the end of the string at the ground to Its point of attachment to the kite. Although .14 kites were in the air on Monday, the first day of the tourney,, no decision was given, because of the unsat isfactory conditions. Major Baden-Powell, A. R. Knabenshue and Thomas S. Bald win were not represented in the flight because they were unable to raise their kites in time. The contest was unsatis factory to the Judges and contestants in many ways, as there was fouling, which the rules of the contest had not provided against. To obviate these difficulties and to insure perfect conditions In the second trials additional rules were adopted. The second day's contest with 800 feet of line was satisfactory In every way, except for a diversion created by two of the hexagon kites, those of Major Baden Powell and Carl Meyers, breaking away and sailing off ahead of the wind. This books show the popular vote prior to that year, when "Old Hickory" was the suc cessful candidate. Months elapsed before the public knew the result of these old-tlmo elections, whereas on the 8th of next month an elec tion throb will probably enlighten the whole land on this point before midnight. Candidates Supplied Tickets. Our first ballots were furnished by the candidates themselves, who had to pay for the printing and distribution. Practically every man at the polls could see how ev ery other man had voted. Henchmen of candidates hung about the polling places and pressed their little tickets upon ar riving voters. The "party ballot" was .the next step. The cost of printing and distributing the tickets was footed up by the political or ganizations, and their agents now ap proached the voters with their bundles of tickets. This form of ballot did much to build up the great political parties, but was a prolific source of corruption. But it so happened that In 1S56 experi ments in voting had been made in South ern Australia, although wind of the in novation did not reach our shores for some years afterward. Out of this experi ment grew the famous "Australian ballot system." It embodied a "state ticket" printed at the expense of the government and given to the voters by a special of ficial. Privacy to those who cast these ballots was secured by voting booths or inclosed stalls. Agitation for "ballot reform" was not commenced with vigor in this country until 1857. It was a reaction against the corruption, bribery and intimidation which had long obtained at the polls. It resulted In the gradual adoption by many states of the Australian ballot system. Good effects were immediate wherever the method was adopted. There was better order and decency at the poll ing places, diminution of fraud and intim idation. Blanket Ballot. The "blanket ballot" came into vogue with the Australian system. All candi dates' names are, under this method, printed on the same ticket, sometimes in alphabetical order, irrespective of par ty. In some states there are "party col umns" headed each by the emblem of the party usually the eagle of the Republi cans the star of the Democrats, etc The illiterate voter places his mark at the head of his party column, as Indi cated by the emblem, and It is thus necessary for him to vote a "straight ticket." The blanket ballot is favored by the party organizations because it en courages this "straight" party voting L e,, for the entire ticket and discour ages "scratching." or independent voting. But in New Jersey each voter has found in the booth stacks of tickets, each rep resenting a different party. He selects his ticket, seals it in a blank envelope and places it In the ballot box after leav ing the booth. The Australian ballot system was in use in 36 states during the first McKInley Bryan election. In the coming contest It will be used by all states and terri tories except' the two Carollnas. Okla homa. New Mexico and parts of Georgia. England saw Its value as early as 1S70, when it was adopted for school board elections, and introduced it for elections to parliament two years later. Th advent of the "voting machlny THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAN, POBTLAND, OCTOBER 30, 1901. the World's Fair were not the kind which takes you back to your boyhood 'days when you rigged up a kite with a few sticks and a newspaper and a long tail was caused by the snapping, of the wires which held them attached to the reels in the hands of the operators. The flight was held in the morning from the Stadium and Aeronautic field and the kites were in the . air two hours, reaching various heights, at which angles were taken by the Judgejj. In the ralle-hlgh contest, which was flown in the afternoon, the kites were sent almost out of sight among the clouds. Only one accident occurred to mar this flight. This was when the kite of Silas J. Conyonne, of Chicago, which was con veying between 6000 and 7000 feet of wire, broke away and was lost from sight. The list of contestants is as follows: Major Baden-Powell, England; M. Cru zuka, Japan; W. A. Eddy, Bayonne, X. J.; J. B. and C S. Wardell, Stamford, Conn.; Raymond Angle ml re, B. N. Her bert, Silas J. Conyonne, Chicago; H. B. however, marks a recent step in prog ress even beyond the simple Australian system, of which It is the outgrowth, and all of whose virtues it retains, add ing valuable innovations. That we should voto by machinery is not surprising in an age when our meals are dispensed, our dishes washed, our shoes "shlned," our confections sold, our newspaper bulletins written and posted, our ciphering done, our clothes laundered, and countless other little odd jobs or gigantic feats are done for us by purely mechanical agents an age which has ac tually given birth to thought-saving ma chines. The voting machine in one form or another, will be used at the coming election in ten states Maine, Connecti cut, Now Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, , Va wwmFmmm, - .rag-bag Bristol, Webster Groves, Mo.; W. D. Marshall, J. T. Tatout, William King, J. Condon, Taylor Carroll and J. J. Lewis, St. Louis; Carl E. Meyer, Frankfort. N. Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska and Cali fornia. It has also been legalized by Congress for all federal elections. The voter using this new system en ters a curtained cabinet and finds before him vertical columns of candidates' names arranging themselves into hori zontal rows of political parties. In other words, looking up- and down, he sees in any one row the names of all candi dates for the same office, or, reading from left to right In any selected row, all candidates of any particular party. To the left of each party row is the word "Republican" under the figure of an eagle, or "Democratic" beneath a star, or "Prohibition" below a bubbling foun tain. Other parties in the field are simi larly Indicated. At each emblem Is a largo knob, lever or button, and If the voter wishes to vote the Republican " 4. z: saw T.; Thomas S. Baldwin, San Francisco, and A. R. Knabenshue, Toledo, O. The kites entered In the contests at mado from the contents of the family ticket, for example, he pulls, turns or presses the appliance. If he wishes to vote the "straight" party ticket he sim ply throws a lever, which records his vote, rings a bell and resets the machine. But If he wishes to vote a "spjlt" ticket he proceeds as follows: At the head of each vertical column Is the name of an office for which the re spective candidates are running, as "President," "Vice-President," "Govern or," etc. When the bis party knob, lever or button on the left was manip ulated at first it threw down against each name card in the entire Repub lican column, for example, a little lever Indicating that its man is to be voted for at the final register. But looking along the party row the voter finds the name "John Smith" .below the column heading "alderman-" For some, reason be does not regard Smith as an honest man, and decides to "scratch" him. He therefore brings back to its original po sition the little lever over John's name, and looking further down the col umn, finds some other candidate for the same office whom he prefers. He drops the little lever over the latters name, and then with the large lever which rings the bell records his vote. Cannot Be Cheated. The voting machines adopted by the various states cannot bo cheated. The bell or a similar signal announces to those outside that a vote has been cast by the man in-the booth. No repeating is possible, and one machine adopted by New York, New Jersey and several other states Is fitted with a lever which closes the curtain of the booth as soon as entered, and at the same time un locks the machine. The final vote of the man thus secreted In the booth Is cast by turning the lever back to Its original position, locking the machine and at the same time throwing open the curtain and ringing the signal for the next voter. Another machine has a gate which answers the same purpose, nnfl thus no man can repeat without opening the booth a second time, which- Is against the law. in some siaiea each voter Is limited to one minute's use of the machine! which is ample, consider ing the fact that in Milwaukee last April one machine cast 120 votes In one hour. The machine in that city auto matically counted 60,158 ballots,. and complete election returns of the entire city were received at headquarters 72 minutes after the polls closed. All votes are automatically recorded and counted as fast as they are cast. The last voter having left the booth, the back of the machine is unlocked by the supervisors of the different parties, acting together. They find the total for each candidate ready for them as soon a3 the recording dial Is exposed to view. Milwaukee's election in the Spring just passed proved that the cost of balloting with a machine Is Just a trifle more than half of what it was two years previous with the old paper ballots. There were fewer voting: of ficers needed and these were required to remain at the polls a less number of hours. The vote being automati cally as well as secretly counted, there Is ho waiting after the polls are closed to go over the ballots, one at & time, no chance for dispute and no recounting. The laws limiting the right of suff rage In the various states are in sur- pricing variety,. Many, are quafcat andjwt it st from tiaraat eJftctrical loco-J The scientific kite is larger and Is constructed on many differ ent lines, all of which eliminate the tall. The tetrahedral kite of Professor Bell, which was not entered In any of the con tests at the Fair, but was flown separate ly In exhibition, is considered the most wonderful kite ever constructed. This is due to the fact that experiments have proved that its lifting power is far greater than any other kite known. It Is constructed of four six-foot triangles, each triangle being filled with smaller ten-Inch triangles. The kite has 60 of these separate triangles, two sides of, each triangle being covered with silk fac ing on the contact side. These tetrahe dral kites are so powerful that the large sizes are more than one man can handle. Two men were lifted off their feet by a kite of intermediate size one day, and they saved themselves from a severe fall only by promptly letting go the rope. It is the purpose of Professor Bell to carry his experiments forward to the point of determining just what may be done with the tetrahedral kite as a flying machine. For a kite that will support a man and a Voting Machine the Latest Evolution How the Greeks and Romans Exercised the Franchise. even archaic. Duelists are forbidden a vote in Virginia, Florida and Michi gan; accessories to dueling in the lat ter two. Bettors on elections cannot vote in Florida, New York and Wis consin. United States soldiers, sailors and marines are deprived of the ballot in Nebraska, Ohio, Georgia, Texas and New Mexico; camp followers of an army In the last-named. Idiots, Insane persons, criminals and paupers are for bidden suffrage In a large number of states, while others allow the ballot to these while refusing It to women. Dishonorably discharged soldiers are excluded from the polls in Iowa rebels in Kansas and Minnesota. Chinese are denied the ballot in Oregon, Nevada and South Dakota. Indians cannot voto in Nevada, South Dakota or Mon tana, whether civilized or not. In'Min nesota and Mississippi they must be taxed to enjoy suffrage. Throughout Vermont sit "boards of civil authority," and no citizen fall ing to gain their approbation may vote. In Alabama, Aikansas and Kansas one must have worked at lawful employ ment at least 12 weeks prior to regis tration. Length of state residence required for voters varies from three months in Maryland to two years In South Carolina, Louisiana and Alabama. In Mississippi, Kansas and South Caro lina clergymen need live only six months in the state before voting, New Wonders IT Nation Owned Wires Short Letters In electricity there i3 nothing more in teresting than its application to steam railways. Engineers of high standing be lieve that the day is near at hand when most of the larger railways will dispense with steam locomotives .and employ elec trical motive power, either by motors fed from third rails or overhead conductors, or by electric locomotives. However this may be, electricity Is already coming into use on steam railways. The New York Central is spending $40,000,0.00 for elec trification of Its metropolitan terminal, partly for the purpose of dispensing with smoke and coal gas in the tunnels and partly to obtain higher speed of trains. It is easy even for a layman to under stand, the superiority of electricity as a motive power in urban and suburban transportation. With a locomotive, trac tion is secured from the weight of the driving wheels. With the multiple-unit system the weight of every car In the train may be, if desired, put upon the drivers. In service with frequent stops, speed is secured by a high -rate of ac celeration, and a rapid acceleration re quires power and weight. In New York's new subway a train of eight cars will carry motors which may, at any desired moment, exert a tractive force equal to that of a half-dozen large steam locomo tives. Of great promise is the motor which uses an alternating current without sub station transformers. If it proves entire ly successful It will introduce a large economy In all electric railway operation. The application of electrical railway de vices to all sorts of industrialism affords material for a book all by itself ranging; moter in a ten-mile breeze, as this kite has done, will probably also" support the man and the moter when driven forward by the latter at the rate of ten miles an hour. Major Baden-Powell, of the English army, is one of the most enthusiastic kltlsts Jn the world today. He brought several of his kites to the Fair, the larg est of which is rectangular 1n shape and contains 110 square feet of contact sur face, the framework. being formed of 12 foot bamboo poles. The jurors in charge of the World'3 Fair contests were men of international reputation, namely: Professor A. L. Rotch, of Blue Hill Observatory, Harvard University; Dr. Von Tschudl, of Ger many, and Colonel J .E. Capper, of Lon don, head of the ballooning, department of the English army. FRANK L. MERRICK. Ambiguous. Louisville Courier-Journal. "J. Pierpont Morgan,", says a contem porary, "announces that he is going to take a rest." A rest, or the rests whereas all other citizens must have had such residence for one year In the first two and two years in the last named. The same special privilege is extended to public school teachers in South Carolina All voters must read and write in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas and Mas sachusetts. In Hawaii they must read and write either English or the. native language. In Connecticut they must at least read English, while in Mississip pi they must be able to read and under stand the Constitution. In South Car olina they must be able to read and write any section of the Constitution; in California, read the Constitution and write their names; in Wyoming, read the state constitution in English. In Louisiana a man may vote if he can read or write, if he pays taxes on $300 worth of property or If his father or grandfather was qualified to vote on January 3, 1867 a clause intended to exclude ex-slaves and their children. In Alabama, Arkansas and Kansas each voter must pay taxes on 40 acres or $300 worth of property. Women may vote on the same footing with men In Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming; on the school questions In Massachu setts, Oregon, South Dakota, Wiscon sin, Michigan, Ohio, Washington, Mon tana. Oklahoma, New Hampshire and North Dakota. (Copyright, 1S04.) JOHN ELFRETH W ATKINS. of Electricity Could Be Sent as Cheaply as Post. motive and the huge overhead crane to the broiling of a beefsteak or curling of my lady's hair by means of the magic current. In almost every workshop elec trical tools may be found. In these, and in compressed-air appliances, may be found the greatest advance in shop-mechanics during the decade. There Is a new automatic or mechanical telegraph sender, transmitting messages 40 times as fast as a human operator. In fact, it Is well known that science and invention have, during the last ten years, made telegraphy so easy and cheap that, If we had in this country a Government or postal telegraph instead of semi-public companies, short letters could be sent by wire almost as cheaply as by post. Unless I read incorrectly the signs of the times, postal telegraphy Is Imminent in America. It is demanded by progress, and progress cannot be denied. The automatic tele phone Is coming rapidly Into use and promises to carry the convenience of tele phonic communication to hundreds of thousands who cannot now afford it. The rural telephone is growing at an amazing rate, too, and already scores of thousands of American farmers have the "phone in their houses. Walter Wellman In Novem ber Success. How She Managed It. Chicago News. They were seated in the parlor and there was a hitch in the conversation. He seemed a trifle nervous and she seemed a trifle bored. Finally he said: , "What a lovely evening for a walk!" "Indeed, It is," she rejoined. "Would you like to take a walk?" "Above all things," he assented, eagerly. "Then why don't you?" ffte queried. And h& did, . A ,.y 1 Ajj aha gik;