AMERICAN LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 168, 15 July 1916, Page 11

AMERICAN LETTER.

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AMERICAN CAMPAIGNING. (From Our Owd CorrespomVent.) NEW YORK. June 8. While' the particulars of the Presidential nominations will have reached you by cable before this letter, the descriptions of the conventions, the first of which, that of the Republicans, ie now meeting in Chicago.' have begun to be the principal topic of interest in the newspapers. It is a foregone conclusion that the Democratic Convention, which meets at Sti Louis next week, will reaominate President Wilson and Vicepresident Marshall by acclamation, and the proceedings there are apt to be rather tame. But it is the 985 delegates to the Republican Convention from every State in the Union who are now making history in the contest, that has really more features of interest than will the election next November. When the excitement of the conventions has subsided it will be a quiet summer politically, with the men in charge of affairs busy in private arranging for the cam-paign-that will not really open until the advent of cool weather in September. Then the speakers will go at it hot and heavy until the eve of election day. The present general feeling is that Mr. Wilson will not be again elected. He has taken a large mansion on the coast of New Jersey for his residence this summer. It is estimated that fifty million dollars or more will be spent between now and election day in "educating the voters." Half of this amount will be legally expended by the State authorities in regular routine, including the cost of registering the voters and conducting the elections. This amount will come from the regular taxation. The other half will be paid from campaign funds of both parties, and will include ten -millions for advertising. three millions for printing, another three for "workers," two millions for postage, a Bullion each for speakers, publicity, wire service, clerical help, campaign buttons and badges, and conventions and rallies, while half a million is to be allowed for Irass bands and another half million for the rent of halls and theatres. The financing of an Aerican political campaign is now an art of the highest type, apd although it may be counted that onehalf the expenditures of campaign funds are absolutely worthless, still the work that must be done and the determination tp .fight for all he is worth once a politician is in the race, causes the managers to be: ready to pay in a hurry rather than .take any chances on a payment being extravagant. WAR MAKES BUSINESS BRISK. . Of course business Jtas to euffer, ac in every presidential year, because of the uncertainty of results and the probability of a change of tariff; but this is offset to a greater extent this year than ever before on account of the war It will probably develop that the present 'summer will be the busiest on record in flic United States, for'war activities are all in full blast, and the streets of New Yo % -,%!?' ]lSV ta *K}4&* mft more crowded than previously, that 'the task of regulating traffic is again a serioue problem. It has been, found by police count that more than two million pedestrians and 100,000 vehicles cross within 1 ten hours at ten of the principal street intersections each day, and that automobiles roll up and down Fifth Avenue alone to the number of more than six wndred an hour on an average every flay. The diverting of traffic to lesser «eed thoroughfares is a problem too peat for solution by the present authorities, and skilled engineers are devoting energy to its solution. In addition to this the fact that the ex forte of New York now lead those of any other port in the world, with im- | porta also greater than any port except Jxndon, makes this a very crowded hart>our and the transit around the rivere become so crowded, that most expert navigation fs now necessary for Kuety. Of course the great manufacraring concerns continue to declare prodigious dividends, and that of the Dupont Powder Concern will amount to about 100 per cent on the common stock ffl extras for the current year, but what *ill ihappen when the war k over remains to be seen. A CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY. .The death of James J. Hill, on May 29, »the result of an operation for an SS?' ,1 !* ,16^ I, ' removes one ° f the %£+T% and most sueces 6ful and respected captains of industry" in the • f He WaS bo ™ °" * f *™ L * !°' Canada ' in 1838 > and led in the development of the North-Western States more than any other single inGr, ri \ WM Who the <*eat Northern Railway from what he £Ued a "streak of rust," in 1877, to a rail system of 6000 miles, which at his retirement in 1907, was earning gross profits of more than £ 13,000,000 a year, and carrying 15,000,000 tons of freight »UuaUy. Mr. Hill feft no U tat fe his eons and widow will administer the vast estate. Mr. Hill's unassailable integrity Wae always a strong feature of his charnw*J",. B enterprise was marked by many activities. One of his most notable achievements was the construction of the two greatest merchant Mips at that time under the American "ag, the Dakata and Minnesota, which built to carry goods from his Great terminals across the Pacific to Japan To build them he had firet of all te build a ship yard for the purpose, TOlch was set up at New London Conaecfacut, *> ut af ter these great steamers I fl ?- ChGd the ? ard was dismantled, as the shipping times were too hard for ™c successful maintenance of such a jery expensive proposition. Mr. Hill • *r fo ™<! that the operation of Amerie ,°'P 3 ln competition with Japanese »d those of other nations was, under oromary conditions, too hard, so he »™t no more ships, but confined himself W> railway development, leaving his terera 01^011 business to charMTJRDER TRIAL. •«'S c s « nten cin? on June 1 of Dr. tZ if arren Waite to die in the elec-' ™ chair m the week of July 10 for the ***" of his father-in-law, John E. jZ' Com P !e ted another sensational BotoT" T rder trial > **ich was ITn" V hk for ite *evity. It J^- P - r f ed that Waite had tried to kill dL by ®™S him wltnree °f ,ff c . m, 8 obtained from hospital S? 1 ? 1 laboratories, and adSu M medicine, but as these tZt kfore there was danger of disbrih»rfj! c resorted to direct poieon, and - «ame nnl c Un . der > ker to put the heri J B °" ID his embalming fluid. ln- £»"<* of great wealth was the object. <*»"***» he confessed. «ad new

spends most of his time reading the JliWe. This trial lasted altogether only six days. ' LYNCH Law nr TEXAS. That the ahhorrence of unnecessary delay in execution of criminals is still inherent in the Southern States was again illustrated on May 15, at RobinSon, Texas, seven miles from the city of W aco, when a negro, who upon hie trial confessed to the assault upon and killing of a white woman, was seized by the mob and dragged from the court-house. The trial took place in Waco, and fifteen thousand people surrounded the building. It is stated that the mob at first seemed willing to hang the negro from the suspension bridge, but a suggestion that he be burned on the plaza met with instant response. He was dragged to the city hall yard, where the chain, already around his neck, was thrown over the limb of a tree, wood piled around him, and the fire started. About 1 o'clock members of the mob returned to the scene, put the charred body in a sack, and a man on horseback dragged the body through the principal streets. What remained of the body was dragged behind an automobile to Robinson, and suspended from a telephone pole. PROHIBITION. The New Brunswick Legislature recently passed a bill for prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors, subject to the usual exceptions. The limit of the proportion of spirits in non-intoxicating beverages is fixed at 2 per cent, by weight. The law is to go into effect May 1, 1917, throughout the province, except in those counties where the Scott Act, which permits counties to adopt local prohibition, is now in force. On repeal of the Scott Act by euch communities the Prohibition Bill just passed will operate automatically there, just as in the counties which now permit sale of liquor under license. It is possible that American manufacturers of bottles and of materials for beverages conforming to the 2 per cent, alcohol limit may be able to develop trade with manufacturers of such beverages in thie district. SUSCEIXAMEOTTS. Latest statistics show that there are in the United States 275,000 feebleminded persons, only 28,788 of whom are in institutions devoted to their care. It is alleged that two-thirds of the trouble- is due to inheritance, and there is now a concerted movement among physicians and others to prevent parentage by such people. Somewhat of a sensation has been caused by publication of hints that a number of the alleged senatoriums conducted bjy physicians at what have become popular resorte in the United States are little better than private establishments of vice. The stories'current in society of the doings at some of these men's rest-cure places in secluded locations are too vivid for publication. Whether the matter will ever reach a stage of investigation is very doubtful. A "Burnham sandwich" is what has been the name of a chicken and ham mixed at the wealthy hotels until lately, when a man called down the telephone to the office for one to be served in hie room at the St. Regis, and was told that he couldn't get it. He investigated thn whyness, and discovered that the clerk had misunderstood his order for a "barnoon " sandwich, alias free-lunch, which is not served in rooms. The, management resolved to abolish f ancv»*iames "for such things hereafter. Two aviators have made the 237 mile trip from New York to Washington by aeroplane in 187 minutes. The wireless telephone carried tt»e singing in San Francisco on May 17 of the National Hymn to an audience of 300 people in Philadelphia, to whom it was distinctly audible. Result of the seal hunt of Newfoundland this past spring totals upwards of £400,000 for 2,028 men in leas than two months. Only eleven ships were engaged. An actor named Kerrigan, who is exposed to new electrical and chemical lights for stage effects, has insured his face for £20,000, as be fears damge to the skin. A tag-day for the relief of New York's 130,000 horses has sad successful results, and the S.P.C.A. will pay more attention to horses this summer than ever before. More than 750,000 American horses have been exported to Europe for war purposes already, and they still go. Societies in several of the Canadian cities have suspended their meetings until after the war, on account of so many of their members being at the front and frequent inability to get a quorum. Diaphanous dresses are more in evidence than ever this summer, and one wonders what may be the limit. Apparently there isn't any. In an analysis of thrift among the sixty-two nationalities, represented in the 29,000 employees of an American automobile manufacturing concern, a statement of their average bank deposits is as follows:—Americans, 204 dollars each; English, 277 dollars; Scotch, 275 dollars; Irish, 343 dollars; Germans, 348 dollars-; Canadians, 241 dollars; Hungarians, 563 dollars; Polish, 459 dollars; Italian, 355 dollars; Austrisns, 697 dollars; Jewish. 641 dollare; Armenians, 79(5 dollars; Turks, 821 dollare.' Seventeen thousand of the 29,000 carry life irrsnrance, the policies having a valne of 15,000,000 dollars. YOU CAN OWN A 1916 OVERLAND. The price of Overland Model 75 places this car within reach of the man or moderate meane. It is a car you •will be proud to own—a pleasure to drive— always free from trouble. In equipment, power, epeed, economy of upkeep, this year's model cannot be beaten. The 1916 Overland five-passenger mode! sells at £310 at main ports—fully equipped. The reason is the increased output, better facilities for manufacturing, standardisation, organisation. With big additions to their factories, the Overland Company now turn out 1000 carg daily. Call and inspect an-Overland 1916 model in our garage. For free catalogue and farther particulars apply R. B. SPINKS AND CO., Auckland. A. Hatrick and Co., ■Wangairui, distributors for North Island.

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