AMERICAN LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10353, 8 January 1912, Page 1

AMERICAN LETTER.

[From Ora Correspondent.] NEW YORK, November 19 MR PULITZER'S WILL.

The will of the late Joseph Pulitzer, proprietor of the "New York "World " and the "St Louis Post-Despatch," would have been notable because of any one of a. dozen benefactions that it was found to contain when it was admitted to probate here this week. The great size of Mr Pulitzer's estate—some 30,000,OOOdol—will make thesebenefactions of immediate avail. The will bequeaths 1,000,000d0l for the founding of a school of journalism at Columbia, with a second million dollars towards its endowment, and gives 500,00Qd0l apiece to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philharmonic Society of New York. The two great* and immensely profitable newspaper properties aro left to Mr Pulitzer's three sons under elaborate deeds of trust. One hundred thousand dollars goes to the editor's valet, with a similar sum for administration among the editorial writers of the newspapers. The Children's Aid Society of New York receives BOOOdol. while SO.OOOdoI goes for the erection of a fountain, " to be as far as practicable like those in the Place do la Concorde, Paris," with still another 50 3 000dol for the erection" of a monument to Thomas Jefferson. Both of these works of art are to be erected in New York, the adopted city of which Mr Pulitzer became surpassingly fond. No more interesting: provisions of the will are there than those which provide for annual prizes for American attainment. Mr Pulitzer came to America friendless and penniless. Ho fought for a'time in the Civil War and at "its close accepted employment of the most men in! rnrt. He was a stevedore and roustabout, a waiter in cheap restaurants, and for a time—and an evil time, while cholera waged—a gravedigger in St Louis ; He finally found a better position in a small city post there, and "so well did he meet the requests of the newspaper reporters who made a habit of dropping into his office for news that he drifted into that worlc himself. ; Tlrat • wbb his bent,. and it seemed a very little time before he was both editor and proprietor of a prosperous journal in St Louis. He then drifted to New York, bought the "World." thou in a moribund state, and mack it the first of our so-called "yellow journals." It was immensely profitable and it was a proud moment for Joseph Pulitzer when he was able to buy an old-timo hotel which had once turned him. out of doors, a miserable immigrant, and demolish it _ to make a site for what was at that time the finest newspaper building in America. , So his bequest of an annual prize of lOOOdol for the best-written newspaper article in the United States comes with twofold interest. Mr Pulitzer always maintained that he did not intend his newspapers to become "yellow J onT : nals." Twenty years ago he suffered the great affliction of totsl blindness, and he was always saying that the sensational misdeeds of his papers were due to the advantage that his subordinates were taking of his lack of sight. He maintained" that the " World "in particular must be recognised as both, independent and fearless, and it must be admitted that with all of its sensational evils the "World" is both. Its editorial page is the most powerful in New York to-day, and Mr Pn User's demand that all articles in his newspapers should be terse and accurate has resulted in both of his publications being most readable. It was not strange, therefore, to find that the annual reporter's prize is based upon the terseness and accuracy of the winner s work. Similar prizes of lOOOdol each go to the best poem, the, best novel and the best play written by an American each vear A prize of twice'this amount "goes* to both the best biography and best historical work of American production. „, • CI • i. The gift to the Philharmonic Society is also of more than passing interest. It is the first real endowment of an American orchestra, and as such is causing unqualified delight to all tousjc lovers. Orchestras that seek to giyo numerous concerts are not money-mak-ino- affairs—not even in Germa.ny where governmental aid is given freely to such towns as do not possess municipal bands of their own. Mr Pulitzer with the shrewdness of the usual American "self-made" man, directs that the Philharmonic Society, to avail itself of his bequest, must throw open its membership lists on a basis of popularity and a minimum of a thousand names. This thing, of itself, would ensure the stability of New York a finest orchestra, and make the bequest a certainty not only for the moment hut for the permanency of the great musical organisation. Mr Pulitzer also demands that the orchestra must give frequent popular concerts and at popular prices. He has pointed the way, and his example is certain to be followed. It will be a variation from the constant endowment of libraries and colleges if orchestras are to be admitted to the charmed circle, and it would be of vast benefit to the cities so remembered. CARNEGIE BENEFACTIONS. Andrew Carnegie, our famed Scottish ironmaster, does not wait to die to spread his bequests. It begins to appear that he was in earnest when he said that it was a sin for a man to die rich. His already great benefactions —now headed towards a giant total of 300.000,000dol—were increased this last week by another one—of 25.000.000 dol this time. The ironmaster has caused a self-perpetuating corporation to he formed, similar to the one formed by John D. Rockefeller, for the distinct purpose of doing good bv distributing money. The gift of 25,000.000 dol was the new Carnegie corporation's first nest-egg towards that beneficent purpose. A MUNICIPAL STRIKE. An interesting exhibition was given the citizens of metropolitan Now York this last week, when seven thousand workers in an important ami of the

1 municipal service—the street-cleaning ' department—-went;on strike for higher wages, as well as for the abolition of night-work. Most of the men who deserted their posts were the .drivers of the garbage carts. Here was an interesting situation, and important, too. For if the cart-drivers of the streetcleaning department could go on strike, how long might it be before the firemen or even the policemen might take a similar idea into their heads. The idea of municipal employment is somewhat different in essentials from that of private. The positions are given under strict civil service regulations, 1 and the places thus attained are held, no matter how administrations may change, during the lifetime and good service of the appointee. After that there is the boon of the pension as a factor in the situation. Mayor Gaynor took the situation in hand with characteristic vigour. He recognised all of those things and permitted no dangerous new precedent to be established. The strikers, with an almost malignant cunning, counted Upon the interference of the health authorities when the uncollected garbage should begin to decompose in the streets. But the weather god took an unexpected hand in the situation and breathed his coldest zephyrs upon the town, with the result that the garbage heaps were tightly frozen and no health 'menace whatsoever. With that chief ally of the strikers gone, they surrendered miserably. There had been soma rioting, with two deaths mere or less indirectly due to the strike, but of an instant, without any formal hauling of a white flag, the strikers began pellmell applications for their old jobs. They were refused these. Their ranks had been practically filled and the jobs, protected by civil service and guaranteed with pensions, wore gone. Bo the first great municipal service strike in America was not only broken, but the remnants crushed out of semblance of their old selves. It has set an example that can hardly be called SOCIALISM IN CALIFORNIA.

The State of California/ second in area in the Union, possessing three millions of population and tremendous potentiality for the future, has been making American history within the past six weeks. By constitutional amendments, "passed by popular vote after an exciting election, California has followed the example of four other Commonwealths and adopted woman suffrage. She had adopted the initiative and referendum and the recall, all the most advanced precepts of the most advanced insurgents, and the Conservatives of the East have been most tremendously disturbed.

The strong factor in bringing these things, to pass was the Socialistic vote in Los Angeles, metropolis of Southern California. Los Angeles has a population of 350,000 persons, and hopes for a million within the next ten years. On the one hand is a parcel of rather determined speculators and bankers using every earnest means to bring the colonists to the city gates so that the population rolls may swell. On the other hand are the Socialists, denouncing what they are pleased to oall the '"' rapacities of the moneyed class of Los Angeles." Recently the two bands had a test of strength at a municipal election, following the primary law of California, two names for a mayoralty election in December were to be chosen from a group of fire advanced by different parties and interests. One name of the five was that of a Socialist of reputation, Job Harriman. The-'other four represented in some degree the other element in the town. The primary fight bad all of the bitter phases of a final election. The Socialists marched the streets of the town and sang the "Marseillaise." They would have floated the red Rag if the police would have permitted it. The other band had funds and spent them freely.

When the votes were counted Harriman had received more than 20,000; Mayor Alexander, tho present incumbent, and anxious for re-election, ran next highest with 16,000 votes. The other candidates had scattering tributes. So Harriman and Alexander are pitted against one another and the fight is being watched all over a brond land. Tho Socialistic vote, as we have iust said, had an important part in bringing about tho political upturn in tho State, and it will remain to bo seen if the Los Angeles fight is but the prelude to Socialist domination over the Republicans upon the Pacific Coast. No one is watching the situation more intently than President Tuft himself.