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CAPE MAY CODHTY TIMES

PBUfcfacd Errrj Friday By Tt* CATE MAY OODHTT TIMES PLBUSMOC CO. i UcvnecmuC. i . Wcct Jezaey aad lar/.J Kftzjatx, Sea U* Cty. K. J-

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FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 9. J917 County Advertising Cape May County leads the State this year in the matter of County advertising. At the meeting of the Board of Freeholders on Tuesday last, five thousand dollars was appropriated to be spent partly in printing a bookie, showing the agrittiltcral and resort advantages of the County as a whole, and the balance to create a demand for the booklet from persons who had never beiore had the wonderful agricultural possibilities and advantages of our mainland, and the beauty and splendor of our resorts, brought to their attention. In has often been said that in the matter of progress Cape May Connt> is always lagging behind, and while we do not by any means agree that this is so, it is gratifying that we have taken the initiative in the matter of advertising. It was through Senator Stevens that the law was passed last year allowing the Freeholders to spend money for this jmrpose, and the bill, which was enacted into a law. was drafted by the legislative committee of our Cape May County Chamber of Commerce. What with advertising, mosquito elimination, vocational instruction and an ocean boulevard in the making, there will be some doin's" in old Cape May this year. These things all spell progress and development, and certainly that is what al! red-blooded, go-ahead residents of the County want. The Freeholders individually and collectively, deserve highest commendation for their action of Tu-sd'.y. Criminal Defectives At the inquiry auto conditions at the State Prison considerable emphasis has been laid on the statements that from twenty-five to forty per cent, of the convict* are insane, kcble-miuded or otherwise defective, and one oi the commissioner t is quoted as saving that the -otuation thus disclosed, if true, constitutes a serious indictment of the judiciary of the State.” Rather, it would seem, there is an indictment of the law under which the judiciary must uu But assuming it to be true tliat nearly half of the convicts are mentally defective, is not society to be piotecvcd against them ? If not in the State prison, reformatory, jails and workhouses, then in the State hospitals, or other special institutions to be provided. Most of the prisoners arc able to choose between right and wrong, which is shown by the fact that so many of them manage to keep their liberty until they reach the age of manhood. If conditions in the prisons are bad. let them lie corrected but do not permit maudlin sympathy for criminals to overrule the judgment, as is likely to be the case if the members of the Inquiiy Commission allow themselves to be too much influence*! L> the testimony of some of the experts and tliat of the former convicts whose stories form the basi- of the present investigation. Too much sties.* has been laid on the statements that the l>atii-:oom is unoccupied during th' wiutei months, and that the piisonersare obliged t'< use pail* of w-tc: in their vdl*. There arc tbou-aods of lamilic* of wvikingiueu who have no better liathing facilities in their homes, Imt nobud> iff.' icut’v Concerned to suggest that a bath-ioon' la- pro\ided foi every iamiiy. The main (rouble has been the divided re•punsibility and the unwillingness of some of the Inspectors to obe> the law , The invesligatoii should net allow then attent'Aa, to be diverted troin this fart. There are said t'l be three hundred or more unoccupied cells ki the prison, which sure. , ■'annul U -ovrK?uwrad' when the jajpulatruu .cv L\ •; cr seven fuudied than it wu six years IttLi.

laid Bridges Now Sore The $134,000 bond issue for the constmetiow of the connection bridges between Ocean City and Strathmere and Sea Isle City, across Corin’* Inlet, have been sold, and the contract has been let to Powell & Champion, of Ocean City, and the work on the bridge construction will go ahead at once. The Corson * Inlet road and bridge makes the first link in the proposed Ocean Bonlevard. apd we venture to say that if the the lower cc«#y resorts and the mainland residents will post * mar, at the entrance of this new artery of uavel when it is opened to the public, and have him coact the automobiles and people who use the bridge in the course or' a season, they will change their attitude at once toward the continuation of the route down to Cape May City. We in the upper part of the County have what we wanted. As far as we are concerned now. were we to take a selfish viewpoint, we do not care a fig leaf if not another foot of this great Boulevard is built, bat we honestly believe that this is the greatest one improvement that has ever been conceived for Cape May Counts, and we want to see it go through. And we propose to ‘ keep everlastingly at it,” until it is an accomplished fact.

Single Tax

Like all really beneficial legislation, it is doubtful if the single tax bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Osborne, will pass and become a law The bill provides for the remo%-al of all tax on buildings and improvements, and prorides for a single tax on lands only. Under the present system of taxation the man who improves bis property pays a high tax. while the fellow next door, who leaves his property vaj cant and unimproved, gels off with a very small tax. The present system discourages, rather than encourages, building, and discourages the improvement of existing buildings. As soon as a property owner paints his house, or adds a • porch, or another room, up goes bis valuation, and up goes bis taxes, while again the fellow next door, who lets his property he idle, gets off with the same small tax. and shares in the rise of land value caused by his neighbor's industry and improvements. Under the Osborne idea, which is the only equitable one, all land would be assessed equally, that is equal in respect to certain locations, and high enough to return a sufficient revenue to the municipal and county governments. The man with a vacant and unimproved property would pay the same tax as the man whose prop-

erty is improved.

It is obvious that under this single tax it would not pay to own unimproved property, and by a simple analysis of the psychology of human thought, owners of vacant lands would either sell, or build houses which would return a sufficient revenue to make their holdings profitable. The law would reduce the tax of the improved property and greatly increase the tax of the unim-

proved property.

We at the shore realize more fully, perhaps, than those in the more populous center*, just what this law would do. Countless tho-.sands purchase land at the shore for no other purpose than speculation, and with no intention c:‘ ever building and making improvements. They buy the land in the hope that the other fellow w ill do ; the improving, and pay the tax, and that their : land will increase in value thereby, so that they can sell at a good profit. If the Osborne single tax law would pul an end to this, as it unquestionably would, it cer- ! tainly deserves the united hacking of the tea- ' shore resorts at least. The prudent income tax dodger is very careful to wipe the egg off his chin before starting

for his business.

Treasury officials estimate that Pancbo Villa ; has cost the United States about $70.*> >0,000* | Fortunately no mouey valuation can U- placed on national humiliation. Ocean City will cularge its music }<avilion $20,000 worth, if the uixpayris pass tavorably on the bond issue, all because orcbertra music pleases their esthetu taste bettci than bant! music, lu Sea Lie weic glad to get music at all. Samuel tlouijjeis ha* told a committee of the Senate that it au\ law is pa-.'.'-d to loibid a strike in advance ul governmental investigation of the cause of the issue at stake, he will icfuse to be bound by its provisions. Mi Lorn per-, may be President of the Aturtivan Federation oi l^bor, ! but he is not tbeirtorr above the law—and it so I happen* that their air law* ahead* in rvistence I which piovitics places toi the actommodation of those who defy the Federal aututsm.

IS PATRON SAINT OF BIRDS SquirrvU Dapand on Aaylam In mat* far Thotr Sjpply •» BvtUrruta

In Wlntar.

-Tbe patron tain: of Mrds and aqnlrrria- la bappr- And tbomb be la Mxty yean old and has been a pattant of | tbe state boepdal for the feeble-mind-ed for M yean hit hair la brown and wary, bla eye* are brlsbt and imrk11 mg god his health la good. He has | bees in tbe Instltntlon tnora than half ; of bla life, but bla life seems to be More —*»• *>«*" tbe Uvea of tbe tbo-*- • mfmJta who bars outstripped him in | tbe Me rare—and bare become wrtnkle-ebeeked. blear-eyed and hardAlbert Gentle baa forgotten tbe world, aaja tbe Mnwankee Sentinel. He was entered In tbe hospital In 1880 1 because be loved tbe email ^ I mala and food of tbe foraata. He baa been there Knee, spending moat of bla time ; gathering cuts or communing with nature. never expressing the allghteat de- : Mre to get bark to the outside world. “Last year I ptefced 27.500 batter* j nora tor my sqalrrcla." be said. "I i need Just that many to feed them afl. ! They get ao hungry in the winter time. I make ao many of them happy. I j most be here always to care for them." He said it quietly, with dignity. 1mi aginatively be somehow emerged from ; tbe eharaner of an old simpleton. , clothed In an absurd, rusty frock coat. 1 troaaen of another day and general appearance of Washington Irving's ■cfaoolmaster and became tbe sanctified keeper of a great trust. What was more Important than caring for those little animals? “Moat people do not know how Important It la that we should always think of the tiny bits of Me that God baa put on this earth." be said slowly. “Often they do not think of “*■

SAVE YOUR MONEY NOW

even at a sacrifice, if necessary, then you you will not want or lx- dependent upon others in your old age. Here vour money is secure, is easy obtainable when you want it, and will earn for you three per cent, interest Security Trust Company, CAPE nAY. N. J. 3X Urterest Paid on Savings Deposit*

MOST POTENT OF WEAPONS Nothing Devised by Humanity Is Able to Stand Against the Assault of Laughter. In -The Mysterious Stranger"—the Just-published posthumous book 1>J Mark Twain—that authority on homoi declared that moat men possess only “a mongrel perception of humor." He elaborates bis idew by saying: “The multitude see tbe comic ride of a thousand low-grade and trivial things —broad Incongruities mainly; gro teaqnerlea. abourditlea. evokers of the bone laugh. The IOjOOO high-grade comicalities which wrist in the world are sealed from their full virion. “Will a day come when tbe race will detect the funniness of these jcrenlll ties and laugh at them—and by laughing at them destroy them? For yoiu race, in lu poverty, baa unquestiooably one really effective weapon-

can lift at a colossal humbug—push It a little— weaken It a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rag* and atoms at a blast. Against the as asult of laughter nothing can stand.’

Europe’s Largest Dam. Tbe largest dam in Europe has Just beesi completed neat Barcelona. Spain. It U oullt across the chasm through which tbe Xognera Palisresa rive* flowed. Abutting on almost perpendicular cliffs, tbe dam U constructed of concrete, and measures S90 ieet la height and 700 feet la length. Tbe thickness U 230 feet at tbe base* gradually, decreasing to M feet at tbe Tbe valley above tbe dam was bought

at near 21.000,000. and now filled with water forms sc artificial lake 15V4 miles long and 3% miles wide. Tbe water that now passes through power bouse ylslik an electric current of 20,000 home power. Later It will be Increased to 40.000 horse power. Tbe wahr Is carried by a system of canals Into an arid district, where It Irrigates a surface of nearly 100 square mllea.

R IDG WAY HOUSE AT-THE-FERRIES PHILA.

HOTEL • RIDGWAY A T- THE-FERRIES CAMDEN

ASSOCIATED HOTELS EUROPEAN PLAN ROOMS WITH PRIVATE BATH HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATE* IN tACH ROOM 4 SIN T1-——■TOM— » fi fi

Short Brothers

Aergl Electric Work, PiuiuWng and Hesttnf. •L-. RangM and Future* OFFICE. LANDIS AVENUE

Peculiar Disease of tbe Teeth. Tbe Colorado Dental society has twe of 1U members engaged In tbe Invest!' gallon of a mysterious malady of tbs teeth known, for tbe want of a better name, as "mottled teeth." which occurs In this country In a number ol districts, principally In the southwest era portion of the United States. It has been noted In a somewhat more vtolejt form In Italy, 15 years ago. It manltesrs Itself In children and per sUU through Me, and Is ofteo no <U» figuring that the victims resort to art! ficial crowning. It U t detect of tbe enamel-forming substance, and It U suspected that tbe enuso Is due to eom* element In tbe drinking water, which It has been Impossible to definitely determine.

Among the mechanical device* for re-educating tbe maimed or crippled Umbe of soldiers that are now being used In the French hospitals are bl cycles for the anna and legs, lub chines for exerdslug the fingers and wrtsta, tor making supple tbe tendons of the forearm, for Intensifying the sense of touch In the blind, for giving practice In manipulating artificial anna and legs, berides many varieties of artificial hands specially designt-d fur operating typewriters and tools of several kinds.—New York World. A Suggestion. “Sal. there ought to be some way •O make the game laws apply to ' «KiV ailoppiug?"

CONTRACTORS <£ BUILDERS ESTIMATES CHEERFULLY QIVMN LUMBER AK'D BUILDING SUPPLIES PAINT. COAL. MOTOR BOAT SUPPLIES STRATHMERE LUMBER CO. EARL. M. WADDINQTON. Mai

?a*«.o-b-b B-a-n-fl-n-nr•a-R'B'B.R.a-feta.B, Modern Conveniences Open AU The Y«*r MRS. FKITZrKONECKER’S HOTEL BEHEVUE

1-andi • Avenue nnd Fritz SI

OOQCaMiCKX>OttOOC>00>.HXK^aiOOG l.ct me caiiiiiAtc on vour PA IN T ING atu-ntkjii t„ ,,a,hurt used am] work guaranteed. THOS. S. FLOUNDERS ft SON. Contract in* Painters and Paper hangers. SKA 1SLF' CITY NFW EERSE^ PhiL. Office—4110 Master Streit