Items of Interest December 30, 1905 Issue

Items of Interest

A bill introduced by Senator Lodge is said to represent the position of President Roosevelt on the consular service. It provides that there shall not be more than two consuls general of the first class at $12,000 each a year; not more than seven of the second class, at $8,000 each a year; not more than nine of the third class, at $6,000 a year each; not more than eleven of the fourth class, at $5,500 each; not more than fifteen of the fifth class, at $4,500 each; not more than seven of the sixth class, at $3,500 each. With reference to consuls it is provided that there shall not be more than ten of the first class, at $5,000 each; not more than thirteen of the second class, at $4,500 each; not more than twenty-two of the third class, at $4,000 each; not more than thirty-two of the fourth class, at $3,500 each; not more than forty-five of the fifth class, at $3,000 each; not more than fifty-eight of the sixth class, at $2,500 each, and not more than ninety-two of the seventh class at $2,000 each.

Following the abolition of football at Columbia University comes the announcement that the university council has taken action which is likely to have in its effect the abolition of all intercollegiate contests, so far as Columbia is concerned. The announcement is made in a statement given out by the secretary of the university council. The council not only approves the action of the committee on student organizations, but recommends that President Butler prohibit the game at Columbia and take further steps to destroy the abuses in other sports by restricting them so far as possible to contests at Columbia. This will mean the practical abolition of all intercollegiate contests, except rowing, as other teams are not likely to come to Columbia without getting a return game. The council takes the stand that the evil in athletics lies in the fact that only a comparatively small number of students participate in them, and in the commercialism that has arisen.

A movement is now in progress which, if successful, may result in the discontinuance by the Department of Agriculture of the matter of estimating the yield of the great staple crops. The Keep Commission has just finished its inquiry into the crop reporting section of the Department, and will soon submit its report to President Roosevelt. Many public men believe that it is not the business of the Government to make estimates of the probable yield of the crops, which, they claim, are little better than good guesses; but that it should confine itself to the issuance of statements reflecting only the condition of crops. The Secretary of Agriculture believes that estimates should be made.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

An Undivided Christianity