Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 May 1901 — FACT AND OPINIONS [ARTICLE]

FACT AND OPINIONS

From Plural to Singular. The Hon. John W. Foster, in defending the use by him of the phrase “United States” as a noun in the singular. mentions three words which the constitution treats as plural nouns while they are always singular now. 1 hese are the house of representatives, which “shall choose their spanker”; the senate, which “shall choose their other officers,” and congress, which “shall assemble . . i unless they shall,” etc. Today the American who should say that the house, the senate, or congress “have” adjourned would be looked on as guilty of a grammatical slip by the majority. A few only would understand that he was simply old-fash-ioned. Aa regards the phrase "United States,” there is no question that to the men who framed the constitution and to their immediate successors it conveyed an idea not of unity but of plurality. The conception of states in union is distinguished from that of states blended to form a single nation was at first generally entertained. It grew weaker as men became gradually familiar with the idea of a national government with far greater powers than were possessed by the congress of the confederation. Finally, in the popular acceptation the phrase "Uni>ed States” ceased to mean a number of states federated for certain common purposes and came to signify cxxe grand national entity or unit. -Ftep Toward Fubtic Ownership There is matter for more than passing remark in the announcement that Cornelius Vanderbilt has been elected a director in the New York Realty corporation. This concern has a capital of 13,000,000 and is engaged tn the buying and improvement of real estate. Its command of almost unlimited capital and the presence of men like Vanderbilt, William F. Havemeyer, Henry Seligman. Oakleigh Thorny James Speyer, Charles Steele of J. Pierpont Morgan & Co. and Charles H Tweed in its directory mean that the same forces and economics of combination that have done so much for Industry in America are to be turned to the development and management of real estate in great cities. It also means that the best property la cities like New York and Chicago will gradually pass into the control of men of large wealth or corporations which can afford to improve it to the highest advantage to secure a moderate and certain return for the investment. If the scheme proves successful it win prove a step toward nationalisation of all land. Million a Wet( for Coff—. What Holland has done in the way of developing coffee culture in the island of Java will naturally attract the attention of capital in this country to the possibilities of this industry in our new Island possessions, says the Chicago Record-Herald. It also attracts public attention to the enormous consumption of the coffee berry in the United States. The fact that we are the largest consumer of coffee in the world and the heaviest Importer is certain to bring about an early ment of the coffee-raising possibilities of Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines. The coffee bill of the United States is over a million dollars a week. During the nine months ending last March the United States imported 617,344,000 pounds, valued at >45.218,000, a sum nearly >5,000,000 in excess of the value of the coffee imports of ths same months of the preceding fiscal year. Th* Cup 'Ractt. The Boston Herald, published in that section of New England where the yachting spirit is always at the highest pitch, says there is less interest shown this year in the coming conflict for the America cup than ever before, and that the same is true of the feeling abroad. This is not because of any doubt as to the sailing abilities of the contestants or because of any certainty that one or the other will win. Shamrock 11. is tn every way as good as Shamrock I. and probably the faster of the two. Of Herreshoff’s Constitution little is known, but It is believed it will be faster thee Columbia. Of Crowninshield’s Independent also little is known, but enough to indicate that the preliminary trials will be quite as interesting as the final races. That these will be close there ean be little doubt, and yet the interest in yachting circles is not so great as it used to be.