warning against "imperialism; rebuke to "Bryanism "; rebuke to "Algerism"; vindication of Boss Quay; condemnation of Boss Croker; mandate for currency reform; notice that the currency is all right as it is; approval of the war with Spain, etc. It is also maintained that the elections reveal no special significance.

Quotations from editorials below show various opinions which prevail:

Then follow quotations from the editorials in leading papers thruout the country. How much better it would be for us to vote directly upon measures, instead of groping in the dark like this. In Switzerland the people vote directly upon measures, and as a consequence it is the best governed country in the world. After an election there they know what it means without guessing. By means of the Initiative and Referendum they have spoiled all the petty little games of the politicians. The people there have demonstrated their ability to deal directly with their problems, without the aid of the politicians, who, finding their occupation gone, have gone into useful occupations. Why can't we do as well as the little republic among the Alps? We should make a beginning by working for the introduction of this system, which is called Direct Legislation, first in our local affairs, then in State affairs, and after thus becoming accustomed to its use, we can hope to make national use of it. The one definite result of the recent elections which we can all rejoice over is the adoption by direct vote of the people of South Dakota of a constitutional amendment establishing Direct Legislation in that State. Let us all work for this system in our respective States. The legislatures of nearly all the States meet this winter, so now is the time to strike.

Solicit your representative in the State Legislature to favor giving Direct Legislation to cities and towns by voting for a law something like this:

No ordinance (except such as emergency may require for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, which must be passed by three-fourths majority) shall go,into effect until thirty days after its passage, nor until voted upon at the polls if within the said thirty days a referendum is demanded by 5 per cent of the legal voters of the municipality as shown by the total vote at the last preceding election.

Upon petition of 5 per cent. of the legal voters of any mu nicipality in the State of....

as shown by the total vote at the last preceding election, any measure may be submitted to the municipal legislative body, which must act upon the same without amendment. Should the measure fail, for any reason, it may be referred to a direct vote as provided in the preceding section.

Solicit your representative in the State Legislature to favor Direct Legislation for the State by voting for a law something like this:

No law (except such as emergency may require for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, which shall require a three-fourths majority) shall go into effect until sixty days after its passage, nor until voted upon at the polls, if within said sixty days a referendum is demanded by 2 per cent. of the legal voters of the State, as shown by the total vote at the last preceding election.

Upon petition of 2 per cent. of the legal voters of the State of......... .... as shown by the total vote at the last preceding election, any measure may be submitted to the Legislature, which must act upon the same without amendment. Should the measure fail, for any reason, it may be referred to a direct vote as provided in the preceding section. Whenever any law or part of a law shall have been declared unconstitutional by any State court, the Executive shall submit it to all the voters the same as if it had been initiated by 2 per cent, and if approved by a majority of those voting thereon, it shall become a law of the State, notwithstanding anything in the constitution to the contrary.

The above is, of course, only suggestive. Any variation desired may be made. It should be

of Cutter Carneirs

provided that the Referendum, when demanded, shall take place at the next regular election, but that a special election may be demanded by double the number of petitioners required for a Referendum. At the same time, set the machinery in motion to establish this system permanently in your State by an amendment to the State constitution, as South Dakota has done. Laws can easily be changed; but it is very difficult to change constitutions. Therefore get this enlargement of the charter of American citizenship safely lodged in your State constitution. Clip the above and send it to your State legislator and ask him to introduce bills in accordance therewith.

I notice that Illinois has recently passed a law with a Referendum feature. The Torrens Law, providing for the registration of land titles, does not apply to the whole State, but only to such counties as may approve it by direct vote. Cook County, in which Chicago is located, has adopted it. This is a very satisfactory way of adopting a law.

Chicago, however, is now in a very sad plight regarding her street car franchises. The "boodlers" and corruptionists are trying to extend the present franchises for a period of fifty years. Public sentiment is violently opposed to this, and the mayor is supporting the people's side. Public indignation meetings, threats of hanging the corrupt councilmen, etc., have been the order of the day there, and the corruptionists seem to be frightened out of their scheme. Their policy will be to lay low" until the excitement subsides, and then they will quietly pass their obnoxious bill. If Chicago had Direct Legislation, a simple demand for a Referendum on this question would settle the whole matter, without all this excitement-indignation meetings, threats of lynching, citizens wearing a miniature rope and noose on their lapels as an emblem of the same, etc. Nothing would conduce so much to good government, law and order as Direct Legislation.

Post Cheques.

We cannot transact all our business with our next door neighbor, nor at the corner store. This is a large country, but the railroad and the telegraph have brought the remotest corners near together. The various things that we want are produced in various parts of the country-we want the privilege of selecting from the entire range of articles produced in the various parts of the country. The greatest obstacle to this is a lack of safe and convenient facilities for sending money to distant points. The old-fashioned postal note filled a useful place, but as it offered no protection against theft, it was discontinued. Our present Post-Office Money Order fills an important place, but the sender has to go to the postoffice to get them, which is usually a great inconvenience, and both they and express money orders are rather expensive, particularly now that each order has to pay a war tax of two cents extra (tho now the war is over).

A few weeks ago I had a very interesting interview with the Chief of the Money Order Division of the Post-Office Department, in Washington, in which the entire subject of the safe and convenient sending of money was discusst.

Among other things he showed me a circular describing and illustrating the "Post Cheque," by Mr. C. W. Post, of Battle Creek, Mich. I have since secured from Mr. Post copies of the circular and plates for illustration, and I here present the circular and illustrations.

"When one reads an advertisement and determines to send away for some small article, he at once casts about for the best means of transmitting his money. To a city man, visions of a long trip to the post-office and a possible wait in a line in front of the window, are not pleasant. Postage stamps might do if he had them in sufficient quantity. True, the receipt of stamps, perhaps stuck fast to the letter, does not add to the joy of the merchant, but that we cannot help. Silver coins or inclosed bank notes are flaunts in the face of Providence.

present knapsack arrangement that the average man makes of his pocket if he undertakes to carry any reasonable amount of small change. These small fractional notes could be sent thru the mail, but they lacked the requisite quality of safety, and the Government obtained no fee for transmission. "The Post Cheque is no more nor less than fractional currency in everyday circulation, while the spaces on the face are left blank. They are intended to replace the silver coin, either partially or wholly. When the individual desires to send a small amount of money thru the mail, he takes from his pocket-book, perhaps a fifty-cent piece and a one dollar piece, without more ado, fills in the name of the firm or person to whom he desires the money paid, gives also the name of the city and State, then affixes a two-cent postage stamp in the square indicated, and thereupon signs his name in ink, the signature traversing and cancelling the stamp.

"By this act, pieces of money that up to that moment have been negotiable and have been passed from hand to hand, are instantly transferred into pieces of exchange, payable only to the payee named, and the toll or fee must be paid by the sender and cancelled by his signature. It is then ready for inclosure in a letter, and cannot be made use of by any dishonest postal clerk or other person than the one named as payee.

It is estimated that the Government's receipts for fees on Post Cheques would be a very considerable amount in excess of the present fees obtained, for the reason that practically all sums sent by mail, would, under the Post Cheque system, pay a toll, whereas under the present arrangement, it is estimated that not more than one case in ten yields an income to the Government.

New Currency, to Remain Blank while in General Circulation.

"The would-be sender of a small sum of money thru the mail is driven to the conclusion that no method of convenient and safe transmission exists at the present day. Some resort to checks on country banks, which cost the receiver 10 cents or 15 cents each, to collect. It is manifest that a serious impediment exists, which detracts largely from the possible business of merchants and publishers thruout the country.

"It is fair to assume that, under the present awkward methods, the Government receives toll on, perhaps not more than one-tenth of the total annual sum transmitted by mail, for the reason that people will not take the trouble to obtain Government Money Orders, but seek in every possible way to transmit their small sums by some other method. Mr. C. W. Post, of the Postum Cereal Co., Lim., at Battle Creek, Mich., has placed before a few well-known merchants, and also before Secretary of the Treasury Gage, a form of postal domestic currency, that is the best solution of the problem yet offered. "The demand is, for currency in general circulation that can be instantly made safe for transmission by mail, and free from the present annoyances. The old-fashioned paper fractional currency that was in existence during the war is remembered with pleasure (as compared with a load of silver) by all those who ever handled it. The smooth, flat-lying little bills that one could carry $10.00 or $20.00 worth of in a vest pocket or neatly placed in a flat pocket-book, without weight and inconvenience, were in very marked contrast with the

"This plan would also dispense with the need of money order clerks and the red tape attendant upon the present clumsy methods. It is proposed to issue the Post Cheque in five, ten, twenty-five and fifty cent pieces, also in one, two and five dollar notes, their faces printed in suitable form to allow of proper entries in ink by the sender, and their backs in suitable treasury note form.

"The faces will indicate in large figures, the denomination of the note. The Post Cheques are to be redeemable at any post-office. The present method of large business houses is to properly sign money and express orders, which are deposited with the other pieces of exchange in the bank, and at some time during the day the banker's clerk collects the money therefor at the post-office. This will be the operation in large commercial houses, with the Post Cheque. The postmaster pays out new Post Cheques when he redeems the old ones,

New Currency, Transformed by the Owner into Exchange Payable in Boston.

and this method serves an excellent purpose in keeping the notes fresh and comparatively clean, as in the case with Bank of England notes.

"An improvement in method and decrease in the cost of necessities, always means a heavy increase in use. In this case, the Post Cheque offers a very great convenience to the public, a substantial gain in business for merchant and pubfisher, and the probability ot a large increase in the Government revenue in the money order department. The matter will be brought before Congress at this term, and inasmuch as the subject is one of paramount interest to the commercial world, it is proposed that merchants, manufacturers and publishers express their opinions on the Post Cheque matter, directly to their representative in Congress."

For

Every one will see at a glance that the above system would be a great service and convenience to the masses of our people, and a great benefit to business firms in all parts of the country. example, such a system would add greatly to our subscription list, as many physicians say to themselves: "To-morrow I will go to the post-office and get a money order and send it to THE MEDICAL WORLD, for that magazine is such a great help to me in my practice that I cannot afford to do without it. Its cost is trifling compared with its great value." Well, "to-morrow" he is detained at an obstetrical case, or urgent calls succeed each other so constantly that he cannot go to the post-office; and so it is with each "tomorrow," and he loses his favorite magazine and we lose the dollar. How different it would be with the "Post Cheques" in circulation! He would not have to go to the post-office, but he would simply take a "Post Cheque" from his pocket, put a postage stamp on it (that pays the Government), make it out payable to THE MEDICAL WORLD (which would guarantee the sum against theft), then he would put it in an envelope and mail it to us, and the thing would be done and this could all be done in about one minute, or less-no detention from practice and no risk of loss of money. Will you see that your Congressman and Senators favor this plan ?

A demonstration of the triple tax as compared with the single tax :

THE TRIPLE TAX

Vacant lot, held for speculation. Tax $10

Lot upon which the owner has built a nice home, thus adding value to surrounding property. Tax $30

Vacant lot, held out of use by a speculator. Tax $10

Lot improved by appropriate and useful buildings, but the builder is taxed for his industry and enterprise. Tax $30

Vacant lot. The owner may live in Paris, and spend for champagne the unearned increment," the increase in value caused by those who build up the community. Tax $10

Lot upon which the own.

er has built a residence in which he and family reside. He thus helps to build up the community, and adds value to all land near by. Tax $30 TOTAL, $120

The quadruple or sextuple tax can be illustrated in the same way. The tax that taxes land values only is the single tax. Land values are created by the community, therefore this value should belong to the community as a whole, and should be used for the benefit of the community, for good government, schools, libraries and all other community needs. We now have a multiple tax (either double, triple, etc., as demonstrated), in greater or less degree. The single taxer believes that whatever a man makes, that he should own, without let, hindrance or burden of any kind. Buildings and all other improvements, manufactures, etc., made by the hand of man should be free from taxation. Freedom would encourage industry, while taxation discourages production. But land was not made by man. God made land, water, air and sunshine for the use of the human race. Hence land should not be private property. Land values are created by communities. For example, the land upon which the city of Philadelphia is built had no commercial value before Columbus discovered America. It had very little value when William Penn purchased it from the Indians. As the people and the improvements came, the land values came, until now they amount to many millions of dol

lars. These values, created by the community, should belong to the community and not to private individuals. A rental should be paid to the community by those who use favored locations; and this rental should be determined by competitive bidding, or by a board of assessors. This rental for the use of favored locations is the tax that the "single taxers" believe in. This is the theory of the single tax on land values. I hope that this is now clear to all. If not, I will answer any questions that may be askt. As to my personal position, I will say that while I am not a "single tax crank," yet there is a fundamental truth in the theory that the world must sooner or later recognize. Manifestly it must be applied locally before it can, if ever, be considered a national question.

Rev. Dr. Waddell, of Meridian, Miss., says that to make money is the purpose of all effort. How about John Huss and John Wesley? Ask Hobson and his men if this is true. This sentiment is a very unfortunate one to come from a clergyman.

Dr. T. L. Myers, of Meridian, Miss., has been trying hard to get our "Monthly Talks" republisht in the local papers, but thus far without success. He writes: "I have an intense desire to get space in the dailies here, but they are closed, except to corporation writers."

You have profited by THE WORLD symposiums. Have you paid your debt by contributing in your turn?

Vague and Indefinite Pains Due to Latent Rheumatic Conditions.

The physician is frequently called upon to treat patients who, tho not ill enough to be in bed, are not at all well. Their appetite is capricious, they sleep indifferently, or even if they sleep soundly they are not refreshed, and in the morning they are more fatigued and ill at ease than was the case on retiring. Upon awaking there is frequently an aching sensation in the loins, sometimes in the lower limbs, which is noticed upon getting out of bed or in dressing, and particularly in putting on their hose or lacing their shoes. As the day progresses this soreness may partially wear off, but there is at all times a vague, undefined, uneasy, painful feeling.

A competent examination of the urine in these cases will in almost every instance be found to disclose a notable absence of the soluble urates. On the contrary it may be loaded with the phosphates, and very frequently bile will be present, as also uric acid. If the condition remains neglected, the probable results will be sooner or later a pronounced attack of rheumatism in one or another of its forms. All that is needed to induce such a condition is a sudden change in the weather or the exposure on the part of the patient to cold or wet, or a combination of the two. This is due to a latent rheumatic diathesis, to which every adult is liable.

In such cases the physician will find Tongaline in any one of its forms as indicated, given at short intervals with copious draughts of hot water, a remedy which goes directly to the source of the trouble. Tongaline seeks out the retained excretions or perverted secretions, which it either

neutralizes or renders amenable to the physiological action of the emunctories, and then it brings to bear its strong eliminative powers, correcting the complaint promptly and thoroly.

Dr. Charles L. Lang, of Meridian, N. Y., writes: "I very much enjoy reading your seasonable communications. The idea of a journal full of grip articles in August!" Yes, in the average medical magazine you can find grip articles in August, and summer-diarrhea articles in January. THE WORLD is edited with a view to help the doctor in his current practice.

Dr. McCully, of Milwaukee, Wis., writes: As THE MEDICAL WORLD differs from the usual medical journals now publisht, in the respect that it is edited on the basis of common sense practice in every-day medical life, I send you one year's subscription. Learned dissertations full of highsounding Greek words that, when prickt, collapse like a wind bag similarly treated, is not what the busy doctor wants. He wants alkaloidal experience" to turn into immediate account at the bedside, not literary medical guff loaded with egotism and drawn out to balloon-like propor

tions.

Practical Points.

If you need to prescribe a tonic for any condition whatever, but particularly for the weakened and anemic state so often following rheumatic attacks, try Freligh's tonic. The advertisement elsewhere will repay your reading. If you have not already sent for samples, do so at once.

Caroid has recognized value in disorders of digestion. Send for a pamphlet, mentioning THE WORLD, and see what is claimed for it.

The Bromine-Iodine compound promises well in pulmonary tuberculosis. Read the advertisement of the company and send for a sample bottle, mentioning THE WORLD.

You are going to have a siege with grip this year, and Terraline has been highly endorst for this condition by many eminent physicians. Read the advertisement on another page and then write for samples and literature, mentioning THE WORLD.

The artistic advertisement of the Antikamnia Company, elsewhere in this issue, will doubtless attract much attention; but do not let it stop there. Write them for samples and literature, and tell them that you saw it in THE World.

For catarrhal disorders, Glyco-Thymoline has attained a special reputation. The firm will send a sample to you if you will write, mentioning THE WORLD, and will prepay express charges. Read the advertisement elsewhere.

The Peacock Chemical Company has a high standing with the profession, and their preparations are in good demand. Read the advertisement on another page in this issue, and profit by it to the extent of writing the firm and mentioning THE WORLD as you do so. You will not regret it.

Read what the California Fig Syrup Company has to say elsewhere about laxative logic." There is both rhyme and reason in it.

Have you ever known anything to gain in popularity like the Waugh-Abbott preparations? They seem to fill the proverbial "long-felt want," and unless you want to become "a back num

There is always some desire to know in advance just the disorders to be discusst in regard to their therapeutics and treatment, and so far as possible THE WORLD endeavors to gratify this natural spirit of inquiry among its readers by announcing, whenever this can be done, in one issue the probable editorial subjects in the next. Publishers as well as other business men, are subject, however, to mutations, and occasionally, with every intent to adhere to an already announced schedule, there may appear excellent reasons for a change.

of a subject of interest so immediate and absorbing as to demand for its consideration the greater amount of space at our disposal, or from an unforeseen popular demand for the discussion of some subject not previously announced. Since the interests of its readers are paramount with THE WORLD, when such changes of program are necessary, they will be made.

It is our intent in the issue for March to elaborate the treatment of scarlet fever and of diphtheria, and to begin the consideration of measles, and possibly of anemia or phthisis. March is always the hardest month in the year for consumptives, and the discussion of this trouble would seem appropriate at that time. Do not forget to send us all your clinical notes, that they may have timely insertion in conjunction with editorial comments. The fuller these discussions and the more doctors take part in them, the more benefit they will be to and the more THE WORLD will resemyou, ble what one of our subscribers likens it to, "the best post-graduate course in existence."

Scarlatina.

Perhaps scarlet fever is the most important of the exanthemata to the general practitioner, both from the fact of its general prevalence at certain periods of the year, and because of its gravity and the numerous sequelae. There was for years the idea that in certain forms it was not at all a dangerous disease, and even yet it is most difficult to make the attendants of patients who have the affection mildly, observe the proper precautions against conveying the infection to others. This is