issued by the State forester were 
obeyed in the spirit as well as to the 
letter. ‘The careless setting of spring 
clearing fires and negligence of 
smokers in disposing of cigar and 
cigarette ends has been the frequent 
cause of serious fires requiring hard 
and unnecessary work on the part of 
the firemen and other fire fighters. 
At Beverly Farms, the firemen were 
out Sunday fighting woods fires sev- 
~enteen hours out of twenty-four. 
As 
most of the men are call men re- 
ceiving but a nominal salary for a 
year’s work the service they rendered 
to the public ought not to be allowed 
to pass without the word of well de- 
served praise. At one time three 
thousand and fifty feet of hose were 
laid. It is easy enough even for the 
uninformed public to realize that with 
that amount of hose in service the 
pressure generated by a _ worn-out 
engine would be exasperatingly di- 
minished at the fire-end of the line. 
Sunday’s experience is another rea- 
son why Beverly Farms needs that 
new steamer. We understand that 
the Mayor and Chief Engineer still 
have the matter under consideration. 
Manchester is fortunate in having an 
efficient apparatus. ‘here is no rea- 
son why Beverly Farms should not 
be equally protected. 
In Manchester there are suspicions 
which may get the parents of some 
boys and the boys themselves into se- 
rious trouble. A very strong paren- 
tal instruction properly administered 
would help the Town Treasury. It 
is an open question whether the town 
is pursuing the right policy in award- 
ing the thirty cents an hour premium 
for irresponsible persons to set fires. 
~ 
There is a strong feeling among those 
in authority that it would not be un- 
wise to offer a reward for the appre- 
hension of the fire setters. Fire set- 
ting is a serious offense and the pen- 
alty of the law is severe. The re- 
moval of the thirty cents an hour in- 
ducement to set fires might do some 
good, whatever the sentiment may be 
about the advisability of offering a 
town reward for the apprehension of 
fire setters. 
“GLOUCESTER AND NO-LICENSE. 
Gloucester has again gone over to 
the no-license column and it is hoped 
that this is the beginning of a stable 
and permanent sentiment for a “dry 
administration.” The serious difficul- 
ties of no-license as a municipal op- 
tion is always evident where the senti- 
ment is not crystalized and where the 
city passes from the no-license col- 
umn to the license column at succeed- 
ing annual elections: 
The best re- 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
31 
sults from no-license can only be ob- 
tained where there is a strong and 
aggressive sentiment against the sale 
of intoxicating liquors. ‘This  senti- 
ment will and must grow. Glouces- 
ter has before her an open door and a 
habitual no-license attitude will do 
her more good than any other one 
community policy. The usual politi- 
cal pessimism has been abroad in the 
municipality fostered, of course, by 
the defeated “wet” element, but as 
the year goes by, the records of the 
police department alone will justify 
the new regime. If there were no 
moral issue at stake in the liquor 
question, the financial gain of the no- 
license policy should justify it to the 
Gloucester public. The abolition of 
the saloon in ,Gloucester is another 
move to help the whole shore, as the 
patrolmen on the evening: routes of 
the towns on the shore will testify. 
Rar_RoAD HERoIsM. 
The heroism of the employees of 
the Boston and Maine Railroad on 
Monday in Salem and Beverly brings 
home to the public forcibly the re- 
liance which is constantly placed upon 
the intelligence of our railroad men. 
The engineer’s quick wit averted a 
catastrophe. If the engineer, Issa- 
cher Williams of Beverly, by the 
irony of fate had not been thrown 
from his cab and if the engine had 
not consequently run wild necessi- 
tating the perilous and heroic feat of 
Conductor Benjamin A. Churchill, it 
is not unlikely that the public would 
never have known of Engineer 
Williams’ instantaneous — life-saving 
decision. It is said that a recognition 
of the bravery of these men is to be 
made but nothing can ever excel their 
better reward of having been able to 
do the act of duty at the instant of 
need successfully. Heroism is its 
own reward and neither money nor a 
medal of honor can ever compensate 
a hero. The deed of heroism is ever 
greater than the reward. ‘Tokens and 
rewards can only be public ex- 
pressions of the public’s reverence for 
an act of heroism. 
THE MEXICAN SITUATION. 
The situation in Mexico does not 
improve ,although the threatened 
resignation. of Diaz may help the 
situation. ‘There is a strong peace 
sentiment in our land and a dread of 
martial .conflicts. ‘The absence of 
jingoism in the best journals to- 
gether with the firm confidence which 
the American people have in the con- 
servative policy of the President 
auger well for the future. The Mun- 
roe Doctrine’ places responsibilities 
which can not be shirked, but the 
American people have progressed 
since the Mexican War, and we can 
count on every precaution by the ad- 
ministration to avert the necessity of 
an armed interference. ‘he present 
conflict is one of the most cinvincing 
arguments of the necessity of a stand- 
ing army to assure and maintain 
peace. ‘The army and navy policy of 
the United States is the best possible 
peace insurance. 
THe TERCENTENARY OF THE BIBLE. 
The Tercentenary of the Bible re- 
veals anew the progress of the race 
from the days of superstition, ignor- 
ance and irreligion. ‘The anniversary 
of the publishing of the King James 
Bible has given a new stimulus to the 
reading of the great book. ‘The Gid- 
eons, an organization of Christian 
salesmen, have placed in the rooms 
of the hotels copies of the scripture 
and one hotel keeper reports that he 
knows that they are being read by the 
increase in his monthly lighting bill. 
The reading of the Bible is still a 
strength to men. ‘Too many, how- 
ever, give insufficient thought to the 
fact of the real ignorance that still 
exists among so-called educated peo- 
ple. In a recent examination in a 
college class in English, the ignorance 
of the scripture of Hebrew people 
revealed was lamentable. 
At this very day in the city of 
Boston there is a church of super- 
stitious negroes who actually believe 
that Jesus of Nazareth was a negro 
and prove it to their satisfaction by 
two passages from the New ‘Testa- 
ment. The one refers to Christ’s 
face having shone and the other pass- 
age in Revelation that the son of man 
“has His head and hair . . . white, 
white as wool.” It is only the ne- 
gro’s face that shines and has _ hair 
as wool. ‘The argument is concluded. 
Such ignorance would be humorous 
if it were not tragic. 
It is typical of the ignorance which 
too many people of a fairer skin have 
of the Book which Scott called for 
on his dying bed: “Bring me the 
Book.” ‘What book?” “There is 
only one Book,” he replied, “and that 
is the Bible.” 
The anniversary should send many 
readers back to the book of ages to 
read and reread its eloquent passages, 
So live with men as considering al- 
ways that God sees thee; so pray to 
God, as if every man heard thee. De- 
sire nothing, which may either wrong 
thy profession to ask, or God’s honor 
to grant. Bishop Henshaw. 
