PRESIDENT Ersor made an unfortunate attack upon 
the Federated Council’s social propaganda for the church 
of the new age. ‘he social program proposed lacks de- 
finiteness and precision, but is it not better to give ex- 
pression to social ideals, however inadequately these may 
be expressed than not to have tried. Progress is made 
by passing from feeble efforts that fail, to intelligent ac- 
ion that wins. ‘The new social service revival has in it 
many factors that are feeble, but the spirit is commendi- 
ble. Progress in the social sciences can only be made by 
effort. There is much in names and names cannot be 
changed easily. ‘The Protestant Episcopal church has a 
right to its ambitions to the title “American Catholic” for 
its new name. The suggested choice, however, is neither 
new nor distinctive. The word American is not strong 
enough to overcome the objections of the adherents of the 
Roman Catholic church of the title assumed. ‘There are 
communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church who ob- 
ject to the proposed new name on the same grounds. 
Father Van Allen has a right to his prognostigations, but 
it is likely that many years will pass before the church 
will be willing to adopt his slogan. Apathy and inertia 
and customs prevent much enthusiasm or unity of action 
for the change. 
Tue N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Crats as its average 
of safety, twenty-nine killed out of over 755 million car- 
ried. ‘There is no greater thing in travel than a high 
average of safety.” It is about time the public awake to 
the folly, expense and injuctice of the heartless attacks 
that are made upon transportation corporations. Event- 
ually the public pays the bill in reduced dividends or in- 
creased cost of transportation. The burden must fall 
somewhere. Where-ever expense falls someone must pay 
the bill. ‘That someone is the so-called “average citizen.” 
We need prophets of justice who will cry out 
in the wilderness for justice and safety for invested cap- 
ital. No man with a sane view of the modern problems 
of society will deny the fact that a million-dollar corpor- 
ation has rights which the people should respect. 
The wholesale, senseless and abusive attacks that have 
been made against organized industry have sown dis- 
cord, unrest and anarchy and the public will pay the Lill. 
The yellow press ought to awake to the nefarious char- 
acter of its work and begin a new gospel cry for justice 
for all that is really justice for “ALL.” 
Tue Town oF MANCHESTER is the envy of the city 
of Beverly. Manchester solved its water problem with 
rare wisdom. Year after year Beverly is trying legisla- 
ture after legislature without progress. Now a com- 
mission has been appointed to investigate the Ipswich 
River as a source of water supply. Ipswich river ought 
not to be considered. ‘The simplest plan and one which 
will supply a large amount of good water for years to 
come would be to permit Beverly to take over Wenham 
lake and pay Salem an amount of money commensurate 
with the gains thus made, thus permitting Salem to pur- 
chase its way into the Metropolitan system. 
Tin Massacuuserts GAs Company is beginning to 
give evidence, in increased dividends, of its unparalleled 
opportunity for progress. ‘This company is one of the 
holding companies of the best modern type and has proven 
to be a valuable agent for the economical administration 
of the three allied industries,—towing, coal and gas pro- 
duction. ‘The company owns the stock of the Boston 
Consolidated Gas Co., and a half dozen other suburban 
gas companies. ‘The New England Coke and Coal Co., 
was taken in and also the Boston ‘l'owboat Co., so that 
the dividends on the invested capital, from the time the 
coal leaves the mine until it has been consumed as gas, 
feed the treasury of this company. ‘The utility stocks 
have always held a strong place in the investing public’s 
favor and it is one of the business certainties of the near 
future that this great company will earn even more, The 
gains are not altogether selfish for the general public 
has been profiting by the economies obtained and there 
is a state law which requires a sympathetic reduction in 
the price of gas to the consumers as the dividends of 
the individual companies increase. 
Gov. Foss has placed his invitation to Sen. Crane to 
accept the chairmanship of the commission which shall build 
the addition to the State House, on high ground, that of 
Public Service. One of the pleasant indications of the day 
is the evidence that comes out from time to time of the un- 
selfish service which is being rendered by the citizens of 
our commonwealth in her- behalf. While the reformer is 
bewailing the lack of public interest it will be well to con- 
sider the many of our commonwealth’s citizenship who 
are loyally serving the interests of the state. It is to be 
hoped that Senator Crane will accept this opportunity for 
service, for the state needs him. Whatever one’s party 
affiliations may be one cannot overlook the fact that 
Governor Foss has not been so partisan in his appoint- 
ments that he cannot recognize merit in a member of - 
another party. 
INTERESTING ExPERIMEN'’S which have been tried out 
in Switzerland have been attracting the attention of the 
agricultural leaders on the North Shore. In fruit cul- 
ture under glass, vari-colored glass has been tried with 
some progress. It has been found that oranges can be 
forced under white glass to the best advantage, while 
violet has increased the quantity at expense of qual- 
ity. ‘The experiments are more valuable in indicating 
possible lines of development in horticulture than in re- 
sults already attained. Marvelous advances have been 
made in medicine and surgery by the use of various types 
of rays from light. May it not be possible for some bril- 
liant mind to solve some of the mystery of actinic effects 
in horticulture ? . 
THERE Were THousanbs who laid down their lives 
in the Battle of Gettysburg fifty years ago and it is not 
pleasing to reflect that many a brave veteran will lay 
down his life because of the added strain occasioned by 
a return to the old field. 
