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through the cession of Porto Rico, lie directly between Porto Rico and this newly added group.

The islands are small with a comparatively small producing capacity, their chief importance being by reason of their harbors which they offer and their value as a strategic as well as general commercial standpoint. St. Croix, the largest of them, is about 20 miles long and from one to five miles wide, with an area of about 80 square miles and a population of about 20,000. It is also the most productive of the islands, a considerable area being devoted to the production of sugar cane and tropical fruits, and agriculture

ble area, its chief value being in its possibilities for harbor purposes, the natural harbor of Coral Bay being described as one of the best protected natural harbors in the West Indies, but at present little used. St. Thomas, which lies nearest to Porto Rico, is by far the most important in its present availability for harbor purposes, the harbor of Charlotte Amalia having been for more than a century recognized as one of the best, if not the best natural harbor in the entire West Indian group, and having been during all that time a central point as a harbor of refuge and point of exchange for merchandise and a coaling station for

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The Danish West Indian Islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, and smaller islands, have recently been ceded to the United States by treaty. The population is about 33,000.

being the occupation of a large proportion of the population. There are two towns on the island, Fredriksted, with a population of 3,700, and Christiansted, with a population of 5,500. The latter is located upon the chief harbor of the island, which, however, is choked with mud and of much less importance than the harbors of either of the other islands. St. John, the smallest of the islands, has an area of but about 21 square miles, and a population of only about 1,000, and a comparatively small cultiva

vessels from all parts of the world. With passages through which it is easily reached, a good depth of water, and excellent protection from the hurricanes to which that region is subject, it has long been regarded as an extremely valuable harbor, and when Denmark in the early part of the nineteenth century made it a free port it became the distributing point for the commerce of the entire West Indian group. As a consequence nearly the entire population of the island is clustered around the port of Charlotte Amalia,

fully 10,000 of the 12,500 population living in this city, and less than 2,000 being engaged in agriculture.

The introduction of steam and electricity within the past few years have reduced greatly the importance of St. Thomas as a point for the distribution of commerce, since now all of the islands in the group are visited by regularly plying steamships, and the trade supplied by this process, instead of being compelled to rely upon the supplies formerly drawn from St. Thomas as a distributing point. The importance of the harbor, however, as a supply, repair, coaling and naval station has not been reduced, but rather increased; and with proper development it will, it is believed, prove of great value, while the productive possibilities of the islands, especially St. Croix, in the class of articles so largely imported by the United States, tropical productions, I will not be inconsiderable.

The population is chiefly colored, descendants of former slaves who were liberated in 1848, English being the chief language spoken, especially in the island of St. Thomas, which has been for many years a resort for vessels from Englishspeaking countries.

The imports into St. Thomas alone in 1900 amounted to $733,000 and those of St. Croix about $420,000. They consist chiefly of food-stuffs and manufactures. The exports of St. Thomas in 1900 amounted to about $25,000 and those of St. Croix $275,000. The exports of St. Thomas were of a miscellaneous character, largely manufactures destined for neighborhood islands; while those from St. Croix were chiefly sugar and other tropical products for the United States markets.

United Mine Workers.-The growth of the Miners' Union has been phenomenal. For the year 1898 the average paid-up membership was 32,902. For 1899 it was 61,887, increase, 28.985; for 1900 it was 115,521, increase, 53,634; for 1901 it was 198,024, increase, 82,503. Membership in December 1898, 54,700; December, 1899, 91,000, increase, 36,300; December, 1900, 189,329, increase, 98,329; December, 1901, 232,289, increase, 42,960. There

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The Pot and the Kettle.-The Citizen and Country, of Toronto, quotes a prominent Canadian preacher as saying: "Study the list of shareholders of the newspaper companies and you will see how near the truth the editor will dare to go," and then quotes a Canadian editor as replying: "Study the list of pewholders in the churches, and you will see how near the truth the preachers will dare to go. *

Great Ports of the World.-It is interesting to learn that Duluth (and Superior) is the third greatest port of the world, so far as tonnage is concerned. The following tonnage of the principal ports of the world-total arrivals and clearances-is furnished by the Treasury Department:

Cardiff, 13,420,355; Hull, 7,585,183; Liverpool, 11,818,000; London, 16,529,075; Glasgow, 3,612,934; Hamburg, 14,198,817; Bremen, 4,034,965; Havre, 4,511,770; Bordeaux, 2,051,587; Dunkirk, 2,542,347; Marseilles, 9,629,114: Antwerp, 13,573,472; Rotterdam, 11,768,863; St. Petersburg-Cronstadt, 3,000,016; Odessa, 2,645,959; Geneva, 3,979,942; New York, 16,020,290; Boston, 4,145,187; Philadelphia, 3,736,615; Baltimore, 3,452,654; New Orleans, 3,395,442; San Francisco, 2,691,366; Puget Sound ports, 2,277,320; Duluth-Superior, 14,387,068; Chicago, 9,966,082; Chicago district, including Chicago, South Chicago, Michigan City and Waukegan, 14,186,190.

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AL

LL railroad men are interested in railway technical matters. If they are to keep up with the processionwhich means, hold their jobs-they must keep abreast of the times. Any railroad man who subscribes for the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE, and reads it, need have no fear of being left in the race.

During the year 1901 there were 533 pages devoted to general railway and locomotive subjects; 254 pages exclusively to air brakes; 50 pages exclusively to train rules and train practice; 1153 pages to other interesting matter, made up of railway stories, industrial articles, educational matter, and other topics, making in the aggregate 1990 pages (exclusive of all advertisements), and all of these 1990 pages were sent to each and every subscriber for the sum of one dollar.

While enginemen have an intense interest in all railway technical matters, conductors and brakemen should have just as much interest in train rules and train practice, and in that part of the air brake equipment which comes under their supervision.

It would seem an easy matter to induce nearly every Locomotive Engineer in the land to subscribe for the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE. Conductors and Brakemen would find more than a dollar's worth in the Train Rules and Air Brake articles. But, notwithstanding these facts, we have less subscriptions now than in many years past.

If the price of a year's subscription was increased to $1.50, and a graduated cash commission paid to members for securing subscriptions, the Editor believes that we would have a large subscription list; besides, an opportunity would be given to members out of employment to earn $50 in nearly every railway terminal in the country.

LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE for the year 1901, which will be sent post paid, to any address in the United States, Canada or Mexico, for $2 each. Address W. S. Carter, and send price with order.

A Splendid Array of Advertisements.

Doubtless the entire membership has a pride in the advertising pages of the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE. A few, a very few, of our members are strongly opposed to the Brotherhood attending to its own business; that is, they believe that the advertising and all other business should be farmed out to others, something like the convention souvenirs once were "sold" to outside people, who did all the managing and got all the profits. They are so wedded to this idea that nothing can convince them that the Editor and Manager can make a success of anything, and therefore the following statement will have but little effect on them.

The difference between the net earnings of the first three months of 1898 and the first three months of 1902 will much more than pay the Editor and Manager's salary. During the former period we farmed out our advertising space, while during the latter period we managed it ourselves. The indications are that the net profits for the year 1902 on our advertising pages will pay the salaries of the Editor and Manager and one of the clerks in the MAGAZINE department.

The best evidence that the readers of the MAGAZINE are a desirable class of patrons is the fact that we have such a splendid class of advertisers. Every member of the Brotherhood should endeavor to persuade the merchants with whom he deals to sell the goods advertised in their MAGAZINE. done we will have fifty instead of twenty

We have a few bound volumes of the four pages of advertisements.

If this is

Current Comment.

its, above a fair interest on the real capi

The press and the pulpit are making tal invested, in the form of wages among quite a stir over the fact that during the corporation's employes. Then they the year just closed, wealthy Americans can feed the physical as well as the intelhave given away for public enterprises lectual body-and do more to elevate the great sum of $107,360,000. An im- humanity, and lighten the burden of possible sum it would be in any other those who toil, than all the gifts for country than this of millionaires and great universities and public libraries coming billionaires. Great stress is laid have done since the days of Adam. upon the fact that these men are giving their money so unselfishly for the good of the dear public.

Who made their money for them except the dear public? Andy Carnegie heads the list in the amount of his gifts, and Rockefeller follows in close behind. Can the thousands of men who helped pile up Carnegie's wealth feel the same boundless admiration over Andy's munificence as an outsider? Hardly! They have not forgotten Homestead. They have not forgotten wage reductions that they and their families underwent in order that Andy might now astonish the worid with the greatness of his public gifts. Money is the open sesame to society, and it appears-if we are to believe what we see to have the same power earth to win one's way to Heaven-if one gives away enough.

on

University, church or city asks not how the money was obtained, that is to build its walls. It matters not if it is covered with the tears of suffering, or bought with the price of sorrow and unjust exaction. Bow the head, cover the eye, and in all humility receive it-for money, money is king!

In

We are not enough "our brother's keeper." We do not inform ourselves enough on the conditions of other classes of people with whom our own avocation does not bring us in direct contact. We take too much for granted. short we are too selfish for our "brother's" good, and incidentally our own good. There are men who are starving the physical bodies of men, women and children, in order that they may give great sums, not to do good, but to quiet the clamor of the people against such as they. They give to render their names famous, or infamous, for all time, in the ears of posterity.

If the men at the head of these great corporations really wish to do good, for good's sake, let them divide the prof

But the aim of the rich man would not be met. His name would not be heralded down through the ages of time as the man who could and did give more to have his name perpetuated than any other of his fellow creatures.

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That great body of millionaire law makers, called the United States Senate, are aroused to the fact, which they have sought to ignore, that there is something real in the demand of the people for the election of senators by popular vote. Despite that over three-fourths of the states demand, by legislative voice, a revision of that part of the Constitution, no steps have been taken in that direction by our national law making bodies. Five states have gone on record for a constitutional convention to remodel our Constitution and bring it up to twentieth century needs and ideas, and there are more to follow. The Senate is aggrieved that such a thing should be thought of as revising the wise work of our forefathers. They overlook the fact that these same forefathers were wise enough to provide in the Constitution that the people could revise it when they saw the need. No doubt they had in mind the House of Lords, in England, which dignified body has several times tried to be greater than its creator, and has each time been compelled to get down closer to the common level. One flagrant case of bribery has come openly to the people's notice, and how many there are that have been known only to those actually involved in the transaction one can only surmise. Doubtless their name is legion. Hope of political preferment, of financial assistance or social advancement, are all held out to doubtful members of the legislature by senatorial aspirants to secure the required votes for their election. Long and costly deadlocks of state legislatures would be avoided, and money spent recklessly to

carry forward some man's ambitious desire would be spent in forwarding the legislative business of the body in session. The reform will meet with opposition from the Senate, and from the rich people of this country. The Senate is essentially the law making body of the rich. It is composed of rich men, and caters to the needs and demands of that class. The people have pretty well made up their minds that this reform will be brought about, and, when it is, a step will be made toward bringing great financial combines under control, and of purifying our supreme bench. The first step is always the hardest one to take. W. L. FRENCH.

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Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Increase of Beneficiary Certificate and Accident Insurance.

Let us

It seems as if no one is very much interested in raising our life policy, or carrying our own accident insurance. I have waited three months to hear from someone through the columns of the MAGAZINE concerning this matter, but have so far heard not a word, or read a line. I have read of a general organization of labor, and of forming a union between the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, but I would suggest that we try something easy, as it seems a very difficult matter to bring about a union between all, or even a part, of the different railway organizations. build up our own standard. Not that it is lacking in anything to make it equal to any other labor organization, but there are things we can work upon that will raise our standard where it should be, where it will help each member of our grand and noble organization. To raise our life policy gives each member who is able to pass the medical examination a chance to provide for those dependent on him more plentifully than our present amount of insurance will allow. We will say $2,000.00 for a member who wishes to carry that amount. This will be $500.00 more than at present, which will help out considerably when a man is snatched away from his family, and leaves them without any means except the amount of his insurance. In almost any locality you can mention it would cost $1,000.00 to build a house of any size that would be fit to live in, and after all bills are paid there would be

very little left out of $1,500.00 with which to build a house and furnish it. I ask of all who have those dependent upon them to stop one moment and think of this. Think what a great relief it would be if you could leave enough behind with which to build a home and furnish it for your loved ones, in case you should be suddenly called away to give an account of your deeds and actions in this life. I am very anxious to have our next convention act upon this, and provide in our constitution a clause allowing all who choose to carry $2,000.00 or even $3,000.00 life insurance to be able to do so. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers have a limit of $4,500.00, and it seems to me that we could just as well have our limit $3,000.00 at least.

Just one moment more with all intelligent and thoughtful brothers, and I hope we have none but what are intelligent and thoughtful; what a very small sum $1,500.00 is to leave to your loved ones. Only $1,500.00 with which to face a frowning world, when, if our constitution would admit, we could just as well have $2,000.00 or $3,000.00. Each member has a voice in this matter and there is no better time than the present to work it up, in order that our next convention may take the necessary steps to give all a chance to prepare for the future welfare of those dependent upon them in time of greatest need.

Now, I beg to say a few words in reference to our accident insurance. I see no reason why we cannot carry our own accident insurance, and do it much cheaper, much safer, and a great deal more satisfactory than we are doing at the present time. The accident insurance we carry at present is costing us too much, and if insurance companies can make money-and they certainly do, or they would quit the business-by insuring railroad men for a certain sum, why cannot we do the same? If members of the B. of L. F. have to toil to fill anyone's purse why not let it be our own? Why toil to swell the bank account of others, when we need all we make equally as much as the others? I am sure if all men who are capable of thinking would reflect for one moment they would agree with me on this question. Boys, get down to business, and let us try and have our next convention raise our life policy to $3,000.00 or $2,000.00 at least, and create an accident

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