Selling Papers

Comments the New York Evening

Post: "The inhabitants of the British West Indies, of course, are eager for annexation to the United States. Most of them are negroes, and they have heard of our lynching bees, Jim Crow discriminations and grandfather clauses with increasing envy. The people of Barbados are tired of having magazine writers describe their perfect government, as recently in Scribner's, and want a little Thompsonism or E. Mont Reilyism. As for the Philippines, every one knows that the Tribune for a quarter century has led the Republican press in such demands as 'Haul down the flag!' 'We want scuttle!' and 'Bryan is right on anti-imperialism !" A proud people like the Filipinos like nothing better than being swapped about."

" Unscrupulous Persons"

A form letter was sent out last week to almost everyone whose name appears in the many-volumed set of Social Registers. The letterhead was "Every Thursday--TOWN TOPICS --The Journal of Society--2 West 45th Street--Telephone Vanderbilt 2681." Two paragraphs read:

" From time to time during these years word has reached us that unscrupulous persons pretending to represent our publication were collecting large sums of money from numerous influential people, and so menacing has this evil become that we have discontinued the publication of an annual special number.

" We are sending you this letter for your protection and if, in the future, you are approached with any proposition looking to the payment of money for or on account of TOWN TOPICS you should at once turn the solicitor over to the authorities as a swindler."