In 1883 the total production of aluminum in the United States was eighty-three pounds; in 1914 the output amounted to eighty million pounds; this year a production exceeding two hundred million pounds is predicted. The greatest use for aluminum is probably in the manufacture of kitchen ware, but it is being more and more used in making jewelry, fancy articles, machine bearings, automobile parts, etc., and is supplanting copper in many industries on account of the excessive cost of that metal.

Animals are often supposed to be restrained by "instinct" from eating food that would be harmful to them. The Department of Agriculture finds, however, that many cattle in the West are poisoned by eating larkspur. Sheep are immune, and horses rarely eat enough of the plant to produce any ill effects. Where the plant is abundant it is recommended that the ranges be used for sheep instead of cattle, or that the areas infested by larkspur be first eaten down by sheep.

The new battle-ships authorized for the coming year will be named Colorado, Maryland, Washington, and West Virginia. The twenty destroyers to be built under the programme will be named after distinguished naval officers. The four battle-cruisers to be laid down next year will probably be named after historic ships of the United States navy.

In "Sixty Years of the Theater," by John Ranken Towse, this story is told of two famous actors, E. A. Sothern and Edwin Booth, in illustration of their self-confessed limitations. Sothern told Booth that he had once believed that he was possessed of tragic genius and had acted the part of Claude Melnotte. "My perform ance," Sothern said, "was thus characterized by a caustic critic: 'It exhibited all the qualities of a poker except its occasional warmth.' It was, I suppose, about as bad as anything ever seen upon the stage." Booth chuckled quietly for a minute and then, with a quizzical smile, simply remarked, “You never saw my Romeo, did you?"

The book of automobile jokes will be a big one when it is completed; here are two applicants for entry, selected from exchanges : "Prospective Buyer, walking into garage-'I would like to see a good second-hand car.' Proprietor of Garage-'So would I.'” —“I never see you take your wife out in the auto." "My boy, I have all I can do to manage one at a time." This latter sarcasm probably dates from early times; the increasing number of women owners and operators of cars makes it of merely historic interest.

The callousness of sone shoppers is illustrated by a story in "Everybody's." Two women, one

of them carrying a baby; asked a salesman to show them some carpets. It was a hot day, but the salesman cheerfully showed roll after roll, until perspiration streamed from his face. Finally one of the women asked the other if it wasn't time to go. "Not quite," was the answer, with a whispered explanation-" Baby likes to see him roll them out, and we've plenty of time to catch the train."

An entertaining defense of Captain Kidd appears in "Commerce and Finance," apropos of the demolition of an old New York house supposed to occupy the site of his homestead. Captain Kidd's trial, it is stated, was a farce, he himself was what is termed to-day a "goat," and his total loot brought to America amounted to only $75,000. This last statement is the severest blow of all, destroying as it does the glamour of the old ballad about Captain Kidd: "I'd ninety bars of gold, as I sailed, as I sailed, I'd ninety bars of gold, as I sailed: I'd dollars manifold, and riches uncontrolled, And by these I lost my soul, as I sailed." Soldiers of the same age, fighting side by side, a Frenchwoman says in her "Notes on the War," may be of very different social classes, but often become the closest friends. She tells this story in illustration of the fact: A very merry young soldier entertained his companions in the "dugout" most delightfully by his irrepressible joviality. One day his spirits failed. Asked the reason by one of his mates, he said: "In ordinary life I am a clown in a music hall. It's my business to make people laugh. But to-day I got a letter from my wife telling of the illness of our two children. She can't go out to work, and things look black. That's why I don't joke to-day." A few days later the same inquirer said, "Comrade, you're merry again. What's happened ?" "Why, a letter from my Louise says a man called and handed her three hundred-franc notes from his client, M. Jean Breton; so things are bright again for us. But who can M. Breton be?" The other man was silent, but finally spoke: "Don't worry, copain. I am Jean Breton. I'm rich enough to afford it. Now sing us one of your comic songs, please!"

The oldest "active" printer in the country is said to be Mr. Thomas Emerson Ash, of Germantown, New York. He began his career on the Newport" Rhode Islander "one year before the Mexican War, worked on the New York "Tribune" when Horace Greeley was its editor, and now at the age of ninety is still operating his printing plant and working at the case daily. This paragraph would be incomplete if it did not contain the statement that Mr. Ash is reported never to have tasted liquor nor used tobacco.

THE PRESIDENtial electioN

Nobody knew definitely two days after the election whether President Wilson or Mr. Hughes had been elected for the next four years, or even when it would be decided that one or the other had been elected. The election of the President is not determined by the majority of votes cast, but by the majority of electors chosen.

Each State has a certain number of electoral votes, according to the number of representatives it has in the Senate and the House. The lowest possible number of electors for any State is three, since every State has two Senators and at least one Representative. New York has the largest body of electors, namely, forty-five; while New Mexico, Delaware, Arizona, Wyoming, and Nevada have three each.

Twenty-four hours after the polls had closed it seemed that of the 531 electoral votes President Wilson was fairly certain of 251-fifteen short of a majority. The States whose votes seemed then most uncertain were California, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, and (much to the general surprise) New Hampshire. It then seemed certain that President Wilson would win by gaining either California or Minnesota and any one of the other three States; while Mr. Hughes would need either both California and Minnesota or else one of these two and all the other three. At one time it seemed possible that the result might turn upon the three votes of New Mexico. Very narrow pluralities in several States suggested

that the final decision might be reached only after an official recount. When on Thursday at midnight California was reported as giving President Wilson a majority of over three thousand, his re-election seemed assured.

DAYS OF UNCERTAINTY

When the sun set on election day in the East, it was still shining in the western part of the country, and in some Western States the polls closed at a later hour than in some of the Eastern States. Consequently, when the returns began to come in from New England and New York and New Jersey and Pennsylvania and the other States along the Atlantic, voters in California were still casting their ballots. Indeed, between the closing of the polls in New York at five and the closing of the polls in California at seven o'clock there was an actual difference of five hours. The East was known to be Hughes territory, and when the early returns began to come in showing big pluralities for Hughes there was no particular cause for surprise. But what did surprise and mislead, not only the ordinary citizen, but the trained observer of political matters, were the large Hughes majorities in the precinct returns from such a State as Illinois. When it began to be known on Tuesday night by nine or halfpast nine o'clock that Hughes had not only carried most, if not all, of the North Atlantic seaboard States, but had won in the great Middle Western States of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and even Indiana, it seemed to many impossible that there was any chance

for the President's re-election. Indeed, the New York Times," an ardent and consistent supporter of President Wilson throughout the campaign, flashed from the top of its tower the red light which it had adopted as the signal for the election of Mr. Hughes, and kept that red light steadily burning until midnight.

That Ohio had gone for Mr. Wilson was no surprise. To the supporters of Mr. Hughes, however, the silence of Minnesota, which was not heard from, seemed ominous. And those who had been prepared for signs of the President's strength in the West were waiting for later information concerning the Rocky Mountain States and the States of the Pacific coast. Early returns from California seemed to indicate safe pluralities for Mr. Hughes, but these reports proved misleading. By the next morning the returns coming in from the States that had not been heard from seemed to be almost overwhelmingly favorable to President Wilson. The Western and Rocky Mountain States of Idaho, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Washington, all fell into the Wilson column. These, with Maryland and Kentucky, the Southwestern States of Arizona, Oklahoma, and Missouri, the Middle Western State of Ohio, and the "solid South," comprised the unquestioned Wilson territory.

The spirit of Nationalism, as indicated by the Republican pluralities, reached higher levels in parts of the Middle West than some expected. Illinois, with its great body of newly enfranchised women voters, did not yield to the counsels of caution and "safety first." Apparently the women of Hlinois were as ready as the men to regard National duty as paramount, whatever hardship might come with it. On the other hand, the other so-called suffrage States seem to be predominantly for President Wilson and the Democratic ticket. But it is plain that if that vote indicates a yielding of duty to a desire for comfort and tranquillity, the men as well as the women share the responsibility. As a matter of fact, the Democratic vote of the Far West is an indication that the people of that region are less responsive to the spirit of Nationalism than they are responsive to the spirit of democracy. They may be forgetful of the duty that this Nation owes to other nations or to its own citizens on the high seas and in foreign lands, but they have a lively sense of

social justice. To them the dangers of the reaction that might come through a change in parties seemed to be more imminent than any danger of neglect of duty on the part of the Nation toward the rest of the world or toward its own citizens in foreign parts.

We discuss the significance of this election at greater length on another page.

THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS

Though the Democrats apparently remain in control of Congress, the elections have somewhat changed its complexion.

The upper branch of Congress, the Senate, has a membership of 96; the necessary majority is 49. The lower branch of Congress, the House of Representatives, has a membership of 435; the necessary majority is 218.

The present Senate stands 56 Democrats to 40 Republicans-a Democratic majority of 16. According to latest returns, the future Senate may have 54 Democrats and 42 Republicans-a Democratic majority of 12.

The present House has 229 Democrats, 198 Republicans, 6 Progressives, one Socialist, and one Independent-a Democratic majority of 23 over the Republicans and the members of the minor political parties. According to partial returns, the future House may consist in a practical tie as between Republicans and Democrats when final returns have been reported, but with indications favoring a very slight Republican majority.

NEW SENATORS AND OLD

In last week's election 33 United States Senators were chosen, but, in all, 35 new Senators will take their seats next March. The 35 include the two Senators elected by the Republicans in the September Maine election. The 35 also include the one-third increase of the whole number of Senators necessary every two years, and the replacements of those who died in office.

In the Senate the Republican gains have been in the States of Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Indiana, and West Virginia; the Democratic gains have been in the States of Delaware, Rhode Island, Utah, and later returns may disclose victories also in New Mexico and Wyoming.

Next to the choice of the President probably the most notable result of last Tuesday's elections is the new Republican blood in the