Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, October 7, 1894, Page 10

BRITAIN'S FREE TRADE POOR | iirsicit” ~ The United Kingdcm Oompelled to Care for 1,317,104 Pauperized Bubjects, i ; VITAL PROBLEM BEFORE HER STATESMEN | s Fad § 0 ana Chamberlaln Now Advocating n System of 014 Age Penslons to Spare Honest and Industrions Citizens the Homilia- tion of the Workhouse, BIRMINGHAM, England, Sept. 20.—(Spe- | &lal Correspondence.)—If 1 should be asked | Who among contemporary British statesmen has the most political virllity, the answer would unhesitatingly be Joseph Chamberlain In thus answering I do not necessarily en- dorse Mr. Chamberlain’s views, elther economically or politically. This serles of letters if they are to be of Interest and of permanent value must reflect the many views of many Buropean Intellects. They must set forth without prejudice and with judicial fairness the tendency of Buropean thought .on the great problems now occupying the “minds of those who lead. In some cases we may find European countrles grappling With problems similar to those we are deal- ing with at home and hence learn much of value in the experlences of other states. To what extent the consideration of popular cures for poverty and schemes for pension ng everyone In old age may appeal American statesmen in a large degree, de- pends upon how long the folly of the present administration will be permitted to continue. Today In Great Britain and continental Burope these questions scem to take pre- cedence of all others. Unequal apportion- ment of wealth; steady increase of pauper- ism; decrease in the army of actual pro- ducers; limitation of the markets of the world; lessened earning powers in branches of industry in which England was once supreme; the ever growing army of unem- ployed and the accumulated vehemence of latter day competition lterally compels the British statesman to turn to the state for ald in the never-ending struggle of the survival of the fittest, for the care of those Wwho get left in the race. But there is the British poor house, Every English subject has a right to end his days there, At the present time, of the working classes, one in two, if he reaches the age of 60, I8 almost certain to come upon the poor law for his subsistence. The annual cost of this fnstitution Is betwwen $45.000,000 and $60,000,000. To the average mind a sum exceeding by $15,000,000 or $20,000,000 the annual Interest on our national debt would seem to be sufficlent for maintaining the poor and indigent. Not so. In spite of this enormous outlay the suffering and poverty as old age creeps on is so great in the - United Kingdom that the most brilliant and far-seeing statesmen are studying all avall- able data in the hope of finding some ad- ditional method of state aid for the old and indigent without still further pauperizing the population, RIGHT HON. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN. In this endeavor I find Mr. Chamberlain taking an advanced position. During my stay in Birmingham I had an opportunity of discussing this question one afternoon with him in his home at Highbury, and in the course of that conversation 1 learned much that surprised and interested me, Few people at home realize how seriously British statesmen are discussing state ald for old age. It is practically today the leading mew proposition in Mr. Chamber- lain’s budget. He puts it forward in all his speeches in such a manner that the working classes are greatly attracted and he is rapidly winning back his old follow- ing. In Birmingham this remarkable man v TUE CHAMBERLALN MEMOKIAL, 18 as absolute as in the days when he was * looked upon as the natural successor of Mr. ‘ Gladstone. Those of Mr. Chamberlain's admirers who do not agree with his opposi- tion to home rule for Ireland say that he ‘ sacrificed the premiership for a principle which he belleved In—the autonomy of the * United Kingdom. They have forgiven him. His tremendous services to the municipality of Birmingham cannot be erased. The Chamberlain memorial is a silent testimonial of ‘his courage, energy and master- fulness in dealing with _local af- fairs. In one respect Mr. Cham- “berlain gained strength by refusing to follow Mr. Gladstone in his Irish policy. John Bright was an anti-home ruler. I had followers in Birmingham, which Mr. - Chamberlain never controlled untti his atti- . t':&- on this question brought them into the 'Have you a volume of Mr. Chamberlain’s speeches?” 1 said of a somewhat demure i young woman i the leading bookseller's of Birmingham. In & moment a volume was lald before me, but I at once noticed it ante-dated his political changes. “This volume, fore the Iibera; Before Mr. Chamberlain's reformation, it You please, sir,” was the respectful reply. The old John Bright following in Birming- ham are more strongly attached to Mr. ' Chamberlain than ever. Idea of Joseph Chamberlain having gone over to the conservatives and resent very much the imputation that he would accept a title or Is longing for the society of dukes and duchesses. - He {s as much the idol of the English working classes as ever and they look to him to assist in all measures to alleviate their suffering and improve their condition. To them he is Joseph Chamber- . lain—commoner. He conservative cabinet, and from what I heard probably will, but in that event it will be understood to be a mixed cabinet and on “other questions than the autonomy of the United Kingdom, as it is termed, Mr. Cham- berlain will to a large extent feel himself free to act indepeadently. Be this as it may the great Birmingham “leader Is the most active man in English politics just at this moment. He has al- Teady made three great speeches during the yacation and more are to follo These #peeches are directed to the British work- ‘man and the general idea which pervades them all is parliament has done enough for 1 sald, was published be- iit. _ , the Irish tenant and the time has come to \ help the English, To pass such legisiation as the old age pension act and generally to extend state soclalism, for that Mr. Cham- Derlain frankly admits is the drift of British politics. He argues the government is loaning woney on Irish land to belp the tenant of Ireland against the land- , why not go into the annuity business pension the victims of low wages and good 13 s logical and to a nation bly accustomed as England to to | They laugh at the | may even go into a | Inal refuge for old age, thoroughly practical fdea. Mr. Chamoer- lain's scheme, as ho was good enough {o explain it to me, & not as far-reaching as some of the.proposals now before the public, | backed by powerful and able economists and | statesmen. It may be sad, however, to hold the fleld politically. Politicians and social reformers have taken up this fascinat- ing economic subject and in the orthodox English fashion a committee of peers and M. P.’s were appointed to investigate and prepare a scheme. There were almost as many schemes as members of the committee, but the skillful touch of the radical leader rounded the sharp edges, welded together a plan and drafted the necessary bill. This bill offers a very great inducement to everyone, man or woman, but to men and marrying men especlally to provide against the alternative consequence of premature death or of protracted life. OLD AGE AND THE WORK HOUSE. “I find,” said Mr. Chamberlain, with great | earnestness, “‘that while the British wage- | earner realizes the fact that he may die be- | fore the allotted time and that he may meet | with an accident, or bs laid up by ilness, | he does mot seem’to appreciate the fact that | he “may live beyond the wage-earning period. The working classes insure their lives and pay enormous sums annually into accident and sick fund associations. It fs, however, most dificult to get them to pro- vide for old age. As a consequence one out of two ~of the industrial population of this kingdom who liva to old age end their days in the work house, They deserve a better fate. It is nonsense to suppose that 60 per cent of these old people have done anything to deserve the fate, which I regret to say, under existing circumstances, is in- evitably in store for them. To prevent this I propose and shall urge a measure which will provide for a workingman's widow and | young children in case of premature death and an annuity or pension mn case he lives beyond 65 and thereby outlives his powers of earning money. ““What are the pension scheme?" The details will in a measure take care of themselves. There are really at the present two or three propositions and the measure may and probably will be subjected to various modifications. It is briefly this: “To the account of every man who, when ho is 25, shall have paid 5 ($24.33) Into the pension fund, there will be added from state funds the sum of {15 (§72.09). The account 50 opened must then be kept alive by a pay- ment of £1 (§4.86) each year for forty years. This payment may be made m such instal- ments as the depositor finds convenient, and | may be in arrear without loss of bonefit, | but it must be at no time more than £5 (824.33) in arrear, or all claim to benefit will be lost. All arrears must be paid up, to- gether with § per cent per annum interest, before benefit can be claimed. The whole fund and its accumulations will be ad- ministered for the benefit of the depositors, and will entitle them to recelve: () I they. live to 65, a pension of 5 shillings ($1.22) a week for their remaining years. (2) It they die before 65—(a) 6s ($1.22) a week for the widow for twenty-six weeks () 25 (490) a week for each child till 12 | years old (but not to exceed 125 ($2.92) in | all for the first twenty-six weeks, and 8s ($1.95) a week afterwards (c) If neither widow or children are left, the original 5 ($24.33) to be returned to the depositor's representatives at his death. “It is hoped that the offer to add f: 99) to £5 (324.33) will be found a suf cient initial inducement, and that then the fear of losing so great a stake will bring about the regular payment of £1 ((§4.86) each year, or at least not allow the time of grace | to expire."” “Do you think many would avail them- selves of this opportunity at 25 years of age? | Coul they make a deposit of £5 ($24.33.)7" “We have provided for such a contingency | It Is also allowable for any man to deposit | £2.10 ($12.16) in place of £5 (324.33), and to | pay 10 shillings ($2.43) in place of 20 shil- | lings ($4.86) each year, if he forego the bene- | it offered to widow and children or any re- turn in the event of death before 65. This is to meet the case of those who do not pro- pose to marry, or who prefer to arrange otherwise for their families,” “WIll the proposed plan admit of increase in amount of pension?”’ “Both males and females may increase their pensfon to {26 ($126.52) a year by pro- portionately additional payments.” “Then you Include women?” “Yes. The proposition is similar, though details of your old age | In the on a lower scale. Every woman before she reaches 25 will be invited to deposit 30 shil- lings ($7.29), and to this the state will add £8 ($38.93), making a capital sum of £9.10 (346.22) for her in place of £20 (§97.33) for each man. Her yearly payments will be threc-eighths of a pound ($2.11) in place of 20 shillings (§4.86), and her benefit a pension, after 65, of 3 shillings (73 cents) a week, and nothing more."" This is the general idea which runs through Mr. Chamberlain's mind, though he 18 not particular as to details. He firmly believes some measure of this kind will be- come a law, and if it does, he will un- doubtedly deserve the credit for it. The | proposition as herein stated is in effect £25 ($121.66) from the ‘individual to set against 15 ($72.99) from the state to secure the benefits offered. GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE. Since the conversation with Mr. Chamber- lain 1 have given some attention to this subject of annuities and old age pensions and discovered many interesting facts which I do not think are generally known. In posting my last week's letter I observed a placard bearing the following inseriptions: Telegrams to all Parts of the Kingdom. Savings Banks. Money Orders. Postal Orders. Parcel Post. Life Insurance. and Annuities, And 1 suppose when Mr. Chamberlain's new bill becomes a law will be added: State Aid Pensions for Everyone Over 65 Years of Age. In England today the government will save your money, transmit It through the mail in any sum, carry your parcels, send your telegrams, insure your life against prema- ture death and fssues an annuity in your old age. The government life fnsurance and annuity business has not been particularly success- ful, though now that Mr. Chamberlain pro- poses to protect it by a government subsidy of about £15 (§72.99) for every £25 ($121.66) taken out It may become more prosperous. Up to date the people of England have taken little stock in government insurance. During twenty-nine years of operation I find the total number of Insurance contracts has been under 14,000; the contracts in existence are 9,000 and the accumulated funds £189,000 ($919,768.50). How different with the postal savings bank. They have, | according to the latest available | returns, 5,400,000 accounts and a ecredit | balance of over £75,000,000 ($364,987,500.) | That the insurance field is vast in England | and that the government for some reason or other has thus far made a miserable | tailure of It may be gathered from the fact that the number of life and endowment | policies of all kinds and the amount in Great | Britain by all British offices is approximately estimated as follows: Number of policies, 14,449,093; amount insured, 617,653,000 ($3,006,808,324.) So much for the let alone policy. What will be the result when direct government | ald becomes a settled fact iw difficult to foretell. OVER 100,000 PAUPERS. Mr, Chamberlain's proposition, however, Is moderate compared with some of the pro- posals made for old aga pensions. 1 do not | mean irresponsible proposals, but measures urged by such students of soclal economy as Charles Booth, who Is rapidly coming to the front here as the greatest authority on all maiters relating to the wages of labor and pauperism. After thoroughly sifting this subject Mr, Booth comes to the conclu- fon that Mr. Chamberlain's scheme, if carrled into effect, would only emphasize pavperism, and that the wisest and most effectual method would be a universal old age pension. As near as I can ascertain the following proportion of this happy, free trade country are paupers: Ratio to population, § per cent Population ¥ upers. 144,021 5 Under 16. 45 1t 6 W to 6. Totad ... 001, L3I0 45 per cent It may be accepted as probable that the 2 BL6 3 6589 K 25, ] 1 39962 59 pers to population, If on the av- orage it s 414 per cent, will be for those from 16 to 60 (the naturally self-supporting years of 1ife) less than 4 per cent, but that for those between 60 and 65 the rate will rise to about 8 per cent, while for those over 65 it probably nearly 26 per cent. Mr. Booth main- tains that at least 30 per cont of the old who die have pauper rellef during the closing years of their lives. Should Mr. Booth's scheme of universal pension gain ground we may expect to hear the demand, “Sixty-five and 5 shillings a week,” go up from every hustings in the kingdom. To be sure, such a luxury will come high for England and Wales, 17,000,000 ($82,- 720,600), for Seotland £2,600,000 ($12,166,250), and for Ireland over £4,000,000 ($19,466,000) This without reckoning in working expenses, but ecalculating on the supposition that all aged persons, whatever their social position, will draw their pension. A total of nearly $120,000,000 for old age pensions will seem even to our American statesmen a good round um to add forever, as it were, to the na- tional budget. A sum which may Increase, but, unlike our pensions for union soldlers, cannot well diminish. Such seem to be the social necessities of the times in England. You hear leading statesmen declaring that the man or the party Who solved the question of preventing a man Wwho has worked hard all his life, maintained his family, has been a good citizen, from go- ing In his old age Into the workhouse, de- serves mere glory than by winning battles on the fleld. SICK RELIEF SOCIETIES. On the continent state insurance to provide for sickness and death has already made headway. In Germany it was an easy matter as the basis on which to build already existed mpulsory membership of sick re- lief societies. The law of 1884 provides that a laborer must compulsorily become a member of a local sick fund, a factory. sick fund, a building sick fund, a mining sick fund, or a voluntary relief fund. The employer, as a rule, is required to pay one-third and the members two-thirds of the premium. This was followed by the accident insurance laws of 1884-85, Prince Blsmarck stating in the Reichstag his conviction ~ that the state should monopolize the entire scheme of in- surance and divert it from private enter- prise, which he contended merely signified private exploitation in the misfortunes of the laboring population. The circle of state-alded insurance was completed in 1889 by the Pcichstag passing with a narrow majority the law of in- surance against invalidity and old age, which came into operation at the beginning of 1891, and has since been carried out in the whole of the provinces. France now has a scheme of old age in- surance or pensions, and is contemplating a far more ambitious one. Denmark in 1891 increased the tax on beer, and in doing so Bave as compensation state pensions at the age of 62 without previous contributions. The effect of this law or the cost of carcry- ing it out are as yet unknown. Italy is seriously discussing this subject, and-a prop- osition ‘such as the one Mr. Cramberlain proposes for England is, I believe, now pend- ing. Kor schemes actually at work we are therefore confined to Germany and Den- mark. The first affords the example of a | universal scheme based on compulsory con- tributions exacted from workmen and mas- ters and assisted by fixed state grants; the second, of a scheme which applies to all the necessitous without previous contributions, previded they have kept clear of the poor law during the ten years of their lives which precede the pension age. In addi- tion to these measures actually in opera- tion, we have France the proposal to establish a voluntary measure resting, like the German, on the joint contributions of masters and men, together with a large state subsidy; and finally, 1u ‘Italy we have another proposal to establish a pension fund, with state aid, through the medium of the savings banks and friendly societies. The fates and for- tunes of these various types will be closely followed by those who are seeking to ac- complish the same end In the United King- dom. in A WARNING NOTE. What the American free trader, who Is horrified at legislation for the purpose of giving the workingman plenty of work at decent wages so that he may keep his family in comfort and lay up something for old age, will say to this direct scheme for' taking money out of the public treasury and giving it to individuals, I can hardly imagine. It would Indeed be interesting to note how such a proposition as that of Mr. Chamberlain's (probably the mildest of the lot) would be received in congress. And yet it is the duty of the government to look after the welfare of its citizens. It is difficult to get away from this fact. Some of our statesmen will find it so if by folly we give away the rich heritage which has fallen to our lot. The necessity of finding employment for our wage- earners'is not yet upon us, though some of us have never doubted the advisability of it. We are not yet brought face to face with the exigency of an old age pension. Let us hope that day is remote. Nevertneiess, there are forces at work in the United States today which make all this possible. Our people cannot compete with European conditions without lowering our standard of well being. That is certain. ROBERT P. PORTER. INDUSTRIAL NOTES. Texas negroes are worth $20,000,000. American railroads have 873,602 ployes Last year 7,124,502 gross tons of pig iron were produced in this country. One man can make 6,000 tin cans in a day by the aid of improved machinery. The production of coal of all kinds in the United States in 1893 was 162,814,977 gross tons The fruit business in California is affected by the trade with London, motwithstanding that the freight charges amount to §700 on a carload. This amounts to a freight charge of 60 cents a basket for pears, peaches or Brapes. It takes only fourteen days to transport the carload from Los Angeles to London, and the fruit arrives In excellent condition. Natural gas Is gradually declining in pres- sure throughout the country. From a pres- sure of 210 pounds fn 1887 it is now re- duced to less than half that amount. The banner year was 1888, when the product reached ‘a value of $22,000,000. Last yea. the product was worth less than $15,000,000. Indiana was the leading state, her product alone being valued at $5.718,000, and it was the only state showing an increase for 1893. The New York Mall and Express says “The bootblacking stand in the Equitable building cost $1,200, and its Italian propri- etor employs a pretty girl as its cashier. He was once a bootblack himself, but now owns several of the most valuable stands in the city. The Itallan who has the boot- blacking privileges on the Pennsylvania rail- road and several other ferries employs about seventy boys, and thelr wages are from §5 to $9 a week. Another model city of riety is projected in western New is located on the southwestern Lake Ontario, and comprises twenty-five square miles of splendid land under the brow of a mountain. Water will be its motor. Under a state charter the company will tap the Niagara river, and by means of a canal carry the water seven miles and ob- tain a fall of 319 feet. The canal will cost $1,000,000. The company expects to employ 2,000 men during the winter, Viewed from the per diem standpoint, the man who can turn out the most finished product is the cheapest. The German work- man produces less per diem than the French- man, who in tirn is below the Eniishman in this regard, -while American workmen excel all others In their per diem output. Comparative analysis of the wages of these four classes of workers will prove at once that although wages in America are much higher, American labor is really the cheap- est, because Its daily output of fnished product is 8o much greater. The International Typegraphical convenes tomorrow in annual session at Loulsville, Ky. President Prescott in his annual address, advance coples of which have been given out, will recognize the fact that the typesetting machine has come to stay, and express the opinion that the introduction of the machines will eventually necessitate another division of the printing craft, making such provision as to enable the machine operators to form & unlon of their own, and thus control thelr own affairs withoul sep ration from the International organization He discountenances the suggestion that the International union secure control of existing machines and rent them to publishers, at the same time offering inducements to in- ventors for the invention of new ones as em- the Pullman va- York. It border of union impracticable. It would require an accumu- lation of capital far beyond the powers of the organization, ANCIENT ?sn COSTLY LACES o8 Some Eplmflhdfillmfions Owned by Wealthy Wohtien of New York. POINT D'A?FJ‘CON IS THE FAVORITE Fortunes Investhd In Dresses and Mandker- chiefs—A, Fretty Logendary Tale in Connéetion with the Delleato l"lll?l De Venice. The fashionable women of Newport are all greatly interested in old lace at present. It seems that the Countess de Brazza— rgnan—nes Cora Slocomb of New cans, whose present abode is Rome, has been visiting at Newport this summer and incidentally trying to interest women of the 400" In her pet scheme for helping the lace workers of Italy; she is succeeding admirably and every one Is ordering lace berthas and lace flounces galore, New York buys more laces than any other city in the world. It has at least a scoro of women whose laces exceed $50,000 In value and probably 100 whose collections would sell for $20,000; $500 fichus, $200 handkerchiefs, 4300 scarfs and a $1,000 overdress, all mere bagatelles in the wardrobes of the wives of millionaires. Bruss:ls is a pillow lace city, indeed Barbara Littinan, the inventor of pillow lace, lived and died there, The pattern, drawn upon parchment, s fixed firmly to the pillow, pins are stuck along the outlines, and to them the lace is woven by crossing and twisting the threads, each of which ends in a bobbin. Lace, two inches wide, requires 200 or 300 bobbins. A plece six inches has sometimes as many as 1,000. The thread {s handspun from the best Brabant flax, in damp dark cellars, whose one ray of light falls on the spinner's hand. As the lace is never washed before it is sold there is the most exquisite neatness in every- thing connected with it. Still, as months aro consumed in making very handsome pieces, the work turns dingy in spite of the lace workers' best efforts. To remedy that it is sometimes dusted with white lead in powder and turns dark at contact with gas or sulphur in a way to exasperate the wearer. Point d'Alencon s universally acknowl- edged the richest and most beautiful of all lace. It is\ characterized by a raised orna- FROM MRS. ASTOR'S COLLECTION. ment; the cordonpet or cording of the out- lines ‘is made. by a horse hair which the workers Introduce. In order to give strength and substance. Of the delicate point de Venise, scemingly wrought out of mists and cobwebs, almost out of nothing, the following prety logend is told: In the islands of the Lagunes a sailor youth from the south seas brougnt, home to his betrothed a lace weaver, a bunch of delicate coralline, telling. ber it was the lace which the mermaids,wove In the coral caves under the transparent waves of the Indian ocean, “Pretty as it is” said the young lace worker, "I will make something with my needlo far prettier. My bridal veil shall be of mermaid’s lace.” The sailor lover sailed away and was gone for months. Day by day the young girl worked with her needle, forming the white knots and tiny stars, and uniting them by delicate “brides” until an exquisite long scarf of lace was produced, so marvelously beautiful that when she wore it for her bridal veil it became the admiration of all Venice. Princesses and queens became the patrons of the young worker in mermaids’ lace, and at last the fine, patternless guipure, which s par ex- cellence point de Venice, became the fashion of all Europe. Pierpont Morgan and Mrs. Morton ny charming examples of this beauti- lace. Mrs. Hicks-Lord has a fan of de Venice lace, mounted on ivory sticks. Mrs. Seligman, too, has a number of pieces of point de Venice, in fact it Is the desire of every woman to possess one bit at least of the lace which so strongly resem- bles a filmy cobweb. Honiton is the English royal lace; it was FROM MRS, MARSHALL VIVIAN'S COLLECTIO! ROBERTS made fashionablé by Queen Victoria, who, commiserating the condition of the lace- makers of Devonshire, ordered her wedding dress to be made at Honiton The dress cost §5,000; it was composed en- tirely of Honlton sprigs, connected on the pillow by a variety of open-work stitches; the patterns weré immediately destroyed, so that the dress,camld not be reproduced. The bridal dFesses of the Princess Royal, the Princess Alige.4nd the princess of Wales, were all of Hqulfon, the patterns consisting of the natlonal,flawers, the princes’ feathers intermixed with, ferns, and introduced with the happlest effget. In making Hlonion lace the sprigs are first worked i with the pillow, afterward appliqued or jgewn, on the ground, which is very beautifw and regular and also very expensive, as it ds made of the finest thread. The laceworker’s gains were very remuner- ative in olden:jtimes. She would receive as much as 18 shillings a yard for the work- manship alonatiofol plece of this elaborate net, measuring)®oarce two inches In width. The manner1of" payment was somewhat Phoenclan, remidihg one of Queen Dido and her bargain. hé& lace ground was spread out on the eoffiftefs and the worker herself desired to covét 'F¢" with shillings; and as many colns as”folind place on her work she earried away‘as the fruit of her labor. It must not' be forgotten in this connection that the latest royal baby, the son of the duke and duchess of York, were wholly for his baptismal robe a dress made almost wholly of Honiton lace—the identical dress worn by his royal grandfather, the prince of Wales, upon a similar occasion. The princess of Wales says she is fond of old lace, but she can't afford to buy it. She gets some pretty little presents of lace, however, but probably her collection is not as valuable as that of many New York ladies. The collection of laces of the late Mrs. R. L Stewart would easily sell for several hundred thousand dollars, and Mrs. W. C. Whitney kept laces worth from $50,000 to $75,000, which her daughter Pauline inherits. Mrs. Gerard, Mrs. John Jacob Astor and Mrs. A. T. Stewart, were the most thorough connolsseurs of real lace in the United Stat Perhaps at present the lady who has made HAre Yeu Fire SFor Ocer- Coal? Samples if you wish. ‘Need one for Fall ‘or Winter?’ ‘Want to Pay $20 or $25?’ ‘ e make them for that--.ele- gantly, to—satin or linings -- but you'd prefer a wool silk probably lin. ing--just as you wish--« $30 . $35 Gives youa selection of our best--- You've paid $45 and 850 for---not so good. $5.90, $6.9, 7.9 and 8.9 for Trousers ---Hundreds to select from--- $20--$25--$30--for Suits You need not think of doing better- ---that's cut of the question. \Qg‘ 207 South 15th St. the collection of laces almost a study fs Mrs, Jesse Seligmen. She has many rare and valuable specimens of Irish point, point de Gene, Brussels lace and point d'Alencon. A lovely specimen of old Brussels lace is that which Lady doldsmid recently pur- chased for her daughter's wedding gown. Her ladyship has some remarkably fine speci- FROM MRS. HERMANN OELRICH'S COL- LECTION. mens of lace. For a piece of old polnt, suffi- clent, perhaps, for the front of an’ even- ing dress, she pald nearly $3,000. More costly still was the lace on the wed- ding dress of Mrs, Hermann Oelrichs (nee Theresa Fair.) Almost the entire dress, in fact, was of lace, over satin, The garment itself was made in Paris and cost in lace, satin, in- surance and custom house duties about $10,000. The Belmont laces are almost priceless, Mrs. Robert Goelet's taste in laces turns to handkerchiefs and she has a small cedar chest ‘filled with lace handkerchiefs, for some of which she has paid as much as $200 each—rather a costly trifle. Oregon Kldney Tea cures backache, wize, 25 cents. All druggists. ——— NUBIALITIE Tria) [ An Indiana woman recently married her cloventh husband. Whatever she may be when married, as a widow she was a match for any single man living. “My task in life,” said the pastor, com- placently, “consists in saving young men.” “Ah!" replied the maiden, with a soulful longing, “‘save a good one for me, won't you? Chicago has a Platonic sensation—the adop- tion of & young man by a rich woman who wants to make him her heir. Gretna Green justices of the peace will naturally frown Upon such arrangements, “Yas,” sald Mr. Jason, “I allow that women ar the sentimental sex and all that sort of thing, but I've allays noticed that when a couple git engaged it is the woman that first thinks of figgerin’ out how they air to live on his salary.” Miss Ellen Triantifilo of Boston and Stil- lianes Billies of Springfield, Mass., were married the other evening, in the latter city, by Rev. Agathadorus A. Papageorgopoulas of New York. After the ceremouy the Greek national dance was footed and everybody kissed the groom instead of the bride. Miss Ciclly Armes, the 18-year-old daugh- ter of Major George A. Armes, a retired officer of the army, eloped with and married Herbert Claude, in Washington last week. The old major gave the couple a lively chase, but the lovers distanced him. Major Armes was court martialed for pulling the nose of General James A, Beaver of Pennsylvania during Harrison’s inauguration. Marle—Do you really feel that you could support a wife? George (proudly)—Here are my income tax receipts. Marie (flinging her- self into his arms)—Take me, dearest. “Forgive me,’ he pleaded, contritely, “I didn’t mean to kiss you, but the impulse was irresistible.” “‘Forgive you,” she snap- ped. “Never while I live! A girl may for- give a man for kissing her, but never for apologizing afterwards,” A curious pledge was taken by a lot of San Franclsco girls at the instigation of their pastor, a Dr. Martin, says a San Fran- cisco exchange. Last week he delivered a lecture to young women only. The majority of persons, when they saw the dainty badges pinned on the shoulders of the girls, were very much surprised when they learned the tmport. They had signed a vow, a unique one, contrived by Dr. Martin, that not one of them would ever hold a secret engagement or receive attentions from any man that their parents did not approve; that come what may, nothing could ever induce them to break the vow they so solemnly made. - Are Your Children Subject 1o Croup Every mother should know that croup ¢ be prevented. The first symptom of (ru croup is hoarseness. This is followed by a peculiar rough cough. If Chamberlain's Cough Remedy is given frecly as soon as the child becomes hoarse, or even after the rough cough has developed, it will prevent the attack. 25 and 60 cent bottles for sale by druggists, ECHOES FROMTHE ANTE ROOM Recent Grand Session of the Dogree of Honor at Plattsmouth, MEETING OF NEBRASKA GOOD TEMPLARS Omaha Pyen for Gr: eaPeay ns Booming Fred Sackett nd sOhancellor—Modern Wood- : £y e (SN Mayor Bemis—Lodge Notes. The third annual session-of the state grand lodge of the Degree of Honor, Ancient Order of ited Workmen, convened in Plattsmouth Tuesday morning, October 3, at 10 o'clock. The reports show a member- ship of nearly 4,000, distributed among ninety-six lodges. There are 800 in the beneficiary department. Almost every lodge was represented at the meeting, and the attendance, including visitors, was some- thing over 100. Any female relative of a member of the Anclent Order of United Workmen Is entitled to membership. The primary object of the order is social en- Joyment, although there js a beneficiary fund connected with it. The session lasted two he meeting was harmonious and little troubled by clashing of opinions, No rad ical changes were made in the law of the order. A large amount of business was done during the session. Tuesday morning was taken up with th preliminary work and in hearing the re- ports of officers and committees. In the afternoon the election of officers took place and resulted as follows: Grand chief of honor, Mrs, Adelia Harding of Hebron; grand lady of honor, Mre. H. B. Seegar of Pawnee City; grand chief of ceremonies, Mrs. 8. R. Patten of Omaha; grand recorder, Walter Houseworth of Lincoln; grand re- ceiver, Mrs, George Rogers of Hastings; grand usher, Miss Effie Schumaker of In- dianola; grand watchman, Mrs. Meyers of Neligh; grand medical cxamliner, Dr. J. C. Mosshart of Chester. The committee on laws was appointed as follows: 8. R. Pat- ten of Omaha, Mrs. Hostettler of Shelton and Mrs. Clark of Fairmont. The com- mittee on finance is: George H. Barber of Lincoln, Mrs. Hewitt of Havelock and Mrs. Owen of Grand Island. Tho team cf Washington lodge No. 27 of Omaha was invited to exemplify the initia- tory work of the order Tuesday night. The drill team comprised twenty-five members, and their work was highly praised by the delegates. After the work Plattsmouth lodge gave a banquet, at wi'ch a numb r of spee. hes and toasts were delivered. The evening of pleasure wound up with a dance. The Nebraska Workman was official organ of the order. The sessions of the grand lodge changed from annual to biennial. The will conevne in Omaha on the first Tu in October, 1896, Secret Socloty Notes. Banner division, Knights of Pythias Is drilling every week, and expects to turn out the best division of the uniform rank in the west Supreme Record Keeper M. S. Boynton of | the Maccabees visited Sovereign Clerk Yates of the Woodmen of the World last Tuesday. Golden Rod grove, Woodmen of the World, will give a grand calico ball at Patterson hall on Wednesday, October 10. A movement is on foot among the lodges of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of | this city to ralse a fund to assist the men bers in western Nebraska who have suffered from the drouth and short crops, Omaha camp No. 120, Modern Woodmen of America, is preparing a special lot of tor- tures which are to be put into full operation next Wednesday night when Mayor Bemls will be initiated. All Modern Woodmen are invited to attend and witness the spectaclo. A speclal program has been arranged in honor of the candidate, and the occasion promises to be one of a lifetime Omaha camp, Modern Woodmen, ing hard to retain the banner which tained last year for se in membership. On Tuesday evening, September 26, Triune lodge, Knights of Pythias, gave the first of a series of stag parties, which the lodges of the city will give each in turn. There | was a big crowd In attendance and they were royally entertained by a program of recita- tions,” music and songs. Dr. Merriam and J. H. Flanagan delivered excellent speeches on the good of the order. Recitations were glven by F. J. Sackett and Will Scism. The sorgs glven by the Pythian quartet were greatly enjoyed. Banner division of the uni- form rank attended in a body. The next entertainment will be given by Nebraska lodge on the last Tuesday of this month. Th new Hohemian camp of the Woodmen of the World was completely organized last week, with sixteen charter members. The made the | was Xt day is work- it ob- aving the greatest in | own church one day, whe name is Cedarwood No. 19, The officers elected are: Counsel commander, Frank Kavan; banker, Frank Koutsky; clerk, Joseph J. Maly; escort, Frank Hrabyk; watchman, Thomas Simon; managers, F and V. Jelinek. Good Templars of Nebraska. The twenty-ninth annual session of the state grand lodge of the Good Templars will convene in Columbus next Wednesday morne ing at 10 o'clock. The meeting will be pree sided over by Dr. R. H. Mann of Brooklyn, right worthy grand templar of the world, The session tended, A cause of congratulation to the members Is the fact that they will meet this year entirely out of debt. The officers have served during the past year almost without re- muneration, $100 being sufficient to cover all expense for salarles. This sacrifice has had much to do with the happy financlal cone dition. Such a condition has rot existed for twelve or fourteen years, and Treaespar Coombs is correspondingly happy. No very important business is expected to come up. There will be contest over the election of officers, and little can be pPe- dicted of the result. Miss Anna M. Saundors of Unadilla will probably be re-elected graad chief templar and Charles Watts of ,Omafa grand secretary. The latter has served for seven years. . There will be a number of prominent templars in attendance, and among them Dr. R. H. Mann of Brooklyn, right worthy grand templar of the world; Perry Perkini grand secrotary of the grand lodge, an: Colonel John Sobieski, the noted Polish teme perance orator of Missourl. The delegates from Omaha will b Schock, Miss § Aurada; sentry, rank Okoun, C. Fraok Hrabyk Miso anson, Charles Watts, Re-by Bailey, T. L. Coombs, Miss Gertie Wright, There avill be one delegate from South Omaha. At the district meeting Thursday nh:hL Lee Forby was elected district dele- gate. Pythinn Grand Lodge. The Nebraska grand lodge of the Knights of Pythias will convene in Lincoln next Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock. The session Wil last for three days. It is expected that 220 delegates will be present, and forty of these will be from Omaha The principal matter that will come up will be the revision of the state constitus tion to conform with the changes made recently by the supreme lodge. The elec- tions promise to be very interesting. Omaha is golng to make a strong pull to put Fred J. Sackett in the grand chancellor’s chair, and is solid for him. There may possibly be a brigade meeting to elect brigadier commands ers. The next session will probably go to Beatrice. On Tuesday night the Pythian Sisters have arranged an entertalnment for the delegates, Willing to Include AlL At the late session of the supreme lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Chattanooga, an amendment was offered and passed to the rules on membership in a Rebekah lodge which will tend to largely in- crease the membership, Heretofore only relatives of 0dd Fellows could join, but now ny unmarried white woman is given the privilege. The amendment reads as follows: “All unmarried white women who have attained the ago of 18 years, who believe in a supreme, Intelligent creator and ruler of the universe, and who are of good moral character, are eligible to membership This rule is expected to almost treble the membership of the Rebekah lodge, : - mer 118, Indianapolis Journal: “The bible, if I ree member right,” sald Mr. Hungry Higgly “says that six days a man shalt labor and do all his work.” "‘Guess you are right,” assented Mr. Weary Watkins, wondering what was coming next, “Well, I allow that I have done as much as six days' work in my life, and if 1 don't read the text wrong, that is all the work a man {8 permitted to do. It says ‘do all thy work,” don't it? Chicago Tribune: ‘‘Beg pardon, sir,” said the passenger in the skull cap, tired of the onotony of the journey and desirous of is expected to be very lully‘ > scraping an acquaintance with the man in o the uext seat, house? “‘No, sir,” replied the other. “I am nol iness. 1 am a Universalist preache; ‘Shake!” rejoined the man in the skull cap, heartily, ““I'm an agent for a fire exe tinguisher.” “are you traveling for some in bu An old Scotch lady who had no relish. for modern church music, was expressing her dislike to the singing of an anthem In hor & nelghbor said: “Why, that is a very old anthem! David sang that anthem to Saul.” lady replied: “Weel, weel! I noo for the first time understan’ why Saul threw his Javelin at David when the lad sang for him." A newly organized “primitive Christian® soclety in St. Louls Is opposed to the pays ment of pew rents, clergymen, ohoirs, et It recalls the response of the deacon who, upon hearing a reference to the gospel with out money or price, arose and said euthusis astically: “‘Yes, brethren, I've enjoyed Chrl tianity and its consolations these (hirty years, and it's never cost me a cent!" Oregon Kidney Tea cures nervous heads uches. Trial size, 86 cents, All druggisis. To this the old bl