Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 5, 1894, Page 4

OMAHA EAILY BEE. SUDSCRIPTION ally Bee (Without Bunday), One Year.. aliy, Bes and Sunday, ix Monti Thres Months. . Bunday Hee, One Year... Saturday Bee, One Year.... Weckly Bee, ¥ Omaha, The Bee Bullding. Bouth Owaha, Corner N Councll Rluffs, 12 Penri s Shicago OMc 7 Chamber of Commerce, ork, R¢ 14 and 16, Tribune Didg. ington, 1 N. W, COR; DENC All communications reliting to news and edi- toriul matter shouid be addres E litor. nU! LE RS All business lettors and remitiances should be addressed to ‘The Béa Publishing company, Omaha, payablé to the order of the o TIE I HING COMPAN George B, Tzschuck, secretary of The Hee Pub- 1lshing company, belng duly sworn, says that he actual number of full and complete coples of the Daily Morning, Evening and Sunday Bee printed during the month of November, 1891, was an follow, cmaomanen Total Less deduc coples Total sold.. Dally average n GEORG ore me and _subscribed day of December, 1804 P, L, Notary Public. Sworn in presence (Seal) N my er fear! Senator Hill will get to Washington in time to unburden him- self before the present congress. Adlai is on deck, rendy and anxious to cast the deciding vote the first time the senate roll eall discloses a tle. Of course Ydle resents the imputa- tion that its foot ball team is afraid to meet the kickers from the University of Pennsylvania. The transcontinen lines do not seem to be crowding over one another in their haste to organize a new passen- ger association. The Exposition building was a hoodoo to everybody connected with the project excepting the owner of the ground. It served a very excellent purpose in its day. The Sugar trust is actually becoming uneasy. Perhaps it fears that a repetition of the sugar lobby of last session might not effect the same results in this ses- sion. The fireproof market house and audi- torium project which has been slumber- ing for the past six months should now be revived and made a live issue in the campaign for the revival of progress and prosperity. It is to be feaved that the Board of Education, like most of the other public {Bodies having control of the taxpayers' ‘money, will see the nécessity of trenchment only after the funds have been exhausted. Congress usually devotes a day to eulogies of each deceased member of either house. If it were to follow this custom now with reference to the polit- ically dead it would have to have its session extended for several months, The rain falls upon the good and the bad alike, and fire will consume a church just as readily as it wil a theater. In such instances the Lord does not take care of His own, but lets the fire insurance adjusters settle the damage. The people of Omaha are sending at least $300,000 annually out of this state to pay for flour consumed by them. There are mills enough in Nebraska to supply all the flour consumed by the people of this state. Bat Nebraska made flour. Omaba will now afford an excellent opening for gnother theater of the modern ¢l which means a fireproof structure with iron curtains and all the appurtenances that make life and limb secure for the public as well as the play- ers and stage hands, The coal operators have promptly rati- fled the agreement of their agents to Hmit the coal output and the price of authracite may be expected to show a tendency to rise as the supply gradually diminish But then the profits of the coal combine will not be injuriously affected. The general passenger agents of the Elkhorn and Burlington roads are nego- tiating an agreement to exchange pas- senger traflic at points of Intersection, which if consummated will, they say, mean much for both roads. The trans- fer switch law enacted by the last legis- lature is substantially a similar arrange- ment with respect to freight trafiic. It requires railroads operating within Ne- braska to maintain transter switches at Intersecting points, in order that freight wmay be transported by the shortest route from the place of shipment to the Dblace of destination. This law ought by analogy also to mean much to all roads. Yet it Is hu up in the courts unen- forced. Is not the position of the rail- road managers a trifle inconsistent with that of the railroad passenger agents? —_— There may be merit In the suggestion of Major Furay that the contractors on public work be compelled to pay the wages of the city inspectors employed on the same, A stipulation in the con- tract to this effect would doubtless be an incentive for expeditious work, and would do away with the abuse that now prevails whenever the city finds itself required to malntain an inspector for months to look after the work of some four or five laborers. It is unlikely, however, that such a course would teally throw the burden of the eost of Inspectors upon the contractors because the latter would make their bids upon the basis of a computation that would Include this addision of expense. In so far as the cost of iuspection would be decreased, the city and the taxpayers would be the gainers, but it would not take Jong for the contracters to readjust thelr bids to the altered conditions, Drafts, cliecks and postoffice orders o | AUDITOR MOORE'S SEARCHLIGHT. For the first time in many years Ne- braska has an honest and fearless an- ditor, endowed with sufficient backbone to brave the displensure of reckless as- sociates and corrupt ringsters. It has | been the custom at the state house to | keep exhibits of the state’'s finances, and particularly the showing of receipts and expenditures, back until the middle of the legislative session, when members ot find time to grasp the figures | and the press cannot suggest necessary reforms or point out the holes that have to be plugged up. Auditor Moore has taken the bull by the horns this year by breaking away from the pernicious custom by which crooked deals and leaks have escaped detection. His re- port to rnor Crounse, which we print eclsewhere, Is a public document that cannot fail to attract the attention of taxpayers and legislators. The facts and figures presented should constitute the groundwork for legislative retrench- ment and the purging of the capitol of taxeaters and bogus claimants. The startling exhibit made by Au- ditor Moore relative to the extravagance and lawless expenditure of public funds by the Board of Purchase and Supplies under pretense of furnishing the legis- lature with the necessary stationery and incidentals affords convincing proof of gross negleet and manifest dishonesty on the part of officials and contractors. On this point The Bee proposes to be more explicit and pointed. It proposes to supplement the work of the last legis- lature and clear the track for the in- coming legislature for effective work on Dbehalf of the taxpayers by a revision of the revenue laws and the enforced adop- tion of business methods on the part of every officer, high or low. Auditor Moore is entitled to the high- est credit for his courageous exposure of the waste of public funds and over- drafts of appropriations by contracts that ave illegal in their inception and contrary to the spirit and letter of the constitution and laws LOST. STRAYED OR STOLEN. ry one who followed closely The s analysis of the total vote of Ne- at the election last month must have been struck with the remarkable discrepaney in the number of ballots cast for democratic candidates. In other states where there has been any noticeable falling off in the vote polled by the democratic party the natural and ausible explanation has been speedily that the loss is ced to the stay-at-home votel In Nebraska this explanation fails alto- gether to explain, Here there was no falling off in the total vote of the state. In spite of the notorious fact that thousands of inhabitants in the drouth- stricken area had left Nebraska during the summer and autumn months, the total vote on governor was 203, whereas the total vote for the same office two years previous had been only 197, 474. Instead of decreasing in the ratio of the decrease of population in the two years jus t the total vote actually increased by 78. To accomplish such a result e ote in the state must have been brought out and thousands of illegal votes added besides. The face of the returns precludes the very idea of any extraordinary number of stay- at-homes of any political party. While it is well known that the demo- cratic ranks in Nebraska have been re- peatedly decimated it is safe to put the minimum strength of the demo- crats in this state at 40,000. In 1802 J. Sterling Morton as democratic candi- date for governor secured 44,195 votes. In 1893, with a comparatively light vote, Frank Irvine, democratic nominee for justice of the supreme court, received 7, But at the election this to Dbe 7,045 votes year, combining the vote of the demo- crats and so-called straight democrats on the two state offices wupon which there was no fusion, we find the total democratic vote to be Tess than 30,000. On secretary of state it is 20,068 and on state treasurer 20,856, an average on the two of 20,462, The returns are therefore short 10,000 democratic votes. Where did those votes go to? A large number of the lost 10,000 democrats were unquestionably men with corporation proclivities who voted the whole republican state ticket. We have shown that while the av- erage number of votes cast for the so-called straight democratic candidates was 14,359 Sturdevant, at the head of the ticket, polled only 6,985 votes, 7,374 straight demo- erats having as it were scratched Sturdevant for Majors. If, as Is quite reasonable to assume, for every demo- crat who seratched Sturdevant for Majors another cast his ballot for all the republican candidates, we have al- ready accounted for over 7,000 of the missing voters. Of the remaining 3,000 a few hundred doubtless voted for gov- ernor, but not for secretary of state and treasurer, while the rest ranged tfem- selves with the populist ecandidates all along the line, The question most im- portant is, will these 10,000 lost dem- ocrats again be found? Nothing but the returns of the next general election will provide the complete answer, AS TO FIRE PROTECTION, The mixed commission of councilmen and Commercial club men who have had the question of better fire protection and insuranc rates in hand have reached conclusions that are in the main based upon representations made by the underwriters. These conclusions may be eminently sound for all we know or they may be largely warped by the in- terest which the insurance companles have in keeping up rates and reducing risks. The policy of tue underwriters, like that of the railroad managers, has been to get all the trafic will bear. To bring their patr to time they have two clubs always in readiness. One is the threat of higher rates and the other the threat of absolute withdrawal from business. This has been very effective in Omaha during the past two years and is playing its part again with the com- mission. The complaint of the underwriters about defective fire protection doubt- less has some basis and the council and police commission should comply with such de- | mands as are reasonable. But there is no reason why they should overtax the property owners because of the periodic threat of higher rates and withdrawals, The insurance compantes, and particu- larly thelr agents, who live from com- missions, are not likely to imitate the man who cut off his nose to spite his ugly face. They will not quit business at the old stand just because the muni- cipal authorities do not carry out every whim that may suggest itself to them as a remedy against fire losses. The council and the fire and police com- mission are Hmited in their scope, first. by existing conditions, and, second, by the tax levy and Income. The hydrant rental and cost of maintenance of the department consumes the entire levy and there Is no legal method of taking money out of other funds to supply the deficlency. The temper of the tax- payers will not permit an increase of the levy for police and fire protection. They are already bearing all the burdens that can be submitted to without abso- lute confiscation. What, then, can be done? There is no doubt that the en- largement of the water mains is one of the essentials for adequate fire prote tion, but the only way to secure this enlargement must be through applica- tion to the federal court, which controls the works. The recommendation to re- organize the fire-fighting force to it more efficient commends itself as reasonable. How this is to be done must necessarily be left to the judgment of the fire and police commission. The demand for three additions fire steamers and 5,000 feet of hose cannot be complied with under existing state of finances If there was-any assurance of the early enlargement of the water mains we would mneed no additional fire engines. In any event, we must cut our garment according to our cloth. Three additional fire engines means an immediate outly of from $15000 to $24,000, and an incrensed force of fire- men that will involve an addition to the pay roll of $10,000 a year. The 5,000 feet of additional hoge seems decidedly extravagant. If such a purchase is re- quired by the present conditions there has been inexcusable neglect or poor re of the hose in use. If It is not required it would be improvident if not wasteful to lay in such a large supply at the present time. The Bee will always encourage any effort to increase fire protection through the extension of the fire limit, the con- demnation of firetraps and rigid en- forcement of existing ordinances. But it will not countenance the imposition of needless burdens upon taxpayers or the diversion of funds contrary to law under cove #oction. TREASURY REPORT. As officially stated in the report of the vy of the treasu the rev- enues of the government for the last fiscal year were nearly §$89,000,000 less than for the preceding fiscal year, and the excess of expenditures over receipts was nearly $61,000,000. If these facts had not been long familiar to the publie they would, perhaps, be regarded as startling. But this statement does not cover the whole record of financial op- erations under the present administras tion. The last fiscal year closed June 30, and since that time the receipts have every month run behind expenditures, increasing by many millions the above deficit, and this condition of affairs con- tinues. An addition of $100,000,000 to the public debt has been made during the past ten months, and as the situa- tion now looks a further increase may be necessary before the end of the cur- rent fiscal year in order to maintain the credit of the government. Secretary Carlisle estimates that for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895, the total deficit will be $20,000,000, but the probability is that it will be mueh larger amount. For the first five months of the year it has exceeded $21,000,000, and while it is to be expected that there will be improvement in the receipts of the treasury during the remaining months of the year there is no good reason to believe that for any part of that period they will considerably ex- ceed the expenditu There will be an Increased revenue from sugar, un- less congress puts that article on the free list, but it is by no means certain that this will be as large as the secre- tary of the treasu evidently expects, while it may be regarded as practically assured that the hoped-for returns from the income tax before July 1 next will not be realized. he indications are that a very vigorous fight will be made against an appropriation to put into operation the machinery for the collee- tion of this tax, and while an appro- priation may not be defeated it is quite possible that it will be so delayed that no returns will become available within the specified time. As to receipts from general customs duties they cannot be expected to materially improve until there Is a restoration of prosperity, and this is hardly to be looked for within the next six months. Secretary Carlisle may be right in the opinfon that there will be an ample revenue for the fiscal year 1 but this possibility does not help the present situation, nor will it prevent another issue of bonds if within the current fiseal year the goy- ernment credit should again be threat- ened. With regard to the currency Secre- tary Carlisle discusses elaborately the present system, claiming that its de- fects and the evils threatened by them have dome more than anything else to impair the eredit of the government and the people of the Urited States at home and abroad and to check indus- trial and commerclal progress. He points out these defects, having done which he presents the scheme of cur- rency reform the outlines of which, as given In the president's message, have already been commented om in these columns. here is one feature of the plan, however, which the president seems to have overlooked, and that is a provision for the redemption and retire- ment of United States legal tender notes to an amount not exceeding 70 per cent of the original circulation taken out by banks. This is & very important and essential part of the plan, the purpose of which it at once to provide a sound and elastic eurrency and to relieve the gold reserve of the treasury from the menace fnvolved in the existence as part of the curreney of & vast volume of paper. In connection with this subject Secre- tary Carlisle presents arguments for a sound and gstable currency which can be heartily pommended. Those who nd- voeate an dependent financlal policy for the Ugfted States will get no en couragement from the views of the sec. retary of the treasury. He urges that in ,wg:-r to preserve our trade rM’I’! NS with the best customers for our surplus products we must nmfirtain a monetary system substantially in accord with theirs, and until theycpmnitest a disposition to co-operate Wit us in effecting a change upon terms just and fair to all our in terests we onght to continue our ad- hesion to tlié with as lagge siste old standard of value, | a use of silver as is con- t witlf the strict maintenance of that polie: It s thus apparent that the financial views of Mr. | Carlisle have undergone a some- what radical change for the | better since he came to his present position and acquired a practical knowl- edge of financial operations. He may expect to be sharply eriticised for this and to have some of his utterances in the past brought forward by way of re- buke, but he can feel satistied in having the apiproval of tlie most infelligent and conservative financial sentiment of the country. The secretary’s discussion of the propesd plan for a new currency system is clear and forcible, and esp cially his arguments in favor of relieving | the government of everything in the nature of a banking business are cer- | tain to make a strong impression, Everybody who appreciates the par: mount importance of the currency ques- tion at this time should carefully read the presentation of it made by Secretary Carlisle, As to what the treasury report says regarding revenue reform no extended comment is called for. It simply shows that in respect to this subject Mr. Car- lisle stands where he has always stood and there is nothing in his present ut- terance to indicate that he has acquired wisdom with experience, He urges steadfast adherefice to the revenue pol- inaugurated by the present con- although the treasury = figures show that policy to have proved thus far a disastrous failure and the people have overwhelmingly repudiatéd it Read in connection with treasury de- ficits growing from month to month and with bond issues to meet the obligations of the government, the revenue reform arguments of Secretary Carlisle will have no weight or influence with those whose judgment is influenced by facts rather than theories. A Council Bluffs judge has granted a temporay injunction against the sale by the eity of & parcel of ground whose owner declines,;to, pay special paving a ment tax. | The latter alleges that the improvement was railronded through the’ cottheil without respect to wishes of propdfty owners, who had no voice in the choi of material used. And now that-the pavement has de- cayed and imtmmuy worthless, the property 0\"1‘, n question declines to pay the tax.8%here are men in Omaha who mwmmfi pay special assessments for similar ¥easons under conditions a good deal like those of the Council Biuffs case~@hteago also is-being agi- tated over. graye abuses that have grown out of the spocial assessment sys- tem, which seems to stand in need of revision. The subject i$ one which must sooner or later claim serious considera- tion at the hands of our law makers. Protection against unscrupulous con- tractors on the one hand and sleepy mossbacks on the other is the line upon which the new order of things must sooner or later be adjusted. The new Reichstag building is to be formally opened by the German em- peror and the officiais of the German Parliament with notable ceremonies today. The program, according to the dispatches, is to De a very attractive one, commencing with a reception to Emperor William at the entrance by the members of the federal council, the cabinet ministers and the president and vice president of the Reichstag and the presentation of the keys by the ex- ecutive architect. There will be ad- dresses and responses and the conclu- sion will consist in toast drinking in the banquet ‘hall, where the emperor will himself propose the toast to the new building. In these quarters the German imperial legislators will find themselves as comfortably established as any similar body elsewher Up to this time thefr sessions have been held in a very commonplace structure. This Las not affected the quality of the legis- lation enacted, but the improvements made by the change cannot but be an incentive to continued good work. Can't ¥ool the People. Silver Creek Times. The B. & M. Journal would have the pub- lic believe that The Bee is losiog all its subscribers and that the Journal is getting them—trying to build itself up on other peo- ple's ruins. " But people are not all fools. Bee has succeeded because it has de- ved to succeed. We observe that on the trains more people call for The Bee than for any other paper. One has only to compare the news and editorial columns of The Bee with the B, & M. organ, or any other paper in this part of the Unitéd States, to be con- vinced, it he ever had any doubts, of the great superiority of the former. The pre- tensions of the Journal remind one of the ass who dressed himself in the skin of a lion. b A Hehlthy Lesson. Antelope Tribune. A campaign comducted as the last one was by the. republicans ought to be crowned with defeat. Hack of the Business Men's organization was the railroad boodlerism of Majors. 1t Is burrently reported that every man who would et out and work for him could have a pass,over the roads, and that the number cf phsses thus distributed in Nebraska this year i3 perfectly astonisning. 1 may ba it hutmony with Nebraska re: publican ideas. for their idol of checkered character to CAITY & bottle with him in a rohibition town to treat his reunion friends. Pt may be comsistent with some men's ideas of Christian duty o vote for a representa- {ive of the boodler clement of @ big party. But we are glad to know that enough mem- bers of the party took a different view of the matter to insure his defeat; and we are gratified that nuluro county furnished its full quota of these. It was for the party to know that not éven the power of a veteran's ld!:}l(\lu can always save them from merited eat. m—— — | refined sugar and | increased | of April | shape | fined THE SUGAR TRUST BLUFF. ‘Washington Star The actusation that the Sugar trust Is trylng to reap financial benefit through sympathy with the paupers of Its own creation should make the ordinary padrone feel like a philanthrople aristocrat. Philadelphia Record: No matter what the trust may do, or may threaten to do, con- gress should repeal the differentlal tax on take the chances on the outcome. The revenue duty on raw sugar hould remain untouched, for the very ex- cellent reason that it is needed to help pay the expenses of the government. Denver Republican: If that passed before congress adjourns on March 4 it Is absolutely certain that the price of sugar to consumers in this country will be fully 30 per cent before the 1st und will remain at that high figure until the republicans again obtaln power to legislation, when sugar will surely be placed on the free list and the bounty on American production will be restored. New York Herald: The simplest and easiest thing for the trust to do s to show its books and convince the senate that it cannot go on paying 12 per cent regular dividends and 10 per cent extras on its three- fold or fourfold inflated capital. Where Is the statement withheld in deflance of law and equity for the year before last? What did the trust tax the American people last year on its product? Let us see the books. New York Times: The frank and bold testimony of Mr. Havemeyer before the Gray committee Is still fresh in the minds of legislators and of a great many other persons. Any attempt to show that the change 10 the duties has made the refining industry unprofitable will surely direct at- tention to that testimony, and if the trust managers are wise In their day and genera- tion they will not stir up that record, but bill 1s not | will permit it to become dusty and obscure. New York World: There is no truth in the assertion that the trust is losing money. It has glutted the market with sugar re- from raw material imported in enormous quantitles under the McKinley act and can shut down for a time without loss, The price of granulated sugar has advanced from 3.8 cents last April to cents a pound a month ago, while the refiner's mar- gin of profit on a pound has Increased from .709 cent in 1890 to 1.15 cents in 1894. Refining 1s done more cheaply in the United States than anywhere else In the world. THE POSTAL SERVI Washington Star: A few years-ago the pol- iticians would have jeered and hooted at a cabinet officer who would speak as plainly in behalf of civil service reform as Postmaster General Bissell has done. The practical pol- iticlan—unfortunately for the public—ds still in existence. But where are his jeers today? Chicago Record: It is not easy to see, in view of the thriving character of the mail service, as shown in Mr. Bissell's statistics, why these annual deficiencies need oceur. The Postoffice department ought properly to be conducted on such business plans as weuld preserve a_balance between expenditures and receipts. That it can be so conducted by proper classifications of mail matter and by doing away with needless officials and mis- use of public moneys no one need doubt. Pittsburg Dispatch: The postmaster gen- eral's plea in his recently published report for the relief of the postal service from the worry and burden of making 65,000 political appointments of fourth-class postmasters has much cogency. The heads of the Postoffice department should be permitted to give their attention to developing and Improving the mail service of the country. When the greater part of their first year in office is devoted to hearing and settling the infinite contests between thousands of local politi= clans over their respective bit of the spoils the nation is defrauded, not only by turning the local postoffices into plunder, but by preventing the postmaster general and his assistants from attending to their proper bus- iness, Minneapolis Tribune: Two notable features of Postmaster General Bissell's report are his opposition to the postal telegraph scheme and his recommendation for a revision of the law relating to second-class matter, Under this law newspapers and periodicals of gen- eral circulation register as second-class mat- ter and thereby secure a postage rate of 1 cent per pound. But the postmaster general thinks that advantage is taken of this pro- vision by many pretended publications, and says-that if proper rules were enforced and the periodicals now improperly enjoying the low postal rate cut off, the receipts of the department would equal the expenditures and the legitimate newspapers and magazines might be transmitted through the mails from the publishers into the hands of sub- scribers free of cost. — ——— ‘Who Is a Kepublican? Grand TIsland Independent. The most essentlal principle of the repub- lican party was from the beginning the protection of the people’s liberty against the arrogant domination of an oppressive aristocracy. The only dangerous arlstoc- racy of that time was the party of the southern slaveholders, which, with their northern allies, oppressed the ‘whole people, and which finally by their rebellion, caused that terrible war. In the natural course of affalrs the republican party had to add to this their main principle, the other princl- ples of protection to all our industrial, com- mercial and agricultural industries, and that of protection to our national finances by favoring a sound system of honest money free from swindles and wild imag- inary’ schemes. These last principles of protection have during the last decades acquired the as- cendency, but never has the original main principle, that of an honest fight against the rule of aristocracy been given up by the republican party, and cannot be given up without destroying the genuine nature of republicanism. Those so-galled republi- cans, who obey the orders of our railroad aristocracy, betraying in caucuses, county and state conventions the people's liberty, surrendering our rights and their own free- dom into the hands of our present monopo- lies, give up the best part of the republican creed and become railroad serfs instead of honest, free republicans. These railroad republicans may do some good services as defenders of sound finan- clal and economic principles as taught by republicanism, but they are only one-third republicans, hurting the interests of the people as much by their subserviency to railroad dictation as they favor them by supporting the other good republican prin- ciples. hese railroad republicans cannot be con- sidered as the true representatives of the republican party, may they through frauds and swindles of all kinds get the control of so-called republican_conventions or not. They are republican deserters, who have run over into the railroad camp, wearing yet the republican uniform for the delusion of unsuspecting voters. The leading organ of these false repub- licans, the real rallroad tools, is the Lincoln Journal, while the leading republican paper, the main organ of the true republicans, is The Omaha Bee, which, in the last elec- tion, has proven its true republican charac- ter by leading in the fight against Majors, in which it was supported by all true re- publicans. result of this fight, the defeat of Majors, shows that a good many true re- publicans are left. —e—e Capital on W Papillion Times. It is rumored that politiclans from the western part of the state, backed up by the Omaha wholesalers, are quietly working up sentiment in faver of transferring the seat of government from Lincoln o a point near the geographical center of the state, which, as a matter of course, means Kearney. Now that o many state buildings have been erected at Lincoln it will be diffioult to in- duce the people to locate the capital else- where. But there are many excellent argu- ments in favor of removal. Lincoln has be- come a hot-bed of corruption, where @ Mosher s more respected than are honest men; a city whose soclety circles hold reaay hands outstretched to receive and shower honors upon asylu™ thieves; a city whose population expects state support as a mat- ter of right. There are good and true men and women in_ Lincoln, but for every man who earns a living by the sweat of his brow there are two fellows who draw sus- tenance from the succulent sinecures pro- vided by the state. Perhaps this state of affairs exists in every capital city. Perhaps if the capital were removed to Kearney the cltizens there would soon take on Lincoln airs, but the change couldn't hurt anybody outside of Kearney. The capital will never be moved from L{pcoln, but it ought to be, Highest of all in Leavening Pow Baking Powder OKLAHOMA TNDIANS UNTANED Noble Red Man Has Made Little Progress Toward Oivilisation in a Year, WHITE MAN'S WAYS ARE NOT LO'S WAYS Allotment of Land Sevoralty Tias Not Endod Tribal Relations—¥ Still Practiced—Nelther a Polit olan Nor a Criminal, WASHINGTON BUREAU OF THE BE 1407 F Street, N. W., WASHINGTON, Dec. 4. of the Indlans Oklahoma territory, which was merly a part of Indian territory, with their advancement or the freo admssion of white men among them The condition in for- together and the crganization of the terrtiory under | government control, will probably have con- siderabla to do with the admisslon of Indian territory as a state or the organization of tha territory directly under government con- trol. This state of affairs makes the recent reports from Indian agents in Oklahoma of | more than ordinary interest. Captain A. E. Woodson, Fifth cavalry, act- ing agent at the Cheyenne and Arapahoe agency, says the progress of those tribes toward civilization has been slow. *Though declared to be citizens,” he sald, “they are 80 only in name; they were not at th: time nor have they become so since allotments were taken. It Is questionable policy whether allotments should be given to or the rights ot citizenshin conferred on the Indan tribes that are not prepared for the metamorpho.is that must ensue before they become prepared to exercise the same. They are not ready cope with their more astute white neigh- and are of necessity greatly dependent on their agent for advice and protection. To him they bring all their grievances. Their almost daily tales of the white man's oppres- sion and injustice keep him busy in his ef- forts to adjust such matters satisfactorily to all_concerned. “The daily conflict of the white man's laws with Indian habits and customs I3 puzzling to them in the extreme. They canmot under- stand why they may not have two wives, or why they may not take the property of a rel- ative and use it if they so desire, whether the owner consents or not.' NEITHER POLITICIANS NOR CRIMINALS. He also states that the Indians have taken no interest in polit.cs nor cared to exercise the right of franchise. Although allotments are taken, tribal relations are still maintained, even though the lands have been alloted to them in severalty. The same old customs prevail, the same ol belief in the efficacy of medicine men, the same marital relations, with plurality of wives, and the same inclination to idleness with lack of thrift and indust:y, However, they are agreed on one point, Captain Woodson says: “The freedom from crime of the Indians is remarkable. Although entirely surrounded - and intermingled with whites, instances are rare wherein they have been guilty of criminal violation of existing statutes." At the Osage agency, wherein there are 1,656 Osages and 218 Kaws, Major H. B. Freeman, Sixteenth infantry, do:s not think there is much progress, although the Osages regard themselves as a great nation. He says: “IL does not seem as If thess Indians had made much progress in civilization, if clvilization means work and all that goes with it, yet it is doubtful if any people would make much more, if each individual were supplied with the means to supply their wants without personal effort on their part. Still the Kaws do not seem to have done much better than the Osages in this respect, as they have very little money, yet one can find a Kaw who will work; an Osage never, voluntarily.” He says that crime, with the exception of polygamy, is very rare, and adds that they submit without resistance to injustice from their white neighbors. PONCAS DOING FAIRLY WELL. J. P. Woolsey, in charge of ths Ponca, Pawnee, Otoe and Oklaloma agency, has a divided ‘report, the different tribes varying. The Poncas are making rapid progress, being good workers and are in a fair way to be- come good citizens, The Pawnees do not do 50 well. The whites are thick about them and whisky is sold them. The Otoes are a little better, though stub- born and given to “‘ghost dancing.” How- ever, the agent has prevailed upon them to do considerable work. They are opposed to taking allotments. He reports very little moral improvement, “It s true” he said, “that some of the civilized and’ educated Indians respect the holy tles, but a majority of them think no more of changing wives than they do of swapping ponles, soma of them living with two or three different ones in one year." Mr. Woolsey reports a better state of things at the Oakland sub-agency, occupied by Tonk- away Indians. They have taken allotments and want their lands fmproved. They work themselves and lease their lands to whites. There are only fifty-seven of them, all full blood, not mixing with whites or other tribes, Edward T. Thomas, agent of the Sac and Fox agency, makes a favorable report of the Indians under his care. He sums them up in erioration since | superstitions and the | very marked change for the better among abl the indlans of this agency. MERCER ALREADY AT WORK. It has been learned that it is the intention of the Missourl River commission to delay | until next year the use of the $76,000 appro= priated during the last session of congress for the improvement of the Missourl river at Omaha and Council Diuffs. Congressman | Mercer has called the attention of (he sees | retary of war to the matter, and an_ investis gation will be had with the view of chang- ing the intention of the commission. Mr. | Mercer says that the fmmediate use of the ap- propriation would result in the employment of additional Omaha laborers who are now 1dle and in need of work. He also thinks it this work 1s prosecuted at once greater re sults will be achleved than if It were de- yed until next spring, when much more nage has been wrought. Congressman Mercer will call upon th postmaster general tomorrow and present | petition from Postmaster McMillan of South Omaha, backed by a large number of proms tnent business and packing men, asking for a general reorganization of the postofice at | South Omaba and for the allowance of In- | creased facilities for the handling of mail Mr. Mercer will impress upon the minds of Postmaster General Bissell the ime portance of immediate action in this city, and will urge favorable consideration on the part | of the Postoffice department. IN A GENERAL WAY. | F. A. Burdick of Aberdeen, 8. D., | as secretary to Congressman Lucas. Congressman Bryan was on the floor of the house today. The comptroller of the currency has been advised of the failure of the North Platte National bank of North Platte. Examiner H, | 3. Whitmore has been placed in_charge. | Comptroller Eckels says that the ofclals of the bank are in hopes of having matters ar- ranged satisfactorily, so that the appointment of a recciver will not be necessary. Several persons have applied for the appointment. Postmasters have been appointed as fol- lows: Nebraska—Perch, Rock county, Charles Linke, vice R. W. Cameron, removed. South Dakota—Monroe, Turner county, P. J. Dreher, vic2 G. W. Blenkkink, removed; Strouseton, Grant county, Mrs. Sarah Arnold, vice J. F. McDonald, resigned. The secretary of the interlor has rendered a decision airming the decision of the com- missioner of the general land office in the case of George P. Johnston against Linnis Lester, in the Mitchell district, South Da- Kota, dismissing the contest and awarding the land to Lester. Appropriations for 1896, WASHINGTON, Dec. 4—The clerks of the senate and house appropriations com= mittee have prepared a Jjoint statement showing the estimate for appropriations by bills for 1896, which is as follows: Fund, Agrieultural Army i Diplomitite nd "consular. . District_of Columbia. Fortifications . . Indians ... Ik | matter. here Amount. Sundry civil This s a net inc; timates for 18 6 over the G0T6 over |up;’ actual appropriat ‘The princi i P o il bill, due to that the river and harbor appros estimate to meet contracts is in- cluded. This estimate amounts to $11,387,115. doned by the President. WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.—The president granted pardons in the following cases: tonce Moore, convicted in Texas of horse stealing; B. G. Williams, convicted in South Dakota, of selling liquor without license; Allen Cooksey, convicted in Illinois of pass: ing_counterfeit money: James J. Walker, nvicted in Georgla of iilicit distilling, an /. A, Markley, convicted in Arkansas. of ittiniz open mail bags. In the case of Charles B. Murray, con- victed in Georgia of counterfeiting, the thirty months' sentence has been commuted to elghteen months’ Imprisonment, with good time allowances. cations for clemency were denled in cs: John R. Brooker of Georgla, counterfeiting; W, A. Busby, Georgia, couns terfeiting: F." A, Loessig, Nevada, illegal liquor sel Nothing More Than Tulk on Finance. WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.—~Representative Cox of Tennessee and member of the bank- ing and currency committee, sentative Bland, chairman of the commit tee on colnage, welghts and measures, held a conference and discussed financial me: ures. Mr. Cox says his committeo will port’ some kind of a measure during the Session, but he cannot say whether 16 will ever pass. Mr. Bland maintaing that there is nothing to do but to pass a free coinage bill. He voices the sentiment of the free silver men in saying that they will favor no financial measure that does not include free colnage. In every part of the house today there was general expression that nothing more than talk would come of all the financlal propositions at this session of congress, Bids for Stur Route Servieo. WASHINGTON, Dec. 4—The opening of bids for contracts for star and stemmboat mail. service in Ohlo, Indiana, Michigan, Illinols, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Towa and Missourl will be commenced at the Post- office department tomorrow. The time for recelving bids expired yesterday. There are 5000 routes in these states, covering 47579 ‘miles, and the number of bids sub- mitted is estimated at 100,000, it Five Killed in an Explosion. OTTAWA, Ont,, Dec. 4—A dynamite ex- plosion occurred in Hull, Que., near Ottawa, today. Four men and a boy were killed the followin, ““There has been a slow but and several wounded. ‘‘Money’s Worth or Money Back,” On the Skin-— That's where this underwear ought to be, Hose Without Toes. That's our fix—If you'll supply the toes we'll do the 1est. An excellent quality of heavy seamless tan hose, 2 pais for 25¢ (the price of one pair.) A very fine natural wool hose, fine grade, 25¢ per pair; $1.35 per dozen. A genuine Shaw knit Cots- wold Merino hose, extra quali- ty, regular price 40¢, going to close for 25¢ por pair. and will be as soon as the m owners take note of these speoial closing out prices. A pure all wool red flannel shirt or drawers, regular price $1.25, to close for 75¢. A lot vm fine French ribbed wool shirts and drawers, shirts silk fin- ished and pearl button trimmed—drawers with satteen band, pearl buttons, French back, stayed in or $1.50, going to close for $1 A very flne sanitary otch, regular selling price 00 the garment. natural wool shirt or drawer, self finish, extra quality, regular price $1.50, to close for $1.25. for $2.00. This same guality sold elsewhere These prices hold good till all are sold. Browning, King & Co., Reliable Clothiers, 8. W, Cor, 15th and Douglas, 75,000 * 45,383,815 and Repre-. ' ¥ N 4