Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, June 18, 1902, Page 6

S — OMAHA DALYy BEE . ROSEWATER, Ebn‘oR. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: Dally Bee (without Sunauy), One Year u > iy iSee una sunday, Ulie Year silustrated Bee, Une iear Bunauy see, ie 1ear i baturuay bee, Une )ea Lo “Uwenueh Century karmer, Une Year. Lw DELIVEKED BY CARKIER, Datly Jsee (without Bunday), per copy DRIy bee (Without Sunday), per week..lic 1y pee (NCiuuing sunaay), per week.lic BunGay pee, per gupy... oo 80 Eveiing Bec (wihbut Bunuay). Per week. v myenug bee (NCiuding Builuay), Per week Jsc Compiaints of irreguiarities in delivery £00UId be adaressea to City Clrcuiaton Lepartmen: 6 @ OFFICES. Omaha—The Bee Bullding. soutn ha—City Hai sullding, Twen- 1Y-NI Gnd M strects. Council sluts—1v rearl Btreet. Shicago—ivy Unity Buliding. ~Temple Court. Washington—si Fourceenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news and editorial matter snouis be aadressed; Umana Bee, Luitoriai Leparunent. BUSINESS LEITERS. Business letters und remittances should sadressed: ‘Lhe Hee ruoisning Com- pany, Ulsuns. REMITTANCES, Remit by dratt, express or postal order, pavavle to The Bee Publishing Company. UMy Z-cent stamps accepted in payment of ALl ACCOUNLS. Fersonas Checks, excepl on maha or castern exciange, not accepted. THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. rge B. Taschuck, secretary of I Publisuing Company, belng duly sworn, says that the actual number of full and compiete copies of The Dally, Morning, Evening ana Bunday Bee printed during the month of May, i%Z was as follows: 1. EEzEuEEEsERECE: Less unsold and returned copies.... 10,766 Net total sa Net daily average. . 29,319 HUCK, nce and sworn to of May, A. D. 1%L B, HUNGATE, Notary Publle. Bubscribed tn my before me this lllt & Seal) M. There Is no telling what a day may bring forth. Sm—— The agony of the Omaha schoolma'am is over. Now for the summer vacation. From now on it s to be a race be- tween the market house and the audi- torium. Omaha’s future growth depends upon its ability to establish new factories and enlarge the old ones. Professional mind readers will be in great demand at the state capital for the next twenty-four hours. _——————— The expenditure for light and water on the county poor farm for last year ‘was $2,685.56; the expenditure for milk was $123.90. There must have been a good deal of water in that milk. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, You can't make a good chief executive out of a man who has not made a mark in his own profession or proved a success in his own business. It took a long pull to land the con- gressional candidate in the Beatrice con- vention. The struggle would not have been so protracted If the candidates were not convinced that the nomination this time means an election in Novem- Der. ‘With an assessed valuation of $79,000,- 000 Kansas City has a tax rate of 11 mills. With an assessment of more than $36,000,000 Omaha has a tax rate of 30 mills. This explains why real estate is In greater demand In Kansas City than In Omah If the corporation managers keep their hands off the republican state con- vention they will get falr treatment. If they force candldates on the party ‘whom the people have reason to distrust the republican rank and file will revolt and undo thelr work at the polls. —_—— The men that marched with Sherman, and the men that fought with Grant, ‘will soon have thelr last innings in po- litical conventions. The man who salled with Dewey and the man who rode with Roosevelt is pressing to the front for political honors and glory. The Bee cheerfully records its apology to the rallroad tax bureau, which doubt- less feels highly indignant over the as- sertion made by this paper that the ‘Unlon Pacific bridge, assessed at mileage rate for 1002, would pay taxes in Doug- las county and Omaha on a valuation of $1,630. The correct figure for the Union Pacific bridge assessment is six- tgen-hundredths of a mile at $9,800 per smile, and the total assessment for city taxation and county taxation alike will be $1,568 lnstead of $1,630. In 1801 the bridge was assessed at $125,000. The chapter of Irrigation history con- tributed by an Omaha fiction artist to the Lincoln Journal credits George H. Maxwell with the discovery of irrigation from the time of Rameses to Roosevelt and minutely describes all of the insur- mountable obstacles and jumping off places whlch Mr. Maxwell had to encounter in securing the passage of the pational Irrigation act. It goes with- out saying that it was Maxwell that in- spired President Roosevelt with that portion of his message relating to irri- COUNTER BULLETIN Nv. 2. In its screed of falsification and ex- aggeration the railroad tax bureau has sought to startle the people of Omaha and Nebraska by an alleged exposure of the systematic tax shirking on the part of The Bee Bullding and The Bee Publishing companies. In this delecta- ble work they indulged in their pro- pensity for juggling with figures and dust-throwing. Although the records of the county and ety tax departments are open to everybody It was given out cold that The Bee Bullding only paid taxes on a valuation of $60,000 and The Publishing company on a valuation of $5,000. An inspection of the county treasurer's books will show that at no time since 1890 has The Bee Building been assessed for less than $65,000, while other property, and notably rallroad property, was shrink- ing and shrinking In its valuation, The Bee Building was kept up from year to year at that figure, and while The Bee Publishing company Incurred heavy de- ficits in the years 1806 and 1897 itg tax assessments were kept up during those years and then gradually raised. Comparisons may sometimes be odlous, but at other times they are very in- structive. For the information of the mendacious tax bureau let me cite a few figures that speak for themselves. In 1891 the Union Pacific bridge w assessed for $125,000 and the tax paid thereon was $2,500. By the year 1900 the bridge assessment had shrunk to $60,000, and the tax thereon was $1,482. In the year 1902 the Union Pacific bridge was absorbed in raflroad mileage and re- turned by the company as sixteen-one- hundredths of a mile assessable at $9,800 per mile, or $1,586. In 1891 the county tax on The Bee Building was $1,300, in the year 1900 it was $1,605.50, while the Union Pacific bridge tax was $123 less. ~ In the year 1901 the Union Pacific bridge was re- turned to the city at a valuation of $60,000, while The Bee Building was assessed at $165,000 for city taxes and paid a tax of $5,120 as against $2,040 for the Union Pacific bridge. In the year 1002 the taxes assessed against The Bee Bullding aggregated $4,500 and the taxes assessed against the Union Pacific bridge was $47.04! The Bee Publishing company instead of being assessed $6,000, as was charged by the rallroad prevaricators, was $24,- 000 for the year 1901 and the aggregate taxes $816.00. For the year 1802 The Bee Publishing company's taxes will amount to $720 and the railroad com- pany's bridge tax $47.04. So much for the Unlon Pacific bridge part. The Burlington passenger depot, freight depot, all other trackage and transfer facllities, and rightof-way is assessed at a valuation of a fraction over $17,000 for city purposes as against The Bee Publishing company’s plant at $24,- 000. The Fremont & Elkhorn assess- ment of its depot, depot grounds, right- of-way, and other improvements within the city llmits are assessed for county and city purposes at $12,900. The Pundt residence, corner of Douglas and Seven- teenth streets, now owned by The Bee Building company is assessed at $12,500 for city purposes and $5,000 for county purposes. The city tax on the Pundt residence, 66x132 feet, which rents for $100 per month, is only $12 less this year than is taxed against the entire Fremont & Elkhorn terminal facilities, depot grounds, right-of-way, etc, worth at least a million. Perhaps the rallroad computation bu- reau can explain why these discrepan- cles. For myself and for other tax- payers, the mystery Is as yet un- fathomed. E. ROBSEWATER. THE HOUSE PHILIPPINE BILL. The house of representatives will sub- stitute the Philippine bill framed by its committee on insular affairs for the bill passed by the senate. There are im- portant differences between the two measures. The senate bill provides that when- ever the existing insurrection shall have ceased and a condition of general and complete peace shall have been estab- lished, the commission shall certify the fact to the president, who shall ther in- stitute a census. After such a census the commission shall report to the presi- dent “whether or not all or certain of the Philippine islands are capable, fit and ready for the establishment of & perma- nent popular representative govern- ment.” Meanwhile, in the discretion of the commission, additional municipal and provincial governments are to be estab- lished “with popular representative gov- ernment” so far and as rapidly as com- munities in such divisions are capable, fit and ready for the same. Provision is made for the appointment by the pres- ident, by and with the advice and con- sent of the senate, of a governor, vice governor and other official The house blil goes further. It pi vides that whenever insurrection shall have ceased and a condition of general and complete peace shall have been es- tablished and certified by the commi slon, that body shall call a general elec- tion for the chelce of delegates to a popular assembly of the people of the islands, which shall be known as the Philippine assembly. After such elec- tion all the legislative power heretofore conferred on the Philippine commission shall be vested in a legislature cous! ing of two houses—the Philipplne com- mission and the Philippine assembly. There would thus be an upper house appointed by the president and a lower house chosen by the natives. Provision is of course made as to the duties and functions of the assembly.. The house bill 1s more liberal in this direction than the senate measure, but whether better gation, althoughk Roosevelt possibly may have bad a slight smattering of Sierra Nevada and Arizona desert vocabulary before he enlisted as a rough rider. It will also go down into history that the senators and congressmen who digested, debated and engineered the irrigation .scheme through congress were simply jumpling-jacks carrylng out the direc- results would. come from It is a ques- tion. Apother important difference be- tween the two bills is in the currency provisions. The colnage clause of the senate measure would perpetuate the silver standard in the Phillppines and continue existing currency conditions there, which are now causing no little tions of the irrepressible wuur—-pouur disturbance to the business of the is- and reservolrist. - lands, The house bill, on the other THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: WEDNESDAY, band, provides for putting the currency in the Philippines on a gold basis and thereby remedying the now troulle- some and disturbing conditions. Un- doubtedly the house will firmly Insist upon this feature of its bill, whatever concessions it may be induced to make in regard to the legislative provisions and some others that differ from the senate measure. Consideration of this subject in the house will occupy ten days and probably the matter will be disposed of by con- gress by the beginning of July. TIME-HUNORED CUSTOM. It has been the time-honored custom for all parties to endorse capable and faithful public officers for a second term, but it has also been the time- honored custom to turn down public officers who have made a discreditable record or who have failed to carry out the platform pledges of their respective parties. In 1875 a republican governor who had used the pardoning power indis- creetly and incurred popular displeas- ure was not renominated for a second term. He foresaw the coming storm that was to break loose in the conven- tion and prudently decided not to avail himself of the time-honored custom. In 1890 two republican state officers, namely, the secretary of state and the land commissioner, were unceremoni- ously turned down for renomination by the republican state convention in spite of time-honored custom because they had falled to carry out the pledges made by the party on the question of railway regulation as members of the State Board of Transportation. Tom Ben- ton, the auditor, who was equally dere- lict in his duty, came within a few votes of belng knocked out by the same convention. This was before the popular upheaval that followed In the wake of the prohibi- tion campaign and the populist uprising. In 1888, only two years previously, Ben Jjamin Harrison carried Nebraska by more than 25,000 majority, and the party had no apprehension of disaster, and yet the men of 1800 courageously refused to commit the party to the en- dorsement of candidates whose conduct had created popular resentment and had to be explained away. — AN OVER WORKED MONARCH. It appears evident that King Edward 18 over-working himself and that he may be compelled to forego some of the coro- nation functions in order to be in con- dition for the final event. He is un- doubtedly, say the correspondents, one of the hardest worked men in his realm, with every hour of every day until the end of the season filled by some function more or less exacting. The king is not in the best of health. He is not as physically vigorous as he appears to be, as his succumbing to the éxposure at Aldershot showed. As everybody knows he led, while Prince of Wales, a pretty strenuous life of a kind that does not conduce to the best physical condition and the demand now being made upon his vital forces subject them to a severe strain. It would not be surprising if he should give out before the day of crowning comes. King Edward, however, by his faith- ful efforts to fulfill his obligations, is strengthening himself in the respect of his countrymen. The British people ad- mire the pluck and persistence of their sovereign In carrying out the elaborate coronation program and there {s no doubt that he is stronger today in the popular esteem than ever before. He lIs also, by his uniformly gracious course, commend- ing himself to the regard of the foreign element in London, toward which he has been most cordial and considerate. One London correspondent remarked that circumstances have made this the hour when the English king, if he chose, might make himself really a king with less opposition than such an attempt would have been sure of having for many years. But Edward VII is doubt- less well satisfied with the prerogatives he possesses and at any rate is not the sort of man to attempt to enlarge his powers. Sm— RUSHING RENOMINATIONS. The suggestion that the republican state conventlon should reverse the regu- lar order of business, which requires and contemplates the nomination of governor, lleutenant governor and other officers In the order in which they are named In the call of the state com- mittee, should not be seriously consid- ered. There is no good reason why the convention should rush the renomina- tlon of state officers who are entitled to a second term in conformity with time- honored custom, and no good reason can be 'advanced why state officers whose conduct has merited severe criti- cism and brought the party into dis- repute should be acclaimed with a rush and a hurrah. On the contrary, the republican con- vention should put on its thinking cap and not be carried off of its legs by corporate pressure. They shoujd re- member that the republican party of Ne- bras! is not a pawnshop for the re- demption of the pledges of railroad managers and railroad attorneys. These influences have wrecked the republican party several times within the past fif- teen years and should not be allowed to overawe and hypnotize a great body of representative republicans. The con- vention had better remain in session three days than to rush through candi- dates who forfeited popular confidence by thelr indefensible conduct. Colonel Willlam Jennings Bryan is be- coming more cautious with his political prophectes as he grows older. His latest forecast by the Assoclated Press is, “It I8 too early yet to say what the issues will be in the next presidential campalgn.” Colonel Bryan is evidently short of paramount issues. — ‘When it comes to tax paying the rall- road attorneys complain that the corpo- rations they represent have to pay 15 per cent of all of the taxes. When It comes to state conventlons and leg- Islatures the same attorneys Insist that the corporations have a right to do 85 per cent of the voting. ——— An Incentive to Thrift. Brooklyn Eagle. Garibaldi led 1,000 men In the war for Itallan independence. There are of this number now surviving 1,200, all drawing pensions. Same here. No Pent Up Utica in H Washington Post. Mr. Bryan feels that the Nebraska sphere fs much too narrow for him. Yet the na- tional democracy made a much better show- ing when he confined himself to that state. 'n. Maliclions Gossip Refuted. Indlanapolts Journal. Those people who have been sympathis- ing with Admiral Dewey because he has, as they declare, been ignored by the ad- ministration will not be pleased to learn that upon the urgent peraonal request of the president the admiral will take su- preme charge of the large fleet which will maneuver in the West Indles next winter. Thrills of Tanglefoot. Chicage Chroncle. Grown',eloquent upon the forestry bill, Congressman Lacey declares that ‘“there 18 & spot where the hand of man has never set foot. The figure is reminiscent of the Warsaw (Ind.) correspondent who, de- scribing a shooting soiree at a soclety function in that metropolls, stated that “While the violins were throbbing out a passionate waltz the hand of death stalked into the room. History's Lesson Heeded. Boston Transcript. The Boer leaders are taking a leaf from the history of the late southern confeder- wcy. Having surrendered on honorable terme they mean to stay surrendered. They and their men, like the confederates, will devote the same energy they displayed in war to buflding up their country. It Is a country of great possibilities which will be developed to their utmost under the sway of Great Britaln and in that devel- opment the Boer leaders, manfully accept- ing the situation, will be consplcuously Buffalo Express. Eastern farmers will look with’ envy upon thelr western brethren. The owners of rocky, infertile New England farms will have to go without help, although they are entitled to It as fairly as the possess- ors of arld lands in the west, but they are not so fortunate In getting help from the public treasury. They bear some proportion of the cost of this diversion of public land moneys, but they get no benefit from it. A benevolent congress will give them no help in making a livelthood from their poor lands. Harmony with a Club, Indianapolis Journal. Mr. W. J. Bryan, peerless leader to de- feat, cannot get over the idea that he is still a political boss. He finds the demo- ratie platform recently adopted in this state good in spots, but says it will alien- ate more democrats than it will draw back to the party, because of its fallure to re- afirm the Kansas City platform. He says the present reorganizers of the party will never Institute any reform nor redress any grievance, and he urges 16-to-1 democra to ‘‘organize to prevent another evasion. Mr. Bryan would promote harmony with a club. What @ Poem Would H New York Sun. It is a pretty good joke on our rampant ant{-Boer frlend, Mr. Rudyard Kipling, that the pro-Boer sympathies of his aunt, Lady Burne-Jones, should bring around her house a crowd of angry villagers, whom the nephew had to charm from their rage by a soothing speech. His eloquence car- ried the day, but his aunt's offending fi with the inscription, “You have killed, you have conquered,” had to come down. If Mr. Kipling has had the presence of mind to read Sir Lewis Morris’ peace poem to the visitors, the flag might have stayed up, for the mob would have dropped dead be- fore the end of the second stanza. e Done. Strain of High Speed. Philadelphia Record. The question has been raised whether, it it should be practicable to attain to a speed of 100 miles or more an hour by rail, the engineer could stand the strain. It bas been afirmed by a physician that such fearful going would wear out his nerves in a little while. The question has been answered already by one experienced engineer before a meeting of sclentists. Asked as to the probable effects, in case of a common accident, of a speed of more than sixty miles an hour, he sald: “A smash-up at sixty miles would make splin- ters of everything: at 100 miles the splinters might be finer, but the destruction could not be more complete.” That is to say, when an engineer runs his engine at sixty miles he is under as severe a strain as he would be at any other speed. WHY THE WEST REJOICES. Irrigation of Arid Lands Under Federal Supervision. Chicago Tribune. The states of the far west, which have within their limits vast areas of arid land, are about to secure legislation which they have been after for many years. The house has passed the senate Irrigation bill. The president will sign it gladly, for the sub- Ject 1s one which he has pressed upon the consideration of congrees. The blll is not open to some objections which have been urged agalnst previous propositions. It provides that the pro- ceeds of the sales of the public lands in the arld regions shall be expended by the secretary of the interfor in the construc- tion of storage and Irrigation works. After the secretary has become convinced that a particular irrigation project is feasible he will set aside the lands to be irrigated and make arrangements with the settlers for the payment of their proportion of the cost of the construction of the works. The great objection raised to the recla- mation of the arid lands by the govern- ment has been that it would be unjust to eastern farmers—that they would be taxed to make cultivable lands to be glven away and that the value of their lands would be reduced by adding to the supply of tillable lands. Under the present plan the govern- ment will get back it expends on firri- gation works and the reclamation of arid lands will go on so slowly that no effect can be produced upon land values. The ratio of increase in the ai of tillable land will not exceed one-tenth of 1 per cent annually, while population will in- crease twenty times as fast. T states and territories in which the arid lands lle naturally are most anxious for their improvement. It will add to their population and wealth. The reclama- tion of the lands will also add to the wealth of the whole country. Not all the arid lands can be made cultivable, for there is mot water enough, but homes can be provided for tems of thousands of farmers on lands which are now & worthless asset of the government. It 1s not impossible that when the plan set forth fu the irrigation bill is put to test defects will be discovered. If so tl ork is to be carried on so slowly that the defects can be remedied before they have sertous consequefices. JUNE 18, 1902, Federal Irrigation Law Chicago Inter Ocean. The irrigation bill passed by the house on Friday, and already pacsed by the senate, 1s an attempt to solve what Secretary Wil- son has well called “our greatest domestic problem.” This problem concerns the reclamation of the great arid and seml-arid region which stretches from the 100th meridian of longitude westward to the Slerra Nevada and t Its southwestern corner reaches the Pacific ocean. This region s by no means all desert, though in Nevada, Utah, California, Arizona and New Mexico it contains real deserts. But its rainfall as a whole is far below the average required by agriculture as car- ried on in the Mississippi valley and on the Atlantic slope. Yet great areas of its lands are astonishingly fertile if only water can be brought to them. And the water is there to fertilize these lands, but so unequally distributed that it goes largely to waste. This reglon contains about 600,000,000 acres of the public domain. Much of this is rugged mountain. Some of it is irre- claimable desert, valuable only for its min- eral deposits. But at least 60,000,000 acres, it 18 believed, can be converted into farms it the water supply be scientifically dis- tributed and economically used. Then there are perhaps 120,000.000 acres of graz- ing lands that will be useful it water s brought near them. Systematic improvement of these lands by trrigation will provide homes for 25,000,000 people, at the lowest estimate, and prob- ably for twice as many. Successful irriga- tion farming both requires and attracts close cultivation and a dense population. This great improvement of the national Aomain congress has decreed shall now begin. That s the purpose of the law just enacted, and the method adopted is both simple and practicable. Hereafter all money received from sales of public lands in this region will go into a special trust fund for the buflding of irrigation works. The lande to be benefited by such works Are to be assessed for their cost and sold In parcels not exceeding 160 acres at the prices so determined. The money received, which may be paid in ten annual instail- ments, goes into the trust fund, which is thus conetantly replenished. These irrig tlon works will be no burden on the public treasury. They will be pald for by tHose benefited, much as pavements and sewers are pald for in Chicago. As was imperative In a reglon where the first necessity of life is not land, but water, the law decrees that the beneficial use of water shall be the basis of rights to it. In other words, it will not be possible hereafter for speculators to buy up vast areas of the public domain and wait for the work of others to make them valuable. Irrigated or irrigable lands will be sold only to those who will use them. As far as possible the opportunity for men to profit by the unearned increment of their neigh- bors’ toll has been cut off. The law might have been improved by denying its benefits to stal which neg- lect to modify their land laws to conform to the doctrine of beneficial uee of water. Only Wyoming, among the many states af- fected, has a really sclentific and equitable irrigation code. The laws of some of the other states are a positive impediment to home making and an encouragement to speculation. Tt would seem advisable for congress at the beginning to have insisted upon the change of such laws. But with all its defecte the Irrigation act is a distinct step forward and a good be- ginning. Its operations will necessarily be slow. It may be half a century before water {s brought to all the Irrigeble land: Bt the results will be of ever-increasing beneficence. Irrigation of these arid lands will not only provide homes for millions, but will largely protect the reglon eastward againet drouth. On the whole, the irrigation law is likely to pass into history as the wisest leglslation of the present congress. “THOSE IGNORANT BOERS.” ow Slanders Uttered Against the Burghers of South Africa. Denver Post. Whenever a natlon seeks to acquire the territory of an allen government it excuses the act upon the ground that the people whom it would subjugate and rob are wholly | unworthy and not capable of looking after their own affairs. Thus, when the South African company, representing the British government, began to feel that it should own and control ab- solutely the gold and dlamond wealth of the Transvaal it discovered that the Boers were savage and morally irresponsible people. It found them ignorant, dense of intellect and totally incapable of comprehending the ethics of modern civilization. Such was the justification for the South African war. Many things have since occurred to dem- onstrate the injustice of these clalms, but 1f anything were lacking it might be found in the farewell address of the Boer leaders at Vereeniging to the burghers in the field which had just been surrendered to an overwhelming euperior foe. This, for instance: “Fellow brethren and countrymen, we heartily thank you for your heroism, for your sacrifice of so much that was dear and beloved by you, for your obedlence and for your faithful discharge of duty, all of which serves the honor and glory of the Afrikander people. We counsel you all to acquiesce in this peace, to conduct your- selves quietly and peacefully and to obey and respect the new government.” Who but savages could have expressed such sentences as those! Who but morally irresponsible could have given such advice! And then again: “Now there is peace, and, although not the peace such as we longed for, yet let us abide where God has led us. We can with clear consclence declare that for two and a half years our people carried on the struggle in & manner almost unknown in history. Let us now grasp each other's hand's for another great struggle lies be- fore us for the spiritual and social pros- perity and welfare of our people. Casting aside all feeling of bitterness, let us learn to forget and forgive so that the deep wounds caused by this war may be healed.” Such ignorance! Such barrenness of the nobler sentiments! Such lack of the higher perception of life's duties and obligations! Such dearth of comprehension of the de- mands of the broader alms of humanity! No wonder the civilized world hangs its head In contemplation of it all. people PERSONAL NOTES. General Wood appears to be letting others do the worrying. The New York courts are giving notice that the effective smoke consumer must be used by those who burn soft coal or else hard coal must be imported if it cannot bs obtained in this country. While addressing the senate a day or two ago Mr. Balley of Texas said: “Indlan ents may be divided into two classes— the smart and the good. The trouble is that the good agents are never smart and the smart agents are never good.” Edward Ten Eyck, champlon oarsman of the world, comes by his ability quitq nat- urally. Members of his family have been noted oarsmen for four generations. His grandfather, now 78 years old, is a ferry- man at Peekskill, up the Hudson, and fs willing to meet any man of his age. The United States senate is not the only deliberative body in the world where physical arguments are sometimes resorted to. In the Reichsrath at Vienna a pair of rival leaders boxed one another's ears. It was necessary for their friends to drag them apart, amid cheers and jeers from the galleries. Congressman Lacey of Iowa has contrib- uted to the Congressional Record an essay in which he says: ‘‘The buffalo was the noblest of all the wild animals that in- habited this country when America was discovered. He was & gentleman among beasts, just as the game hog is a beast among gentlemen.” Senator Kittredge of South Dakota saw two street urchins quarreling in Washing- ton and sald to them: ‘“‘Come, now, boys, try to get along without fighting." We aln't fighting,” said ome of the urchins, Ben Tillman—and McLaurin, too." The general bellef that a title ought to be earned before it is bestowed is held by the auctioneers of Iowa. In their state convention held last week they lamented the looseness of the application of the pre- * to members of their calling and formally decided that no auctioneer was entitled to it unti] he had cried 1,000 sales. About once {n so often there bobs up a rumor that Russell Sage has made a will in which the bequests to charity and phil- anthropy are so great as to place the name of Sage in the same gallery of fame with those of Peter Cooper, George Peabody and other great benefactors of the human race. The rumor was on duty again last week in New York, but the aged capitalist refused to discuss it. Mrs. SBage, however, was less reticent and said: “There is absolutely no truth ia the report.” ROUND ABOUT NEW YORK. Ripples On the Current of Life in the Metropolls. Dancing masters of the United States and Canada have just concluded a solemn con- vention in New York City and announced with appropriate ecstacy the birth of three new dances, christened “The Antlers Ga- votte,” “The Olympla,” and “The Military Dip Waltz."" The first named is sald to be a very intricate combination of pedal move- ments, which experienced elks only can execute gracefully. The other dances, though warlike in title, are decidedly peaceful, though capable of producing en- tangling alllances.” Two-steps were mot shelved entirely, but three-steps are to be glven a more effective boost by the light- foot gentry. The popular one-step move- men for wallflowers seems to have met with little favor, and the floral decorations of ballrooms will continue to “shed their fragrance of the desert air" formerly. New York City and Its environs still maintains its clutch on the champlonship for the Indulgence of its young persons in that imbecile species of “fun” which con- sists in the contraction of mock marriages at parties, picnics and other little social blowouts. About forty young couples were inadvertently but solidly riveted together for life at a plenic over on Long Island last summer. The ubiquitous idfot who, had he not been attendiog the plenic, would probably have been joyously rocking a boat containing a couple of screamin young women in the stern sheets, riding h! baby on a in front of his bieycle or yelling in a theater, was, of course, the individual who made the sug- gestion that a few mock marriages would liven up things. The idiot's mental vac- uity, however, was not sufficient reason why the forty young couples should fall to his proposition. They did, nevertheless, with great enthusiasm, and a young fellow who was attending the picnic from a neighbor- ing village, known to be a lawyer, and therefore famillar with the civil contrac- tion of marriages, was chosen to tle the plenic knots. The forty ceremonies were gone through with with great blitheness and joviality, rings being employed and everything done according to the regular canons. The young lawyer who officlated at the mock marriages, as they were, of cours thought to be, was such a fool that he had quite forgotten before entering upon his funny task that he had taken the oath as justice of the peace of his little Long Island village only two days before. H became suddenly pale with the recollection when, of course, it was too late, and men- tioned the matter to some of the mock married. They were enraged. He had to run, and he had to know how to run. The victims couldn't be convinced that he ‘wasn’'t aware all the time that he was tying perfectly legal matrimonial knots. They were all le as a matter of fact, and the plcnic broke up in an uproar, and a few days later some thirty-two applications for divorce were entered in & bunch in & Brooklyn court. Every policeman of the Central park squad whose post is near the square, old brown blockhouse on the hilltop at One Hundred and Seventh street, goes out these hot nights, reports the New York World, prepared to “fan” a full-fledged and elo- quent ghost who haunts that neighborhood. An anonymous individual first reported the spook some nights ago to Roundsman Frank Gripper. The citizen came running down the rocky hill from the blockhouse at midnight. He wore his hat about three inches above his head. He panted. He seized Gripper by the hand. “Gosh!” he sald. “You're a liys man, ain’'t you? Say, you ain’t no ghost? Hoo- ray! Say, Captain, I saw something just now-—usderstand—and I hope to the Lord I'll never see it agaln. Me cutting across the top o' the hill on a quick trip home— understand? Well, yes, to be sure, I go by the blockbous Everything quiet. I hear 12 o'clock striking from three or four steeples. Just as I come past the little old fron door at the bottom of the blockhouse out walks a smooth-faced fellow In old continental togs and presents arms with & rifie about elght feet long. eventy-six!’ he says to me. ‘Seventy- x!" Me doing a tremble all over. “Then the continental fellow looks off to the south toward the reservoir and he s: “They are coming! The British! The British are coming!" Then down he flops llke a dead man. And me?! Well, say, Cap, me running llke a cat shot with & paper o' tacks." Rickeys or high ball man Gripper. ‘Nothing all day but tea,” said the citi- zen. And, really, there wasn't a whiff of alcohol on the man.” What worries the park policemen is the fact that on the night before the battle of Harlem plains & squad of Connecticut soldiers was encamped near the stone blockhouse. Lord, Howe sent a regiment of redcoats te surprise the Yankee camp. A sentinel saw them coming, fired his flint- lock and yelled: “They are comi The British! The British coming Thea be fell mortally wounded by a British vol- ley. asked Rounds- Ten thousand troops, regulars and mil- itla, and the vessels of the North Atlantic squadron, will participste in a joint war game on Long Island sound the inst week in August. Tho object of the mimic war is the defense of the approaches to Now York from a supposed hostile fleet It I8 the intention of the army and navy au- thorities not to have the exercises begln until farmers in those parts of Connecticut, Long Island and Rhode Island where land operations will occur have gathered tbeir crope, as it will be necessary for the land forces to cover considerable territory, and take advantage of the situation of the coun- try without reference to damage to private property. The naval program for the Long lsland sound exercises is being arranged by the general or strategy board of the navy, and Colonel Wallace F. Randolph chief of ar- tillery United States army, is in charge of the military ehd of the war game The North Atlantle naval force will be increased greatly and orders sent out by the department contemplate baving a num- ber of additional vessels placed In com- misslon by August 1, so that they may be able to participate in the joint army and navy war games to be played on and off the shores of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Long Island The crulser Montgomery is now ready, having recelved an extensive overhauling at the Brooklyn navy yard. Many other crulsers and battleships are getting into shape for the interesting event. Orders have been issued also for placing in com- mission the entire torpedo boat flotilla, con- sisting of twelve destroyers and fitteen tor- pedo boat. COAL BARON How Consumers of Anthracite Were Squeesed Last W Chicago Tribune. When the anthracite coal operators raised the wages of miners two years ago they raised the price of coal to consumers. Ac- cording to Carroll D. Wright, commissioner of labor, the miners' estimate of their gain last year by reason of the wage increase is $4,000,000, while the operators put the gain at $6,000,000. Probably if an average ls struck and the gain called $5,000,000 the figures will not be far out of the way. The galn of the operators due to the in- creased price of coal is set down by Mr. ‘Wright at $10,000,000. If hie data are trust- worthy the operators collected from the consumers the $5,000,000 of additional wages for the miners and also collected from the consumers a commission of 100 per cent for attending to the matter. The commission was too large. If the operators could not pay the advance out of thelr profits it was in accordance with business rules to make the consumer foot the bill if possible. It is customary to charge him a little more than the increase in wages comes to, because wages are paid before the product {s marketed. Thero would not have been much grumbling if the operators had charged a small commission for their services. They went too far when they exacted $5,000,000 to pay them for collecting from the consumers $5,000,000 and distributing It among the miners. The operators could not have done this if they had not got rid of competition by combination. They have formed a trust, and, as they control the limited supply of anthracite, they can make what prices they please for their product as long as they do not make prices so high as to drive consumers to the use of goft coal. It the figures of the commissioner of labor are correct the operators can raise the miners’ wages 5 per cent and pay the increase out of the $5,000,000 commiesion collected from consumers. It will not be necessary to raise the price of coal. POINTED REMARKS, (i“hlgyo Pos “Do you believe in her-' “Certatnly; T know a barber who m- three little shavers.” The Widow: “Why, Willle” sald his teacher, “what makes your hair so red?”’ “Aw, ‘T just had scarlet fever and it set- tled in me head.’ New York Sun: Little Girl—Ma! Her Mother—Don't say “ma,’ my dear, 'mama.” What do you want? P etle Giri—Did you see Panamama? uncle'’s new Washington Star: “‘Why don't that ro- mantic_star and that emotional actress get & divorce, if they can't hecome recon- clled? “They have discussed the idea. But each 1s afrald the other might get the best of the advertisement.” Philadelphla Pres: Raynor—This for- tune_ telling business is all humbug. One of these professors of rummry told me a little wglle ago to look out for a ‘short, blond :‘nuemn ten, old fellow, will no—l "don’t know about fts being all I'm blond, and Im?a ort. " Lend you Cleveland Plain Dealer: “There’s a couple o big coal moots on your face, Weary. «Dan't mind ‘em. They're th' badges of s sreat industry, Limpy. I tell you. me boy, there's nothin' like soft coal for'put- DO nere e an family ‘on an ‘equality. k';zouh )ud‘ some trouble, 1 rei the neighbor. A ""l'fl:::n bit,” retorted Mrs. Clancy, who had proved victor in a disagreement vlllh her blnd “"Twag Clancy had all tl throuble. e AFTER A SUMMER SHOWER. Chicago Post: Andrews Norton. The rain s o'er—how dense and bright on pearly clouds reposing Clogd bove cloud, glorlous sight, Contrasting with the dark blue sky! silence e el blessing: frosh and fair, ower expands little leaves, glad the common joy to share. In Ench The softened sunbeams pour around A ht, uncertain, pale; e "wind lows Cool: the lcenud ground 1s breathing odors on the gal 1a yon rich clouds: voluptuous pile, M hinks some spirit of g‘nu r. i rest to gaze below awhile, g en"turn to bathe and revel there. The sun breaks fort om off the scens 1t ting veil 'm'lll!\un [ the Wilderness of green AW rembilng drops of Hght 1s huns. Now gaze on nature—yet the same, Glowing with life, by breezes fanned, Lyxuriant, lovely, as she came, ‘Fresh in her youth from God's own hand; Heoar the rich music of that voice. Which sounds from all below. above; Bhe calls her children to rejoice, And round them throws her arms of love Drink in her influence—low-born care And all the train of mean desire Refuse to breathe this holy afr, And in the living light expire. Torpid Liver ‘When your complexion is sallow, and you are troubled with Conl!lgation Malaria, Sick Headache and other Liv- er Complaints, take Horsford's Acid Phosphate It stimulates hauch; Hver i y.y. increases th:".o' of roves ro- uuon..gx:lchuptho blood, lndhnytom the whole system. Heveferd's name on svery ORNUINE peckage