Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, January 21, 1903, Page 6

\ THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1903. THE OMAHA DALY BEE. E. ROSEWATER, EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TERMS OF SBUBSCRIPTION. Dafly Bee (without Sunday), One Year.$4.00 Daily Bee and SBunday, One Year 600 Llustrated Bee, Ope Year.. 200 Bunday Bee, Uhe Year ey Baturday Bee, One Year....... 160 Twentleth « Farmer, One Year.. 100 DELIVERED BY CARRIER. Datly Bee (without Sunday), per copy. Daily Bee (without Sunday), per week Daily Bee (Including Bunday), per week Sunday Bee, per copy....... ivening Bee (without Sunda: iivening Bee (inciuding Bunday), per QOO . i000000soh ...100 Complaints of irregularities in delivery should be addressed to City Circulation De- tment. bt 4 OFFICES. mahs_The Bee Bullding, uth Omaha—City Hall Building, Twen- ty-fAifth and M Streets. Council Blufle—1y Pearl Street. Chicago_i640 Unity Bullding New York—2128 Park Row Building. Washington—01 Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news and ed- itorial matter should be addressed: Omaha Hees, Editorial Department. por week 6c STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska, Douglas County, s George B. Tzschuck, secretary of The Bel Publishing company, being duly sworn, (ays that the actual number of full and com- plate copies of The ly, Morning, Even- ng_and Sunday Be nted during the month of December, was as follows: 80,620 EERRNRREBERSERS Net total sales Net average saes GEORS Bubscribed fn my presence and sworn to before me this 3ist dey of December, A, D. 1902, B. HUNGATE, (Seal) Notary Publie. The Omaha candidate for United States district attorney has given up ¢limbing that plum tree. — One thing the cattlemen who oppose the lease bill ought to learn s to draft thelr resolutions of protest in fewer words. —————— The republican members of the legis- lature should remember that the party is pledged to give the people revenue revision and tax reform. — The U. P. church s to be congratu- lated that it has not been afflicted with a lockout, walkout or strike and has no contention about peace work., —— The doors of the new Union Pacific shops work on hinges to swing both ways. Just now there appear to be wore men walking out than walking in. Pe—— Omaha has something to be grateful for to the Woman’s club. Through the Woman's club we have discovered that Omaha has a truant officer on the school board payroll. Aty The eagerness of the school board at- torney to spend the winter at Lincoln lobbying for schoel legislation scems to lhave abated with the abolition of the promised $5-a-day stipend. If this keeps up, the windows and transoms in the Colorado state house will have to be enlarged to accommo- date the summary expulsion of mem- Lers of the legislature, S——— Lieutenant Governor Tillman of South Carolina will resign. He should have resigned immediately after his boorish conduct in connection with the visit of President Roosevelt to Charleston. e——— Governor Pennypacker of Pennsyl- vania in his Inaugural suggests some legislation for the suppression of the sensational yellow journals. Governor Pennypacker must have gone through a strenuous newspaper campaign. ——— China's predicament, which prompts it to say that it is unable to pay the in- demnity due to the European powers on a gold basis and to ask'for some kind of rellef, might furnish another case for The Hague tribunal to practice on. Colonel Willlam Jennings Bryan will have something to say on Shorthorns to the Nebraska cattle culturists. He will also have something to say aboat train- tog dark horses for the presidential speed ring. E——— It 1s noteworthy that the bills farthest on the road to enactment in the legisla- ture are those appropriating the wmoney to pay the legislative salaries and ex- penses. In this the lawmakers are strictly following precedent. ] The bill to prohibit the sale of liquor within ten miles of any military fort or reservation of the United States, which has been introduced in the leglslature, would if enacted into law knock a very big hole into the South Omaha clty treasury and make bootlegging the most profitable industry in that neigh- borhood. — One of the rules of the police board should be that no one be fippointed to the force without the endorsement of the chief of police. It Is safe to say that, if such a rule were applied, the force would not contain the deadwood and disreputables who have climbed into places solely by the use of a politi- cal pull. The fact that the water works owners bave not interposed’any objection or ob- struction to the passage of the Howell compulsory purchase bill would indicate clearly that the water company is well satisfied with the measure, At present prices of iron the compulsory appraise- ment and purchase will give the com- pany all the way from §1,000,000 to $1,500,000 more for the plant than it would bave iuventoried five years ago. BAVE THE TRUSTS CAPITULATED? According to reports from Washington the great combinations will make no ef- fort to prevent anti-trust legislation at the present session of congress. It was stated some days ago that the Morgan Interests had determined not to attempt to block conservative legislation, like that proposed in the bill under consid- eration by the house judiclary commit- tee. Their attitude was understood to be that combinations like the United States Steel corporation need not be afrald of any regulations such as are proposed by the administration. They want, it was said, to stand before the country as the promoters of trusts that are not afrald of government supervi- sion and regulation, At the safe time it was reported that other trust interests proposed to make a vigorous effort to prevent antl-trust legislation. It was stated that the Bugar trust and the Standard Oll company especially were opposed to any steps in the direction of publicity and were expected to make this opposition felt in the sehate, Later information is to the effect that none of the combinations having any in- fluence is now opposing the efforts of the administration to secure anti-trust legislation, on the lines suggested by At- torney General Knox. This appears to find confirmation in the changed posi- tion of senators. The Washington cor- respondent of the Philadelphia Press say! “After the purposes of the ad- ministration’s anti-trust bill had been explained opposition not only dissolved, but actual approval was given. There was no change on the part of the ad- ministration; {ts position was under stood, that was all. The change took place in the opposition camp. - The ad- ministration has not receded an inch, but these powerful trust magnates have made an about-face and met the ad- ministration.” If such is the fact there will be little difficulty in securing the legislation which in the judgment of President Roosevelt s at present ex- pedient. It does not go as far and is not so drastic as some think desirable, but it will be a step forward and in the right direction. It Provides a plan which, if sustalned by the courts, will enable the public to obtain a knowledge of the real character and the affairs of the combinations which cannot now be had, and also permit the government to exercise over the combinations such measure of supervision and regulation as will protect the public against the abuses and evils now complained of. The trusts have decided wisely if it be a fact that they propose not to attempt to prevent legislation for the regulation of combinations engaged in' interstate and forelgn commerce, for although they might be able to defeat legislation at this | session, svhich has only a few more weeks, the question would come up in the next congress probably with a popu- lar demand for a far more radical law than is now proposed. Natlonal regula- tion of the great combinations is certain to come. There Is a popular demand for it which will persist until it is complied with. The trust magnates may be able to postpone but they cannot defeat this result. ’ 1 WE—— , DISCRIMINATING AGAINST AMERICA. The course of certain European coun- tries In discriminating against the United States in thelr tariffs is to be considered by congress. Senator Lodge has introduced a resolution directing the senate committee on finance to inquire as to such discrimination and if it be found to exist to report what law should | be passed to give preferential duties to countries which do not discriminate against this country. It s stated that the resolution refers to the discrimina- tlon of France, Germany and Russia against the United States. It is well that congress should make the proposed Inquiry and determine ‘what may be done to meet discrimina- tlon by foreign countries detrimental to our commercial interests. It is a well known fact, at least to American ex- porters, that this is the policy of sev- eral European governments, notably of Germany and Russia, and others are likely to follow their example, unless the United States shall show a determi- nation to safeguard its Interests. There is no threat of retaliation or of tariff war in Senator Lodge's resolution. It merely suggests that the United States should favor, by preferential dutles, countries that do not discriminate against us—a perfectly fair and legiti- mate method to which no reascnable objection could be made. It would not contravene the “most favored nation” prineiple and it would not be tariff war. It is time that congress took notice of the course of forelgn governments in discriminating against American pro- ducts and it 1s not to be doubted that the resolution proposing this will be very generally approved, U — THE CHINESE INDEMNITY. The United States has expressed its willingness to accept payment from China on the basis established when the indemnity agreement was entered into, Our government thinks that China should not bear the loss from the de- cline of silver, which would increase | the total indemnity to be pald'25 per cent, The other powers want payment on the present gold basis and China has informed them that she is unable to do this, pointing out that the country is impoverished, of which there appears to be abundant evidence, and asking the ministers of the powers to suggest plans for relief. fixed. This was placed at 450,000,000 taels, the value of the tael In American and English money being about 75 cents. Now the value is at least 25 per cent less than it was when the protocol was signed, so that the amount of the in demnlty has suddenly expanded to 000,000 taels and China is compelled to pay an annual sam in interest equiva lent to 5 per cent instead of 4 per cent. It is probable that ours is the only government that will not insist upon imposing an additional burden upon China, but If that country is unable to pay it, what then? Will the powers adopt aggressive measures to collect the indemnity? The matter fs one eml- nently suitable for arbitration and might very properly be The Hague tribunal. p— THEY DRUP THE MASK. When the fire and police board sum- marily dismissed thirty policemen last fall on the plea that there was not enough money in the treasury to keep them on the pay roll it was generally suspected that this was nothing more nor less than a ruse to weed out men from the police force who were politi- eally offensive to the Broatch faction. The law creating the police commis- slon expressly prohibits the discharge of any policeman or flreman except for cause and no officer can be discharged for cause without charges being pre- ferred and an opportunity given for de- fense. To discharge policemen at wholesale for political reasons is mani- festly in violation of the law. Bach member of the fire and police commis- sion is obliged to take an oath before he enters upon the duties of his office that in the appointment and removal of policemen and firemen he will not allow himself to be governed by polit)- cal considerations, but will act solely in the interest of good government and the efficiency of the service. If the commission acted in good faith in discharging the thirty policemen last October, it was in duty bound to rein- state these men, or as many of them as are actually needed in the service now, when there fs sufficient money in the treasury to pay an increased force. But the fact that the board has ignored the rights of these men by appointing fif- teen new policemen who had no claim upon the city affords striking proof of its Insincerity and total disregard both of their oaths of office and the plain letter of the law. The indefensible action of the board has placed the discharged policemen in position to prosecute successfully their claim for pay against the clty, event- ually to be collected either from the po- lice fund or the judgment fund. What Is even more outrageous than. the flagrant violation of the statute in the wholesale discharge of policemen for political reasons and the hiring of new policemen for political purposes is the fact that a number of these new po- licemen have in the past forfeited their right to serve on any police force by conduct unbecoming an officer charged with the preservation of public order and the enforcement of public decency. Some of these men are dissolute characters, others are common drunk- ards. The police departient is surely not to be a reformatory, but nothing better could have been expected from a commission dominated by Broatchlsm. e The supreme court of the United States has held that live stock in transit cannot be taxed, the question coming up in a case from Wyoming. The next question, however, will be as to what constitutes live stock in transit. In this Instance the animals consisted of sheep driven through the state, consuming six weeks for the passage. If the sheep had tarried for six months would they still have been exempt as live stock in tran- sit? Viewed from a wide enough per- spective, all live stock is In transit to the market from the time feeding be- glns, but it is ordinarily subject to tax- atlon where it happens to be held: A live stock highway is conceivable with a steady stream of traffic all constantly in transit, yet with a propertionate amount constantly within each taxing district, but to contend for complete tax exemption would be absurd. submitted to And now we are told that Ambassador Von Holleben was recalled by the Ger- man emperor because he has not been sufficlently In touch with the American spirit. Nobody would have imagined this was his shortcoming when he fig- ured so prominently in the entertain- ment of Prince Henry on his visit to America last year. But then it is easy to get a pretext in diplomacy. President Mitchell asserts that he has every confidence in the membership and Judgment of the men appointed by Pres- ident ‘Roosevelt as arbitrators in the controversy between the coal miners and coal operators, and insists that he has no fear of the outcome. But if the outcome would only come sooner it would be more satisfactory all around. The Marconigrams between President Roosevelt and King KEdward, inter changing greetings in most compliment ary terms, have been made public. The most successful part of the experiment is that there Is no way of verifying the fact that these were the messages ex- changed, or If such, that they were sent exclusively by wireless transmission, —_— Germany gives assurance that it has not increased its naval budget because The position of our goyernment in this matter is fair andyjust, but it is un- likely that it can'convince the other governments of this. The language of the protocol, touching the indemnity, while somwewhat indefinite, does not jus- tify the present demand of the powers, but rather gives some merit to the con- tention of China that she should not be charged with making good the violent fall in silver which has taken place sloce the amonnt of the indemplity. wis of the Venezuelan blockade. Its navy appropriations have been constantly in- creased from year to year of late so It would not be necessary to use the block- ade as an excuse for demanding more funds for warships. The mew senator from Colorade is to be committed in advance for & constitu- tional amendment permitting the elec tion of United States senators by direct vote of the pegple. We may be sure that if the people had a direct volce the present muddle fn Colorado would never have been precipitated. Some Ohlo people are proclaiming a natural phenomenon in the form of a raiubow seen in a cloudless sky. We pre sume these are the same people who saw lighted alrships wafted through the atmosphere & year or two ago. Back to the Family Emblem, Chicago Record-Herald. Let the members of the Tillman family hereafter stick to thelr pitchforks. Overdoing the Funny Business. Philadelphia Press. The newspaper jokes about the Hon. Reed Smoot's wives are just too funny for any- thing, and they are all the more laugh- able because this is & Mormon who has but one wite. A Check to Export T Cleveland. Leader. Meanwhile there is increasing danger of a serious check to the general export trade of American manufacturers owing to the abnormal price of fuel for heat and power. That is a dark feature of the coal crisls. ‘Works Both Ways. Baltimore American. The rallroad companies are making-the defensive plea that the present advance in freight rates is merely.the restoration of the old charges. Likewise can the man who gets out of prison and starts in for another career of crime plead that he 1s merely returning to his old way of living. “How We Ducks Swim.” Boston Transcript. The governor of New Jersey sald in his message that a nation like ours “cannot be in danger from corporations, however powerful, organized under and amenable to its own laws.” and yesterday President Havemeyor of the Sugar trust told his stockholders that a message like that de- served the highest commendation. Levy on the Judge. Chicago News. A court has ruled that & woman who wears a trailing skirt while on her shop- ping tours cannot eollect damages if it catches on some projecting surface and is torn. It would be interesting to see the court's wife reverse. that decision the first time she meets with such a disaster and proceeds to attach the judiclal salary for another skirt. POETRY AND SOAP. Courts Undertake sn Adjustment of a Mix-Up of the Muse. New York Mail and Express. Judges Wallace, Coxe, Townsend and La- combe of the United States ecircyit court of appeals in this city have proved them- selves to be men of nice sensitiveness as to literary concerns. Ordinarily the pro- ceedings of the United States court do not involve many things of romantic interest, nor of those which turn upon matters of the imagination. The ordinary police judge has more of the stuff of romance in the cases before him in one day than the United States courts have in half a year. Nevertheless, some matters which touch upon the affairs of the muses do come be- fore these courts, disguised in commercial garb. The judges named above, for in- stance, have just rendered judgment on the question whether the “Brushwood” edition of Kipling's works Y&-@utitled to copyright protection by virtue of its having printed on the title page dnf elephant's head, in- closed in a circle, which the author claims as his private trademark. And the court denles the claim that it is so entitled, and denies it on this grou: “It 1s offensive to the esthetic and poetic taste to place such poems as the “Reces- sional’ and ‘The Last Chanty’ in the same category with pills ahd soap, to be deait’ with as so much merchandise.” The sensitiveness of the court to this consideration of esthetic propriety has the practical effect to deny to the author a full degree of protection from reproduction of some of the works. He might wish, there- fore, that his judges were a trifle less deli- cate in their feelings—that, for instance, through a certain rough-and-ready dispo- sition to class poetry with pills and sonnets with soap, they stood ready to treat his proposition as a purely commercial one. That they are unable to do 8o is an indi- cation that there is vastly more sentiment at large in this intensely practical corner of the world than Mr. Kipling himself is likely to suppose. ‘The point on which this decision is ren- dered at least debars Mr. Kipling from set- ting the judges down in any ‘“‘cussing of the court” that he, as a disappointed lti- nt, is privileged to engage is, as “Goths and shameless Huns.' WHAT ARE WE COMING TOt Thrilling Contest for a Jackpot of ’ Anthractte. Chicago Inter Ocean. In the good old placer days in the can- yons and gulches of the Slerras and the Rockles, bearded men were wont to gather arotnd & convenient fir stump and play thelr level best for the “pile” in the center. | Mineral poker was popular then, and sometimes the disguised “shark” from the city found it profitable, as the “pile” fre- quently represented everything that had been “panned” by the entire camp for a month. Sometimes, again, he did not find it quite so profitable, This happened when he was unfortunaate emough to be caught “palming” an ace or “ringing in” & “cold deck.” Little did these argonauts dream, away back in the 508, as they “anted” with dust, and opened the jackpots with nuggets, that the members of & Chicago West Side soclal club would, in the early years of the mext century, be playing progressive euchre for so base a mineral as coal. And yet time has worked even so great a change as this. The members of the Lincoln club, whose excited, feverish faces might have been seen bending over the cards last Thursday night, as right and left bowers were dealt to them, were not all bearded. Some of them were only mustached. Again, the cheeks of many of them were covered only with blushes. But all bore the indescribable expression which 1s to be found only at Saratoga or Monte Carlo during the height of the gaming season. They were playing for a heavy stake—a ton of anthracite There have been periods in this country when the gambling fever has seemed to reach its absolute climax—periods when it seemed as though excess at the gaming table had gone to its uttermost limit—when men staked steamboats, cotton plantations, rallroads, upon the turn of & card. We have wondered If anything could exceed the recklessness tbat culminated in Black Friday. We have been amazed by the desperate chances men and women have taken in the boom days of Kansas City and Omaha. But these bocome insignificant by the side of the game played over on the West Side last Thursday night—a game, too, in which fair women as well as‘brave men o0k part—for & ton of anthracite. Well may the man who thinks eober thoughts concerning the future of his country ask: ‘“What are we coming to? W1l this puffed-up, stiff-necked gemeration gamble next for kindling wood " BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE. Minor Scenes and Incldents Sketched On the Spot. Hon. James D. Richardson of Tennessce. democratic minority leader, announces his intention to retire from congress and de vote hie time entirely to the duties of the high office in Masonary which he holds. Mr. Richardson Is the highest Masonic official in this country and ranks with King Fd ward of England among the Masons of the world. He holds the office for so many years held by the late General Albert Pike. The members of the order, and espe clally of the council which directs its at tairs, have for some time been anxious to have Major Richardson devote his entire time to the Masonic office. He now re- celves a sajary from the order of $5,000 per year. If he goes out of public life and de- votes himeelf entirely to Masonry, he will be pald a salary of $10,000 a year and all traveling expenses, and, in addition, will be given a handsome residence in Wash- ington. This is located in front of the famous statue of General Pike, erccted by the Masonic fraternity. The East room of the White House is again open for the inspection of the local public and visitors to Washington, and the grounds of the mansion are also free to the passage of pedestrians. The continuance of altgrations to the White House has caused these privileges to be withheld since last June. Visitors to the White House now enter by the east terraco, opposite the treasury. They are permitted to inspect the East room, which is reached by the basement corridor and the new staircase. Exit is by the same route. No other part of the mansion {s open to public view. No one s admitted at the north door of the mansion except the personal friends of the president and Mrs. Roosevelt. The north front s to be the private entrance of the president’s family, and a strict presidental ukase has been promulgated that all sight- seers must enter through the east, or pub- le, entrance. President Roosevelt sees a great deal of humor in the feuds among the different members of the state delegations. The other day an applicant for an appointment called at the White House to press his claims for a job. He detailed to the presi- dent his varfous qualifications for the place and ended by saying that he had the in- dorsement of both Senator Hanna and Sen- ator Foraker of Ohlo. It is well known in Washington that not much love fa wasted between these two statesmen. The presl- dent saw the fun In the situation. “T am delighted to hear that,” he sald to the place-hunter. “Now go and get Sen- ators Beveridge and Fairbanks to agroe on your appointment and you can have the place.” The applicant left the White House sor- rowtully, because it is accepted in Washing- ton that it is impossible to get Fairbanks and Beveridge to agree on the weather, much less on the parceling out of a job. Among the visitors to Secretary Hay last week was Brigadier General Andrew Burt, U. 8. A, retired, known throughout the west as “‘Colonl Andy Burt,” says the New York News. Preferring an active career to one of clerical duties In the department, he has always chosen and secured posts upon the frontfer. Colonel Burt tells on himself a story that is fllustrative both of his democratic na- ture and of his respect for army discipline. An ardent rooter for base ball and a fairly good player himself, he had always taken the highest interest in the games between the Twenty-fourth infantry (his regiment) and others. It Was & negro reg- iment, but that made no difference. A eritical_game was called, and he, al- though colonel of the regiment, vofunteered to fill a vacancy at shortstop. He was ac- cepted, and he assured the boys that all considerations gf rank were to be dropped during the game. “His side was at the bat and the colonel was at first playlng off for second when the negro cbacher on the slde yelled: “Run, you bow-legged son of a mule. Why in blazes don’t you run? The colonel ran and brought in a score, but when he reached the batter's bench he was blazing with wrath. "You impudent scoundrel; in the guardhouse!" Then he remembered the circumstances | under which he had entered the game. He | added: | “If you ever again address the colonel of your regiment in such & manner.” I'll have you | A middle-aged man and woman tried to | get in the front gate at the White House | recently. The big policeman stopped them. | You can't go in" he sald. “Why not?” asked the man. White House, ain't it? “Yes,” sald the policeman, “but the gates are shut just now. You see, they haven't finished the repairs yet. They're paint ing now and you might get some paint on | your clothes. “Huh!" sniffed the woman. “I suppose the president’s afrald of damage sul Mr, Willlam J. Sapp, who owns a fine wheat farm in Nebraska, and who bas many triends in Washington, where he spends | his winters, borrowed the ear of a Post ter. o Every farmer in Nebraska” sald Mr Sapp, “ought to have money and fully 95 per cent of them have. The prosperity our people are now enjoylng breaks all records. But for some storms that came at an in- opportune time, the wheat growers would have raised more grain than has ever been known in the history of our state.” A | Congressman Cannon visited Pittsburg | recently and on his return to Washington sald to Representative Dalzell of that city: “John, T belleve all anybody can eay about smoke in your town. It's so bad that I've | written a new version of Mary and her | little lamb. Only one verse is really com- | pleted. It runs this way: Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow; 1t followe her to Pittsburg And now look at the dum thing. | “Well,! said Dalzell, “I had fntended running over home in a day or so, but if the smoke is as bad as your poetry, Joe, 1 guess I'll postpone my visit for a short time." t's the At one or two receptions recently Wash- ington's diplomatic set underwent severe shock on witnessing the gorgeous display of jewels to which other guests were treated by Countess Cassinl, nlece of the Russian ambassador. The countess, a lovely girl of 19, wore & load of emeralds and diamonds on her neck such as never | had been seen in Washington before. In | addition she had an enormous tiara almost barbaric in its weight and richness. An- other forelgner whose sartorial splendor approached the garish was Baroness von Hengelmuller, wife of the Austrlan am- bassador. Premature Calculations for 1904, Philadelphia Record. Caleulations have been made to the next presidential election on the assump- tion that the contest will be on much the ONTROL OF COAL MINES. Congress the Power? Washington Star (rep.). It the judiclary committee finds that the government has no power whatever in the premises, the suggested action will na- turally be sot aside, But if, on the other hand, there is power, then whatever fol- lows should be prompt and sweeping. So unusual an emergency measure should be glven its maximum effect immediately, it at all, and It would be a waste of activity it the remedy were applied just as winter wanes into spring Chicago News (ind.). Setting aside the question of the pro- priety of the measure or of its possible efficacy if put into effect, what do the cor- porations which control the nation's coal eupply think of the results of their meth- ods? Wil or will not the oppressive cor- porations of the country heed the plain warnings that their tactios are making sen- timent in favor of soclalistic methods and plans for the nationalization of industry faster than all the sociallst propagandists in existence? Are Republicans Rattledt Philadelphia Record (dem.). The degree to which the republicans in congress are “rattled” betrays itself in the resolution of Representative Jenkins, chairman of the judiclary committes, in regard to the coal mines of Pennsylvania. On the proposition of this republican op- portunist for congress to take possession of these mmines the people of Pennsylvania would be apt to have something to say as to the rights of the state, especially as to its right of eminent domain. Congress- man Jenkins quite outdoes the populists in his doctrines of state sociallsm, or the democrats of New York in thefr resolu~ tion for the governmental ownership of the anthracite mines, |_ Taking Property Comes High, Baltimore Transcript (rep.). Mr. Jenkins speaks of government own- ership by exercise of the right of eminent domain as one of the “prompt” ways of obtaining coal. It wéuld be Interesting to bave Mr. Jenkina favor us with his defini- tlon of “prompt.” Even if congress were of one mind as to government ownership, the process of carrying the idea into execution must be most elaborate and time-consum- ing in legislative craftsmanship, to say nothing of the constitutional cbjections and obstacles such as “state rights” for instance. Nor is taking a thing by eminent domain the same thing as confiscating it. Taking by right of eminent domain comes high, financlally. The public have never yet been compelled to pay as high for coal as they would be called upon to pay under Mr. Jenkins' program, the objections to which are economic and political. For Government Uses Only. ‘Washington Post (ind.). Mr. Jenkins should have known that the government cannot condemn and acquire private property for any other than gov- ernmental uses. It can no more take and work the coal mines and transportation facilities than it could selze and operate the furnaces, mills factories, farms and stores for the accommodation of the people. In the second place, so able a lawyer as the judiclary chairman is assumed to be should have known that even if his scheme were constitutionally feasible, its consum- mation could be deferred for years by Iiti- gation. If a man whose house were oa fire should decide that the best way to extinguish the flames would be to contract for the construction of a fire engine, his idea would not be more egregiously ab- surd as an emergency proposition than the Jenkins remedy for the coal shortage. SENDING CHILDREN WEST, Nebraska Soclety Said to Be Over- hasty in Its Protests. New York Tribune. A surprising report came from Omaha re- cently to the effect that the Nebraska Children's Home soclety was preparing a Dbill which would be submitted to the legis- lature of that state with the purpose of checking the distribution of orphans and other children from the east upofi the farms of that flourishing commonwealth. The strange assertion was made public that New York associations were in the habit of | placing young boys and girls in house- holds of any sort and gave little attention to these helpless wards in after years. The suggestion was added that the little men and women might be 1ll-tr d and might become charges upon local authori- | tles. It has been the general belief that boys and girls who were taken westward by | benevolent organizations in Manhattan were watched over kindly and carefully, and ft will require convincing evidence in Ne- braska and elsewhere to dispel that belfef. | The Children's Aid Soclety of New York has found homes for many children in tamilies hundreds of miles away from this overcrowded metropolls. The officers of that institution are positive in saying that their work In Nebraska, as in other states, has been done with fidelity and discretion. They give assurances that a judiclous in- spection 1s made of evéry home in which a child is placed and that they get recom- mendations from the best men in & com- munity for each applicant to whose charge a boy or girl is committed. Two visits are paid in the first year to the homes which receive the children and in each successive year at least one visit follows until the youths are able to look out for themselves. Whenever there {s complaint on the part of the people, or the children are not happy, the visiting agent makes & change, and if, as seldom BApPERS; the- children are found to be unfit {: mily life in the west they are brought back.to New York. The system and the methieds of this soclety are pain: taking and thorough and it does not allow’ 1ts wards to-become public charges. It has been of almost fnestimable benefit to hosts of the unfortunates. Moreover, o::re arg other useful and efficient assodfations In the emst which have been sending parfles of children be- yond the Mississippl. Is it met probable that the Nebraska soelety may be over- hasty n #s praies criticisms? Favors Deel y = Semator. Boston script. The actfon of Semator Beverldge of In- diana in’ returning to the company 5600 shares of copper stock sent him as & com- pliment is not a sudden splurge of virtue for campalgn purposes only, but 1s consist- ent with the young statesman's invariable rule of conduct. He accepts no raflroad passes, telegraph franks or other ‘‘compli- mentary” gifts. In other words, he is sen- sitive as to his responsibilities in office B ‘PERSONAL NOTES. P. T. Leonard, the oldest active pho tographer fn the United States, has jus died (n Racine, Wis. Governor Murphy of Now Jersey says Trusts are a good thing.”" Yes. They Now Jersey $4,000,000 a vear in foos Prosident Cassatt of the Pennsylvanh railrond is just 64 years old and he counts on thirteen years more of active work. He looks as though he might live to bo 100 Quite the funniest thing in life is tha unconscious humorist, Mrs. Mar Bake Bddy pitted againet that uncons s ro tormer and severe moralist, Mark Twain That was a fine point made by the Mas sachusetts judge who dectded that the mar who got drunk every Saturday wos not ar habitual drunkard, but a methodical drunk ard. P. Martin's design for the Admiral d¢ Ternay monument to be erected on the shore of Newport harbor at the actual poin of landing of the French troops, has beet accepted. Governor Crane of Massachusetts last year granted pardons to twenty-five pris oners in penal institutfons of the etate most of them because of ill health. Sever dled after thelr release. General Osterhaus, who was a major gen. eral of volunteers during the rebellion, now lives in Bonn, Germany, where he la reported to be “well and happy in his Sist year.” He was very popular with a large number of soldiers who served under him. Colonel John G. F. Blake, formerly an officer of the United States army, but better known as the vallant commander of the Irish brigade of the Boer army, s in Boston, and in a leoture the other evening he declared that General Buller was Great Britain’s star offic Tradition was badly shattered in Okla- homa the other day whem Govérnor T. B. Ferguson appeared on the street.in Guthrie wearing a tall black hat. The headgear had been presented to the governor by members of his staft and he therefore felt ealled upon to wear it, but territorial plo- neers shake their heads when they think of the tnnovation. It is generally conceded that if the next Montana legislature shall be republican “Tom' Carter will be chosen United States sonator. “He's the slickest man in all our te,’ says a Montana visitor; ‘has them all beat a mile. Why, Tom Carter could go to the Infernal regions and hold a prayer meeting without an objection trom any of the permanent residents.” Grateful for Secretary Hay's efforts on behalf of persecuted Jews in Romania, Rev. Marcus H. Dubov, a rabbi of Evansville, Ind., wrote him a touching letter of thanks, using the Hebrew tongue. He was some- what surprised to recetve from Mr. Hay an autograph letter in the same language. Very few persons, even among the secro- tary's Intimates, vere aware that he w Hebrew scholar of distinction. LAUGHING GAS, “T understand that in Russia they disin- fect their money every mnow and then Beems to me that would be a:good idea for this country." *Oh, I dunno. I never noticed that money here_was alarmingly contagious.” —Brook- lyn Eagle. . “1 suppose,” sald the scoffer, *'y eall up any spirit I want to talk to? ‘“Perhaps,” replied the businesslike me- His case Is rare enough to make it worth noticing” Wher Experience Counts. Brooklyn Eagle. Women who make speeches or books on the duties or privileges or rights or wrongs of husbands and wives, or on the way chil- dren should be treated, will be judged by thelr records with their own children or in their own domestic relations. The rule will operate with hardship in several con- same party lmes as the last campaign under the same leaders. This, of course would be very convenient for the politi- clans. Bu a great deal of water Will run under the bridge in the next elghteen months, and with it are likely to come great changes in the relations of partles and in the political scutiments of the American people. temporary and conspicuous cases, but it will be salutary to the public interest, even if not agreeable to individual susceptibil- ities. dtu keting the proffered cofn; “but wouldnkt you TAther call some pirlt down, young man?'—Chicago Tribune. ‘You gave me to understand he was a big corporation lawyer." at all. I sald you weren't lkely to find 31: In his office because he spent all his o lookl‘fl after a big corpora- tion, In other words, he doesn't do any- thing but eat, drink anfl get fat.”—Phila- delphia Press. Mrs. Giggs—Coal is wonderfully precious nowadays. Mrs. Hobbs—Yes, indeed; we have our loads dum at the front steps, so the whole neighborhood can see them.—Detroit Free Press. Mrs. Flicker—Johnny, Margaret says you swear like a pirate. Johnny Flicker—I suppose she must mean dad. Rather tough on him to call him a pirate, ain't it, ma?—Boston Transcript. “Some men,” sald Uncle Eben, “glves delrse'fs credit foh habbin’ patience, when in reallty dey Is merely enjoyin’ a loaf.'— Washington Star, “What are they arresting the man for?" ‘They caught him selling coal in short measure strawberry boxes.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Have you ever written anything, his cynical fri. pler or bette *‘Rather,” quoth the Insurance agent who sometimes dabbled in verse. "I have writ- ten $400,000 worth of life insurance within the last year.’—Chicago Tribune. sald d, “to make the worid hap- “MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME." J. P. Campbell in Cincinnati Commercial- Tribune, The eun was sinking fast behind the Sau- tiago hills, A warm glow lit the fleld where strife had en; But the tropic wind that day, As it stole across the bay, Dispelled the thought of happiness within; And the vultures in the air Hovered o'er the fleld so drear, O'er the fleld where on that morn a strife / had been. For the ground was strewn with goldlers, And the anguish in their e As they moved thelr pain-racked bodies on the ground . Told the story of the fray, and thelr homes 80 far away, But many their last found; When far across the plain, They heard & sweet refrain, And they stopped their groans and listened to the sound. resting place had Underneath a Cuban palm, where the lin- gering sunlight ‘)Ifl)‘erl. Lay the singer, pale and wan, upon the A i But his tearstained eyes were bright with 4 strangely gentle light, As he sang aloud the oft'repeated lay; And his voice, though weak, was clear, Though he knew the end was near, And his “Old Kentucky Home'—far away “Weep no more, my lady stronger now, " his volce was In his mind he saw & face that he held doar; X face he'd learned to love, that had lor since gone above. And he paused as if to wipe away a tear; But a friend was close beside him, Who caressed his fevered brow And whispered words-of comfort n his ea ““Weep no more, my lady, Oh, weep no more today; For 1"l sing one song for my old Kentuck home, For my 0ld Kentucky home, far away Yes, his tender song was ended, and his lif was ended, 100, And his lifeless body lay upon the swar But before his bitter death With pathetic, dying breath He was heard to faintly mutter, “Take 1t toward The hills of old Kentucky, near the spot always loved- Near the home with fondest love that I r gard.”’ ! in 1 Nature’s Danger Siznals Do you eyes blur at tim, Do they halr after reading? Are ther 1 aches? Are the muscles ar the 4 drawing wrinkles and crow's t J. C. HUTESON & CO,, Pikton Block. 2138, 16tk Street, o