Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, February 3, 1903, Page 6

r L _______——— THE TUESDAY, THE OMAHA DALY BEE E. ROBEWATER, EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. § TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION Dafly Bee (without Sunday), One Year..$4.00 Dally Bee and Sunday, One Year........ 6% Lliustrated Bee, Une Year v Bunday Bee, One Year ... Bée, Onc YeaF.. .1 i iiziiiis Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year SRED BY CARRIER Bunday), per ¢ (without Sunday), P per -copy . (without Sunday), pe Evening (ncluding Sunday), week ioovaets Complaints of irregularities in delivery should be addressed to City Cireulation De- partme; per 2 1 OFFICES, a—The Bee Bullding Bonth Oinana ity Haull"Bullding, Twen- gy-Afth and M Streets Counci! sluffs—10 Pearl Street. Chicago—1640_Unity Buliding. New York—212s Park Row Bullding. ‘Washington—s1 Fourt th Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news and ed- &urlal matter should be addressed: Omaha ee, Editorial Department STATEMENT OF CIRCULATIO! Btate of Nebraska, Douglas Count George B. Tzschuck, secretary of T Publishing company, being duly sworn, says that the actual number of full and complete coples of The Daily, Morning, Evening and Bunday Bee printed during the month of January, 188, was as follows: " 30,420 20,280 30,790 25,800 30,500 180,620 80,620 80,490 a8 Bee 30,000 28,020 30,440 80,030 30,750 ..80,570 BB emaansns 30,550 30,490 30,610 o A T e Lesn unsold and returned coples X total sales.. et average sales GEORGE We never put much reliance in that ground hog, anywa Let the coal man rejoice. The ground- hog saw his shadow without half look- Ing. e —— According to the groundhog's calon- dar we are to have six weeks mora of real winter. Having been speclally recelved by King Edward, General Miles can con- sole himself for not hitching on to the special coronation embassy. The democrats of the legislature seem to have dumped home rule for a mess of pottage. The nonpartisan water commissioner balt was altogether too many for them. New York will celebrate its 250th an- niversary in May. For a youngster, as compared with the older citles of Hurope, the American metropolis has been dolng quite well, e When the legislature reconvenes 'its first business should be a rigid investi- zation into the manipulation of the cor- oration lobby and the operations of the callroad literary bureau. E—— New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma may have no representation in the United States senate, but they are run- Wng the business of that body fdr the time being just the same. The sultan of Morocco has scored a signal victory'over the pretender, but the pretender seems to be one of those | pretentious fellows who do not know mough to know when he is licked. A Chicago grand jury filed 121 in- lictments against owners and operators ot slot machines in the down town dis- xict Saturday. How many of these 116t machine owners will be prosecuted remalns to be seen. L _____J Becretary Root says another war Is sure to ‘vome, no matter how much we wmay loug for peace. So is another cyclone and another famine and an- other pestilence and anotber volcanie eruption. But we will cross all those bridges when we get to them. the list of officers of From ihe Thomas Jefferson Memorlal assoclation | the eonclusion is inevitable that the de- wmecracy of the sage of Monticello was in such a nebulgus condition that it cov- ors prefessed democrats in public life foday who could get togethier on no otheér common ground. S——————— An Omalia pastor'I§ trying to jmpress uis coigregation with the wickeduess of avolding the payilg of car fave Just be- cause “the conductar forgeéts to demand the fare. As Al effective means ‘of en- forcement we suggest that he put an ombargo on'lis contribution box against uickels that in -right belong to street raillway company. Governor Cummins. is up against a | queer proposition A& o result of the death of Congressman Rwmnple. Strict complighee “with the law requiring, x special electfon to fill the vacancy, with oaly two weeks of the term unexpired, would be a tostly luxury for the people of the dlstrict. As illustrating the fool ishuess @ ‘good law may work under un torseen” conditions this is a shining ex- ample. e —— Whatever plans the present Nebraska legislature may adopt for rebullding or enlurging state institutions, it should not forget the forcible arguments in favor of fireproof construction presented by recent burning of state building: It is Dot the loss of property, so much s the loss of life, that is to be avolded. The destroyed property can be replaced, fatal or permanent Injury of the state's ‘wards leaves no way to restitution. The | to perfect the law, but those made will fire trap public bullding, especlally when dosigned for the accommodation of de- | it gondent immates, should be taboood 5 | particulariy the | ADVERSE TO AMBRICAN THADE A report of the American constil’ gen- eral at Berlin points ‘gut that the Ger- man tariff will be to a serious extent adverse to our trade with that coputry, unless modified by a reciprocity treaty He notes as espocially significant the largely increased duties on grain and cereal products, which are more than doubled, while on flour there is placed a practically prohibitory dutPs On other Important staple exports frofn the United States, in the Iiné of manufac- tures, duties are largely Increased. A similar policy is being pursued by Aus- tria In the rearrangement of her tariff and Russia has alse Justadopted a new general customs tanff that considerably increases duties, which will unfavor- ably affect American trade with that country, though this is not now very ex- tensive. A short time ago the Prussian finance minister made the significant declara- tion that in his opinion “America is the dark spot In the heavens of our indus Our internal market wust be grently strengthened, for our market 1s today dependent fpon America and England. Agriculture must be our spe- clal concern.” This. undoubtedly very well represents the, general. feeling 1n Europe toward this country. The Awerfcan’ invasion must somehow be checked, but the statesmen ofs the Eu- ropean countries are finding this a most difficult problem. In rost of those countries there can be no great im- provement agricultural conditions {and therefore they must continue to draw more. or less of their food sup- | plies from the United States. This Is | the ¢ with Germany. It cannot produce sufficient to supply the home demands for foodstuffs and in { placing higher dutles on these it is in- juring the masses of its own people. The chief part of what Germany hays from us it must import and it can get it to better advantage from us than from anybody else. 8o far as manufac- turers are concerned, possibly it would be to its advantage to shut out Amer- |ican competition, but in doing this it must count upon some loss of exports 1o this countr Much of what we im- port from many we can get with equal advantage elsewhere in case our export trade to it should be curtailed. We cannot fairly. complain of the higher tariffs of European countries, framed with reference to protecting their industries, so long as they do not distinctly discriminate against our products. This we object to. As a mat- ter of fact the United States has sub- mitted for years to the most unjust dis- criminations on the part of Germany, France and some other European coun- tries, the representations of our gov- ernment in regard to this and the re- quests for fair and just treatment being disregarded. It can be confidently ex- pected that the polley of discrimination will become more pronounced than it Is if the United States does not take steps to counteract 1t.* "Fhe resolution of Hen- ator Lodge, providing for an inquiry in regard to tariff discriminations, against the United States, should be favorably acted upon . and .if diserimination is €hown something decisive should be done for putting an end to it. The Amer- jean farmer and manufacturer want only fair treatment in the world's mar- kets and it is the duty of the govern- ment to use every effort to secure this for them. &, n se f e BANKRUPTCY LAW CHANGES. The changes made in the bankruptey law will undoubtedly make it more ac- ceptable to all interested and may be expected to operate favorably to the permanence of the act, which had be- fore been threatened by a more or less vigorous onposition, in and out of con- gress. - The, desirability of 3 law of this kind has been most amply shown \lllll‘ notwithstanding its defects the act lias bad good results. As now amended there is every reason to believe it will be of very mucli greater value. The changes effected In the law.are largely due to the efforts of the Na- tional Assoclation of Credit Men, which for the past two or three years has worked zealously to bring about amend- ments which experience hiad shown to be necessary in order to make the act fair, Just and equitabie. Some of these changes are exceedingly fmportant. Ior instance, the amended act provides that the bankruptey of a' corporation shall not release its officers, directors or stockholders, as such.’ from any liability | under the laws of a state or territory. { Another provision extends acts of bank- ruptey to include a case in which a person has - applied for -a - vecelv trustee for his property, or because of fosolvency a Yecelver or trustee has been put. in- charge of his. property under the laws-of a state or territory. To the causes assigned in the original | actgor refusing to grant the discharge of & bankrupt the following have been | ndded: A discharge shall be refused to one who has obtalned property on credit from any person upon a material statement 1 writing, or who has at any time subsequent to the first day of | the four months immediately preceding the fillng of the petition transferred, re- moved, destroyed or concgaled any of his tary proceedings has had a discharge in bankruptey within six years, to answer: any material proved by the court. providing means question ap- whereby tervened. operation wmore ugl-i vestigation has shown tha property with intent to hinder, delay or | defraud his creditors, or who in volun- | or who has refused, to obey any lawrul order or Those sections property transferred in violation of the act may be recovered are so amended as to cou; fer jurisdiction for the purpgse upon any state court whieh would have had Jurisdietion if ‘bankruptey had not in. Doubtless it will be found that some further amendments will be necessary waterially strengthen the act and render & very large | benefit of the rural counties, but ouly i proportion of the bisiness nen of the country who hitve given the subject in- telligent consideration are favorable to |n pational bankruptey law and now that the chief causes of objection to the | act have been removed there is reason I'to expect that It will receive more gen- eral approval ———— THE HOWKLI, RELIEF BILL. The water works purchase bill, which passed both of the legislature last week and has now been approved by the goverer, at once become la law, as It carries an emergency clause. The father of this measure, Senator Howell, has kindly volunteered to enlighten the citizens of Omaha con- cerning the important features of the bill, which are summarized as follows: | Under the terms of the measure the | governor will be required to appoint ‘a water board of six members within thirty days of the date of attaching his signa- turg to the bill. Two members will be appointed for two years, two for four and two. for six years. all of whom must be electors of the city. The bill also pro- vides that one member for each term must be a republican and one a demograt. Why , representatives of the people should show such a distrust of the peo- ple, and especially the taxpayers who are to assume obligations that may ex: ceed $4,000,000, and should deprive them of the right to elect thelr own water commission, and why they are to be put on probation under state guardianship for four years, is not ex- plained by Mr. Howell. Nelther does he explain why the commission is made responsible to. nobody, removable by no- body and empe 1 to appoint its own succesgors in case of vacancies by death or otherwise y The” provision reqdiring one-half of the commission to be democrats and the other half republicans affords no safe guabd against malfeasance in office. The purchase and management of the water works involves no political lssue, Venal democrats and corrupt repub- licans will combine just as readily for |any boodle scheme as would dishonest members of a single party. The next feature of importance, ac- cording to Mr. Howell, is the provision of ‘the law that requires the city coun- el to declare by ordinance that it s necessary for the eity to purchase the water plant and at the first meeting of the council after the approval of such ordinance the council must take the first steps in the actuai acquisition of the plant. The council may proceed under the terms of the contract between the clty and the water company, which involves the appointment of three engineers as ap- pralsers, one by the city, one by the water company and a third by the two appraisers 80 named. Or the council may proceed to acquire the water plant by condemnation proceedings, as provided in the city char- ter. In such case five appraisers must be appointed by the mayor and counefl, as fn the condemnation of right-ot-ways for strects and alleys. If the first method fw adopted nothing will bave to be paid for the unexpired portfon of the franchise _claimed by the water company; If the s ond plan is adopted an allowance for the unexpired . franchise .will be undoubtedly claigred by the company. All these proceedings were within reach without special legislation, and the fact that the bill passed both houses without a dissenting vote indicates that the water works company is not ad- verse to such procedure. It certainly could have influenced at least a few members of the legislature to antagonize the bill at some stage. But while Mr. Howell is willing to en- lighten the people about the mode of procedure to purchase the water works plant, he studiously cmits all reference to the fact that he has saddled upon the taxpayers of Omaha a water com- mission which will commence drawing £300 a month out of the city treasury for the salary of its members and from $150 to $500 a month for a water com- missioner within thirty days, although it may be thirty months before the commission will have any water works to manage or hefore the water commis- sioner has anything more to do than to draw his salary. And this is really the milk in the water bill cocoanut, which properly should have been labeled “A Bill to Pro- vide R. B. Howell with a Lucrative Job as Commissioner of Water Works.” houses It will now be in order for the papers that have published editorials and con- tributions fabricated by the Baldwin literary burean to tell the people the exact size of the distribution made from the raflroad slush fund to pay the ex- pense “of putting the article in type and running it It is currently reported that some of the paid editorials have besn more expensive to the than others. 4 rallroads This is an injustice that should be equalized by a state board, It might be Interesting, for example, to know bow large a check was mailed to the York paper, how much to the Os- ceola paper and how much to the Ne- braska City railroad organ. whether the contribution that appeared on the editorial page of Monday's Issue of the World-Herald, over the signature exacis for editorlal space. Iuterchangeable steamship tickets a’e announced, good on all vessels operated by the Morgan lines. This Is no doubt an outgrowth of the Interchangeable | mileage system adopted by American rallroads. We bave not, however, yet | reached the interchangeable meal ticket nor the interchangeable theater ticket, though they, too, may be brought out before long. The city council rests temporarily under a judiclal ban that prevents it from making the annual tax levy, but that does not stand in the y of the school board revisiug its estimates to conform to actual requirements, which do not justify a school tax for 1008 of More than 2 mills. Of course the rallroads are always ready to spend good money for the OMAITA DAILY EBEE Also | was pald for at the rates which it | when they know the dear public will make good the outlay. That explains their emgerness to discredit what they call “the Omaba tax scheme.” Any scheme to stop railroad tax shirking would stir the rafiroads up just as much. “Typewritten editorials from the bril- liant pen of John N. Baldwin decrying the Omalm plan of municipal raflroad taxation as a rald on the school fund in counties along the line of the Union Pacific may have duped some credulous people, but such imposture cannot with- stand the searchlight of publieity. _— There fs not & county, school district or village in the state of Nebraska that is getting taxes on the proportionate value of the rallrond property actually within its borders, much less a penny in addition on any part of the Omaha terminals allotted to it by distribution. Stick a pin there. Post-Mortem Hof Alr, Boston Transcript. A very good scheme, this of utilizing Sundays for congressional eulogles Instead of interrupting the regular business of con- gress. Besides, the better the day the bet- ter the lie. Germany is the Low Bt. Louls Globe-Democrat. Germany proposes to deprive itself of American apples by putting on a tariff of §2 a barrel. But even this figure may fall to reduce the demand for the best and most wholesome fruit in the world. ‘Wise Leander of Labor. Indianapolis Journal John Mitchell did two things during the recent miners’ convention which should atrengthen his Influence with them. He opposed the proposition to build a house for him in this city and he declined the offer of a place on the Iilinols State Board of Arbitration. Mr. Mitchell is ambitious for the Miners' union, but not for himself. Annoyances of Publicity. Philadelphia North America. President Rqosevelt's desire to lose him- self in the woods and enjoy the privileges of a private citizen for a brief time should be respected, and it fs to be hoped that he will be allowed to go hunting without a brass band this year. Even a president bas some rights of privacy which are en- titled to respect. But Stlence in Golden, Chicago Inter Ocean. Mr. Willilam J. Bryan may be a big mas but he writes himselt down a very smal one on slightest provacation or no provoca- tion at all. Recently Mr. Bryan has been in Mexico, and in a letter relating his per- sonal experlences sald: “On a low, wooded mountain range, near the cattle ranch, I was assured parrots; monkeys and even tigers can be found in their native haunts. I did not have time to hunt parrots and monkeys and was not disposed to Infringe upon the patent of those who find relief from the cares of state in the pursuit larger and more ferocious wild animals. Mr. Bryan would do well to observe the old rule, “When you have nothing to but This is Different. Detroit Free Press. There was a fire,in a-New York tactory buflding the othe¥ ‘morning, and one re- sult of it is ,v,zu, Aescribed by the ,Sun: “Women had' the ‘life trampled out of them beneath i¥'feet of cowarlls who thought only of saing their own skins When something of this sort took place at the burning of the charity bazasr in Paris, all the English and Amerfcan newspapers were ehrieking Hbout the cowardice of these Parisians and the degeneration of a people in the midst of which anything of that kind could happen. Yet they do Dot seem to be excited about this New York disaster, or' has the “Anglo-Saxon” coward certain privileges in the way of trampling women 'to death which are not held by the cowards of other tribesmen? INCOMPETENT MANAGEMENT. “No Excuse for the Slaughter of Which Rafiroads Are Guilty.” Indianapolis News. When we think that during one year in Great Britain there was not one rallway passenger killed, and theu read of the slaughter of scores of people on the Central Railroad of New Jersey and the Southern Pacific in two days, it s bhard to belleve that there is not something wrong with our way of conducting rallroads. The New Jer- sey disaster was the result of the gross carelessness of—whom? The officers of the road say that the engineer of the express was at fault jnasmuch as he ran by the danger signal. He himself is said to, have declared when be was taken from his en- gine that he pald no attention to the green and red signals, as he thought they would turn white. Later in his delirium he said that he saw no signals. The statlon agent at Cranford says that “a minute before the accident” he received orders to hold the express at Cranford. Even then he could hear the train coming, and without waiting to answer that he un- derstood the instructions, he grabbed his lantern and rushed out on the platform. Just as he reached the platform the train flashed by and Engineer Davis was leaning out of the engime cab looking straight ahead, and ‘“apparently attending to his duty.” Then the agent tried to warn the next station, but before he could do so the train had passed it, going at the rate of more than sixty miles an hour. Certainly this was a narrow and dangerous margin on which to run such a train ou such a road. The vice president of the road, W. Q. Hessler, declares that the accident was due to “the element of human fallibility. It is so with practically all our accidents And the question {8 whether a few convic- tions and executions of some of these fal- lible men, no matter how high their posi- tirus, would mot ,essen “the element of human fallibility.” The frightful accident on the Southern Pacific also seems to have been due to buman “fallibility.” The story is that an operator falled to deliver orders to the westbound exprees. stopplng it to allow an- other traln to pass. Whether the operator had bis orders of ‘mot 18 yet to be proved But it does not matter. For if he did not have them the vesponsibility is merely shifted to the man who should have given them to him: If be 0! have them, of course, he is to blame. But no explanations were killed'in these two accidents, or help the scores who were injured. What we all want Is not explanations, but fewer mur- derous accidents, We 1alk about, thém when they happen, and demand that guilty be punished, and that some steps be taken to make their recurrence less fre- quent. But we sogn forget all about it. Rarely do coroners or grand juries do their duty In such cases. Neither one of these sccidents should have happened. Both were entirely avoldable. So there fs orim- inal negligence in both cases that should be séverely punished. There i6 N0 excuse for the great slaughter of which the railroads are guilty. There were & half dozen or more wrecks recently in all of which peoj were killed o seri- ously injured. It s certalnly time that something was done. FEBRUARY 3, | Burope, but it would not debar single can bring to life the dozens of people who | the | 1903. TALK OF THE STATE PRE Rushville Recorder legislature commenced the “I told you so's” predicted Introduc tion of & lot of fool measures; but the fact has come out that the freak legis Ilator was never so conspicuous for his absence, as he is in this session of the Nebraska legislature. Atkinson Graphic: The west end of the state has an excellent delegation in the legislature this year. In the house Coats, Haona, Currle and Herron, with Douglas as spokesman, con- stitute a group which command the atten- tion and respect of all members, and have been instrumental in framing many of the most important measures now under con- sideration. Blair Republican: The legislature {s against the land-leasing bill of Semator Dietrich, and it is probable the fences will bave to go—so that Colonel Mosby will score at last. Yet there are two sides to the controversy. The cattlemen have an fmmense sum invested, and unless these lands can be irrigated no one would ac- cept & homestead for farming purposes alone. It is a big question. Wausau Gazette: Fifty-five of the one hundred members in the lower house of the present legislature are representative farmers. This proves the absurdity of the howl about raliroad domination. Grant that-every mother's son, who is not an ac tual tiller of the-soll, is a “railroad tool it is yet In the power of the farmers to kill every measure that would tend to infringe upon their rights~and we are sure they will, O'Nelll Frontier: It appears that the people of Nebraska do not want a public land-leasing bill. There has perhaps never been a measure up for consideration that has been so generally condemned by the people of this state as the proposition to lease out the remainder of the public do- main, Wherever there has been any sen- timent expressed at all it has been in op- position to the proposed law. It has developed that shere is a general senti- ment in favor of 640 acres for a'home- stead. Crete Vidette-Herald: When Nebraska has another United States senator to elect | the legislature would recelve the praise of the whole state if that body followed the example of the Kansas legislature, which | passed resolutions last week, asking the | seckers for senatorial honors, who were congressmen, to go back to Washington and go to work, and allow them to choose & senator without being dictated to. The scene at Nebraska's last senmatorial battle was enough to sicken even a dyed-in-the- wool pop, and caused many legislators to becomes advocates of the plan of election of United States senators by popular vote. Until this sensible idea {s adopted a use of the Kansas plan would be decidedly beneficial, undoubtedly a saving to the state of a considerable sum during such seesions. When the present its work some of PERSONAL NOTES. Ex-Governor. George, S.. Boutwell of Massachusetts observed his S5th birthday anniversary on Wednesday. Down in Mississippl five negro murderers have been tried and condemned in the reg- ular way since 1903 came in. Civilization moves on apace. In crowded New York all shades of lite may be witnessed in a day. One day last week {here ‘was a wedding, a fire and a funeral in the same flat in the Bast Side. Senator Thomas Patterson of Colorado says that one of the most enjoyable periods of his life was the two weeks he spent traveling with a circus in Southern Michi- gan, B @ Naval Constructor Richmond Pearson Hobson, the Hero of the Merrimac episode, has tendered his resignatfon to Presidént Roosevelt through the secretary of the navy. The members of the foreign legations in Pekin are again embarrassed by lavish gifts of game, plants and trinkets from the dowager empress on the occasion of the Chinese New Year. Joshua G. Dodge, who was an mssoclate of Willlam Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phil- lips and other leaders of the anti-slavery movement, has just celehrated his 90th birthday at Arlington, Mass. The Lessler bribery charges reminded older congressmen of the time Representa- tive “Birdie” Adams of Pennsylvania went up to Speaker Reed to ask about a bill he wanted passed. Adams took some change from his pocket and rattled it in his hand while he talked. As it happened he had five quarters. “Hold on, Birdie,” said Reed, “even in these hard times you can't pass & bill in this house for a doMlar and a quarter.” REGULATING IMMIGRATION, | Views of an Expert on Existing Re- strictions. Philadelphia Public Ledger. In view of the possible amendment of the immigration laws during the present or the next session of congress, the opinion of an expert as to the desirability of sug- gosted changes in sald laws is worthy of respectful consideration. Dr. A. J. M- Laughlin of the United States Health and Marine Hospital service, in a conservative | contribution to the January number of the | Popular Sclence Monthly, takes a position | with respect to one of the proposed changes which may not be o harmony with popular opinion on the subject. The writer ob- serves that the percentage of undesirable immigrants is doubtless higher at present than it was in former years, but restric- tlons have been growing more stringent, so that now the system in gperation at Ellis Island is sufficiently effective to keep out the diseased, the pauper and the criminal, | period of the previous year. T NEW YORK. ROUND ABC Ripp! | Metropo rent of Life in the Unable to expand his talents In the enervating environments ot St. Joe, a Mia- | sourt lad of 13, answering to the name of Richard Murphy, blew into the big eity aud cut a large swath until the police took him in. The special talent of the young | Missourian was shoving worthless checks for cash, a business in which he displayed the merve of a Missouri train robber. Mur- phy 1s & penman. His signature to a check is a business looking one, and written in an easy and apparently quick flowing hand. The writing in the body of the check is mor in keeping with that of a boy of 1. This difference in writing led to the bellef that the certificate contafned the writings of two persons. On the other hand, It Is satd that Murphy writes “three hands.” Murphy was asked who originated his check acheme. *“Oh, T guess I'll about that,” he replied, with a wave of his gloved right hand. “We'll meet things as they come. Keep still and then there's no explaining afterward fis the wiser way, 1sn't it; mow, truly? When all the worthless checks that “Lit- tle Dick” has left in his trall are gathered they will make a formidable pile for a lengthy spindle. A bank official sald that he had heard of several being held in New York City, while there are a few in Phil delphia and additional ones fn Washington. The manner in which the people of New York have fallen back upon gas as a fuel because of the scarcity of coal, is shown in the annual report of the Consolidated Gas company. The consumption of gas ran at times up to 80,000000 cublc feet per day. The sales in the year amounted to 18,38,478,000 cublc feet, or increase of 1,915,000,000 cubic feet, or 11.65 per cent over the previous year. The increase dur- ing. the last three months of 1902 ran as high as 20 per cent, and in some districts to 80 per cent over the corresponding The company sold in the twelve months 42,632 gas ranges, stoves and heaters. Forty-five million dollars of Unele Sam's gold was in danger of being melted down in one solld lump by a fire in the United States assay office, next door to the sub treasury, last Thursday. It came from a slight explosion of gases used in the labo- ratory and created a dense and suffocating smoke, but the firemen got the blaze under control in a short time The damage was small, mostly to the fur- niture and fittings of the office. The $45,- 000,000 was In gold bars. The bullding being old and largely of wood, was at one time in danger of destruction. The second floor of the bullding and the attic above were entirely burned out. An entire new roof will have to be put on, and it is esti- mated $5,000 wjll hardly cover the damage. Secretary Shaw a week ago recommended to congress that $750,000 be appropriated to build & new aseay office, as the building was 0ld and unfit for the use it was put to. Mrs. Theresa Lynch, “the queen of dia- monds,” is dead at her home, 65 Central park, west, having succumbed to a stroke of paralysis. Her jewelry store at 1 Union square has made ber famous. Mrs. Lynch was a thorough business woman and dled wealthy. It is said that there was not better judge of precious stones in America. She was the daughter of a fruit seller in Dublin, but her eyes often feasted on the gems in the jeweler windows and with the first money she could save out of her small earnings she bought a dlamond. Her father reproved her, but a few days afterward she sold the stone for more, than twice the price paid. Coming to this country she married John Lynch-and their married lito was unique. Lynch spent his money as fast as it came to him—often faster, while his wite was prudent and frugal and her bank account grew. The economic differences after a time led to a disagreement. He still con- tinued to live at their home, although for fifteen years not a word passed between them. This strange existence was finally broken when Mrs. Lynch moved uptown. He died shortly after. Mrs. Lynch's jewelry store was reputed to be the resort of women ot fashion who were In financlal straits. She was sald to have eerved as a polite pawnbroker for many aristocratic familles when pressed for funds, at times advancing thousands of dollars on family jewels. Every once in a while the newspapers print stories about the devices adopted by life insurance men, book canvassers and others engaged In similar occupations to gain and hold audience with their pros- pective victims. A favorite story tells of the life insurance agent who, when on the point of being ejected bon the ground that his victim's time was too valuable to waste in listening to insurance schemes, bought five minutes of the time at $1 a minute, the price being set by the owiner, of course. At the end of the five minutes the insur- ance man had the victim's signature to a $10,000 policy. But for simplicity that does not compare with the plan pursued with great succe by an insurance man reported by the Sun to be working in New York. Admission to the victim being gained, the conversation runs something like th! Insurance Man—Glve me a dollar and I'll tell you comething of great interest to you. Victim (cautiously)—Not so fast; why should I glve you a dollar in advance? Tell me. your scheme first (or words to that ef- teet) With an invitation such that 1t is plain sailing. This possesses the advantage y nothing | Absolutely Pure THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE DEFECTIVE FEDERAL OFFICIAL Move to Supply Them with Ede tional Text Books. Philadelphia Record Senator Penrose s the father of a re- markable bill for the purchase of 5,000 cop- | fes of ““March's Thesaurus” (at the rate ot { $10 & copy) to be distributed among the de partments and offices throughout the coun- try “to enable officers and employes of the | Bovernment to find the proper word to ex- | press their meaning.” In the classified !nrvivo no such book 18 needed. The em- ployes who have gone through a competitive | examination have proved that they know enough about words and synonyms to ex- press themselves with lucidity. 1t there bo | any need of a thesaurus by persons who are not engaged in literary work, but whose re- ports concern only severe matters of fact, it must be among the officers and employes who owe their appointment to political in- fluence. Many government officials are aficted with an ambition for a literary style. Fine writing is the terror of the officers at Washington who recefve reports from sub- | ordinates. The victim of a literary styla will sacrifice truth and elearness every time fn order to make a fine sentence, His reports read like the essay of the school- girl graduate, and only his limited vocabu- ary compels him to use words within the comprehension of his superiors. So far from correcting the evil, the possession ot a thesaurus must magnify it. The offcial with an ambition for a literary style will no longer suffer his fancy to be restrained by a lack of words; his fmagination will expand and his reports will cease to convey any meaning. There can be no reasonable objectio: the policy of supplying educational boc to such officers and employes of the go ernment as are appointed through politica influence. Persons in the classifted service | are expected to know something, but fitness {18 not a consideration in the case of those who are appointed as a favor. It is not well, however, to begin with a book of words. Bafore a thesaurus can be of any practical use to a man he must have somo preliminary knowledge besides that relating to the packing of a caucus. The publisher of “March's Thesaurus” may need the $30,- 000, but that amount expended for school- masters in the federal bullding would yield better results. POINTED REFLECTIONS. Dick—Do you ever get t] va ite? ¥ get the last word witt arles—Oh, yes; but I have to say it to myself when T get out ~De- fyselt when I get out on the street.—De “I nebber could see,” sald Uncle 1 how hahd times or de trusts cuu:.fk?e‘}f':‘{ man dat’s willin’' to work_fum earnin’ two bits by shovelin’ snow. —Washington Star. “The place 18 only a small country to but there used to be a very gnml'l:\':r';i \hr;;&" “But not now,” sald the t 1) g id the traveling man, ‘hotel’ now."—Philadel- : It's a phia Press. Knox—Why do at the bottom of no stenographer, Knox—Well, you see. I'm a very poor speller.—Detroit Free Press. L ou always put “‘dictated” your ietters? You have ‘And you're really a maiden. ot postor “No; oh, no; but papa says one can't be oo cautious these days. Would you mind bringing me one of those abstracts of title I hear so much ahout hefore I give you my answer?'—Chicago Post., lord?" satd the ourse. Do you think I'm an im- “Was that an unmarried woman you met Just now?" “‘Yes, T knew her several years ago, How her face has changed.” “Has 1t? Well, when a woman's face changes as much as that she can never hope to change her name, too."—Cleveland Plain Dealer. FLOWERS IN WINTER. soft, white mantle of the snow Ia tucked about the sleeping flow'r: And, where no chilling winds can blow, They're storing dreams for summer hours, They rest and dream while human hearts Beat high with hope and human cheer, Or, while some soul. In sorrow, parts With what it holds in !fe most dear, | No earthly woe disturbs their sleep, No mortal happiness can shako Thelr peaceful slumber, calm and deep, For love nor hate they will not wake. over the first scheme, that in case of fall- ure, even if the agent {s not & dollar in, he 1s, at least, not $5 out. But, when the sunshine brings them back, The flowers, freely, will unfold And scatter on life's'sombre track The restful dreams their hearts will hold. Winside, Neb. —Belle Willey Gue while admitting the immigrant “with two strong arms, a sound body and a stout | heart.” He s opposed to the educational | test, which seems to be gaining favor in the country, for the reason that-it would ex- clude many thousands of desirable immi- grants, those supplylng us with nearly all | of the unskilled labor needed for our indus- i | | trial prog: The educational test, ac- cording to Dr. McLaughlin, would not keep out some of the least desirable arrivals, but it would have one good result—the re- duction of the total pumber of immigrants —and thus permit of a more rigid examina- tion of forelgners who seek admission here. The contributor thinks that a head tax low as 35 or $10—the tax is now only $1— would materially reduce the number of ar- rivals.” This would result from the fact that large familles, including aged de péndents, would be obliged to remaln in un- skilled laborers. In the case of large fam- | illes even a $5 tax would be prohibitive. One of the most valuable restrictive regu- lations would be the extenslon of govern- ment Jjurisdiction over arrivals until they | become citizens. The writer of the article favors such a regulation, inasmuch as It would give the authorities an opportunity to deport criminals and others whose dis- abllity was, not discovered when they landed or within a year after landing. Dr. McLaughlin makes a strong point for such a regulation in the statement that the friends of detained aliens would be disin- clined to guarantee that they. would not become public charges if the guarantee cov- ered five years instead of ome. “The flood of immigration is beginning to tax the as- similative power of the republic time has arrived when more restrictive rogulations are desirable and necessary. Best grades, and price. GOA Coutant % Squlr’es all sizes of Arkansas Arthracite and Semi-Anthracite—as good as hard coal and at much lower Best lilinols Nut, $6.50. naces, $5.75. Cherokee Nut for Underfeed Furnaces, $5.50. Missourl Nut, $4.75. Telephone 930. Office 1406 Farnam. Cherokee Lump, for Fur- Well Equipped which to select. The one thing you may be sure of here is a full line of clothes and furnishings from Another thing equally sure is satisfaction, and another that NO CLOTHING FITS LIKE OURS.