Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, March 9, 1903, Page 4

4 TH OMAHA DAILY BEE DAY, MARCH 9, 1903. THE OMAHA DAILY BEE | E. ROSBWATER, EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERY MOR? TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION without Sunday), One Year.$4.00 and Sunday, One Year 5.00 d Bee, One Year RO - e, One Year. X rday Bee, One Year . 1.50 entieth Century Farmer, One Year.. 1.00 DELIVERED BY CARRIER. Dally Bee (without Sunday), per cop Daily e (without Sunday), per week..1 11y Bee (including Sanday), per week..17c Bee, per_ copy e 8 ening Bee (without Sunday), per week iink Bee (ncluding Sunday), per week ... s 4 Complaints of irregularities in dellyery should be addressed to City Circulation” De- Partment P OFFICES. Omabh The Bee Bulldin F":\‘l’:)‘}" le;fl f,‘“\' Hall fllulldln(, Twen- ty-fifth and M Streets. *Council Blufts—10 Pearl Stftet. Chicago—ioi0 Unity Bullding. New Sork—za Park Row Bullding. ‘Washngton—01 Fourteenth Streef CORRESPONDENCE. Communtaations relating to news and ed- Ilmgnl matter should be addressed: Omaha Bee, Editorial Department. REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, express or DO!lfll order, ayable to The iee Publishing Company, F)nly 2-cent stamps accepted in payment of mail accounts, Personal checks, except of Omaha or eastern exchange, no 7 THE BEB PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CTRCULATION. Btate of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss. George hick, seeretary of The Bee 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 February, 1904, was as follows 1. 1. BRRRPUPBRESE Less unsold and returned coples. Net total sales.. Net average sale GEORGH B. TZSCHUCK. 8ub b 1 N d sworn to petors e this 23th day of Februaryl A D. 1903, M. B, HUNGA'T! (8eal.) Notary Publle. ——————————— Not a single populist in the new con- gress. Explanation—finished by fusion. EEE———— The atmospheric disturbance that pre- cedes city electigns in Omaba has been sighted by the Weather bureau. It Is now a tossup whether President Francis or the Loulslana Purchase ex- position is attracting the most atten- tion in the public prints, Sifting reputed to be the most profitable branch of the legislative in- dustry. That is why competition for sifting committee places.is always most active. Sr—— If. there are any kinks in the local labor situation with reference to the building trades, they should be straight- ened out at once to clear the way for a prosperous bullding season. While the rivers are ovgrflowing all along the lower Mississippi valley, the Big Muddy remairs peaceful ‘because it is a trifie early fof it to gather strength from the melting snows in the moun- tains. SE—— Before appropriating money to pay the wolf bounty claims, proof should be required to show. that the scalps cashed in have not done previous serv- ice as prize winners in Colorado, Wyo- wing or South Dakota. E—— Councilmen who refuse to allow the people of Omaha to determine for them- selves whether they are in favor of granting a franchise that would supply this eity with cheap power will discover before many months that the people will not trust them with another term in the council. —————— The sypreme court decision on the as- sessment and taxation of franchised corporations should not be nullified by whip-saw legislation. The corporations enjoy valuable franchises and privi- leges and should by rights pay a tax proportionate to the capitalization of these properties on which they earn in- terest and dividends. SEsum—— Senator Quay has ventured the proph- esy that instead of three new states in the union places will have to be made mext time for four new states. It is possible that eventually we may admit a still greater number of new states, but every one should come in on its own merits—not by climbing into an omnibus chartered by other passen- gers. m———————— Montana’s legislature adjourned with- out reaching an agreement on the prop- osition for an appropriation for the state's participation In the St. Louls World's fair. It he is only approached properly and by the right authorities, perhaps W. A. Clark will come to the rescue just to go a little better than Marcus Daly did for the Omaba expo- sition. S The legislature 18 asked to ap- propriate $24,000 toward the mainte- nance of the Home for the Friendless, There Is po miore reason why the state should maintain a home for the friend- less than for the homeless or for the shiftiess. JMvery county iun the state is presumed to take care of its indigent, which includes the aged and infirm as well as the improvident, who have be- come objects of charity. —— If any public lpprovements are con- templated for Omaha that will require the issue of bouds to provide the neces- sary funds, provision should be made to bave the proposition formulated at once and submitted at the coming spring election. It is lmportant that the work REPUBLICANS SHOULD REMEMBER. Republicans in the legislature and in the state house should remember that the party is still on probation and that its future depends upon the record which it makes for itself in administra- tion and legislation. The f{act that a larger number of republicaps hold seats in the present lawmaking body than in any preceding legislature since Ne- braska became a state does mot signify that the party has secured a perpetual lease of power, regardless of what course it may pursue. On the contraryj, the overwhelning republican majorities in the two houses should Inspire its representatives with a greater sense of responsibility. Fifteen yéars ago Nebraska gave 28,000 plurality to Benjamin Harrison. Two years later It elected a demo- cratic governor, and that disaster was followed by a succession of defeats that turned the state into the Bryan column in 1806 and made ity redemption for 1900 a herculean task. The prime cause of populism in Nebraska was railroad- ism and boodlerism in the republican party. When the party surrendered to the rallroad dominatin, the peopie re: pudiated the party. Had the fusion re- formers lived up to their pledges to the people, they Would have been in power in Nebraska today. Thelir col- lapse, while partly due to restored pros- perity, wi mainly - caused: by the recreant betrayal of public frust on the part of lawmakers and office holders who sold out to the railroads. It the present republican legislature disappoints the rank and file of the party by falling to carry out the prom- ises made for them in the last cam- paign they will jeopardize party suc- cess both this year and next year. —————— REBUKING MR. CANNON. Intelligent public opinion will be littie influenced hy what Senator Tillman has sald in rebuke of Representative Can- non for his remarks upon.the methods of the United States senate, but it may be affected by the attitude of Senators Hale and Allison, both of whom found fault with the speech of Mr. Cannon. We have heretofore referred to the remarks of the latter and heartily ap- proved of them. We still believe that Mr. Cannon was absolutely right in what he sald condemnatory of the prac- tice of the senate and we do not doubt that the intelligent opinion of the coun- try is practically unanimous in support of his position. It may be true, as scnator Hale is reported to have said, that the statement made by Mr. Can- non was “a breach of the privileges,” but that fact does not deprive it of its significance and force. It remains true that everything said by Mr. Cannon was absolutely justified by the circum- stances and was stated in language none too strong. Senator Allison Is quoted ag saying that the rules of pro- cedure of the. senate “‘will be settled hy the body itself in'&ecordhned with fts own best judgment* - Very ‘well; but'is the senate never to consider pub- lic opinion? Is that body to be always indifferent to what the people think to be right, as indicated through ‘thelr rep- resentatives in the popular branch of congress? In so far as matters originat- Ing in the senate are concerned, if the majority are willing to allow the mi- nority to’ say whether or not such pro- posed legislation shall pass well and good, but when a majority of the house of representatives have declared In favor of certain legislation it is not well that a minority of the senate should be able to defeat it. The Amegican people are heartily tired of 'that * rial eonrtesy” whieh per- mits a few men to hold up fmportant measures and thwart the popular will and they are growing more and more determined to put a stop to this sort of thing. Whether senators in love with the traditional methods of the senate like it or not, the great majority of the people are in hearty accord with what Mr. Cannon sald in his speech near tbe closing hours of congress. ‘It may not have the desired result of correcting the faults of the semate, but it has called public attention .to them and there is reason to at least hope that It will bave a good effect. RECIPROCITY WITH CANADA. Perhaps there is nothing which the average American citizen takes less in- terest in than the question of trade reciprocity with Canada, and yet it is a matter of first-class importance, which sooner or later will have to recelve very serious consideration. We cannot lose sight of the fact that the Dominion 18 a very close and intimate nelghbor and that while a British possession it is in all other respects virtually Amer- ican. We should never lose sight of thot fact. We should never forget that in spite of the confessed loyalty of Can- ada to Great Britain the bott¢m and controlling feeling, after all, is really American—that is, a sentiment in sym- pathy with what belongs on this side of the ocean, with what is distingulshed from KEuropeanism. The sentiment of imperialism, of affection for the “mother country,” I8 unquestionsbly very strong In Canada, but we venture to think that a majority of the € dian people would, If brought to the test, refuse to yield to the least degree the privileges théy now enjoy at the behest of the. Imporial government. That is to say, Canada wants and will insist upon retaining all of the independ- ence she now has, which in effect wnakes her practically free of Great Britain and to all intents and purposes the com- plete arbiter of her own destiny. In this situation Canada must be con. sldered In any relation between that country and the United States: The common thought of course is that the of extending our area of paved streets and perfecting our sewerage system should not be allowed to lag because the Intersection paving or sewer funds already voted do mot hold out Dominlon 1s a colony of Greaf Britain, which is true, but it is something more than this. It has a very distinet au- tonomy and a government so far inde- pendent that it can make its own tariff laws and in nearly every other respect o as {t pleases. In dealing with Canada, thesefore, the United States is dealing with a country which, while being a part of the British empire, 18 practically independent. What, then, should be our polic spect to trade negotiations? May not reasonably ask that any ment we may make with C be absolutely free from lating to England? makes a preferential tariff in favor of English wanufacturers, Is it not a legitimate demand that that policy shall be abafidoned as a condition to trade reciprocity between the Domihion and the United States? conditions re- TRE CORPORATION CAMEL. When the camel attempts to wedge his way through an enclosure he first inserts his nose, then his head, then his hump and finally lands on the inside with his whole body. That is precis the method which the railroad corpora- tions and their allies, the franchised cor- porations, have been pursuing at Lin- ¢oln since the opening of the legislature, First the corporation nose was pro- Jected Intd the organization of the two houses, then it inserted its skull and ears into the legislative committees, then it began to wedge its big bump into both houses and finally expects to Innd on its feet without further resist- ance before the legislature adjourns for good. At first the rallroad lawyers and rail- road lobby simply sought to parry the assault upon the railroad entrenchments by the commercial bodies and taxpayeps of Omaha and Lincoln for legislation to compel the railroads to bear their share of city taxation in proportion to the value of their property within the city limits, By vigorous bulldozing they pried Lincoln from Omaha and turned the Lancaster delegation against House Roll 330. Next the railroad lawyers and lobby bribe distributers boldly sought to dic- tate revenue revision laws that would enable the rallroads to continue the game of bunco by which they have for years managed to shift the tax burdens upon the shoulders of other property owners and other interests subject to taxation. And now they have the audacity to demapd a revision that will not only legalize their impositions, but to in- crease the tax levy on other Interests while they are reducing their own. The success of the railroad lobby has spurred the lobby of the Omaha fran- chised corporations to follow suit with ingeniously contrived amendments to the revenue laws that would nullify all that has been accomplished through the proceedings instituted in the courts by the Omaha Real Estate exchange. Under the decision of the supreme court the market value of the stocks and bonds of corporations that supply munieipal - utilitles, including water, light, power, street rallways and tele- ‘phones, constitute the basis of valuation for the assessment and taxation of these corporate properties. But by some mysterious influence a provision has been inserted In the new revenue bill by which this basis of assessment and taxation so far as it relates to tele- phone, telegraph and express companies would be discarded and the tangible value of their real estate and chattel property with one year's gross receipts added would constitute the basis of their assessment. The plan is to put the other public service corporations in the same class. In other words, Instead of assessing the franchised corporations named on the aggregate market value of thelr bonds and stocks it is proposed to as- sess them on the aggregate value of their real estate and personal property and let one year's gross receipts be added as representing the value of their franchise. On such a basis the fran- chised corporations of Omaha included in the speclal list would be relieved from paying from 30 to 50 per cent of the taxes that they are obliged to pay under the supreme court decision. Manifestly, if it was right to tax one class of public utility corporations on the gross recelpts basis it would be un- Just and unreasonable to tax another class of municipal franchise corporations on the bond and stock value basis. Asa natural sequence the street rallway company has employed all its influence to be accorded equal favor with the other corporations, which means in plain English that the combined franchised corporations of Omaha, which represent from $12,000,000 to $15,000,000 of tax- able property, are pooling Issues with the rallroad camel. 4 FALSE ALARM, A few property owners in South Omaba and a good many people who own no property and have no other in- terest in South Omaba except political rake-offs and jobs have rung the town bell to sound an alarm over the awful menace of apnexation to Omaba. They claim to have discovered in a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing the merglug of city and covnty govern- ments, in whole or in part, # deep-laid conspiracy on the part of Omaha to swallow up South Omaha without walt- ing for its aid or consent, A close inspection of the bill does not bear out this conclusion. In the first place, the proposed amendment is not automatic. It cannot be ratified before 1904 and no steps can be taken to put it into effect until after the legislature of 1905 makes provision for a partial or complete consolidation of county and clty governments. In the next place, it will take a majority of the votes cast in the whole county to legalize any merger of the duplicate machinery of city and county government. By the time that stage is reached, one-half the people who are uow making a great outery will either have left South Ouwaba altogether or will be pried loose ) At present Canada | from their political grafts and there- | fore entirely Indifferent. In the long run Omaba and South Omaha are bound to become one city in name as they already are in fact Municipal consolidation Is the order of the day. There will be a Greater Omaha as there is now a Greater New York, a Greater Chicago, a Greater St. Louis, a Greater Denver, a Greater lLos Angeles. The advent of Greater Omaha may be put off a few years, but it is sure to come and all rational people will accept the trend of Twentieth century progress. If Councilman Karr lmagines he can make the people believe that his action on the open door ordinance was in- spired solely in the public interest he lamentably underrates the popular in- telligence. The people of Omaha know as well as he knows that the open door ordinance was gotten up by the man- ager of the electric lighting company to prevent competition and frustrate the only tangible proposition pending be- fore the council to give the people cheaper power. In any event, nelther Councilman Karr nor Councilman Has- call, who have done their level best to block the submission of the power fran- chise ordinance to the people at the coming election, can make satisfactory explanation why they will not trust the people of Omaha to decide for them- selves whether they want to grant this franehise or not. If they want it they surely ought to have the right to say s0—if they do not want it no harm can come from giving them a chance to vote it down. No man golng into a skilled trade ex- pects to earn as high wages In six months as the man who has worked in the line for six years. The same rule that requires apprentices in the trades to start at the bottom and work up should apply to appointments on fire and police force. Let the probationar- ies begin on a moderate salary with the incentive of increased pay following stealdy and faithful service and the de- partments will gain materially in the efficiency and capacity of the men. — That Bartley investigating committee can go to the bottom of the cigar box mystery or it can be made a farce, as the members are disposed to go at the task In earnest with the intention of probing thoroughly or with indifference with the expectation of accomplishing nothing. Armed with full authority to compel the attendance of witnesses and require answers to questions, It is up to the committee to shoulder the re- sponsibility. St—— One condition of Senator Gorman's acceptance of the democratic caucus chairmanship is said to be a promise that the minority. senators would fol- 10w his leadership as a unit whenever a definite policy “,““. adopted. If there is to bé a test of fictional strength be- tween the Kansad"Qity platform demo- crats and the reorgamizers, it may de- velop first in the democratie representa- tion in congres Sp— A political ‘oracle announces that several mayoralty boomlets are in cold storage. “Perhaps that is the real rea- soh our municipal election. was post- poned till warm weather, ——— Cruel and Un 1 Punishment, St. Louts Globe-Democrat. The senate saloon has been abolished. Hereafter when a culprit is brought before the bar of the senate he will have to take water, — Ha, My Proud Beauty, Washington Post. The managers of the St. Louls falr are §0Ing to manage the board of lady man- agers problem by neglecting to provide anything for them to manage. Others Do the W ying. Detroit Free Press. Rome {8 again greatly alarmed about the condition of the pope. One reason why Leo XIII 15 alive at the age of 93 is because he has always let other people do the worry- ing about his health. Look Up Materially. Indianapolis News. Not only has the island of Guam beem ralsed six inches out of the sea since the United States took possession of it, but its revenues have increased from $4,500 to $49,000. Truly our influence and adminis- tration are beneficent, on Young Shoulders, San Francisco Call It has been observed that since Justice Holmes, the son of Oliver Wendell Holmes, was elevated to the bench of the supreme court of the United States he has written @ larger proportion of the opinions of the court than any other member thereof. This may be accepted as a compliment to his literary ability or as an evidence that the older members of the court are inclined to saddle the bulk of the drudgery on the shoulders of the younger members, SALARIES AND PROSPERITY. Burden Folly of Foreing Prices to the Break- ing Point. Harper's Weekly A gentleman's gardener came to him one day last month and desired audience. Sald he: “You use me well, sir; I have noth- ing to complain of; but the under gardener bought a house two years ago, expecting to be able to make payments on It. He did make some payments, but subsistence—coal, meat, rent and the like—has come to be so dear that he has fallen behind and 1s likely to lose his house and all that he has paid on it. I think, perhaps, sir, you would think it well to give him some help.” The gentleman assented and agreed to increase the under gardener's pay by a sum which the gardener thought would be sufficlent Then said he: “How does it go with your- self, James? Do you get along well?” “Oh, I get along, sir. 1 have been able until lately to put aside part of my wages I cannot do that just mow, but I am hop- Ing for better times' The obvious moral of this true tale from real life s that the times are not equally good for all per- sons and that those whose incomes have long been fixed are not embarrassed by the riches whick are advertised to be inundat- Ing the country. The better times which the gardener hopes for are likely to come by the automatic working of processes now operative. The general rise in the cost of labor and all products of labor must work in time the restriction of all comstructive enterprise, untll prices, declining to meet & lessening demand, makes it feasible again for a thrifty gardencr who has a good job 10 save something oyt of his pay. BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE. fdents Sketched ot. Minor Scenes and on the People who struggle through the last half of life with a surplus of flesh have reason to rejoice over the hopeful pros- pects of relief. A well-rounded front of the bay window order represents quite an investment. It s also quite a load. The problem is to handle it with becoming gentleness and reduce its prominence with- out inconvenience or pain to the owner. That is what this great, benevolent gov- ernment proposes to do. A division of the agricultural department is to Wwage war on superabundant fat, along scientific lines, of course, to the end that men or women who wobble under their burdens now may stand erect and walk as nimbly as when the bloom of youth flushed their cheeks. There is every reason to belleve that the ex- periment will be successful, for whatever the government. says goes. Of all American cities Washington is per- haps the only one, except Boston, where the guide is a fixed institution and guiding a permanent profession. Sam Strachen is one of the most Interesting of this gud. He is a veteran and was a protege of Thad Stevens, the leader of the house in the stormy periods of the civil war and recon- struction days. Sam is not & guide to the capitol, that is, the interior of the big white edifice on the hill, but to the sights and interesting places about the city. The other day he fell in with a prosperous, in- telligent appearing man, evidently a visiter. Sam guided him to and througk the White House, treasury, monument, bureau of en- graving and printing, Smithsonian, National museum, general postoffice, government printing office, the capitol and library. Then he guided the visited to a beer saloon, where he partook of copious libations at the visitor's expense. The visitor shook Sam warmly by the hand and said: My dear sir, I am much obliged to you for your kindness in showing me about this beautiful city. I am the publisher of the Dash magazine, a most interesting monthly publication, and to show that I appreclate your kindness I want you to give me your name and address and I will send you my magazine for a whole year, twelve coples, h, free of charge, sir, free of charge, sir. “That's all right,” exclaimed Sam, taking a fresh grip on the visitors's hand; “that's all right. I don’t think I could eat mora than one magazine a month, not more than one, sir. Im the meantime, a dollar will help me 0 sustain life until the first maga- zine comes along, a dollar sir.” Sam got the dollar, but not the magazine. Senator Pettus of Alabama, who is 82 years old, and who always wears a long, | black broadcloth frock coat of ante-bellum cut and a pair of baggy trousers, appeared in the senate in a jaunty new sult the other day. The senate was astounded. Senator Pet- tus failed to see why there was any con- sternation, and rebuked Senator Depew se- verMy for Intimating he was becoming a dude. “Fact s, sald Senator Pettus, “I have just been re-elected, and I consider it my privilege to get a new suit of clothes. I'll get another when I am re-elected again in 1969.” A western senator had an old friend for a visitor, relates the New York World correspondent. He went to another west- ern senator and sald: “Jim So-and-So is here from my town. I want you to go to dinner with us.” “All right,” said the second senator. “I know where there is a nice, quiet place where we can get some food and drink that are out of the ordinary.” They went to the place and had the food and drink. Next day the senator who had the friend visiting him said to the other senator: “Look here, I don't mind giv- ing & tip to a waiter, but I want to give it myself and not have it taken bodily.” “What do you mean?" asked the sen- tor who had picked out the restaurant. ‘'Why, that dinner check last night was $17.80 and J gave the proprietor a $20 bill. He gave me no change.” “Jumping Jehoshaphat!” roared the other. “Did you pay that bill? Why, I sneaked out and pald it myselt so you wouldn't get a chance.” “Let's go and interview that proprietor,” they sald together. Just as they were starting the friend who had been enter- tained came along. “Where are you go- Ing?" he asked. The senators explained. ‘“Holy Moses!" said the friend. “The er showed that check for $17.80 to me just as we were go- ing out and I thought you had overlooked 1t and paid it myselt,” “What has the capitol got that you will never have?” asked Congressman Fletcher of Minnesota of Congressman Tawney. “Give it up,” sald Tawney. “Two white wings,” sald Fletcher. “Pretty fair, pretty fair,” admitted Taw- ney. “But what has the capitol got that you give to applicants for office?’ “It's too many for me,"” replied the other Minnesota man. “A marble stair.” At this point quits were called. “I want to see Senator Quay,” sald a man from Arizona, who wore a sombrero, to a senate doorkeeper. “The senator is very busy mow,” began the doorkeeper, “and I don't know whether he will come out and talk to you or not." “I don't want to talk to him,” protested the Arizona man. “I want to gaze on them noble features of the man who's bin fightin’ for statehood for us. They led him to the gallery, pointed out Quay, and let the man from Arizona gazo his fill. Senator Dolliver has a soldier constituent who saw service in the Spanish war and wants a pension therefor. His application 1s unique. When the senator went over his morning mall recently he found an envelope containing an X-ray photograph of this constituent’s head. It showed as distinctly as though it had been marked with black ink the presence of a Mauser bullet in the skull just above the ear. On the back of the picture was written the name of the soldler, who recelved the wound in the Philippines and who now lives in Sloux City, and a brief inscription that the picture told the story of his claims for a pension. Why Electric Light 1 Philadelphia Ledger. While the electric motor is rapldly re- placing all other methods of power trans- mission and distribution, due to its greater economy, electric power when used as a source of light is still at & disadvantage regarding economy, says Charles P. Stein- metz in the Electrical World and Engl- neer. That is, as a rule electric power is more expensive than gas or kerosene, and the extensive use of electric light is due rather to its greater convenience, re- lability and cleanliness than to its econs omy. This follows from the fact that the efficiency of producing light from electrio power is extremely low, below 10 per cent in the most eficient carbon arc lamp, and something like 3 per cent in the incan- descent lamp and the Nernst lamp. It o obvious, them, that if the efciency of light production could be ralsed to figures even half as high as that of power pro- duction, the electric light would sweeg every other {lluminant out of exlstence by ita greater economy. Costly. THAT BARTLEY CIGAR BOX Holdrege Citizen: The bill to free the Bartley bondsmen will not strike a very responsive chord among the thousands of people who have become disgusted and ex- asperated by the arrogant nerve displaye by Bartley and his friends. Tilden Cltizen: The passage of the bill introduced into the state legislature for “lifting that cigar box 1id" would be heart {ly endorsed by the whole state of Nebraska barring a few politicians. The people have a right to know what was concealed in that famous receptacle, but, unless the guilty parties in the Bartley steal get to quarrel- ing among themselves, the chances are fa- vorable for the whole matter to remain shrouded in mystery until the day of judg- ment. Springfield Monitor: 1f the inquisitive- ness of some of our I¢gislators is gratified in reference to the Bartley cigar box mys- tery, which a resolution wants investigated, it may be the means of restoring to the state some of its lost coin. The resolu- tion also wants ex-Treasurer Meserve dealing with the state's cash looked Into. However, 1t Is pretty safe to say that with all their attempts at investfgation and ef- forts to recover anything from the de- taulters, the s‘ate will never add an- other dollar to the treasury from theso sourees. Winside Tribune: It begins to dawn on the minds of the common every-day people of Nebraska that the legislature might have made & good start towards providing a rev- enue for the state if, on assembling, they had brought one Ezra P. Savage before them and forced him to open up the mys- terious clgar hox which is supposed to con- tain the secrets of Bartley's defalcation. N. B.—~To avold misunderstandings, we will explain that the above was not inspired by any editorial in the World-Herald. Randolph Times: Representative Knox proposes to take a peep into the Bartley “cigar box.” Thee are others who would like to know the secrets beneath the lid of that same box. North Platte Tribune: A resolution was introduced into the house by Knox of Buf- falo county providing for an investiga- tion of the official conduct of J. S. Bartley and J. B. Meserve during their incum- beney of the office of state treasurer. The resolution provides for a committee of Gve to conduct the Investigation. This, we believe, is a step in the right ection. The facts in the Bartley defalcation, which has ever been surrounded by mystery, should be brought forth, {f such is pos- sible, no matter upon whom odium will be cast. The committee should also fully in- vestigate the charge agalnst ex-Treasurer Meserve regarding his retention of inter- est collected upon meney belonging to the state. Bloomington Advocate: A joint resolu- tion has been introduced in the legislature asking for the dismission of the suit against the bondsmen of the defaulting state tre: urer. The bondsmen agres to pay the costs 1f the sult is dismissed. If the state have a good judgment against these bonds- men, we fail to see why they should drop it at this stage of the game. The bond was given to protect the state against just this kind of a loss and the bondsmen took this risk when they signed the bond, and there is no good reason why they should be re- leased. It may o a hardship upon them, but that is always the case with those who have to make good the losses of principals who are dishonest in the official capacity. Grand Island Independent: The house at Lincoln has adopted a report of a com- mittee ordering an investigation of the “mooted” Bartley cigar box, and a com- mittee has been appointed by the house, of which, by the way, Representative Ferrar of this county s a member. The people of the state would like to have a thorough investigation. After all they would really like to know where the money went to, even if they camnot re- cover it, and in the meantime good business sense would dictate keeping a firm grip on the bond for what it may be worth. It's an unpleabant subject, particularly so, perhaps, for republicars, but the mafter ought not to be dropped until the bottom has been reached. OAPITALIZING ROMANCE. American Syndicate Cornmers the Sul. phur Crop in a Mexican Vole New York Times. That & Mexican general has been able at just this time to sell a volcano for $6,- 000,000 to an Amerfcan syndicate is a fact —if it be a fact—that seems to necessitate an immediate revision of the accepted no- tions in regard both to Mexican generals and to American syndicates, so much prac- tical abllity on the part of the former and 20 little business caution on the part of the latter does the transaction indicate. It may very well be that there is more than $5,000,000 worth of sulphur in the crater of Popocatapet], but, with the mountains of Mexico in their present restless condition, the chance that the sulpbur will go out in flames appears to be much greater than the chance tbat it will go out In bags or barrels. And a volcano in active eruption s decidedly more interesting than profit- able, while the interest is not of the sort usually expressed in percentages. It may be, however, that tae syndicate knows what it 1s about well as the general and certainly the namo ‘‘Popocata- would look extremely well on cer- tificates for common and preferred stock. Around it, for everybody, cluster the mem- ories of .childhood, the word being ove of the few products of early geographical study that cannot be forgotten while life en- dures. Who would not like to own a full- paid, non: le share in Popocatapetl, even if the sulphur did all blow out into the scenery? l PERSONAL NOTES, to the ley respect chatacteristic doleful in the ex- Governor Dole's mees: of Hawail is In onc of the treme. author. It is The speclal ecsslon of the senate cannot last more than three woeks. President Rooseveit 18 due to start on a hunting trip on March 20, Andrew Carnegle sald long ago that it was a disgrace to die rich. President Eliot of Harvard now says it is a mis- fortune to be born rich Of the 17,500 bills introduced in the last session of congress something over 2, were passed, but a large proportion of these were private pension bills A Kansas City telepbone girl dlct of $11,500 against her employer, rnd the way the company is ‘“talking now" ought not to be heaid even by a phono- graph. Mr. Davis, the American, pended ccnsiderable sums work near Thebes, Egypt, splendid charfot in the Thothmes. Zola was generally believed to be worth about $500,000 in cash when he died, but it now seems that he was almost dependent upon his' royalties. Mme. Zola has sold vearly all his property and from invest- ment of the proceeds will have an fncome of about $2,500 a year. Friends of the de- ceased writer are at a loss to understand what he did with his money. Take out an finsurance policy against death or expense from appendicitis, you who are mervously in dread of it, and then g0 ahead and eat grapes and all the other things you deny yourselves now because of fear that they may bring on the malady It is the very latest wrinkle in the: insur- ance line, and you may as well bo among the first to get into a position to receive benefits from its establishment it benefits there can be. got & vor- who has ex- in exploring has found a tomb of King — POINTED REFLECTIO! “What a mistake it is to fudge their clothes."’ e Y “I know it. There is a self-made mil- llonaire in this town who dresses just as well and with as much taste as any of the clerks in his establishment.” —Chicago Rec- ord-Herald. ‘“The longer I live," sighed the sage, “and the more I learn, the more firmly am [ gonvinced that I’ know absolutely noth- 8 you that twenty-five wife, “but I knew it —Chicago Tribune. The Old Inhabitant—Yes, it has been a putty healthy place, but the doctors i be- to recommend it as a health resort. er—That won't hurt 1t, will 1t? The Old Inhabitant—Well, T dunno. With sick folks comin’ here there's no tellin’ what we might ketch.—Brooklyn Lite. Sameon had just pulled the tumple down on himseit. “You see,” he gasped, “it will do awa: with the spring house cleaning. " i Realizing too late what a great man he was, the people made haste to do him rev- erence.—New York Tribune. I could have told years ago,” said hi would be of no use Mrs. Jones—Why don't you lay up your money for a ralny day, Patricl Patrick (the hostler)—Shure, ‘twould be no use, mum, for Ol couldn't sphend it thin. Of'm always laid up mesilf on a ralny day wid th' rheumatism.—Judge. “I'm opposed to these here White Caps," sald the strong minded woman of Billville, “You air “Yes, I air! I've been a-whippin' of my husband for ten year—come Christmas— an’ last night they called on him an’ jest took the job right out o' my hands."—At- lanta Constltution, ‘It must be a great satisfaction to have such a palatial apartment,” sald the old- time frien t Is," amswered Mr. Cumrox; “it's a heap of comfort to have a house big enough 1o wander away and get lost in when mother and the gale are glvigg a musicale or a reception.” ~Washington Star. His Proposal. He didn’t fall upon his knees, When his love he went to proffer, But stood erect with manly ease And made a standing offer. 'hiladelphia Ledger. BRYAN VERSUS HILL, James Barton Adams In Denver Post. O} there's sure to be a ruction in the party, There'll be trouble In the democratic ranks, And the “langusge will be peppery and Y, ‘When the leaders open up their talky tanks; There'll be somethin’ doin’ jes’ as sure as ootin’, You can bet your last stmoleon there will, ‘When the oratoric trumpets get to tootin’ In the windy scrap of Bryan vs. Hill, We will hear the goldbug corporation thunder As it rips across the troubled campaign skies! It_will rend the party Atuml'phere asunder Buooting vivid vocal lghtning as it fies! ‘We will hear the silver guns of Bllly's fac- lon Rosr defiance In responses sharp and shri ‘When the wild belllgerents get into action In the coming fight of Bryan vs. Hill. We will hear the Wolfert rooster shrilly crowin, And the roars ‘When they get their hot-blast furnaces to blowin, Soung Nebraska lon's angry 8 Tearing scabs from off each other’s party soves! And there'll be no tender cream-and-sugar carol From the wielders of the editorial quill— They will flood the land with red ink by the barrel In the party scrap of Bryan vs, Hill. ‘When the blood and thunder conflict has been ended, ‘When the smoke of battle all has cleared away, When the ammunition all has been ex- Jpended And the hostile chiefs sit panting from the fray, They will fiid that all their efforts came to naught, for . D. with one united will wiped the presidential plum they fought for In the Jamboree of Bryan vs. Hill. “Take Ayer’s Sarsaparill; and the doctors say it, too. Ask your own doctor about it. He formula. the overworked. A MVaVSUVS ]| probably has the He can tell you just how it lifts up the depressed, gives cour- age to the despondent, brings rest to If your liver is sluggish, bowels constipated, tongue coated, better take one of Ayer’s Pills at bedtime. These pills greatly aid the Sarsapa- rilla, and cure all liver troubles. Two \ grand family medicines. “1SvaT B0