Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 8, 1903, Page 6

TH OMAHA DAILY BEE £ ROSEWATER, EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION Daily Bee r\\thml Sunday), One Year flm Dally Bee unday, One Year 0 Piisirated b undi 2 l'ifl v Bée, ; 18 h Century mer, One Year.. ELIVERED BY CARRIL Dally Bee (wi ut Sunday), per co Dally BF‘ (without Sunday), per wi Dall (ncluding Sunday), per week. - 8y Ry X b Evening Bee (without Sunday), per week 6o Dr.lnx Bee (Including Sunday), ')!!‘hw week :um)-)uIm- ‘of irrey \Hdl’l“ ln delivery should be addressed City Cireulation De- partment OFFICES. Qmaha_The Bee Bullding South Omaha—City Hall Bullding, Twen- ty-fifth and M Streets. C Blufts—i0 Pearl Street. 1640 Unity Bul n| 1 Tk 28 Park Row Butlding. “ ashington—601 Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news amd edl- torial matter should be addressed: Oma Bee, Editorial Department REMITTANCES Remit by draft, express or postal order payable to 7The Bee Publishing Company, niy -cent stamps accepted in payment of mall accounts, Personal checks, except on Omaha or eastern exchan BEE PUBLISHI EBaturda Twentl e85, ot accepted. G COMPANY ATEMENT OF CIRCULATION Btate of Nebraska, Douglas Count Godrwe 1. Tasonuck, secretary of The B company. belng dujy sworn, Gtua) number “‘\u and ‘o Morning, Kvening during the mont of The Dally HBee printe of August, 1908, was as follows: mrEpNEREe Y.ess unsold and returned coples. Net total sales 08,570 Net averago sales. .. 28,008 GEORGE B. TZBL'Hb Bubacribed in iy, presence und wworn to betors me this $1st day of August A, D, 1900 B. HUNGATE, (8eal.) Notary Public. _—— PARTIES LEAVING THE OITY. the city at have The B regularly by Bee or by mall address will' be changed s ofte! denired. ————————— 8ir Thomas Lipton should feel per- fectly free to try again whenever he is #0 disposed. iness The Pacific coast salmon pack 1s said to. be short a millfon cases. Boarding house Inmates should take due notice. EEEm——— If the city can use its own streets for a market house, It can also use its own streets for an electric lighting in- etallation. Ohanging specifications without n change of price is a very common prac- tice with contractors for public works who enjoy a pull. S —— The Nebraska State fair has generally managed to keep on good terms with the weather clerk and this year will probably be no exception. EmEmm————— Any one who wonders what's the matter with Nebraska can have his mind quickly disabused by taking in the state fair at Lincoln this week. Before the county board undertakes to straighten out the crooks in the Elk- horn river it will have to straighten out the crooks in the Elkhorn river bridge. —— To file or not to file—that is the question puzzling a lot of republican patriots who are not sure whether to bank their money on their popularity. — One of the eastern capitalistic mouth- pleces objects to Labor day as a class holiday. As if there were any one who amounted to anything who did not labor. —— It appears that the only paving specifications that will suit the demo- cratic members of the public works board are specifications drawn or O-K'd. by a particular set of con- tractors. The Omaha hyphenated has declared itself as opposed to a long-time contract for electric lighting. Are we /to under- stand that it is opposed to a ten-years' extension, but would favor a five-years' extension ? Friends of the Panama canal in Co- lombia think they perceive a more f: vorable feeling for a new treaty. The people of Colombia have to make up thelr minds one way or another before | long if they want to do business with Uncle Bam. One of the populist organs indulges In & lengthy disquisition on populist politi- cal ethics. After the record populist office holders made in this state, it will take more than our most powerful microscope to discover any traces of ethies in the \egacy they left thelr party. e That self-appointed democratic judi- ¢lal convention seems to have worked s0 well that the same trick might be turned just easy with the demo- cratic county mominations. Why give the rank and file anything to say when the machine bosses can haudle the thing without assistance? Superintendent Fowler's annual encye- Heal to the school teachers of Nebraska coutains a lot of recommendations— good, bad and lndifferent. If the state superintendent would take up a few polnts at a time that properly come lnstead of cwithin - his jurisdiction 1.00 | STATESMAXLIKE COUNSBL. In an address a few days ago” Gov- ernor Odell of New York urged that it is the duty of every citizen to regulate his conduct with reference to the general { public interest and welfare and to ob- \n-n‘o those principles which mean the greatest patriotism-—obedlence to laws upon which depend the stability of our government. He said that A man may fight the battles of & country against foreign foes and still, by his disregard | of the statutes of the state, encourage | among those whose ideas of government are crude, doctrines which mean de- struction to that which -~ he himself helped to create. ‘“Mutual forbearance, said Mr. Odell, “a respect for the rights of all, will make more certain our ef- forts and bring us a realization to the fullest extent of that which awaits en- ergy, ambition and labor."” A like thought was expressed by President Roosevelt in his Labor day address at Syracuse. He declared that it is all essential to the continuance of our healthy national life that we should recognize community of interest among our people, that the welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us and that In public life that man is the best representative of each of us “who seeks to do good to each by doing good to all; in other ‘words, whose endeavor it is, not to rep- resent any special class and promote merely that class’' selfish interests, but to represent all true and honest men of all sections and all classes, and to work for their interests by working for our common country.” This is sound and statesmanlike coun- sel and 'If generally heeded would do away with most of the evils and abuses that demoralize alike our political and social life. The first and paramount duty of the citizen, as urged by Gov- ernor Odell, is obedience to the laws and a proper respect. for those who have been given authority to execute the pop- ular will as expressed in law. Only thus can the preservation of soclal peace and order be assured. The disposition to disregard this obligation of good citi- zenship has become far too general in recent years and is rightly viewed by | thoughtful men as a grave danger to our institutions if allowed to go on un- checked. Distespect for law in this country, manifested in various forms, has brought upon the United States the reproach of being the most lawless among the civilized nations. There can be no question as to the soundness of Mr. Roosevelt's statement that “the wel- fare of each of us is dependent funda- mentally upon the welfare of all of us,” but it is not an unreasonable suggestion that before this shall be so generally recognized that each will endeavor to promote the good of all there must come a pretty radieal change in human na- ture. Relfishness is still and perhaps to a greater extent than ever before the impelling and most 'potent force in hu- man affairs and will undoubtedly con- tinue to be indefinitely. Yet this fact does not militate inst the wisdom and soundness of the president's view, which it is well to have presented to public consideration, even though there be no promise of its early realization. Certainly such counsel as that of the president and Governor Odell ought not to be altogether fruitless. WORK FOl NEW BUREAU. Not much has yet been made public regarding the operations of the new bu- reau of corporations, but it may be confidently assumed that it is not idle and that in due time the country will hear of developments which will not be without interest. It takes time to prop- erly put a bureau of this character, with its entirely new machinery and dutics, into working order and Secretary Cor- telyou and Commissloner Garfield are careful and conservative men, who will proceed in carrying out the law in a way not likely to cause distrust or dis- turbance. . In a recent article the Philadelphia Public Ledger, commenting upon the course of the anthracite coal comtina- tion in reducing production and raising prices, remarked that the bureau of cor- porations could make no better begin- ning in the performance of its duty than in investigating the Coal trust, which has an entire monopoly and enforces it. “If there was need for the president to intervene in 1902,” says that paper, “when he had no constitutional warrant, 18 there not now stronger reasons why the bureau should get to work in the coal field and crush the monopoly by the strong hand of the law?" In regard to the policy of the anthra- cite combination, shaped to make the public pay for the cost to the operators of the last strike, the Ledger points out that after the 1000 strike coal was ad- vanced 50 cents a ton. “The months wore on and the consumers found that the 50 cents extra was a fixture. The annual production of anthracite was then from 55,000,000 to 60,000,000 tons and the consumers began to contribute an added profit of anywhere from $20,- 000,000 to $30,000,000 a year. The 1002 strike followed and although the op- erators were collecting an exorbitant price for coal from the public, an addi- tional 50 cents went on top of the former ‘penalty’ which the public must pay. The production is now 60.000,000 tons. There was a 10 per cent increase in miners' wages and other slight increases, which make the cost of production a lit- THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1907 management of men who have little concern for the public interest and are governed chiefly by their own cupidity. There would seem to be no question as to the duty of the bureau of corpora- tions to investigate this combination and ascertain if possible the nature of its organization and its methods, to the end that the president and congress may be advised as to whether or not this for- midable and dangerous trust can be dealt with by national legisiation. MHAM NONPARTISANSHIP, * Honest nonpartisanship on the bench would commend itself to good citizens of all political creeds, but sham non- partisanship must fall to command popular respect or confidence. The pre- tended nonpartisan judicial ticket incu- bated by a handful of lawyers and nominated by the democrats will fool nobody. It is a poorly concocted scheme to trad® the places on the dis- trict bench for the supreme judgeship. Incidentally it is presumed to be a mas- ter stroke of political diplomacy by which the votes of a considerable num- ber of dissatisfied republicans can "be pooled on the two lonely democrats who have been labeled nonpartisans. While both of the democratic candi- dates are reputed to be fairly qualified for judicial positions, the fact that the democratic convention harnessed them in with five members of the opposing party is not very complimentary to the democracy, even if the republican can- didates bad any speclal claim upon democracy. It 18 a notorious fact that each of these five candidates had been a candi- date for a straight party nomination in the republican judicial convention. It is well known that up to the time of that convention none of these men pro- fessed any sympathy with the demo- cratic party, and one of them at least, Judge Dickinson, had been elected in opposition to a nonpartisan ticket eight years ago, and in opposition to the reg- ular democratic nominees four years ago. Only a week ago he voluntarily addressed a republican ward club and sought to impress upon its members the idea that he was still and will con- tinue to be a republican partisan. There | can be no doubt that had he been suc- cessful in securing a republican nomina- tion, he would not have troubled him- self much to get a democratic non- partisan nomination. Man!festly, therefore, the democrats have simply made themselves a harbor of refuge for two rejected republicans who will be pitted as much against the two democrats on the ticket as they will be against the candidates on the republican ticket. If democratic leaders imagine they will strengthen their party by this gauzy pretense of nonpartisan- ship, they will find themselves out on a rainbow chase. Emmme— It is not uncommon for misfit lawyers to propound questions to Witnesses that draw out testimony against thelir clients and frequently prove fatal to their case. The zeal of the World- Herald to make a case in favor of Judge Sullivan belongs to the same category. Commenting on the attitude of The Bee in relation to the public lighting monopoly, Judge Sullivan's fool friend, the editor of the World-Herald, says: “In his brief before the supreme court (the railroad assessment case), the editor of The Bee declares the people must stop electing to office the men nominated by the railroads, and yet we find Mr. Rosewater giving cordial sup- port to Mr. Barnes, a man whom Mr. Rosewater well knows was chosen as republican candidate as judge of the supreme court by the railroad lobby.” ‘Will the World-Herald kindly inform the people of Nebraska where Judge Sullivan stood in that famous railroad tax case? Did he stand for the people or for the railroads? If Sullivan had stood for the people, we feel sure the people would have stood up for Sulli- van, and The Bee would have cham- ploned his re-election, but Judge Sulll- van preferred to make his bed with the railroads and the people will let him repose in peace. Popocratic critics of the administra- tion are now trying to find fault with the new Department of Commerce be- cause “it provides places for 10,145 henchmen of the party in power.” They are careful to omit the fact that more than ninety-nine one-hundredths of the government employes subject to the new department were simply transferred from other departments, and that in point of fact the aggregate number of employes in those departments has been reduced rather than increased by virtue of the consolidation. A little dis- crepancy like this, however, cuts no fig- ure with political color blind carpers bound to manufacture political capital with or without a foundation of fact. What President Garrett of the Indian Rights assoclation says of Indian in- spectors whitewashing crooked Indian agency officers after accepting the hos- pitality of the men whose conduct they are. sent to investigate, or taking evi- dence only from among the friends of the beclouded officers, touches a vulner- able spot, not only with reference to the frauds in the Indian territory, but with reference to soiie of the johbery perpetrated on the Indian reservations in this state. Reforn: in the Indian tle higher—a few cents a ton, perhaps— and the Coal trust Is exacting annually a dollar a ton on 60,000,000 tons from the American public more than was paid previous to the two strikes.” The situation shows most conclusively the existence of a combination, or what Is practically a trust, which controls ah- solutely the production and the price of anthracite coal, There is not a shadow of doubt in regard to this. Mines ure closed and prices are advanced by a fow men and thus there is s complete a_mo- spreading out over the whole field of [ nopoly of the anthracite coal flelds as #chool administration and school policy be would accomplish more can be concelved of. One of the great est public necessities is subject to the bureau service will not be thorough un- less it includes ‘all the (lifferent Indian agencies. \ ——— e People who favor muilcipal owner- 1, 1006, when the electric lighting con- tract expires. And now the Nebraska senators are accused of turning a trick in the plat- form committee of the late republican convention by which the reciprocity plank was tossed over the transom without ceremony by a vote of 4 to 2. In view of the fact that the Ne- braska senators were from 4,000 to 8,000 miles away from Lincoln when the committee was in session, and had not been in the state for months, their in- visible influence must have been ex- erted by wireless telegraphy. When The Bee intimated some weeks ago that this year's state campaign would narrow down between Robert E. Lee Herdman and some republican dark horse, the World-Herald scornfully resented it as a reflection upon popular intelligence, but strange as it may seem and yet nevertheless true, the World- Herald now declares that Barnes and Sullivan are lost sight of in the contest over the $£12,000-a-year supreme court clerkship plum. If any democrat in this judicial dis- trict can figure out how elther of the two democrats on the sham nonpartisan ticket can be elected when they are running against five republicans on their own ticket and four republicans not on thelr own ticket, we would like to see the white of his eyes. Dig Up. Chicago Record-Herald, The price of hard coal has been raised again, probably owing to the fact that the people who furnish it have an ldea that some of the consumers are basely hiding money away. A Long-Felt Want. Chicago Post. Bishop Joyce's refreshing suggestion that our theological schools need a chair of common sense might apply to every part of our educational system, from the grades up. There “ is nothing more generally needed today than systematic and earnest instruction in common sense and common honesty. Famous Gallery Spectacle. ‘Washington Post. Tt 1s semi-officially announced that no matter what changes Speaker Cannon may make in the house committees, the galleries will not be deprived of the dally delectable treat of seeing Sereno Payne of New York smilingly and somewhat pompously pre- empt the first alsle to the left of center and “move that the house do now adjourn.” Pat on the Brakes. Cincinnat! Enquirer. In some parts of the country it seems that in granting licenses to run automobiles there should be more particular examina- tion as to common sense than as to knowl- edge of steam or electricity. The ownership of one of these horseless establishments seems to imbue a man with the desire to go through the streets at the speed of a dog with a tin kettle tied to his tail. American to the' Core, Loulsville Herald. Loulsville has a stronger claim to be con- sidered “the American city” than Philadel- phia. The percentage of the latter's for- elgn-born pov-lnion is 228. Loulsville, out of a population of 204,781, has 21,427 forelgn- born, or 105 per cent. Cincinnati's forel born people ate 17.8 per cent, Cleveland' 326, Pittsburg’s 2.4 Philadelphia draws most of its population from Pennsylvania, ‘whose population is 84 per cent native-born, against 97.3 per cent for Kentucky. Of Ken- tucky's total population, 2,147,174, there were In 1890 reported 1,885,338 born In Kentucky itself. The total native population of the state was 2,003,205, Kentucky Is thus Amer- jcan to the core, and its busy and beautiful metropolls, American, too, in every sense of that noble term. Put He Didn't Cough Up. 8t. Louls Globe-Democrat. Secretary Shaw came and we waved our napkins at him and sald privately and iIn public that he was one of the best sec tarfes of the treasury that there ever was, but the secretary did not appoint a dis- bursing agent for that $5000,000. He said “this 18 no matter of sentiment, but a plain business proposition.” The money will be forthcoming in good season, though one needs to count carefully when one Is spend- ing $5,000,000. Secretary Bhaw was taken into a high place and shown all the king- doms of the earth, strung along Skinker road, or soon to be so, and he greatly liked the view which has at present as the terminus of Its perspective, the car sheds of the Transit company. These are, how- ever, to be quite concealed by Adolphus Busch's Tyrolean Alps. “Beyond the Alps lies the car barms.” Before the secretary went away he told us our universal expo- sition was going to be the finest ever seen. IS THERE A HARD COAL TRUST? Pertinent Inguiry Reaching Down Into the Pocketbook. Chicago Post. ‘We have grown so into the habit of speak- ing of trusts and fancying that we can see a trust in every industrial combination that it may seem the height of absurdity for anyone to questior the existence of an Anthracite Coal trust. Of course, all ordi- nary evidence favors the bellef that such a trust exists, but when we inguire Into the matter more closely we find that the gen- erally accepted definition of a trust does not apply to' the hard coal arrangement. In the first place, the father of all trusts— the Standard Ol company—has assured us repeatedly that its chief purpose fs phil- anthropic; it was formed with the object of cheapening kerosene and other petroleum products to the consumer. The hard coal operators canuot plead gullty In this par- ticular. Again, a trust is something against which the anti-trust laws of the nation and the several states operate. But none of these has interfered with the activities of the anthracite coal producers and carriers. The coal operators control the source of hard coal supply, they control the means of transportation and they control the retafier. They have suspended the law of supply and demand, for they can tell to a cent months in advance just what the selling price of coal will be, no matter what the amount of production or the percentage of consump- tion. Only recently they have sald that they were over-producing and might soon have to close mines and restrict operations, but surely this cannot be true in the face of the automatic, predestined advance in ship of public lighting, ard thit means 83 per cent of the citizeas of Omaha irrespective of party, will not, we feel sure, countenance or cordone any ex- tension of-the electric lighting eountract beyond its present term. What relates to the electric light contract also re- lates to the gas contract. If the city is to have its own lighting plant within the next three years no contract for gas light street lamps should be entered into that would extend beyond January the price of coal. Overproduction cannot raise prices. The coal strike costs the operators about 10 or 16 cents a ton to pay Increased wages, but the consumer s charged §1 a ton more today than he was just before the strike. If the production has exceeded the de- mand, how are we to account for this dif- ference of 8 or 90 cents & ton—It there is no hard coal trust? 1¢ 1s all very puzaling. Must we, in spite of these conflicting views, conclude that the anthracite combination is one of the most perfect monopolies this country hus seen? SAMPLE OF JERSEY JUSTICE. Managing Directors of Co Not Orim! Iy Liab! New York Tribune, It may be sald without dlsrespect to Chief Justice Gummere and his colleagues that Intelligent and right-minded cltizens of Newark and neighboring towns who have watched the proceedings In the trolley accident case with deep interest would have been better contented with the result it the court had permitted the Jury to exercise its functions, instead of ordering a verdict of acquittal. Doubtless the court poasessed full authority to do what it did, but o much competen: evidence had been put on the record in support of certain vital points presented by the prosecution that it is not altogether ratisfactory to have the court dismiss those questions of fact as not merely unproved, but unworthy of the consideration of the jury. We do not care at present to refer to these issues in detail or to the unfortunats circumstance that the case was tried under an omnibus in- dictment which made no discrimination among the defendants, but it seems desir- able to call attentfon to one of the con- ditlons which Indisputably existed when trolley car and locomotive crashed together In Newark last February. The chief justice, in saving the jury the trouble of finding a verdict, said the state had not shown that the front platform of the trolley car was so crowded with pas- sengers as to interfere with the motor- man's use of the brake. Nevertheless, the front platform was crowded, and it was crowded fn violation of an express rule of the company, as counsel for the defend- ants took pains to show. That is a matter of general interest, for It brings to mind the fact that the same regulation is com- monly made by street rallroad managers only to be broken with their connivance by their employes when circumstances render the breaking of it profitable to the companies. A little fncident which happens to be within our knowledge supplies an fllustration of this familiar policy. A woman riding in a closed car of the Metro- politan company had with her a little girl who was sick and faint, and whom for that reason she led out on the front plat- form for the sakKe of the fresh air. It chanced that the car was not full and therefore the woman and the child were ordered to the seats they had left by the conductor, to whom the case was explained. | In our opinion he did right, but doubtless a few hours later that same car carried as many passengers on the front platform as it would hold, because seats and stand- ing room inside were jammed and the conductor knew the company wanted him to collect as many fares as possible, If in old times the occupation by passen- gers of the front platform of a slow horse- car was not particularly objectionable, it is certain that the front platform of a heavy trolley car, moving swiftly through streets in which there has been an enormous in- crease of traffic, should be reserved ex- clustvely for the motorman, whose attention ought not to be diverted from his duties for an instant, and who ought not to be sub- jected to the slightest risk of physical in- terference. The rule nominally requiring such conditions to be preserved is proper and necessary, but it is a plece of impu- dence to pretend that it is Inviolable so long as there ts no sorid motive for viola- ting It, and then to permit, or instruct, em- ployes to disregard it utterly when nicke's are walting to be collected from more pas- sengers than the inside of a car will hold. ‘Whether the motorman of the trolley car which was shattered in the Newark tragedy was or was not hindered in applying his brake by the children surrounding him, the regulation cited in behalf of the defendants in the case ended yesterday was wilfully and recklessly violated on the 19th of last February, as It had been hundreds of times before. Has it been scrupulously enforced ever since? Are similar regulations habitu- ally enforced on any street car line at the expense of the company? PERSONAL NOTES. Paul de Tussan, father of the famous opera singer, Zelle de Lussan, has just dled at Folkstone, England. President Harper has declared that the students of the Chicago University Dra~ matie club shall not wear tights. That's an institution which needs no press agent. A Chicago millionaire, wise and weary in his experlence of the world, and at an age where follies and folbles are imprac- ticable I not distasteful, has given $1,000,000 to his relatives just to see what they will do with it. Just watch 'em. Mr. J. P. Morgan has offered to pay $400,000 for a certain Oriental vase, @nd he was not In his cups when he made the offer. Buch a treasure will be a good thing to have unbroken about the house, what- ever befalls the shipping trust. Prof. Max Puchat of Paderhorn, Ger- many, who bears the title of musical direc- tor to the king, has been elected director of the Milwaukee Musical soclety from msev- enty-elght applicants. He was a pupil for a number of years of Franz Lisat. Otto Goldschmldt, the surviving husband of Jenny Lind, once renowned as “the Swe- dish nightingale,” recently celebrated his seventy-fourth birthday. He is Iliving quietly on the English estate the songstress purchased with the proceeds of her Ameri- can tour. An Towa editor had an auction sale of delinquent subscribers’ accounts. The amounts averaged along about $2.60 or $3. The sale afforded a real opportunity to test the credit of mome who had faled to pay the editor. One account was knocked down for two matches. It s astonishing, the unanimity with which the members of the United Order of Humorists throughout the country are declaring that the situation In Astatic Tu key is Syrio-comic, or at any rate less Syrious than was supposed. There are five ways of spelling Beirut and fifty ways of turning this ancient jest. Emerson Enterprise: Bryan and the Kan- sas City platform were not turned down at the democratic state convention because the delegates were overawed by the ma- jestic presence of Colonel Bryan. have been Interesting, however, to have taken an Australian ballot so the delegates could have voted their true sentiments. Willlam Mackabee, an Inmate of the naval home in Gray's Ferry road, Philadel- phia, and the oldest living veteran of the American navy, will celebrate his one hun- dredth birthday today. He was born in Baltimore and went to sea in 1832 when 12 years old on the old frigate Constitution. Diring the civil war he served on Penn- sylvania. Stanton Picket: There is no fusion in Nebraska this fall (). It so happened that two distinct conventions, held at difterent places and alded by long-distance telephone, mutually recognized the superior qualities of the same men for llke posi- tions and nominated them. It was a clear case of great minds running in the same channel for the public good. Perhaps the fact that ‘both conventions were held on the same day was merely a coincidence. Perhaps? Fremont Tribune: Frank Reavis of Falls City has achieved a notable political vie- tory. He has just been nominated for the position of district judge, against a strong faction and lively opposition In his home county. He was aseisted at the nominat- ing convention by Congressman Hinshaw. who s one of the livest political wires in Nebraska. Mr. Reavis will have hearty support for the election. He will be ele- vated, to the bench and he will make a satisfactory and creditable judicial officer. 1t would | DOINGS THE ARMY. Itéms of General Interest from the Army and Navy R Major John F. Guilfoyle, Twelfth cavalry, of the board detalled to revise the small arms firing regulations found his visit to the range at Fort Sheridan last week a profitable one. He went there to talk over the new regulations with the competitors and obtained views at first hand of what further changes were desirable in the vol- ume on this subject shortly to be published by the War department for the benefit of the army and militia. A number of mooted questions were discussed and a good deal of valuable information acquired. It is inter- esting to know that a unanimity of view prevails in favor of retaining the rapld-fire system at 600 yards, with an_increase in time limit. Major Guilfoyls has submitted a report of the results of his observations at Fort Sher- idan. He found that the bull's-eye target adopted by the board met with unanimous approval. Quite a number of experts were {of the opinion in this connection that the points of the bull's-eve at 300 yards should be increased in diameter from elght to ten inches. The new aming positions pre- scribed by the revised regulations also met with favor and commendation was heard on every hand respecting the system of rapld fire adopted by the board. It has been recommended, however, that the dis- appearing target should have other valua- tions for hits besides five and zero. The revised regulations will probably change this target to conform to this view which is regarded as entirely justified. A proposi- tion has been made to eliminate the rapid fire system at 500 yards in the marksmen's course and to introdure it in the sharp- shooter's course, giving a time limit of thirty instead of twenty seconds as now. Major Gullfoyle is detailed for duty as in- spector of smallarms practice, United States army, and as acting assistant adju- tant general of the army in Washington, and will report In person to the acting adju- tant general of the army for assignment to dugy accordingly. In connection with the army competitions which are coming to attract more attention and awaken the latent Interest in marks- manship, it fa interesting to know that | there 1s destined to be a consideration of the question whether commissioned offi- cers shall engage with enlisted men in these competitions. Some years ago this question cams up in various forms and for |a time thers were separate competitions, This year's work, however, has been with- out such separation. Major Gullfoyle had tion which does not relate to the matter of discipline as might be supposed and as was at one time foremost in the discus- slon. It is questioned whether enlisted men under such circumstances are not placed at a disadvantage since a commissioned officer who is a good marksman is very apt to possess means of practice at his own.ex- pense, and in this way to obtain a possibly unfair advantage over the enlisted man who Is his competitor. For this reason it may be desirable in the end to establish distinct prizes, one for the successful com- missioned officer and the other for the suc- cesssful enlisted man. An Important general order will shortly appear from the War department. It is of tho greatest Interest to army officers, since under its provisions the amount of baggage to be transported at govermment expense Is increased three-fold. Quarter- master General Humphrey, who has had much practical experience in his depart- ment, is responsible for the change, and tity of army buggage to be carrled without cost to the owner, as specified In para- gTaph 1242 of the army regulations will be as follows: “For a major general, 10,500 pounds; brigadler general, 8400 pounds; fleld officer. 7,200 pounds: captain, 6,000 pounds; first lleutenant, 5100; second lleu- tenant and veterinarians, 4,500; noncommis- sloned officer, 1,600.”" Heretofore, excess of baggage hag been transported by the owner at his own risk and whatever cost might be fmposed upon it. Hereafter, this excess will be transported by the govern- ment at the favorable rates which may, of course, be obtained by the War department and the actual cost of the transportation will be charged against the owner whose Dbenefit by this arrangement is derived from the speclal rates which the govern- ment dbtains and which, of course, would not be avallable for the individual. The question of army musio is befare the general staff with every prospect that some reformatory measure will be evolved as a result of the deliberations. Numerous suggestions have been submitted to the general staft from a varlety of sources, in- cluding chief musicians, who ought to be in a position to know what is most needed. One of the steps upon which everybody agrees as necessary for the achlevement pay of army musiclans. This, of course, can only be done by legislation, and it Is probable that among the recommendations sent to congress during the coming session will be one In favor of a change in the law 50 as to glve members of army bands greater compensation than they now re- celv The change is considered as abso- lutely necessary in order to preserve the artistic quality of military bands. General A. W. Greely, chiet signal officer of the army, has adopted the plan by which the goVernment shall be in possessior of photographic records of important military events and scenes. He has already equipped with photographic outfits sergeants of the signal corps who are on duty In Alaska and the Philippines, with instructions that the product of these photographers shall be sent to Washington. Detalled inatructions have been furnished so that Interesting incldents and surroundings may be pre- served by means of the camera. Now the same system is to be adopted in the United States where there is much of interest In a military way, such as the maneuvers in New England and the military programs at Fort Riley and West Point, Ky, to say nothing of similar events in other parts of the country. The signal corps has purchased . twelve photographic outfits, whlcn will be distributed to as many ser- nts who are regarded as competent to do this work. These sergeants are ex- pected to use the utmost economy in the consumption of materfal furnished by the government, and they will be required to make detalled monthly reports of the work performed, the report to be accol view. All the negatives will be the prop- erty of the signal corps, and all prints and negatives which are considered of sufficlent value to be preserved will be sent to the signal corps post at Fort Myer, Va, to be marked and filed. Dolng Quite Wel Minneapolis Times. Chief Btatistician King of the census of- fice has cruelly punctured President Roose- velt's race sulcide notion by the statement that according to the census there were 2,049,132 births in 190 and only 1,090,048 deaths. Remembering that deaths are much more fully reported than births the showing is not as favorable as thé real figures would be. If the president meant that our “Lest people” are ot multiplying as rapldly as they should, there is com- pensation in the fact that the humbly born of today are the “best people” of a quar- ter of & century or so hencey encountered at Fort Sheridan the old ques- | it is on his recommendation that the quan- |, of practical results is the increase in the | panied by twe unmounted prints of each | GET TOGETHER. Merging of the Irri n and Tra Missiasippl Congresses Suggested. New York Evening Posty The suggestion that the Transmississipp congress and the National Irrigation con gress be combined comes from the west, tollowing close after the meeting of the former at Seattle. The latter chose Ogden, Utah, for a gathering place. It would seem that enough of common Intorest exists to make the proposition to unite a sensible one, “Congresses and “fairs” with long names and all-embracing purposes are too common, and if the country beyond tho Mississippi would attract attention to itsel there must be hind its exhibitions. The objection, quently urged, that the Transmississippl congress represents a much larger area than s interested in irmigation laws and methods fs not so valid as would appear. Barring the first tier of states beyond the big river, there Is hardly a community that is not vitally affected by drouth, sional o perlodic. ¥rom North Dakota to Texas and from eastern Washington to southern California, irrigation is the farm- ers' hope. Fverywhere in that immense area the Wright irrigation law was looked wpon as the forerunner of a general re- vival of interest in the problem of making arid lands productive. With Senator Du- bols of Idaho heading a company to water %,00 acres of land about Lewiston, with the Denver Chamber of Commerce discuss- ing & project to reclaim 65,000 acres in the Grand valley, Colorado, and with number- less smaller private enterprises on foot, it is difficult to see what more important work a serfous-minded Transmississippl con gress can take up. Heretofore certain del- egates to both bodies have fought the idea of unfon, but the obvious advantages of the consolidation seem likely to appeal more forcibly as the aims of each are bet- ter understood. COMING AND GOING. the Anthracite Coal Work the Consnmer. Pittsburg Dispatch. It {8 interesting to observe the explanation by which the anthracite coal corporations Justify their order to shut down the mines on the plea .of overproduction at the sama time that prices are being shoved up 10 cents per month by order of the same au- thorities. Only lust spring It was heard from the same sources that the deficlency in pro- duction during last year's strike was suf- ficlent to explain the dearth of fuel and famine prices, and that it would take at least a year's steady production to make up the shortage. It seems rather difficult ! to reconcile that statement with the pres- ent allegation of overproduction and con- sequent shutdown. But the corporate logle tackles the difficulty with zeal and con- fidence. Thers have been an extremely urgent demand and large consumption for one aize of hard coal. ‘The vigorous efforts of the companies to meet that demand have pro- duced an oversupply of other sizes. Hence the overproduction and shutdown. Ofie might supposs that the legitimate result of such a condition would be to lower pri on the sizes of coal of which thero is an excess; but the anthracite corporations know a trick worth two of that. By shutting down now they will be ahla to allege next winter another shortage in the size of coal for which there is the greatest demand and to extract some more $10 and $12 prices. Then after that extor- tion has been worked to ita capacity they can repeat -the ‘“overproduction” pretext next summer and produce artificlal scar- city again. SMILING LINES. Ml- Anne Teek—He asked me 'mbered how hot the summer of " ’lhc Idul Miss -Yes, the idea! Just as { u'd tfll him it you did. —l‘hllldulhhh | it 1 re- 6 was. John Jones, the patient who came in a little while ago," sald the attendant in the out-| pn.l-m department, ‘‘didn’t give his oc- o a'hn was the nature of his trouble?" asked the resident physician "lruury l! tho base el the spine. Tim down a8 a Dook agent. anpm- Press. "—Phila- Bpeilbinder—Yes, my friend, eternal vigi- lance s the price of liberty. Be on your rd; & word to the wise 1a sufficient. Voice from the Audlence~Then you must take us for gol-darn fools! You have been talking for an hour and a half!—Kansas City Journal. “He called mo & bolled lobster,” explained the complainant. “Well,” replied the defendant, “he runs a red automoblle, and he looks iike one. P"Dhfl:hlrl’efl.“ sald the judge.—Chicago ost. So you think # 18 an advantage ot a boy to, be reared In the countr answers Farmer C orn- z has a heap better chance "Bo you lhlu Il is an advantage to a boy is surrounded orchards nd melon patches he can hl 6 & stomach ache with- out the doctor ’umpln to the econclusion that "he's ot~ ‘pendicitis."~Washinglop tar. The kangaroo can jump a bit; The' flea's fi jumper, too— m| "1l bite, lnd then he'll it ‘When either jumps, nnbody tries His jum| gltu to pursue— We're glad the flea has not the sizs Of the blg kangaroo. ~Chicago Tribune. ARMY OF THE CORN, Bt. Louls Globe-Democrat. All summer long the army stands In ranks erect and clean, The garrison of level lands And of the hills between. The Armies of the Wind and Rain Come shouting to the fight; Alert upon the spreading lnln he corn waits In its might 1t flaunts fta‘tasseled banners high, And beats each swaying shield, UpMl the summer's battle ry Is chorused from the fleld. Vietorious and sturdy still It rises from the fray And Tustiing ehants of gladness Al The long hours of the day. The dawn's first tender, rosy blush— The halling of the morn- Finds, shrouded in a pnvelul hush, The' Army of the Co But friendly breezes comie and go Till dying afternoon Hears, faintly sighing, soft and low, The echo of & croon. And so, serene and bold and brave, All through the summer long The gleaming banners proudly wave In cadence with the eong. Until the golden autumn morn When there will come to spoll The standing Army of the Corn, The hopeful Troop of Toil. Many a woman has found a hus- band in Ayer’s 2. Lo Hair Vigor.