Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 26, 1909, Page 4

THE OMAMA™ DALY BEE | | FOUNDED BY ERWARD ROSEWATER VICTOR ROS! lflufl at Omaba postoffice as second- clase, matter, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Daity =u (withaut Bunday), one year. Dally Bse and Sunday, one year.. .. Py Al rvv{’ Evi VATER, EDITOR. | | 1 | | uo -0 DELIVERED BY CARRIER. oo (Including Sunday). per week 1kc (without Bunday), per week . 1o ), per Wi e a6 (without & 8 ek with Bundy). per week.. it " epartment. teulation th Omaha- enty-fourth and N. 3 reet. ow orl—.loo-l 1101-1102 CORRESPONDENCE. and #di- : Omaha Bee, J 'ANCES. e . Omahs. or esstern exchanges, not accep! B st dints. o e CES. maha—The Bes Munding it Nloago 16 Detts Htigin i k e Bt Fgses, o 7 oot ‘ashington—736 Fourtasnth Strest, N. W. Communteations r t oo “l.‘f’l. 16 ni “ditorial rtment. raft, express 1 _ord B hle T e e DE i Company Teont received in payment of - e STATEMENT O» CULATION. e State of Ny » County, »e: B sk troagurer of e '& SR the - or.m'n‘:fi;‘" of tull and cample Bunday March, 1. 2 Morning, A p- printad daring the menth of ‘was as follows: 1 R LRy l\lhflfi in presen: WO m; a betore me m'uy 'ol ’:'w‘:;‘ . : iy X LKE! (Bead Notary Publie. WHEN oUT OF TOWN, Subseribers leaving the ity tem. porarily whomld Rave The Hee matled to them. Address will bo changed as oftem as requested. e The sultan might have tried the injunction. ———— Abdul Hamid's crown does not ap- pear to be on quite straight. P ——— Won't someone please corner the spot mercury and run up a few points. 4 —— To Anxious Inquirer: No, Governor Shallenberger. did not come to the Riks' fatr. No, no one las been run over by an automobi] «The crowd is simply watching #he base ball bulletin board. Beven million dollars in bufldings in prospect 18 going some for a city the size of Omaha. But then Omaha al- ways sets a pace for its neighbors. . S —— The Waters-Plerce Ol company has pald its '$2,000,000 fine to the state of Texas, . Not every business could liquidate a claim of that size so easily. The Cleveland tornado, which came the next day after election, must have been due to Tom Johnson's gurgitated effort to express his opinion of the result. Fishing for trout s not go safe as angling for suckers. Broker Patten is being sought by the New Mexico game warden for fallure to take out a license. Hard coal operators insist they are losing money and must increase the price. Strange how some men managé to accumuiate fortunes in a losing business. St m—— The new bust of ex-President Roose- velt is ready for the senate chamber. Whenever thé sessions become too dreary all that will be necessary will be to show it to Balley and Tiliman. Senator Tillman says that in con- gress he has tried to be a United States senator and not simply a senator from South Carolina. His vision has been known to extend as far as Oregon. B » Englishman has tigured out that | t‘: sport of fox hunting costs its devotees in that country $3,600,000 a yéar. If Miladays furs were purchased at that rate there would be some sick looking bank accounts. Three years more of the kind of etonomy practiced on Omaha by the present demoeratic city governmesnt during the last three vears, which has saddled us with more than $500,060 detieit, will put us irretrievably in ths hole. One of Mayor “Jim's political ad- wvertisements proclaims “There is not a crooked hair on his head."” That's safe tor the man who gobbled up $15,000 of Wall street boodle during the Parker campaign. There's no hair on his head at all. Senator Page of Vermont has dlstributed maple sugar among his colleagues and Senator Bradlay Kentucky has made them presents of his state’s fimest distillation. Whe cares whether the senate restaurant i dry or not. Railroads fighting for territory in the morthweat is & good sign. That is one kind of a railroad war the publie can stand without'a protest. The de- velopment of this section has been held | they assumed control of the city hall. | Tariff Bill Prospects. Senator Brown's hope for a vote in thé senate on the tariff bill by the middle of May ia possibly a little too optimistie, In view of the decision to open all schedules to debate and amendment, but the completed new tarift is not many weeks off. The dis- cussion of the bill reported from the committee has progressed far enough to demonstraté one thing conclusively, and that is that the sentiment of the senate is stronger tnnm*nppmd for revieion in the downward direction de- manded by the people. In the making of previous tariff bills the senate has béen the stronghold of the ultra pro- tectionists as compared with the house, but In the present instance the situa- tion appears to be reversed, From the individual strength of the membeérs who have taken an advanced stand for a revision of this kind, as well as thefr number, it is apparent that many changes are sure to be made in the committee bill and mostly re- ductions, particularly in those sched- ules which in the house bill were most objectionable to the tariff revisionists. Western men are moticeably makin themselves felt in the discussions and there is réason to believe the interests of this portion of the country will have much greater conSideration than here- tofore. The aggressive forces which are rebullding the tariff bill come largely from this section and they are not likély to give away the advantage which théy have won. That those who Are contending for lower duties will galn all they are striving for is not to be expected. In the end there must be compromise, give and take, or the con- tentlon would drag on to an intermi- nable length, which is neither desirable nor necessary. All predent indications point to the differences being threshed out and the bill being sent between the middle of May and the first of June to confer- ence, where the final compromising must be done and the finished product #ént to the president. That it will satisfy all {8 an impossibility and that in its every detall it will satisfy any- one is improbable—the tariff deals with too many complex and divergent interests for that. There is every réason to believe, however, that the resultant bill will be a fair answer to the demands of the country as a whole. One of the planks of the platform promulgated on behalf of the demo- cratic mayor dnd council seeking re- élection reads as follows: Three years ago we promised dollar gas in the event it legally possible to pro- Gure it. We were stopped by the fact that & republican administration had granted the present gas company a franchise until 1918, with the authority t6 charge $1.2 to .68 per 1,000 citbic feet. Further, the city was prohibited by a republican legislature from granting a franchise to any other epmpany for more than ten years. No cor- poration would bulld a plant under a ten- year tranchise. The present democratic city administration tried to secure from a re- publican legislature in 1907 an amendment to the charter to make dollar gas possible. That legisiature refused us the amendment. But a democratic legislature has this year amended the charter in the manner re- quired. We now, theérefors, renew our pledge to give Omaha dollar in the manner-made possible by the efforts of a democratic city administration and a demo- cratic legislature. As a prismatic gas bubble this is beéautiful to the eve, but it is abso- lutely lacking in every element of sub- stance and truth. Do the democratic | word jugglers imagine that the people } of Omaba have such short memories? | The democrats three years ago did | not promise dollar gas “in the event it Was legally possible to procure it,” but they promised dollar straight | out, unconditionally and without any | strings. They promised to extort dol- lar gas from the present gas company, it they could, and if not, to establish | @ municipal gas plant, which was fully | within their power from the moment | ofl, if the democratic candidates are elecied, to provide at an early date gas &t a dollar or lese for the people of Omaha, and in view of the existing contract ¥ith the gas company, which remains in force until 1918, this pledge binds the mayor counell to the extent, If necessary, of establishin & municipal gas plant, or procuring gas from an indeperident company unless th present company concedes the reduction Gemanded. the existing gas franchise was the re- | sult of a pitched battle between the peéople represented by and The Bee, and the gas company, in which the people won out and secured concessiéns worth not less than $1.- 000,000. At the time that franchise was granted Omaha was mighty well satisfied with it and under the condi- tions thén existing its terms were de- oldedly favorable to the city, The resson why these terms are not favor- 4ble now is because the city has grown faster than dnyone then expected. But what has the democratie mayor and council during the Ilast three | years done to alleviate the situation? Not a single thing. The price of gas today in Omaba is exactly where the | schedule was fixed three years ago. If | mo competng company was willing | to take & franchise because of the ten- year lmit | Now the democratic platform writ- | ers are trying to cover up the fact that | Mayor Bemis | street lighting contracts | THE BEE: anty of the city's street lighting busi- ness, how is any one going to be in- duced to put momey into such a plant on only a five-year guarenty of the street lighting business? So far as get- ting new capital invested in a compet- | ing gas plant, the amended charter is | worse than the old | There are just two ways opem to Omaha to get dollar gas or lower. One 1s to establish a municipal plant and the other is to make a new contract with the existing company on condi- tions mutually satisfactory. The amendment to the charter may make the latter possible, but this new char- tér has been in effect for over a month without a move being made by the democratic mayor and council to take advantage of {t. If they were on the Square, they would have gotten busy and we would have had a proposition submitted at this present election that would bring dollar gas within reach. The fact that no such proposition is submitted is proof conclusive that when it says ‘“We now remew our pledge to give Omaha dollar gas” the democratic administration is simply emitting air bubbles. End of the Goebel Prosecutions. The ‘action of Governor Willson of Kentucky in putting an end to further prosecutions for the murder of Gov- ernor Goebel of that state meet with the approval of all fair minded men ‘who have studied the cases sufficiently to be familiar with them and who will divest themselves of partisanship. That Goebel's murderers deéserved punishment no one will question, but a careful analysis of the evidence should convince that in the cases involved in the pardons there wi nothing Tmt persecution based on the rankest and most bitter of partisanship. Governor Taylor and others who fled the state have been censured for not remaining, standing trial and proving their innocence. The fate of Caleb Powers is sufficient answer to this plea. American jurisprudence = dis- closes nothing more héroic than the struggles of this man. Pursued by a partisan vindictiveness' which knew no bounds but the satisfaction of its blood vengeance, goaded on by rewards running into the thousands, he has fought on for his life and his good name. In the case of Governor Taylor and the otheérs, as with Powers, there was not a particle of real testimony except that which came from the self- confessed murderers on Wwhich the faintest hope of conviction could rest. Governor Willson has not acted hastily, but has taken the timeé to scan carefully every word of the testimony, and that he has had the courage in the face of the bitter partisanship back of the prosecution to grant the pardons and stop the présécutions does credit to his manhood PIp——— Trade with Dependencies. Statistics of the Department of Com- merce and Labor régarding the trade of the United States with ite noncon- tiguous territory make an interesting study. Commencing with the year 1899, the first after the last acquisi- tion of territory, the returns show that the total of this trade was $70,000,000, whilc for the present fiscal year, esti- mates based on the eight months which have expired, it will reach $150,- 000,000. This is exclusive of gold brought in from Alaska and other possessions. The analysig of the fig- ures present some surprisés as to the source of the larger items, Porto Ri¢o leading by a big margin, and of those of any considerable sige the Philip- pines make the poorest showing, Hawall both taking and sending more merchandise. The Philippines, how- ever, show a large increase with each succeeding year, The statistics may be taken fair index of the value of the possessions from a commercial point of view, Porto Rico and the Philippines particu- larly offering an expanding market for American goods to displace those of foreign manufacture which now hold 80 large a share. Should congress ac- cept the view of President Taft com- cerning pending tariff legislation a still larger increase in this trade may be looked forward to with reasonable confidence and the prosperity of the dependencies more rapidly increased by selling to the United States, con- fessedly the best market in the world. Big Scheme to Defraud. The arrest of two men in Pittsburg brings to light one of the most gigan- tic schemes to defraud which has ever been attempted in this country. The | projectors struck out boldly and pro- posed to rakeé in $150,000,000 from gullible vietims in this country and Englind. The interference of the po- lice stopped the scheme when the pro- | moters had realized onmly a little over $100,000. The affair simply illustrates the fact | | there is no closed séason on suckers, | that the birthrate is high and that the disposition to bite is only bounded by the ability to furnish Lait. Just why | men whose business ability is such as | to enable them to accumulate suf- | ficlent money to make such Invest. } ments will put it into enterprises which the most casual Investigation would re- | veal had no existence, is a study in | soclology which offers a permanent job | |fn the old charter, there was nothing of |in the way of tWe municipal plant— | :whluh the democrats promised. | But going back to the charter ob- stacle in the way of & competing ga company, how e “the efforts of a demoerstic eity administration and a democratic legislature” helped things? The amendment put into the charter reduces the time limit on street light- ing contracts from ten years to five years. If no capitalist could be in- back too long already by lack of trans- duced to put money in a gas plant in to the inveatigator | The fact that such barefaced l'lllh‘ |dles can be perpetrated undér cover | of the incorporation laws of practically’ levery state In the union is an unan- swerable argument for their moditica- |tion in such & way that legal incor- | poration should at least be prims facle evidence of some merit and some money in the scheme before the pub- lic could be invited in. It is a dis- grace that the name of the state should be used to further a scheme which \ A OMAHA, MONDAY its tote] capital consisted of the smal sum paid for incorporation fees and priutiug. There is not only the gul- lole t. protect, but legitimate enter- prises are entitled to be saved from the suspieions and 11l effects which sucn frauds bring about. —e—— Aecording to information from conmimission is going to institute a physieal valuation of the through trunk lines. If Uncle Sam will help out in making the valuation for our Nebraska roads, it will be money wasted for us to have a state appraise- ment made of the same lines. An old gentleman 86 years of age has had his recollection of what hap- pened twenty-five years ago burnished up to tell the voters of Omaha what to do in their impending city election. It somebody’s memory should go back twenty-five years on Mayor “Jim" it might throw the light on several dark places. Mr. Bryan has not yet volunteered to sérve as lawyer for the defense for his deposit guaranty law. Neither does there seem to be any rush among the great legal lights of the demo-pop combination. They must bé waiting, first, to see the money in sight to pay the attorney's fee. The democratic orators la fall promised -Omahs home rule and deliv- ered a gold 'brick. Thé same demo- cratic orators are out now with an- other bunch of promises. They must be working of the theory that a sucker is born every minute. [ Swindler Maybray broke down and eried when accused of being McCann of St. Louis, for whose murder a man is serving a life senténce. As a real sport he could stand everything but being called a’'dead one. The secret I8 now out why Mr. Breen is not qualified to be mayor of Omal He does not wear a sombrero, or ‘buckskin breeches, or cartridge belt, or have any revolvers sticking out of his hip pocket. e How Heroes Are Made. New York Tribune. The man behind the home run becomes once more the national hero. B The L Word. Loutsville Courier-Journal. No man can‘be either a prohibitionist or a protectiontst and rcmain a democrat. He who is either and claims to be & democrat is a prevaricationist ki In other words, Ajax Patten, the defier, refers the public and all others interestod to certain pithy remarks by one Commodore Vanderbilt. Stieking to tl Ol4 Stand. Chicago Record-Herald. Abdul Ham(d appears to prefer the Yi|dis autauqua cireuit and will, milke a strong effort to remain at the 61d stkid dufing the endulig summer season. " Wise . and: Prompnt Action. New York Sun. The president has acted promptly and properly in :ordering the swift crulsers Montana and North Carolina te the Medi- 10 100k after American interests Baltimore American. Who dare exclalm that no simplicity Is left in our republican government when the president and vice president of the United States root at a base ball game and share A §-gent bag of peanuts? What ten- derer touches of nature could make them and the whole nation kin? TURNING AGAL Seuthern Demoerats Flouting Peerless Ome. Charleston News and Courler (dem.). The house of representatives of Florida, in session at Tallahassee, must have been the scene of an astonishing exhibition when Congressman- Frank Clark in & two-hour spesch denounced Colonel William Jennings Bryan as a populist, Mr. Clark defending himeelf against the somewhat weird resolu tions offered by Representative Alexander of ““Volusla county,” in eriticism of the former's recent speech in congress. We have already outlined dimly the career of this Mr. Clark in Florida, and pointed out the instantaneous nat@re of his con- version from aggravated Bryanism to con- ealed conservatism. Mr. Clark's position RYAN, his district for his conduct in congress is unfortunately contradicted by his visit to Tallahassee, and his address to the Florida legislature, and one cannot escape harbor- ing picion that he seeks the oppor- tunity to spread his improved ideas through the legislative channel so that they may cover all Florida. Meanwhile, signs begin to appear that a popull we quote Mr. Clark's description, is losing his grip on the southern states. A few day ago he ad- dressed the Texas legislature in advocacy of the state guarantee of bank deposite scheme, but the Texans, notwithstanding that three states have imitated the experi- ment of Oklahoma, plgeon-holed the bill. Loulsiana is alreedy lost to Bryan, and the willingness of the Florida legislature to listen to the former most blatant of Florida Bryanites in his new role of Bryan critic indicates that the Land of Flowers will have no more floral offerings for him. The singular, but not surprising, feature of this situation is that the states formerly most affiicted with Bryanism in the south are the first to turn flatly against him. This event was to be expected, because in- | formed persons are aware that at least in Louisiana and Florida, Bryanism was never & sincere mania. The interests of the peo- ple of those commonwealths were always opposed to the Bryan propaganda. Louls- iana s dominated by the most powerful commercial community in the south, and the business of Florida fs moere intimately dependent upon corporations owned by northern men than is that of any other southern state. In both states, (o a degree more extreme than in other southern states, Bryanism was the plaything which dema- gogues offered the people for their diver- slon, and these same demagogues are clever enough to perceive firat that the people have tired of it. The Georgla politicians, | who are always cunning In a small way, deserted their “noble leader” a year ago, and the Loulsianians and Texans are fol- lowing In their wake. While we shall never love Mr. Bryan for the enemles he has made, our rfspect for him is somewhat emhanced by ‘the turn Omaha on & tén-year contract guar- | purpurted to be so vast whem, in fact, | conta that his tallure is uncovering. | Washington the Interstate Commerce | go; i t he iz answerable only to the people of | { THE LIMIT ON WHEAT. Cleveland’s Ways Oharacteristic Inciflents in he Publie Life of Demeoracy's Last Winner. of Cheap Land and Passing of Cheap Wheat, New York -Sun | “Thirty years age the world's wheat pro- duction was about 1000000000 bushels » | year. 1t now averages about 3,30.000.000 bushels. As this increase ia out of pro- portion to inetease in the world's popu- lation it s evident that wheat as a food substance s displacing other commodities 'hn!. | In the current number of McClure's Mag- Azine George F. Parker relates many in in the public life of Grover Cleve- 1and which serve to {lluminate the late pres. ident's relations with public men and his dominant traits. Three episodes taken from A number are characteristic. When the position of ‘confidential secretary to Presi- previously used. Increase in production in this country has been a little more rapid than the average of world increase. The | American erop of thirty years ago averaged | about 300,000,000 bushels, and It is now dent Cleveland was offered him, Gedrge B. Cortelyou felt some hesitancy about ac- cepting It because of the difference in| TPe variation of conditions; from | their politichl convictions. Mr. Parker | 10 Year makes impossibie lnz:xno‘ state- aay: ment, but the figures of the fast five years ““When Cortelyou's name was brought up #how a large decline in the|percentage of on. this occasion, it was General Michener | American wheat exported. From 180 to who told him that he would probably be (180 about 30 per cent of the total crop called upon in a few days to decide whether | Was exported, and from 1880 to 1890 about or not he' 'would socept a transfer to the | 33 per cent. The average of the last five exeécutive’ mansion as oconfidential stenog- | Years has been about ome-half that of the rapher to the president. preceding twenty-five years. While the “‘You know, general’ he sald, ‘that 1| maximum of possible acteage has not yet vS been & strong republican, and | been reached thers is little or no proba- a8 the president is a democrat, T naturally | bility that the acreage, if It is at all ex- hesitate to take this place lest if some Im- | tended, will incréass as rapidly as it did portant wecret should leak out, it might | iy eailier years when new railways were place me in a disagreeable position—in sBite | ppening new aréas to ssttlement and civi- of any precautions that I might take.’ lisation. In fact the largest acreage in the “:",‘:I'l’““"'::"“" roplied: Tecord was that of 1901, when 4089614 3 you, T can understand your hesitation, but It T were in your place I | Scree were Planted. The year 1M8 followed should put It entively aside. This tranafor | oo @AM acres. The figures for 1807 2 drop to #,111,000. Tt is conceivable, though may be & turning point in your career. Go- ing to the White H:'-. wn:‘nu you many | little peobable. that another ten yesrs may unexpected opportunities for contact with | 20¢ €000 acres in wheat. The greator public men. 1 will tell you what to do; Prodability is that the inorease in acreage accept the position, and, when a convenient | Will N0t Reep pace with the increass in epportunity presents itself, make the same | 90mestic demand and that: the predictions representations to the president that you | Of Some obaervers regarding the diminution have made to me, and leave the deoision | O Wheat exports will be. justitied. of the question to him.' This postible ajeroach to the maximum ““The second or third time that the con- | Of Wheat average is not at ail the equiva- fidential stenographer found himself seatsd | lent of approach to the maximum of wheat with the president, ready for his work, he | production. The average wheat yield for taithtully repeated to him the spesch the last twenty years has been thirteen ready rehearsed to General Mighener. The | and & hAlf. bushels to the sore. In Great president, probably somewhat annoyed at | Britaln the averdge yleld is about thirty- his interruption, turned rather sharply and | two bushels to the acre. Here 1s the weak re;nloca: 'IA‘?uXx't care a damn about your | spot in our national wheat business. The politics. want {s somebody who i8|acre valie of the American output for about 600,000,000, honest and competent to do my work.' " There was a i e impression In the public mind, during many years, that some kind of natural and insuperable tagoniam hed arisen between Mr. Cleve- land and David B. Hill, as the result of the ticket in 1888 and the defeat of the presidential electors. It was a matter dom mentioned or discussed by Mr. Cleveland in the interval between his two téerms in the presidency. He never seri- ously regretted his own defeat, save that he occasionally referred to what he might have done in matters of federal taxation and expénditure If he could have had another four years in which to develop his policies. In 1906, however, the sub- ject came up as a topic of conversation, and, for the first time in my presence, he spoke of it with , “to correct ion abroad that T' ever had any feeling that the presidential ticket was the victim of treachery In New York in the election of 1888. No- body could understand better than I. hew that seemingly contradictory result was reached. My campaign for re-elec tion was made upon a single national fssue, so forced to the front that, as I had foreseen, there was no such thing as ‘evading it, even if I or my party had so @enired. - b ¥ have never ceased to admire and praise David B. Hill for his pledn, high- minded administration of the affairs of the siate of New York, It kept down taxation, and was efficient in cArrying qut the traditional ideas of his party and of our inetitutions.” Perhaps the history of the country does not reveal another public man who 80 took to heart his defeat for the presidency, or so resented the success of his opponent, as did James G. Blaine. ‘The vile leumnies of the heated campaign re succecded by attacks, both persistent and insidious, upon the new president. It was only natural that the latter should reach the conclusion that, since he could not expect support in carrying on the affairs of the cbuntry, or decent treatment personally, the only thing for him to do was to wear out these attacks by devotion to the publie Interests. True to his nature and to that spirit which was one of his aracteristios, Mr. Cleveland, campaign of 1884, took the most determined stand against retalia- tion by attacks upon the private life of his opponent. At one time, one of the leading managers of the national demo- cratic campalgn informed Cleveland that, on the following morning, & very sci dalous exposure of Mr. Blalne would be published, and that this was to go out with official sanction from the committee. When Mr, Cleveland told me the story, with strong In- dignation. he told his in- formant that if any such publication were made, with officlal approval or even with connivance, he would at once re- sign from the ticket. MODJESKA'S HOMECOMING, Worthy Countrywoma Cleveland Plain Dealer. It is pleasing to note that the statement regarding the Russian government's un- friendly attitude toward the Modjeska obsequies was grossly exaggerated. ' That the Russian suthorities would bar her countrymen from doing fitting homor to the remains of this gifted woman, one of the most notable and praiseworthy figures of the stages seemed incredible—and so it has proved. Extensive preparations are being made in Russia and Austrian Poland to recelve and honor the fllustrious dead. A me. morial service will be held In Warsaw, and & statute of the great actress is to be erected In the foyer of the Warsaw the- ater. The management of the house has planned to establish a fund for the aid of young persons desiring to adopt the e as & profession. In Austrian Poland Modjeska statute 1s to adorn the Lem- berg theater, and there is every proba- bility that & public funeral of an impos- ing character will be held in the Polish metropolls. And all this is planned with- out any anticipation of Interference from the Russian authorities. 1t was Helena Modjeska's wish to be taken home, to be taken back to the land of her birth, to the land that in spite of her long absence was still rer to her than any other soll. This wish is to be gratified, and her countrymen, her broth- ers and sisters of Poland, are to be per- mitted to show freely their loving appre- clation of the honors she so richly earned and deserved sly Near Treason. Philadeiphia Press. Mothers of the land, arise In your might and protest. The Board of General Ap- praisers In New York has made a solemn ruling that “‘cradles are not furniture.’ Those of wicker ure classified as “inanu- factures of willow.”" There is a subtle blow at the most important of infant industries which deservy the encouragement possi- bie in & land unaiterably opposed to race suicide Pe the lmst ten years shows an average of about $10.40. As land increases In value it becomes impossible to ralse wheat at a | profit on any such basis. The state of New York produced more wheat in 1888 than in 1907, H.d' England is practically out of the wheat business. Comparing the vield of 1888 with that of 1907, an Mmorease ap- pears in Pennaylvania and Maryland. Vir- ginia, West Virginia, Ohlo, Tennessee and Kentucky show fluctuation from year to year, but no material change in ten year averages. Michigan shows a shrinkage of about one-Half, and Wisconsin appears to be atandoning the industry altogether. In- diana and Tilinols about hold their own. Iowa shows marked deoline. The gain comes principally In the states of later settlement, the frontier states, where land ® few years ago was cheap. The conclusion is inevitable that with the passing of cheap land there must alse be & passing of cheap wheat, unless there shall be devised and adopted some profita- ble system of {ntensive cultivation, with decided inovesse in yield to the aore. The Iternative will be importation, duty free, from countries that still have cheap land, o 10 ovbuisitdadiby DISABMING THE SHOW-MES, Gun Toting Put on the Ontlawed List in Missourt, Bt. Louls Republie. Blowly, perhaps, but inevitably, the west i ledving behind the things that remain from the raw piémnesr days the keel- boat was the ascoepted craft ‘western rivers, roads were not and jerked buffale meat was an important article of diet. The latest advance is one that put to shame many commonweaiths of the effete east. Two bills relating to revolvers have Just passed the legislature and now awalt the governor's signature. One prohibits the carrying of comcealed weapons, under & minimum penaity of $100 an, maximum of two years in the penitentiary; the other abolishes window displays of revolvers and guns, which may henceforth be shown only in inside show cases. Senator Wilson has worked for ten years to secure this legls- lation. Both measures will be welcomed by all sensible human beings. Carrying a re- volver, concealed, 18 much more dangerous than any perll againet which it 1s sup- posed to guard, and the one to whom finally the realization of this fact most acutely comes home is usually the carrier. They are chiefly carried by weak and ex- citable men. Tt takes a steady nerve to #hoot coolly at a deer and a still steadler one to shoot coolly a fellow being. The man with the steady nerve generally relies Representative Chariad F. Scott Kansas used to play the B-flat cornet | the village band st Emporia. The baby of the house is Representa- tive Pollitte Evans of Missousl who has | Just passed the thirtieth milestone. Mme. Guadalupe de Haro, a Mexican, and & descendant of the Momtesum: s In New York studying domsstic science as practiced in the {United States. Elizabeth Hunt, who died in Brooklyn at the age of 108, It 1# said that She was never addicted to health fads She didn't ar herself oyt worrying about keeping well Living on the summit of Muney moun- tain, Pennaylvania, is a real Dsughter of the American Revolution. @he s Mrs Elisabeth Evana Meese, whose father was & captain of Infantry in the war for inde- pendence. Mrs, Reese In in her ninety- seventh year. Although he says .he has made more than & million dollars In the prize ring. “Jem" Mace. the oldtime English pu Mstic champlion, has applied for a pe sion under the new British old age nuity aot. Mage. who is new vears old, has & record of 500 appearances in the ring and only. two defeats. A clay model of the first statue of a confederate afficer -to be erected at the National Military park, Vieksburg. has Desn finished at the studio of Henry Hudeon Kitson, at Quincy, a suburb of Boston. 1t represents Lieutenant Gen- eral Stephen Dili Lee, C. 8 A. as he 8tood mt a critichl moment of the siege of Vicksburg in the eventful summer of 1863 John 8. Pugbe. whose cartoons helped to make Puck famous, died at his home in Lakehurst, N. J. He was about 44 years old, and was beloved In a wide circle. His first work of consequence was on the New York Recorder. His ap preciation of toplcs 6f human interest and his ‘keen sense of ‘honor about an offer from Puck, and to that ‘office to continue and upon his earlier conceptions ————— PRINTERS' PENSION FUND, Of Mrs he went improe important Forward Step Taken by Orga Labor. Washington Pos One of the Important. advance steps taken by organized labor in the last year was the establishment of an old-age pension fund by the International Printers’ union. In- stead of indulging in.politics and ing its time and money in fruitiess quarrels, the printers’ union has been conducted with prudence, conservatism and enterprise, and its latest experiment in seeking the welfare of its members Is worthy of study. by other labor organizations The subject of pensioning aged and inca- pacitated members Was carefully consid- ered by a committee, which drafted a plan a year ago for the establishment of a fund to be filled by an assessment of Y of earnings of all estimatéd that this as- sessment would produce $165.000 a year, and that the annual disburséments would reach $104,000. The plan was put into operation in ch, 1906, and after ten months' ex- perience It was found that the reeeipts were §166,94 and the expenditures $19.841. gratifying surprise. ' Thé per capita tax was pald by 4470 members, averaging 3% cents a member a month, Up to January 31 of this vear 6 appli- cations for pensions had' been received, of which forty-four were “disapproved. one withdrawn and 821 approved. The average age of pensloners was found to be .3 years, Of the total number §.3 per cent (826) are between 80 and 10 vears. 356 per cent (200) are septuagenarians, 4.7 per cent e octogenarians, one fs & nonage- narian. . 10! . The officers of the Intarnational union have calculated their assessments caretully, and are confident that the fund will be able to meet the future demands conse- quent upon the incredsed age of members. Their enterprise in éstablishing a self-sup- porting pension fund within the order is highly commendéd by other organizations, and its operation will be closely watched. 1t successful, the way will be open for similar efforts in other unions, thereby dc- complishing effectually the very purpose for which labor organizations exist. Inci- dentally, the experlence of the printers' unfon with old-age pension matters mav be of great value to government employes in thelr endeavor to establish such a sys tem. ) - \ 2 LINES TO A LAUGH. Club Doctor (with view to diagnosi Apd now, my man. what do you drin Patient (cheerfully)—Oh—er--well, doctor, I'll leave that to you.—Bystander. ‘8o that policeman held you up again®’ ered Mr. Chuggins, *T think of professional jealousy. Hes utomobile can o —Washington Star. annoyed 3 faster than his bieycle.’ upon eomething othor than a weapon, with semi-hysterical Individuals, excited to a pitch of irresponsibility. Sald a rallroad conductor of thirty vears' experience in the forest region of the north during its most lawless period: ““I never wished for a sun but once in my life, and there is noth- ing that 1 am mow gladder of than that I didn’t have one when I wanted it The man who goncelves himself to be un- safe in his dally comings and goings with- out & concealed revolver would better re- form his itinerary. B — RAISING CORN IN THE SOUTH. Inerensing Diversity of Crops Justie fed by Reanlts. Baltimore Bun. Cotton is still king down south, and there is no reason to suppose that it will be de- throned in our time. The cotton that is exported represents a sum large enough to pay our gencrous balances in Burope, for the expenses and purchases of tourists, for woods imported, for transportation by s nd for interest on forelgn money invested Cotton has occupled the field too exclu- | sively. It has been too much the policy to devole the entire energies of the planters to that one crop and then have to use the money receivad for cotton to buy things | that ought, to have besn raised at home. The south is getting away from this unwise policy and phying more attention to raising ccrn and other fand. In the ten years end- ing with 1908 the production of corn in the south was nearly 700,000,000 bushels greater than in the previous decade The corn crop of South Carolina alone increased by aver & million busnsls a year. In order to stili further increase the crop of that state the legislature has offered & series of prises to he awarded to those who can ralse the largest number of bus on one or fi ncres. - Thére are separate prises for boys. This is a practical way to interest farmers in corn growing and to secure the use of the best seed and the bést methods of fer- tillsing and eultivating. The contests held in formex years, the state commissioner of agriculture says, “have been of immense value to the state in dollars and cents, as has been demonstrated by (heir influe upen the remarkable¢ advance made in the value of the corn crop in South Curolina in the last two years." The produetion of corn’ naturally suggests the prodvction of bacon, and when that Is done the people will have bread and meat, even if the boll weevil ¢ats up the cotton crop. the result that pistols are usually used by | 2 1n the United Btates. But down south King | ' "¥hy doesn’t someone invent a new puz- o “Cheer up; the spring change of railway time tables is about due.’—Buffalo Bx- Ppres Mr. Henpeck—We're going the seaside, doctor. Doctor—But the clima your wife. : 2 i Mr. Henpeck—|1t wotldn'{ dare!-Phila- delphia Inquirer called last night, and it wasn't had him atl my feet he hard to throw? to remove to disagrees with Kate—Jack long before | Bthel-Was Transcript, Boston Teacher—Johnnie, do you know what .y biotter Johnnie—Yessum. t's de t'ing wot youse hunts fer while de fnk gets dry.—Chlcago News. 5 Does Mr. Btormington Barnes look on the bright side of things?® try to asked " answerad the other mever content unless he is starin the ?&:-""'" right in the face."—Washing- ton X “Miriam, isn't that young Fergus coming to,our house pretly often now?! “I_suppows he 18, e Do you know- uuflm.rmn him? Whay s he worth, for instahce?’ “Well, he's Worth ABY dogen of the or- Qinary young men of my moguaintance.’ “Yes, but—" £ oy “And he's worth $100 a week to the firm he works for—eyen it he does get only 3% now."'~Chicaga ne. Qi FROST 8 OF MAY. W 7 O start the furnace sarly, start it early, papa, dear, ' may the trosty Ma. my flannels and my ress Of heavy gra. For T'm to be Queen of to be Queen of Mi My Cinderella slippers will be overshoes ly muff % pter. and my .crown th soe| My muff m . “mink togue %I g . - dosen ‘brick for my Have Bridget heat & rand charlot slelgh. For £ to be Queen of May, mamma, I'm to be Queen of May! We've lcicles for jewels, artiticial flowers, of ' be the.coldest day of all turs, that . mamma, I'm course A phonograph will sing May songs. for we are all too U 2 The banquet Is hot sandwiches, hot lemon- ade entree to be Queen of May, mamma, I'm [ For {o"be Quesn of May! 1 ¥ 4y We can't put up & Maypole, for the groury is frose so h We use a 'phone pole down in Bovd's high fence, windbreak. back yard: " « have shoveled off.the snow. ating’s fine, they say m 10 be Queen of May, mamma. I'm 1o be Queen of May' v LU B CAKE The the And Ons brought “Y \ J