The - Plattsmouth - Journal
rr-n Putiitslied Seml-Weekff at PiatunauTli. Hera&ka tri
R. A. BATES, Publisher.
Entered at the I'oatofF.ce t I'latUn,outh, Nebraska, as iecond-class
matter.
$1.50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
The I.oriiner case ca" be
"closed"' only with the cloning of
llm public career of I.orimer.
:o:
Prospective candidates liave
began interviewing the "dear peo
ple" as lo their changes this fall.
-:o:
It look ax if I i a . might soon
understand Hie full meaning of
that American colloquialism, the
lame duck.
:o:
The veto of the etphon.
merger hill will liave a tendency
to slop all lhat kind of business
in Nebraska.
;o.
General Madero expresses his
willingness to resign "pro
visional president" from which
it is inferred that the provision
are running low.
:o:
Addressing a republican club
in New York the older night,
Chauneey M. Iteppw gave "an ac
count of hi stewardship" of
twelve year in the senate. And
it did riot take long.
-:o:-
The Omaha Ad club failed in
pelting Iheir proposition lo ad
vertise Nebraska through the
legislature, hut I hey were more
successful in gelling Hi,, com
mission hill adopted. That Ad
flub is a great Ihing for the me
tropolis nf .Nebraska.
This olllee has rendve! several
ftnnoriiiiiiius letters In the past
two months touching prominent
allien. Annonimoits letter of
this character find no responses
t this ofllce. So please don't
end us .anything more, of
thin kind unless you hnve the
f ourage lo sign your name.
:o:
Carter Harrison, elected mayor
of Chicago for Ihe fourth time,
tade his campaign on exceed
ingly progressive lines, declaring
fop the initiative and referendum.
That these advanced principles
were endorsed In n city like. Chi
cago, not noted for its political
purity, is an indication of Ihe ad
vance of popular education along
progressive linen.
:o:
. It is just as well thai the tcle
, phone merger hill was defeated.
Had it not I n there would have
been hundreds of local indepeml
dent companies organized in Ne
braska. There would have been
an organization in every town in
Cass counly, similar to lhat re
cently organized in Louisville,
and they would have all been in
operation by the first of July.
:o:
Well, what about a "Uargain
lay" in l'laltsnmuth? Nebraska
Clily bad its second one this sea
son last Tuesday, and notwith
standing the inclement weather,
it proved a great hucccsh. Can't
someone be induced to lake bold
of the mailer and go around and
interview their brother mer
chants on the Idea of having a
lay of ihls kind in I'latlsmoulh?
:o:
pood order the world over it is
lo bo hoped lhat the leaders of
this band of murderers,' anar
chists and cul-throuls will bo
given their just deserts and an
organization that has terrorized
!taly wince the middle ages be ef
fectually broken up.
:o:
The new game law throws its
protecting wings around so many
tarietie of birds, fish and beasts
as to cause one of our Platls
Munith porfmen to usk for in
formation: "If anyone knows of
any bird or beast which, under
the present law of Nebraska may
he shot or otherwise killed for
food at any season when a norm
al person would care to perform
the operation, he can hear of
something to his advantage by
calling on him, etc."
:o:
Dr. Hyde, who was convicted of
murdering Millionaire Swope of
Kansas City and appealed to the
supreme court of Missouri, has
been granted a new trial. The
supreme court was not very
lenient in its opinions upon Judge
l.atshow's ruiiings in the first
trial. From present indications
the accused will be out on bail in
a few days, and he has hosts of
friends who are only too eager to
sign his bond.
:o:
The Cammorisls, caged like
wild beasts, evince an utter con
tempt of the law as their trial
continues in Italy. It is an amaz
ing spectacle. For the sake of
Suppose it were proposed to
open up and admit to the Union a
large agricultural slate, produc
ing, say, about twice as much
wheat as Kansas, good crops of
oats and hay, hut no corn to
speak of. Would anybody object
to the enlargement of the farm
area of the country, and the con
sequent increase in trade? Can
adian reciprocity, to the degree
lhat it lowers duties, would be
equivalent to adding another star
lo the Hag. Kansas City Star.
:o:
Many of ihe rnembors , of -the
legislature went to Coventor
Aldrich with a plea to veto the
telephone merger bill because
Ihey were ignorant of its contain
ing that little joker when they
voted for it. And such men sent
to the legislature to make laws
for the whole, people of the state.
Voting for a hill lhat Ihey did not
know anything about, and then
asking the governor to veto it be
cause Ihey were ignorant of
what it contained. Wouldn't that
knock a modern man silly?
Today (April lath., is the an
niversary of Thomas Jefferson's
birth, and the event will be cele
brated in many of the larger
cities. JeilVrsoii ,
chief inspiration (,f tl(. demo
cratic party since he founded it.
The principles of liberty, honesty
and progress I aiinciated will
live as long as popular govern
ment exists, mid will ever serve
as hencott liahls for its guidance.
Long live the memory and priu
eiples of Thomas Jefferson.
:o:
PARTY WITH A PURPOSE.
The first few days of the extra
session of congress have demon
strated lhat the democrats have
all the best of the contest, They
have a program for the enact
ment of a number of popular
measures and Ihey are united and
enthusiast ie in the purpose to
carry out the program.
It may develop later that there
is a stronger reactionary senti
ment in the house than now ap
pears on the surface, hut Ihe
present indications are that I hern
will not he a serious break in the
parly in the adoption of an
measures promised.
On the other hand the luck of
purpose or of any established
policy for Ihe session on the pari
of the republicans is as apparent
as the aggressiveness and en
thusiasm of (he democrats. The
progressive republicans nre tak
ing a pari in the game along with
the democrats, because they 'sized scale, in the administration
favor the policies generally as ' of public utilities and great in
oullined in the schedule f.-r the ' dutries on a "iolden Rule"
ei..n. I'.ut the protre-ie re- hais.
publicans are in the minority and, When Tom Johnon b-uaii the
do not control the orgauiatio:i of , fiaht he fought almost alone
their party in either house of ' among men of his class. Today
congress. there are man like him men of
In the rei-i.,n of the tariff : wealth and position who are de
schedules the democrats will have' voting themselves to the cause
the advantage of initiating the j of justice and good government,
revision because the legislation ' and who think more of winning
must originate in the bouse,' their rights for the masses of
t
where they are in control. Hat if
the republicans are making any
arrangements to help in the re
vision, or to accept it when the
measures reach the senate, they
have succeeded in keeping their
program a secret. Up to the pres
ent time the only purpose of the
republican organization either in
the house or the senate that
seen s obvious is merely to op
pose what the democrats' do.
The old-time republicans be
lieve in the "waiting game." That
is, they are wailing for the demo
crats to make some mistake that
will create an issue for i y 1 2 . Hut
while they are waiting the demo
crats give every indication of a
party that means to force the
mistake upon its enemies the
mistake of opposing popular
legislation. Kansas City Star.
-:o:-
A "GAME" FIGHTER.
Tom Johnson was a real
soldier and he died of the wounds
and blows that wen; inflicted up
on him in many a hard-fought
battle. He was a successful man
of the business world who sacri
ficed his success and his fortune
in Ihe unselfish service of the
millions who go lo make up the
world's unfortunates. And the
service it was permitted him to
render was worth all of the
sacrifice, so that it is natural to
think thai Tom Johnson, (hough
he died comparatively poor and in
one sense defeated, still died a
happy man, rejoicing in his suc
cess. Tom Johnson presented him
self in wo big aspects. One was
as an enemy of special privilege.
The other was as a lighting re
former in city government. He
stood for a 3-cenl fare on street
railways at the expense of his
own business, and though it had
helped make him a millionaire he
denounced to the last the pro
tective tariff system which levies
tribute on the many for the bene
fit of the few.
He gave Cleveland the best city
government it ever had. He made
it, in many respects, the best gov
erned city in America. He was
the greatest and most successful
of the pioneer fighters in the
struggle to purify city polities
and to lift municipal government
to the level of honest, intelligent
and unselfish administration. In
Ihe process of his long ami hilter
light in Cleveland he arrayed
against himself the great money
ed influences not only of the citv
but of the entire slate, and Iheir
eonspiracy to ruin him both.p
lilieally and financially was geu
erally recognized, and in one
sense it was successful. They
broke hint not only in fortune aftd
power, but in health as well. Hut
they could not break his spirits.
About his last published words
were these: "How are all Ihe
boys? Tell them to be of strong
heart and lo be game. I am
game." " "'
He was "game." All his life he
was "game." He gave his very
considerable fortune, not to
found libraries or endowments or
other charities, but to cure the
evils that make charities neces
sary. He used it ns a fighting
fund. His wealth was a war
chest to be used in the service of
the submerged millions. He in
vested in an immense circus lent,
and ejnployed a whole caravan of
men to transport il from point to
point in Ohio while he campaign-,
ed against the hosts of privilege, contains these interesting statis
M his own expense and against J lies. There were 7ln,0'.7 ex
tremendoiis opposition, he Kave change station added during Ihe
great object lessons, on a life- year, making a total of 5,882,7 19,
men than to win special privileges
and immunities for themseives.
He was a pioneer, and his name
and fame will grow with the
years. World-Herald.
:o:
Of course you'll hear them say
it is
A dear, bewitching bonnet,
Cut it is not as dear as that
Small price tag placed upon it.
:o:
Now then, all together clean
up.
:o:
Talk about being able to use the
veto, what's lb matter with
Aldrich?
:o:
The March winds were delayed
in transmission that's why we
are getting more than is coming
to us in April.
:o :
It begins to look as though
there was going to be something
doing at the extra session of
congress.
:o:
The anti-prohibitionists have
made rapid gains in Indiana, ac
cording to the returns of the re
cent elections.
:o:
It is rumored that Senator
I.orimer may o to Kurope. If he
does Ihey will have some nmre
innocence abroad.
:o:
Some majors have issued
proclamations designation a day
Tor a general cleaning up. What's
'he matter with Maor Sattler do
o.g the same?
:o: .
That Omaha joy rider, who g..t
a penitentiary sentence for run
ning down and killing William
Krng, will have learned lo respect
i ily ordinances by the time he be
comes a free man.
:o:
A fact not generally known is
that William H. Taft and Judson
Harmon, who may be the rival
candidates for president next
year, are both members of the
faculty of the law department of
Ihe University of Cincinnati.
:o:
It is the unique thing in the rife
of the great civic leader, Tom L.
Johnson, lhat, when he had at
tained wealth and power, he re
linquished the chase for more
money and gave his best years to
hard and ceaseless work in the
service of the plain people.
:o:
There is one thing about Aid
rich that is very prominently
noted he possesses a revengeful
spirit and his rapping Omaha
every time he gets a chance de
notes this fact. Hut. he failed to
gel consolation out of the recent
investigation in that city, which
cost the taxpayers of the state
considerable money, ami this dis
appointment evidently makes him
Mil! more revengeful.
:o:
Most men will be somewhat
suspicious of the report of a
secret treaty between Japan and
Mexico and will wail for further
evidence upon that subject before
making up their minds. The
truth is, the Taft administration
is in a very tight place and some
thing must be done to give color
f justification to this great
movement of troops.
The annual report of the
American Telcgrnidi ami Tele-
phone companv for Ihe last year
and l.'joo.ooi) miles of wire were
added to the lines, making a total
mileage of 12HiO,nno. s.-me idea
I what this total means rnav be
grasped when we calculate that
this length of wire could be wrap
ped around the earth 500 times
and that it would make 50 separ
ate lines from the earth to the
moon, but there would not be half
fnough wire to reach from the
earth to our nearest planetary
neighbor, Venus.
:o:
The Omaha World-Herald is
making a great hit with veterans
of the civil war in its publication
of incidents of that late un
pleasantness. These "articles are
not only read with interest by
those who were probably in many
of the engaeinents there recited,
but it gives those who were not
old enouuh to remember the
serious consequences of that
great civil strife an idea of what
those veterans went through to
save that noble emblem of liberty, lak(M1 in tn(. history of Nebraska
the stars and Stripes, that they ,.nafj aws by putting through,
might today enjoy life, liberty and against the most stubborn op
the pursuit of happiness under j pi,si( jrii a bm authorizing every
its magnificent folds. The
World-Herald is deserving of
great credit for this great, streak
of popular accord. The school
children can get more true his-
l,"'' n 1 lll,,M' mteiesting ar-
tides than any of their school
histories. fp (hey are trulliful
incidents without any prejudice
whatever,
-:o:-
THE LEGISLATIVE RECORD.
Since the first day the legis
lature met, and even before the
fust day, a concerted :nid active
publicity campaign has been
made in Nebraska to slander and
belittle the session that has just
adjourned. Though republicans
have taken the lead in that cam
paign of abuse, for partisan pur
poses, they have had Ihe aid,
covert or open, of lure and there
a democrat animated by factional
purposes. The attempt has been
made to induce Ihe fair-minded
people of Nebraska lo believe that,
because the legislature was op
posed to county option and pro
hibition, it was therefore reac
tionary, incompetent, venal", and
Ihe sum of all iniquities.
This is wickedly unjust and un
fair and wholly false. The legis
lature made its mistakes one or
two very serious ones. The per
fect legislature, like the perfect
man, is yet to be discovered. Hut
that the legislature was progress
sivc, that it was industrious, that
it was animated by an honest de
sire to be true to the people and
to advance good government, re
quires only a cursory survey ot
its record to demonstrate beyond
dispute. It made a record thai,
despite its blot or two, is a shin
ing credit lo the democratic party
which was responsible for it, that
was creditable on the whole to the
republican minority, and that will
prove of lasting benefit to Ne
braska. More than that, it made
record for advanced progres
iveness that has not been equal
ed, or even approached, by any
other legislature that met any
where In the United States last
winter. It made a record for the
conscientious fulfillment of plat
form pledges that attests demo
cratic good faith and that might
well serve as an example Tor
legislatures in other states as
well as for succeeding legis
latures in Nebraska.
Might at the beginning the
legislature ratified U,e "federal
constitution amend menl mil li,. riv
ing art income, tax.
It submitted four important
constitutional amendments, all ol
them progressive in their nature
-for the initiative ami referen
dum, for allowing cities lo make
their own charters, for Ihe crea
tion of a non-partisan stale board
of control, and for biennial elec
tions that will eliminate n. ,Mj,.
year campaigns.
It followed this up with the en
actment of a radically progres
sive law for the smashing or poli
tical bosses a law allowing the
voters of the various parties to
elect their own delegates to the
national conventions, to elect
their own national committeemen,
and to express their preference
on candidates for president and
vice president.
It enacted a set of fair and
equitable reapportionment bills,
performing a duly that has been
neglected for a generation, which
will give the people of all sec
tions of the state just representa
tion in both houses of the legis
lature and in the choice of dis
trict judges.
It enacted a law placing the
stock yards under the control of
the state railway commission.
It passed a non-partisan judi
ciary law, in conformity with the
democratic platform pledge,
which a republican governor'
vetoed, thus defeating- the ex
pressed will of the people.
It toon the first markedly pro-
KIessive step lhat has ever been
a!i). and business-like way for the
construction of roads under the
sperv isiort of a county engineer.
It pasS(d pure geod and pure
,)ain. DiMs t,ia, Wlil mpfln n .
inR of hundreds of thousands of
,loai,s ,0 Nebraska farrilers and
h,oiiie owners
It passed a bill allowing cities
lo organize under the commission
form of government.
It pased a bill legalizing Sun-
L)ay baseball which
Ihe gov
ernor vetoed.
For the betterment of public
morals it passed a number of
highly important laws, including
drastic measures for the suppres
sion of the white slave trafllc, for
Ihe closing of disorderly houses,
and for the abolishing of bilcket
shops. Along the same line it
passed laws forbidding the use of
tobacco by boys under 18 years
old, creating an advisory board of
pardons, providing for the in
determinate sentence, and forbid-"
ding the use of vehicles to haul
vders to the polls.
Other important and salutary
laws include measures for, the
support of the state medical col
lege in Omaha, for the establish'-,
ment of a school of agriculture in
western Nebraska, for a hog
cholera' serum plant at the state
university, authorizing the crea
tion of trust companies, wiping
out double taxation, and auth
orizing the investment of state
funds in the securities of Ne
braskacounties, cities and school
districts.
This is only a small part of the
record of legislative accomplish
ment, but it is enough to show
how faithfully the people were
f-erved, and in how truly demo
cratic a spirit. When we look
around, even to our neighbor
states of Colorado, Kansas and
Iowa. inH rnmn.. 1 k.. .
K"1 hid recerai or
their legislatures this winter with
that which our own has made, It
helps us the better to realize how
narrow and bitterly partisan, how
mean and unworthy, Is the
criticism of the splendid record
of the Nebraska legislature
World-Herald.
Stallion for Sale.
Shire and nelglum grade horse.
(Black); weight 1.550. Ten years
old. Inquire of P. Moore, Murray,
Nebraska.
K. H. Schulhof,
Platts, 'phone !Sfi.
piano tuner.
DR.
Herman Grcodcr,
Graduate Veterinary Surgeon
(Formerly with U. S. Department
Agriculture)
Licensed by Nebraska Stale
Board
Calls Answered Promptly
TelerhoreH78 White, riattimouth
