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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 1924)
— --- QmahdVhefe theM?st is at its Best GOOD ROADS AT FIVE CENTS AN ACRE. Is a system of hard-surfaced highways worth a nickel an acre to the Nebraska farmer? That is just about what it will cost under the plar\ that has been formulated by the Nebraska Good Roads association. A six-year campaign is con templated to complete construction of 6,600 miles of rbads. Of the total 600 miles will be surfaced with brick or simijar material; 2,100 miles of high way will be graded, and 3,000 miles will be sur faced with gravel and clay. The estimated cost of this work is $27,660,000. For the construction of bridges and culverts, $5,000,000 is added to the esti mate,-bringing the total for construction up to $32, 650,000. For six years’ maintenance an estimate of $9,000,000 is presented, or a grand total of $41, 650,000. * • * Sounds like a lot of money. It is a big sum, but it wID bring big benefits to the state, to every resi den of the state, and especially to the farmer, who has more real occasion to use the highways of the state than anybody else. How will this money be raised? Here is the suggested method: Appropriated by legislature, *1,500,000 a year for six years.* S,006,000 Federal aid, *2,000,000 a year for mz years.. . * *. 1 Two-tent gasoline tax, *2,000,000 a year Tor six years. 12,000,000 Fifty per cent of automobile licenses, *1,500,000 a year for six years. *,000,000 Total.*42,000,000 Fifty per cent of automobile licenses will provide $1,500,000 a year for the counties to defray cost of maintaining highways. On the 1923 valuation of the state, a levy of one-half of 1 mill will produce $1,599,316.49, from farm* and town lots alone. ■ • * * * How will this affect the property owners? Four counties, selected at random, give this result: Value Tax Value Tax Per Acre. Per Acre. Per I,nt. Per I.ot. Adams.* 72 *0.04 * 731 *0.37 C’olfax. 1 12 0.0* 731 0.37 Cuming. 120 0.06 722 o.n« image.'. 116 * 06 1,388 0.60 The calculations are made in round numbers, decimals being dropped and totals brought to the nearest even figures. What it shows is that the tax asked for by the legislature will amount to about 5 cents an acre over the state. Is not the prospect of good roads worth this cost? For each of us it amounts to so little and the benefits are so great. WATER IN THE BOILER. We print a letter from a correspondent who is inclined to view the expressions of both President Coolidge and Mr. Davis on capital as being directed against agriculture and labor alike. The writer of that letter falls into the common error of regarding agriculture as an industry that exists without capi tal, and the equally prevalent but fallacious belief that labor and capital have nothing in common. Agriculture employs enormous sums of capital. Not only the permanently invested capital, which in 1920 amounted to $74,924,100,338, but the liquid capital that is employed in the production and mar keting of the crops. In 1922 this liquid wealth amounted to $14,310,200,000. That is two-thirds of the value of all the railroads in the United States. In talking “big business,” then we have full right to put the agricultural industry in the front rank. It is by long odds the biggest business in the United States, or the world. Labor in itself is a form of capital, which is merely wealth that is available for the production of more wealth. Human labor has been declared to be not a commodity to be bought or sold in the market, yet it is the prime factor in thj creation of any form of wealth. To generate power by the release of energy latent In coal and water, a boiler is needed. A con tinual supply of water must be fed to the boiler so long ns the engine is in operation, or disaster will follow. Capital is the water that goes into the busi ness boiler. Unless a steady, never-ceasing flow of capital is returned to the boiler of productive enter prise, an explosion will follow. This is what is generally overlooked by the wizards who disregard the element of capital in their consideration of economic problems. That is why their engine never produces any power, while their boilers almost invariably blow up. HOW DO THEY GET THAT WAY? On Sunday night the democratic sagamores pro fessed to be confident not only of electing a gov ernor of Maine, but of gaining a United States sena tor and a congressman. On Tuesday they were busy giving out statements that, whereas in 1920 the republican candidate for governor had (if),000 majority, in 1924 the figure was but half of that. On this Thomas Spelacy, Tammany sachem hpiI Davis manager in New York, bases a claim that his candidate is foreordained to win in November. Goneeding Mr. Rpelacy's mathematics, that the vote in Maine mny meun a reduction of popular pluralities, there yet remains something of a mar gin. Harding had 7,000,000 more votes than Cox. This can be reduced 60 per cent, and still leave a respectable preponderance for Coolidge. Clem Shaver gets inspiration from the Maine re sults, and is out with a statement in which he gives John W. Davis 204 electoral votes and Coolidge 138. Figuring from this, Mr. Shaver already has the pro cession moving down Pennsylvania avenue, with John William Davis riding at the head of it. It would be a shame to wake up either of theSfe ardent dreamers. As they got great consolation out of contemplating a victory in Maine, so let them enjoy the prospect of sweeping the United States. It will come to about the same end. DEFLATING THE FARMER. One delusion certain Nebraska democrats persist in hugging is that the slump in prices in 1920 was due to the republican party. The adoption of the platform at Chicago in June, these special pleaders say, brought about the decline. It might be well to examine that platform to see what it did contain. Some pertinent dealarations in that platform are: "We pledge ourselves to a carefully planned re adjustment to a peace-time basis and to a policy of rigid economy, to a better co-ordination of depart mental activities, to the elimination of unnecessary officials and employes and to the raising of the standard of Individual efficiency.1’ “The burden of taxation Imposed upon the Amer ican people Is staggering, hut in presenting a true statement of the situation we must face the .fact that, while the character of the taxes can and should be changed, an early reduction of the amount of revenue to be raised is not to be expected." . Almost up to the present time, the practices of the federal board as to credit control have been frankly dominated by the convenience of the treasurer. The results have been greatly in creased war costs, a serious loss to the millions of people who In good faith bought Liberty bonds and Victory notes at par, and extensive post-war specu lation, followed today hy a restricted credit for legitimate industrial expansion. As a matter of public policy, we urge all banks to give credit prefer ence to essential industries. "THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM SHOULD BE FREE FROM POLITICAL INFLUENCE, which is quite as Important as its independence of domination by financial corporations.” . We pledge ourselves to earnest and ‘ consistent attack upon the high cost of living BY RIGOROUS AVOIDANCE OF FURTHER INFLA TION IN OUR GOVERNMENT BORROWING, by courageous and Intelligent jloflation of over-ex panded credit, by encouragement of heightened pro duction of goods and services." This is what the republican platform of 1920 said. It promises to check extravagance, to lower the cost of government, to reduce taxes, to dis courage speculation. To encourage production— and thus increase employment. Each promise has been redeemed. What follows is old straw. It has been threshed over many times. In June, 1919, a warning had been issued to the public to cut out speculation. Instead, the orgy increased. Between July 1 and December 31, 1919, the asset currency circulation of the Federal Reserve bank was increased by al most 31,000,000,000. And then the brakes were set. As it happened, legitimate business as well as speculation suffered. Prices on farm products al ready were on the down grade. Long before elec tion day in 1920 the down tide was in full stream. How can any intelligent man urge that this de flation was due to the pledges made by the repub lican party. The Treasury department, the Federal Reserve board, the entire government of the United States was in democratic hands. The people, farm ers and all, merely reaped the whirlwind sown by democratic-incompetence. At this point it is well to remember that the republican platform of 1920 was endorsed by a majority of over seven million votes. A Philadelphia man who spanked his 19-year-old daughter has been placed under a peace bond. The physical application of the father was more even handed than the magesterial application of justice. The Minneapolis Journal covers the subject in one brief paragraph: "If you wish to put the su preme court down along-ide the interstate commerce commission, vote for La Follette.” The winner of the Atlantic City bathing beauty contest has been announced. There are 111,000 or more prettier women teaching school in Nebraska right now. Cole Blease will warm up the senate again after March 4, 1925, he having full approval of the South Carolina democrats. Surely, there is no accounting for tastes. We are informed that the prince of Wales wears his hat tipped lightly to one side. Prohahly not quite so much so, however, as the average Maine repub lican. The La Follette press bureau admits it was “mis taken” as to Brookhart. Events will show other places where the press bureau guessed wrong. Governor Hunt of Arizona, having been nomi nated for the fifth time, might be justified in asking the voters to make it for life or good behavior. lyfSfer A federal court h.ving halted further grand jury probing into the Fall oil deals, there yet may be a chance for the senate committee. The Literary Digest is now engaged in taking n straw vote for president. More interest might be shown were it a rye straw vote. The New York Times says the republicans In Maine had their backs to the wall. They also had their eyes on the democrats. Ak-Sar-Ben races are getting their share of at tention, but the real rare is between King Corn nnd Jack Frost. Douglas county republican women Hre moving In the right direction, and with the enthusiasm that brings success. If Mr. High keeps on, he will become low nt the state house. Maine went as usual. Homespun Verse —By Omaha’s Own Poet—■ Robert. Worthington Doric -----—--> TIIE TltENH OK THINGS. / Not Ion# ago my kin And T Wire farmer*, one and nil: In spring we unwed our wheat and rye. We threshed them In the fall. But one by one my blessed kin Sold out nnd moved away, And found h stopping place within The city bright and gay. Alone I battled in the Helds Defying grief and woe; I harvested some bumper yhjds, And almost made it go. I ’util mv kin kept conihifr down Because they loved the loom, And being starved to death in town, Drove me from farm and home. And T regret with some despair, As ! glide down life's stream. That I can't visit them nnd shnre Fried chicken and real cream. f-——————— Considering All the Stnnge Help We Have in the Kitchen, It Might Not Be a Bad Idea --—— ■— ■ ' —*—■——--—-— -J IEVtR LOOK THIS THING OVER TO see how nr , WORKS ? ' ( M-^-> __ ■ ---' Letters From Our Readers AH letter* must be signed. hut name will be withheld upon request. Com muni ration* of SOU words and less will be liven preference. - ------> How Hoes Tills Touch th* Farmer? Omaha.—To the Editor of The Omaha lire: All the candidate* for president and vice president are pos ing as friends of the farmer and the laborer and are saying some mighty nice things about the farmer and the laborer during the campaign. But maybe the candidates are merely campaigning, and so It may be well to quote from the utterances of the candidates that were made before they became candidates. Th* follow Ing I* from an address by Calvin Coolldge at the Amherst college alumni dinner. November 27. 1920: Modern civilization depends to a large extent on accumulated and In vested capital, and for Its advance will depend more and more on accu mulation and investment of capital. Civilization and profits go hand In hand.'’ The following Is from a letter by John \V. Davis of March 31, 1924: "1 have a fine list of clients What lawyer wouldn't want them? I have J. P. Morgan & Co., the Erie railroad, the Guaranty Trust company, the Standard Oil company and other fore most companies on my list. I am proud of them.—lilg business has made this country what it Is.’’ The following is from an address by Charles G. Dawes at Chicago Union League club, February 22, 1923: ''That form of government which history has proved most futile and disastrous Is a democracy. Steps taken of recent years towards the principles of free democracy are lead lng In the direction of tyranni",! mob rule under evil rulers.” I have been unable to find anything f Abe Martin ____y What gits us is how th' wife that scrambles eggs for her husband's all-night poker party knows he's gin’ t’ win. By th’ time a feller earns enough money honestly t* breathe easy his children nro grown an’ usin' th' rar ever’ time he wants it. (fopyrlfht, It24 ) NET AVERAGE* PAID CIRCULATION for July, 1924, of THE OMAHA BEE Daily .74,010 Sunday.74,792 i ()•#• not Include return*, Ml I iivpii, lampln or pappn apoilrd In printin* and inrlurfft no ap*< ial anltr• ot her circulation of any Wind V. A BRIDGE, Cir. Mgr. I 3uba« ribed Pnd aworn to belora me thia *th day of Augiiat, 1324 W II QUIVr.Y. (Seal) Notary Public from the utterances of La Follette Wheeler and Bryan as derogatory against agriculture and labor, but possibly some one else will be able to dig up something. Mr. Davis. I am informed, Is also dlrertor of the rubber trust, the Santa Fe railroad and the National Bank of Commerce. We feel <iuite sure in our contentions against Coolldge and J>awes, also La Follette and Wheeler and Bryan, hut this man Davis is a puzzle. We don't know whether he is for us or Mr Coolldge's Morgan twin, or, as the Chicago Journal of Commerce sa>s: "As between Mr. Davis and President Coolldqe It is hard to discern much difference.'' JAMES W. HANSON. The Rascal Whipper. Hampton, Neb.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: Having Just rend of what Davis and his companion at Omaha said about Coolldge, It made me ao angry that I am writing an answer to what they said and please print ft. I am a reader of The Omaha Bee and have read a good many letters and will appreciate It very much If you jvill print this one. Having read of what Hitchcock has to say about President Coolldge and the republican party, I call it plain slander. He has classed Coolldge ns a mummy and says he Is a sped hless tnan. That man Hitchcock must think the world is dead and that he and the rest of the democrats can lead the people on the same as Wilson did when he kept us out of war. Did lie forget that, or does he think the peo pie are blind. 1 think if the truth l~ known, Davis is probably related to that man who tried to split the Cnlted Colonies In J S6f>. Jefferson Davis. The democrats say that their party j Is the oldest party in the country It may be, but it isn't the first. The\ compare themselves with Lincoln and i Washington, and even take Wilson's picture and put It up with those two men. A man that lied to the peoph to get elected the second time, hr I promising lo keep us out of war and then saying that any man that was | too proud to fight was not a citizen as soon as he was elected, is not a (rue American. I say a man that puts Wilson's picture up with those smart‘men Is not smart himself. The democratic party always has slan cered the republican party during their campaign. It Is natural for them to do It; they are real mud-sllngers. f’eople say that Harding and Coolidge haven't done anything. Wilson left the*country In such shape that it cannot be straightened out In four years. It^will take some time, and If the people are foolish enough to elect Davis and Bryan it never will get back to where It should be. I think that Davis, Bryan and the skull cap Is far from the White House and hope they keep getting farther away. If there p. anything the peo ple should be ashamed of It* Is the democratic party, so when we vote next fall let us elect foolhlge and Dawes and shipper'the rascal. CARL REED. What the Musie Meant. Omaha—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee; Being a life-long re publican and proud of "Our Omaha." 1 went down to the Auditorium last Saturday evening to pay my respects to the Hon. John W I (avis. On en tering the building the first thing I MISSOURI HARD WOOD IN - s Fireplace, Furnace Cut to Lanftht— 112-inch, 16-inch, 24-inch Well Seasoned, Dry and Clean Oak—Hickory—Ash Phone AT lantic 2700 j Sunderlaud Bros. Co. 15th and Harney I Sunny side up i - cJdke Comfort, nor forget ^kat tutuitetmMcfm.tlj r-- - - -.—.— We sometimes wonder how the poets live who write the kind of verse selected for the "current poetry" page of the IJterary Digest. J It Is not for us to criticize the sentence pronounced by Judge Caverly. We did not hear the evidence, and we refused I to waste time reading that portion of It that Was printable. We have our own opinion about the justness of the sentence, but shall refrain from expressing it here. But we have no 1 hesitancy In declaring our opinion that the boys were not wholly to blatne. Wise and judicious application of the Bed- I slat In earlier stages of their careers might have prevented the necessity of a judicial sentence. j Were we a multi millionaire with an urge to Endow Some, tiling Worth W'hlle, we would endow* a School for the Proper Training of Parents. And having so endowed It we would in sist upon the honor of being the first student to enroll. _ J t We have several lusty children of our own, and we are beginning to feel the weight of accumulating years. But w» expect never to grow so feehle physically that we can not (knock the block ofT'n any one of them who refers to us in our presence as "the old man." Preliminary symptoms as observed in the front office indi cate that the business manager is feeling the urge to fare forth and garner in the ducks. We announce here and now that our acceptance of an invitation to a duck dinner is con tingent upon a complete understanding about divers and sun ] dry things. , j At this time we desire to call the attention of the health and police authorities to the ‘ Saints and Sinners" table at tha Athletic club. Our insistence that the younger generation las taught to show some respect to its elders can never make proper headway in the face of the example set at the aforesaid table during the luncheon hour. _.__ * The first chilly night in Septemlier Impresses upon the mind of this native Missourian that a gas log is a bum sub stitute for the old-fashioned fireplace of youthful days. ** We Indignantly deny that our recent visit to Columbus re sulted In the charges laid against the proprietors of a beverage company in that city. In the first place, we knew nothing of the product, and in the second place, had we known that th* beverage produced was such as charged by the prohibition authorities we would have concealed the Information from even our most Intimate friends. Sow comes the wight, alack, ala* Who Spent his summer wage for gas: And ’midst a great travail of soul Asks credit for his winter's coal. W» have hope*. We have progressed thus far through the watermelon season without witnessing the spectacle >f Lottie Clifford up to her elbows In watermelon rind pickles But we are apprehensive, just the same. WILL M. MALPIX. M- --j, heard was the ha ml playing a' very popular dance tune, •'Sleep." What did that signify? This morning on reading the elec tion news from the state of Maine 1 am inclined to say, "John, here’s your hat—what's wour hurry?” There will Lie plenty of time to sleep after a certain Tuesday in No vember. I. W. ONDKR. Suppress lire Millboards. Omaha.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: Please advise me where I can Join the society for "prevention of cruelty to county roads,” namely, the organization for the suppression of billboard advertising in the coun try? This is a movement that should have the endorsement of everyone FRANK J. CARET. Germany hasn’t seen anything hut dotted lines since the old Hindenbutg line broke.—Toledo RIade. 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