Nebraska Newspapers

    Prominent Editor and Politician Arrested
on Charge of Embezzlement.
A
THE CASE APPEARS TO BE SERIOUS
Saui's Official at Seward Shy a
Trllle Over Three Thousand Dollars
On * of Ills Bondsmen Drops Dead
When Informed of the Condlttou of
Affairs In the Postofflce.
LINCOLN , Feb. 19. Frank G. Sim
mons , for many years a prominent
newspaper editor and politician and for
the last two years postmaster at Sew
ard , was placed under arrest on the
charge of embezzlement of government
funds. A complaint , charging him
. with converting to his own use funds
of the United States to the amount of
$3,062.38 , was filed this morning with
United States Commissioner Dilllngs-
ley and a warrant for his arrest was at
once issued. This warrant was placed
in the hands of Deputy United States
Marshal Moore , who brought Simmons
to this city at 1 o'clock this afternoon.
* Simmons was appointed postmaster
at Seward in February , 1898. Previous
to that time he had for years been the
editor of the Seward Reporter. It Is
learned here that Simmons had been in
financial trouble for some time and not
long ago he came to Lincoln for the
purpose of squaring up some old mat
ters. Postoffice Inspectors Sinclair and
Swift have been at work on the case
for several weeks and Wednesday Inspector
specter Sinclair went to Seward and in
stituted a thorough investigation of
Simmons' books. The investigation
showed that a large shortage existed ,
both in the money order and in the
postal fund , the latter represeantin.
the sales of stamps and the rentals of
boxes. Sinclair at once confronted the
postmaster and demanded a explana
tion , but Simmons could give none. He
admitted that he had used the money ,
but asserted that he could make good
the shortage if a little time - were
granted. He said he had used the
money to pay off personal debts.
The inspector laid the matter before
the bondsmen of the postmaster an < l
asked them to name some man whom
they desired to take temporary charge
of the office. David H. FIgard was ap
pointed to take charge of the office ,
out he died from a sudden stroke of
heart failure immediately after he left
his home and John Woods ? , one of the
bondsmen was selected in his place.
The shortage of Postmaster Simmons
covers a considerable period. In the
money order department it amounts to
$2,460.97 , and in the postal fund to
1601.41.
J No Chancellor Yet.
LINCOLN , Feb. 19. The University
Board of Regents adjourned to meet
next April and there is every indica
tion that a permanent chancellor will
be chosen at that time to succeed Act
ing Chancellor Bessey , who desires to
retire from the executive office of the
institution and return to his former
position at the head of the department
of botany. It was the intention of the
regents to make a selection at the
meeting which adjourned but owing
to the absence of two members of the
board the mater was deferred until the
next meeting. In his report to the
board , Dr. Bessey requested the re
gents to appoint his successor as soon
as possible , and there apppars to be no
disposition on the part of the board to
delay action any longer than is abso
lutely necessary.
Wants Out of the Army.
LINCOLN , Neb. , Feb. IJt. Governor
Poynter has been asked to make an at
tempt to secure the discharge of Ben
jamin Gomme of Eddyville , now serv
ing with the British army in the Trans
vaal. Gomme is said to-be a natural
ized citizen of the United States. Those
who are asking for his release assert
that he was seized while in England
and forced into the British military
service. Not having his naturalization
papers with him at the time , he could
not prove- that -he was a citizen of the
United States. This story is not be
lieved at the state house , for the rea
son that here is no such thing as com
pulsory enlistment in England. Gov
ernor Poynter will refer the request to
Congressman Neville , who will be
asked to lay the case before the proper
authorities in Washington.
Swindling Farmers.
PLATTSMOUTH , Neb. , Feb. 19. An
agent for the Pierce Co-Operative Med
ical dispensary of Chicago , 111. , recent
ly visited the farmers in this county
and succeeded in persuading some -of
them to sign a paper which proved to
be a note. Otto Jahn , living near Elmwood -
wood , was one of his victims. His note
was sold to R. Adel McCurdy , who ,
through his'attorney , .T. L. Root ,
brought suit before Judge Archer to
collect the note of $150. Attorneys H.
D. Travis of this city and William'
Deles Dernier of Elmwood appeare'd for
the'defendant. After being' out a few
minutes the jury brought in a verdict
for Jahn.
Soldier's Remains.
NELSON , Neb. , Feb. 19. The re
mains of Sergeant Charley Mellick of
company H , First Nebraska , who was
killed in battle at Manila , April 23 ,
reached here last week. The body will
lie in state until that of Otto Kusten-
border , which is now on the way , ar
rives , when a double funeral will be
held.
Smallpox Abroad.
PAWNEE CITY , Neb. , Feb. 19. The
smallpox plague in Pawnee county has
not yet been completely stamped out.
One new case was reported from Du
Bois and two from Bookwalter. The
Du Bois patient is a young child of the
late Dr. McColm , who died of the dis
ease. The name of only one of the
stricken persons at Bookwalter was re
ported to the -authorities C. C. Mar-
dls , a former grain dealer of that place.
The impression has been circulated
that the infection "has broken out in
Pawnee City , but is untrue.
INQUEST OVER HOWE'S BODY.
Despondency Causes it Telegraph Opera
tor to Take IIIn lAte.
LINCOLN , Neb. , Feb. 17. An in
quest was held here over the remains
of Anderson C. Howe the young tel
egraph operator who committed sui
cide in the office of the Western Unioa
in this city. Not a cent of money wns
found on his person and it is supposo'J
that his act was induced by the de
spondency resulting from the loss ot
his situation in Toneka and the barren
prospect of securing another in the
near future.
J. H. Lee an operator in the office
of a local bucket shop , wor.ked for sev
eral years with yorin'gHowe in Topeka -
peka , Kan. He said the young man
was considered a steady , reliable fellow
and one of the best men in the employ
of the company. Some eighteen
months ago he was induced to resign
his position and "hobo" to New York
city. He soon tired of this life and
returned within a year and was given
hi : : old position. Two weeks ago the
company found it necessary to reduce
its operating force in Topeka and as
Hawe was the last man employed'hu
was the unfortunate one to be dropped
from the pay roll.
From Topeka he went to Kansas
City , sold his typewriter , checked his
baggage through to New York and pre
pared to follow it immediately. In
some manner as yet unexplained he
lost all his money. He took a train
and came to Lincoln. He applied for
a position at the local office of the
Western Union , presenting the high-
e i recommendations , but hid assist
ance was not needed. He found his
former friend , Lee. who took him to
breakfast. He met other friends in
the city during the day , but to none
of tnem did he confide his straitened
financial condition. He even intimated
that he had money , expressing his in
tention of going to Omaha in search
of employment.
Farmer's Institute at lrrlnd. .
FARERMS * institute at Friend .qd. . .
FRIEND , Neb. , Feb. 16. A very in
teresting series of farmers' institutes
closed at this place , during which Pro
fessor Hunter delivered an address on
"Insect Pests ; " E. Wnitcomb on
"Fould Brood and Its Treatment ; " P.
J. GcBsard on "The Brood Sow How to
Select and Care for Her Brood ; " Rev.
L. P. Luden on "Poultry ; " Dr. J. V.
Bcghtol on "Raising the Boy ; " E. F.
Stephens of Crete on "Horticulture ; "
Mrs. C .A. Blanchard on "Poultry on
the Farm ; " J. H. Rushton on "Dairy
ing" , and C. A. Whitford on "How to
Make the Farm Pay. " Mrs. J. D. Pope ,
Miss Sams , Miss Farrenburg and the
young ladies' and young gents' quar
tets furnished excellent music for all
the sessions.
Grunted a Change of Venue.
KEARNEY , Neb. , Feb. 17. Judge
Homer Sullivan refused the applica
tion for a continuance , but granted a
change of venue for Frank L. Dins-
more , the alleged murderer of Mr.s
Dinsmore and Fred Laue , from Buffa
lo to Dawson county on the ground
that the prejudice against liim in this
county is of such a nature that he
could not get a fair trial. Court con
venes in Dawson county March 5.
Preparing for Tournament.
YORK , Neb. , Feb. 17. At a meeting
of the York fire department J. W.
Moist , J. V. Hyder , C. N. Carpenter.
Charles Rosenlof , L. R. Carey and W.
U. Fisher were elected a committe * to
make arrangements for a state fire
men's tournament to be held in "York
in July. The mayor of York has called
a citizens' meeting for Friday night
to assist in the work of the committee.
Saw Cuts Off Arm.
PAWNEE CITY , Neb. , Feb. 16.
Wesley Walker , engineer in the city
feed and sawmill here , fell against a
rotary saw and had his left arm sev
ered at the wrist. He was assisting
the sawyers with' a heavy log at the
sawing bench and accidentally slipped.
Walker recently came here from Sa-
betha , Kan. , and had been working
at the mill but a couple of days. He
aas a family.
: < *
Child Fatally Scalded.
TECUMSEH , Neb. , Feb. 16. Helen
Kazda , the 5-year-old daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Martin Kazda , was scalded
to death yesterday. She was playing
about the kitchen stove , when an older
girl attempted to remove a pan of boil
ing water therefrom. The water was
spilled , striking the child squarely in
the breast. She was terribly ourned
and lived but a few hours.
Burglar's Outfit Found.
AINSWORTH , Neb. , Feb. IG A
valise containing an entire burglars'
outfit was found in tne attic of a
school house south of this town. There
was every conceivable article necessary
for cracking a safe , drills , files , sticks
of dynamite , fuses , revolve'rs , cart
ridges , etc. The stuff has been taken
possession of by the shenif. No clue
to the owners is at hanu.
Insane Man Shoots a Girl.
AXTELL , Neb. , Feb. 17. Oscar Nel-
fen , a farm hand , insance trom an
unknown cause , discharged the con
tents of a shotgun at the daughter
of his employer , ran to his room and
shot and killed himself. The attempt
ed murder and suicide occurred four
miles south of here. The girl is pain
fully , though not seriously wounded.
Recovers His Stolen Team.
BEATRICE , Neb Feb. 17. A man
named Kennedy of Ceresco Neb. , was
in the city enroute home from Kansas ,
where he had gone to secure a team
of horses which were recently stolen
from' him and which were located at
Blue Rapids. A man named Gray was
captured in possession of the team ,
but he raude his escape , after shoot
ing a deputy sheriff and has no : been
recaptured. It is said that Gray was a
partner 'of the fellow named Hawkins
who was killed at Clay Center , Neb.
Likely to Ito a Becord-Breaker in Bail-
road Building ,
SOME REPORTS ON THE SUBJECT
Old IJ'nfH Will Make Kxteiislons and
Custern Capitalist * Are Being Inter
ested in Finn * for u Number of New
itoads The Nebraska and Gulf Mae.
ATKINSON , Neb. , Feb. 15 If the
present appearances are to be regarded
as any Indications , it is probable that
the first year of the twentieth century
will be a record-breaKer in the matter
01" railroad building in the west , par
ticularly in northwestern Nebraska.
In the first place , the indications point
to the Fremont , Elkhorn & Missouri
Valley railroad carying through its
long-promised extension from Casper.
In fact is seems that It will be forced
to do so to protect what It regardsC
as Its legitimate territory from the en
croachments of the Burlington & Mis
souri River Road , which is rumored
to be preparing to build from Gering ,
inScotts Bluffs county , west to con
nect with the Cheyenne & Northern ,
of which it is said to have secured
the control. This will take the Bur-
In-gton & Missouri into the territory
of the Fremont , Elkhorn & Missouri
Valley road at Orion Junction , with
facilities for further encroachments
upon its territory. Another matter of
interest to this section of the country
Is the present activity of the repre
sentatives of J. J. Hill , the present
owner of the Sioux City & O'Neill
Short Line and the prospects of a
speedy extension of that road to Alli
ance , Neb. It is thought there is an
understanding between the manage
ments of the Great Northern and the
Burlington & Missouri roads in this
matter 'and that this stretch of road
is being constructed in the interest of
each of those lines. It will be a very
marked advantage to both roads and
an immense benefit to this section of
Nebraska.
A third enterprise that is attracting
some attention is the Nebraska &
Gulf , organized by Judge Cessne ,
Charles Dietrich , W. H. Lanning and
other capitalists of Hastings , Neb.
There is considerable interest being
felt in this line from the fact that it
will shorten the distance to the sea
board by several hundred miles and
render the cost of transportation to
New York about half what it is now.
The Nebraska & Gulf people now
have a corps of men in Boyd county
seeking an available route and trying
to get options for a right of way. They
are presumably seeking to reach the
large cattle ranges in the White river
country. But it is not at all probable
that this part of their road will ever
bo built , for the reason that it is said
by engineers familiar with the country
to be an impracticable route because
of the conditions which obtain in that
section. In the first place the condi
tion of the banks of the Niobrara
river are such that it can be bridged
at but two places. The only points
where the conditions are favorable to
bridging are at the Whiting bridge ,
north of O'Neill , and at the point
where the Atkinson & Northern cross
es the Niobara. It is understood that
this branch of the Nebraska & Gulf
road has not got beyond the paper
stage , and the probabilities are that it
never will.
Nebraska Corn at Paris.
OMAHA , Feb. 15. At its meeting
yesterday the Commercial club execu
tive committee decided to push the
claims of Mrs. Harriett A. MacMurphy
to a position in the corn kitchen of
the national exhibit at the Paris ex
position. Mrs. MacMurphy received
the endorsement of the club for such
a position some time ago and yester
day she explained to the executive
committee that the small appropriation
? 10,000 set aside for the corn kitch
en has been placed in control of the
Maize Propaganda , which has head
quarters at Chicago , and that Iowa and
Illinois have the inside track in its
expenditure , so that if Nebraska se
cures representation her claims will
have to be vigorously pushed. It is
proposed to increase the appropriation
for the exploitation of the uses of corn
and its products.
Secretary Utt was directed to take
the matter up with Nebraska's sena
tors and congressmen in an endeavor
to have Nebraska represented by Mrs.
MacMurphy , who has made a study of
the work for several years. A letter
from Senator Thurston confirmed what
Mrs. MacMurphy said concerning tne
interest taken by Illinois and Iowa in
the manifestation of the uses of corn
and the fact that those states have the
inside track in the absorption of the
appropriation.
Miles Will Case Closed.
FALLS CITY , Neb. , Feb. 15. The
Miles will case closed yesterday. John
L. Webster , for the plaintiff , spoke in
rebuttal , bringing the case to a close
in a powerful manner. Judge Thomp
son has taken the case under advise
ment. The citizens have taken great"
interest in this case and are now wait
ing with great impatience to learn the
final outcome. After the closing of
this case Judge Stull took the bench
and began the emiity cases.
Bishop Warren at Grand Island.
GRAND ISLAND , Neb. , Feb. 15.
Trinity JVIethodist Episcopal church
raised over ? 4,000 Sunday to liquidate
an old debt and enough money to put
certain repairs on the church. The
bishop was greeted by one of the lar
gest audiences that perhaps has ever
assembled jn any church in the city.
HUshowed masterly skill in the man
agement of tlie finances. Dr. Hodgetts
Breached in the evening , after whict
the bishop made a most interesting
iddress and took an additional sub
scription for the painitng of the
church.
TAYLOR TAKES INITIATIVE.
Iiriiagumtcs Legal .Measure * Against
Jlockham und CjHtlo.imii.
Suit was filed In the circuit court
at Louisville , Ky. , by counsel for Gov-
einor Taylor seeking to restrain J. C.
W. Beckham from acting as governor
and General John B. Castleman from
attempting to discharge the duties ol
adjutant general. Summons were
served on the defendants.
The suit will be allotted to one ol
the circuit judges by a drawing. This
drawing may not be held for several
days. The suit Is brought by Gov
ernor Taylor for himself individually
and-xas governor of Kentucky.
At Frankfort , Ky. , wh n informed
that Judge Taft had refused Jurisdic
tion , Governor Taylor made the follow
ing signed statement :
' "The decision of Judge Taft , holding
that his court has no jurisdiction in
the case of the minor state officials ,
does not affect the merits of the case.
He does not determine that the peti
tioners had no merits in their cases ,
ifut only that his court could not take
jurisdiction and right the wrong. If
he had held that he had jurisdiction
it would have all been over , for the
outrages were so glaring that the re
publicans would have won hands down.
The decision doe.v not in the least af
fect my case. "
The suit of Beckham against Taylor
for the possession of the.office of gov
ernor was filed in the circuit court at
Frankfort. Up to a late hour the
sheriff had not succeeded in serving
notice on Governor Taylor and the
chances of his doing so did not seem
bright , as all visitors to the office of
the governor , or to the gubernatorial
mansion , were compelled to run a
gauntlet of guards -who were on the
lookout for gentlemen with suspicious
papers. The petition in the suit holds
that W. S. Taylor is not the governor
of the state and that with an armed
force he holds possession of the exec
utive building. It alleges that he Is
diawing money without authority of
law from the state treasury , pardoning
convicts and doing other things that
are detrimental to the welfare of the
state.
POSTAL SERVICE ON THE INCREASE
I'lau to Have ns Few American Clerk *
as Possible.
The director general of posts of the
Philippine islands has transmitted to
the Postoffice department a copy of a
letter written by him to General Otis ,
in which is outlined a plan for the ex
tension of the postal service in the
islands. His plan contemplates that
the army shall take charge of the aer-
vice of points where it is impracticable
to employ clerks. Offices in charge of
American clerks are contemplated at
all places where-there is a large num
ber of people and considerable trib
utary territory.
At points where troops are stationed
the commanding officer will be asked
to take charge of stamps and other
postal supplies and to detail for this
postal duty a soldier incapacitated for
field services. It is desired to hav.e as
few American clerks as possible on
account of the expense in salaries ,
natives being willing to work much
cheaper. The revenues from the isl
and of Negros for ten months have
not been sufficient to pay the salary
of a superintendent for two months
and since the withdrawal of the great
er portion of the troops from San Fer-
nandino the revenues have amounted
to scarcely ? 50 a month , about one-
third the salary of a superintendent.
PROTEST AGAINST THE WAR.
Liberals Jtlcet at a London Hotel and
Adopt Kesolutioue.
Spporters of the liberal party , to the
number of 300 or 400 , held a private
meeting at the Westminster Palace
hotel , London , to protest against the
government's war policy. Sir Wilfred
Lawson , M. P. , David Lloyd-George ,
M. P. , and Conwright Schrelner , the
husband of Olive Schreiner , the novel
ist , were among those present. The
resolutions adopted denounced the war
as a "crime and a blunder , " commit
ted at the instigation of irresponsible
capitalists ; demanded the publication
af the full correspondence regarding
the Jameson raid ; protested against
the increasing armaments ; reaffirmed
the liberals' gratitude to Sir Henry
Campbell-Bannerman , John Morley
and James Bryce , and decided to open
a. permanent fund to carry on a vig-
arous political propaganua for the prin
ciples thus enunciated.
KYLE IN REPUBLICAN CAUCUS.
Committee to Arrange Business for Re
mainder of Session.
The republican caucus of the senate
on the 15th authorized its chairman ,
Senator Allison , to appoint a commit
tee to arrange the order of business
Cor the remander of the session , but
the selection was not announced.
Senator Cullom gave notice to the
caucus that he would call up his bill
providing a form of government for
the Hawaiian islands and no disposi
tion was manifested to antagonize him
In this purpose.
The caucus also discussed the ques
tion of the division of the minor pat
ronages of the senate , but adjourned
before concluding this portion of its
work.
Senator Kyle'of South Dakota at
tended and participated in the pro
ceedings of the caucus for the first
time.
QUITS TO MEET IN OMAHA.
Western League Schedule Committee to
Finish Work There.
The schedule committee of the new
vyestern League of Baseball Clubs in
session at Des Moines , adjourned , to
meet later on call of the chairman at
Dmaha. without having perfected a
schedule. Several drafts of schedule
arere under consideration. It was vot-
; d to hold 'the next annual meeting at
Denver in February , 1901. Five years
nstead of three year franchises were
aade the rule of the association.
WITH HIS OWN MONEY.
Xhe Clurk Case Being Coimldereil by the
Committee on Kiectlons.
WASHINGTON , Feb. 14. When the
senate commute * on elections resumed
its consideration of the dark case to
day J. S. McNeil of rielena , who was
on the stand when the committee ad
journed yesterday , was recalled. He
was questioned closely by ex-Senator
Edmunds concerning the impression
letter boon , from which ho cut the copy
of his letter to T. J. Johns of Lewis-
ton. Mr. Neil said that he had cul
tne letter out of the book on Saturday
last and Monday had expressed It to
Helena. Mr. Edmunds commented on
the fact that the book had been sent
back on the very day that Mr. Nell
\vas to go on the stand aa significant.
Mr. Neil said he would intercept the
book and bring it back , but that he
would not agree that the entire book
should undergo inspection.
The witness was cross-examined by
Mr. Campbell.
"Did you do any work for Mr. Clark
during the last senatorial campaign in
Montana ? "
"I did all I could in my newspaper
and otherwise in a legitimate way. "
"Did you spend any money in either
the legislative campaign or the sena
torial contest before the legislature ? '
"Yes , but it was my own. "
"Did you spend any except your
own ? "
"i did not. "
"Didn't you leave some money in
Fergus county ? "
"I did leave some money there for
Dave Hillger and Mr. Williams , but it
was given me by A. J. Davidson and
1 was little more than a messenger in
the transaction. ' . '
"Changing the form of the question ,
how much money did you handle in
the senatorial contest that was not
your own ? "
"I did not handle any money during
the senatorial fight except such as one
would naturally spend not to exceed
in the aggregate , $1,000. "
"Did you spend no money except In
Fergus county ? "
"I cannot say precisely as to that.
Those were exciting times. I was in
the thick of the fray and pre . y busy. "
Mr. Keil spoke o ( the various places
used as headquarters during the sen
atorial contest , but he said he had not
been at the quarters at the Helena
hotel often , as Mr. Wellcome was there
and he and Wellcomo were not on gooil
terms. Nevertheless he had taken Mr.
Whiteside there and introduced him to
Wellcome. .
The witness said he had seen Sena
tor Clark frequently during the cam
paign and that at 4 o'clocii on the day
of the Whiteside exposure he had met
several of Mr. Clark's friends at the
latter's rooms. This delegation con
sisted of himself , Governor Hauser , Mr.
Davidson , Walter Cooper , State Sen
ator Hoffman and several others whoa'ti
names he could not recall.
WANTS TO BE COVERNOR AGAIN.
Kooscvelt Will Not Accept Vice Pres
idential Nomination.
ALBANY , N. Y. , Feb. 14. Governor
Roosevelt today gave out a statement
relative to the vice presidency , in
which he declares that he will not ac
cept the honor under any circum
stances. His statement follows :
In view of the continued statements
in the press that I may be urged as
a candidate for vice president , and in
view of the many letters that reah
me advising for and against such a
course , it is proper for me to state
definitely that under no circumstances
could I or would I accept the nomina
tion for the vice presidency. It is need
less to say how deeply I appreciate
the honor conferred upon me by the
mere desire to place me in si high and
dignified a position. But it seems to
me clear that , at the present time ,
my duty is here in the state whose
people chose me to be governor. Great
problems have been faced and are be
ing partly solved in this state at th's
time , and , If the people so desire , I
hope that the work thus begun I may
help to carry to a successful conclu
sion.
Iiepers In North Dakota.
ST. PAUL , Minn. , Feb. 14. Dr. J
E. Engstad , of Grand Forks. N. D. ,
has just returned from Walsh county ,
where he went at the request of the
Walsh county committee to investigate
the condition of two leepers who are
confined sixteen miles northwest of
Ediburgh. He found the men iu a piti-
ablec ondition confined in a sod
hovel with only one door and one win
dow. One Is a Norwegian , 50 years
old , and the other a Swede aged 37 ,
the elder helpless , in the last stages ot
leprosy , the younger still able to wait
on his companion. So great is the
popular dread of the disease that not a
soul ever approaches the place where
the two men await death. Dr. Eng
stad has written United States Senator
Hansbrough , asking him to use his in
fluence to have one of the ; abandoned
military reservations set apart as a
place for a leper colony.
Congressman Checkering Found Dead *
NEW YORK , Feb. 14. Congressman
Charles A. Chickering of Copenhagen.
N. Y. , was found dead outside Uie
Grand Union hotel in this city today.
He had either fallen or jumped from a
fourth-story window of the hotel.
The body of Mr. Chickering was
found on the sidewalk of the Forty-
first street side of the hotel , under the
open window of his room , which was
on the fourth floor , by a milkman ,
who was driving through the street at
5 a. m. Evidently it had been lying
there for some time , as the clothing
was saturated with rain. It was
clothed in underwear , socks , night
shirt , trousers and vest. There was a
bad gash in the right side of the head.
Booming a New Railroad.
SEDALIA , Mo. , Feb. 14. Colonel 7.
E. House of Omaha and Judge James
Humphrey of Junction City , Kan. , are
tiere to attend a meeting of the Boanl
of Directors of the contemplated Mis
souri & Iowa Southern railway. A. L.
Strang , president of the road , has re
turned .from New York. He says th < *
company is now financially prepared
to carry out its pledges and work wil !
commence on the railroad inside of
thirty days. The road will be bui't
Tom Sedalia through Marshall to
Miami , and thenci north to a point in
[ owa , which has not yet been desig
nated. : - . .
HIGHPEICEOFPAPEK.
TARIFF TAX ON WOOD PULP A
COSTLY ONE.
Alay Compel SubicrlborH to I'uy Mora
Tor Their Country Newspaper The
Cry for Its Instant Itepnul I * Very
Loud Paper Trust Robbery.
There are very conclusive reasons
why the present tariff tax on wood
pulp and printing paper should be re
pealed , and there is no reason In the
Interest of American Industry that
pleads for the continuance of these
taxes. They are now simply an ele
ment of robbery under color of law.
and they should be effaced froa our
statutes.
The paper trust Is now taxing the
newspaper andjbook publishers of the
country many nTillious , not because of
any such actual Increase In the cost of
producing paper , but because the trust ,
has the power to extort from the pur
chasers of paper up to the extent thac
would make tariff-taxed foreign paper
and pulp cheaper than the prices de
manded here. This trust has played Its
scheme of extortion to the uttermost ,
and congress should at once remove
the tax that protects no American In
dustry and that has become only an
agent to rob the consumers.
Two-thirds of the wood pulp used in
the manufacture of paper for American
consumption should come from Can
ada , but it Is excluded by a tariff tax ,
and we are now rushing headlong in
the destruction of our forests , while
Canada , with its almost limitless sup
ply of timber , cannot reach our mar
kets because of the tax Imposed by
the tariff.
The two conclusive reasons which
should make congress act promptly are
first , that the paper trust should be
at once halted in its rapid destruction
of our American forests by the admis
sion of free wood pulp from Canada :
and , second , that the present extortion
practiced by the paper trust upon pub
lishers of newspapers and books shall
cease to have the protection of the gov
ernment.
The time has come when any trust
that makes arbitrary profits by tariff
duties must cease to be protected by
the government. Where American in
dustry needs protection it is reason
able to permit It , but where alleged
protection is used only for systematic
robbery , it must be overthrown.
We can now manufacture paper as
cheaply as any country in the world.
There Is no excuse whatever for a tax
upon the manufactured articles , and
the raw material should be free , not
only because the general principle is
correct , but because if it shall not be
done promptly our forests will be prac
tically destroyed within a few years by
tariff taxes excluding the lumber of
Canada from our markets.
Paper and pulp must be made free
of all taxesas the paper trust has dem
onstrated that these taxes serve only a
single purpose that Is to Invite rob
bery under color of law. Philadelphia
Times.
A Hard Italii.
"It rains a great deal in the Puget
sound country , " said the man from
that section , "and I heard of a funny
Incident not long ago about it. Some
chap had come from the Missippi val
ley to take up his residence at What-
com , on Bellingham bay , where there
are very high tides. When the boat
landed him at the end of the long pier
extending over the tide flats the water
was low and the new man didn't notice
anything but a wide stretch of sand
between the boat and the town. It
was in the evening about dark and was
raining , and he went to the hotel on
the front street and stayed there , going
to bed without having gone out for a
walk. The next morning when he getup
up he looked out and the tide was in.
the water coming up close to the hotel.
He gazed at the widespread waters for
an instant , and , throwing up his hands
In astonishment , he exclaimed , 'Gee
whiz , but it must have rained hard
last night ! ' Then he hurried down
stairs to the office to find out if there
was any danger from the flood , and the
clerk 'smiled four or five times and
gave him some much-needed informa
tion. " Washington Star.
Both In the Same Cox.
A parson who occasionally preaches
in South London arrived to take the
place of the vicar , who had been called
away on account of some family be-
reavement.and found an old and rather
isthmatic lady struggling up the step.s
which led to the front door. He cour
teously gave her his arm to assist her
ind when they reached the top the
flame asked him if he knew who was
going to preach. "Mr. So-and-So , " re
plied the parson , giving his own name.
'Oh , dear me , " exclaimed the old lady ;
"help me down again , if you please ;
I'd rather listen to the groaning and
Breaking of a windmill than sit under
lim , " and she prepared to descend. The
parson gently assisted her downstairs
ind slghfully remarked as he bade her
; ood-by : "I wouldn't go in , either , if I
weren't the preacher. "
New Method of Llghtlnz Tanneli.
A new method of lighting tunnels is
ibout to be adopted In one constructed
in Paris for an electric road. Electric
amps will be turned on automatically
is the train enters the tunnel and cut
aff automatically as it emerges. The
ights are arranged on each side on a
evel with the windows of the cars , so
; hat during daytime it will not be uec-
; ssarry to turn on the light in the
: ars. This mode has been devised by
i French inventor , and doubtless will
ae found of great utility.