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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1894)
THE OMAHA DAILY BRE- FRIDAY , MAUCH 2 , 189k TflJROMXlIA DAILY BEE. K. HO8KWATKH. n.lltor. . 1'flll.IMHni ) JJVKIIY MOUN1NO. TlttlMH OP SIHISCIIIITION. . llw ( without Sunday ) 6no Yonr > JM ' Unity nn.l . Hun Hy , Ono Vcnr J JJ > ttfv Mnnllin. . , , CO 2 no Muntli Kim.lay . n . One Vwir fg Mlur.fny II. " . Ono Y ir * K 6i Wefklr Hr , On Y ir OKt'lClili. Om.ihn. Tim ll.-c IiullillnK. . , , it RI. . Hmitli Omnlm , conii > r N ftn.l Twcnty-foutn CMIIICII iiliirtn. 12 IVnrl-lrct. Clilr-nB. . omii- , sir Chnnibw of P" ? ' ; : . | . . bull.llns. N w Yt.iU. rcrnnil , II nn < l 15. Tribune Wunlilnnton , filJ Koiirtpptith ntreflt. COHIttOTPONIiKNCi : . All coniinnnlrnllon n-lntlns to nwy nnrt loi-lnl mntlcr ulionl.l ho nrl.lrp'so.1 : To tlio l iuor. Ilt'HlN'KHU LBTTKIia. All bunlnexn lrtlp nn.l . remltmnccn H.Mr dBC.1 In Tim ll o i'"LllrVii.n ! Omnlm. trnft . checks nnit i nininca to mndo nnvflhl'f lo ( lit * nri TIII : ur.i : PUIII. _ STATEMBNT'OP CIRCUIATION. Georw II. TzKchuck. secretary of The nee usUnK company. that th actual number of . .i topics of The Dully MO'TlnK'.iJ ' month of Sunday Ufa printed ilurlnB January , J83I , wni ns folows : 1 . 22.2.V ) 17 . $ 2 . 2i.ms is . 5 ; . 3 . 23.02J 13 . Sft 4 . 22.771 . SO . jS'r' 1 ' * > * t * * ' . ' _ , , , . . . .22SOT " * J ! ; ; ; ; ! ; ; ! ; ! ! ; ! ! ! ! . ; ? fi. ! " . " ) " " 22'rni . . . /-O.ir * ? } ' fci * tfe . * * * ' * 24O"S1 . > < * ( ) * * * * i - ( * o1rr. ft M'22h ? l . 07 . . , fc"tH > 5 ? ' ' - o-l 111 ! * , . -l.iri.l . > ' / . . . . . . * no 117 22'717 15 Z2.0S5 31 ' Ifl 22.827 . , i.- . -J Totnl for Iho monlh , LCFS reductions for unsold and re" , . , turned copies " -li , ! Totnl sold " -'Pq , UM circulation Dally avcraKo net Sunday. ? TX.SCIIUCK. Sworn to before. inn and subscribed In my presence this fith day of February. J83I. ( SKA I , . ) N. P. VKlL. Notary Public. A quorum In tlio house Is nothing If not evanescent. . Internal revenue * collections for Fcbrtinry exceeded In amount , those of February. 1893. A straw Indicative of a general rqvlvlal of business. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Krastus Wlmnn's nrrest has been a gain to him In ono thing It has Increased cnorm- opsly the demand for his book on the chances of success. Tlio 1st of Murch Is on. but tlio demo cratic patriots In llieao parts are Mill lookIng - Ing wistfully toward NV.ish'imton ' lor Hie few stray plums that belong to the faltU'ul. Kx-Presldent Harrison ( ouches a tender npot for some of his predecessors when\he Bays that ho does not believe an cx-presIdenN need bo a political deaf-mute. The house ways and means committee ap pears to be laboring under the delusion that It Is expected to control the course of the Wilson bill In the senate as well as In the house. Speeches on the Hawaiian question serve well to kll | time In the senate. Ilut the people would feel relieved If the senate would kill the Hawaiian spectre and settle down to business. Hill and Hogg would at least be an al literative combination for a machine demo cratic ticket In the next presidential cam paign. A platform of hog and hominy would bo the appropriate cspcr. Tlio proposition of an Ohio man to lead an army of 100,000 unemployed men to Wash ington and demand measures of relief at the hands of congress would crcato a sen sation , but who will pay their hotel bills ? The political pot In South Omaha has com menced to simmer. There is no diminution In the number of candidates. Tliey are all ready to make any personal sacrifice In order to servo the people. Salary no object. Congress may cripple the beet sugar In dustry of Nebraska for the time being , but It cannot wlpo It out. Operations will bo de layed until after the next congressional elec. tlons , when measures can bo passed that will give a now Impetus to the Industry. Acc&rdlng to the figures of the secretary of war there are 125,000 Nebraskans 'avail able for military duty. Election returns have shown that wo have about 225,000 voters , which would Indicate that the secre tary's figures are conservative. At any rate , Nebraska Is abundantly able to defend her Institutions against any foreign or domestic foe. Kcsolutlon3 passed at different meetings ft the farmers alliance denouncing Secretary Morton for li'ji Chicago address continue to pour In with alarming regularity. It Is be ginning to bo rumored that tlio secretary lUiusclf Is at the bottom of these resolutions and that they are Instigated with a view to keap him well before the public. It Is enough to say that wo give no credence to these rumors. Doth students and professors at Cornell have given to the public expressions dis avowing sympathy with the offenders In the recent fatal student demonstration at that Institution. Whether this will suf fice to put nn end to such reckless folly can only bo ascertained with the lupso of time. The lesson of the Cornell episode should not bo confined tn the students there , but should bo learned by heart by those nt other colleges who Indulge In equally senseless foolery. . The citizens of western Nebraska nro looking forward to the Irrigating convention In Omaha this month with unusual Interest. They expect delegations from every county In the state whcro Irrigation has become a practical success and where propositions nro now pending for Irrigating enterprises. Omaha In Interested In this subject. The productiveness of the state Is her especial concern and uny movement looking to the state's material growth deserves the cooperation tion of every taxpayer of Omaha. The report that the agitation in favor of the dlsmcmbormont of the "panhandle" counties from Nebraska and their annexation to Wyoming has been carefully fomented by the cattle companies who desire a free range over the country will not tend to strengthen the movement with the people of this state. While it is perfectly proper that the rights of the cat tin companies should bo respected , they uro not to bo favored at the expense of the farming Interests. Fanners In the pan handle can expect us ( air treatment of their demands with regard to Irrigation by the legislature of Nebraska as by that of Wyo ming. A scheme of the cattle barons to get possession of the country will , however , meet with little favor In that quarter. Ne- bravka will prefer to keep her territory In tact until some really cogent reasons are ad vanced In behalf of the proposal to yield A par I Of it up to an aJJuceut state , , _ _ X II'/A. Hjr n vote of 171 to ( JJ ( the house of repro- 8 < Mitntlvp3 yesterday passed the Illand bill providing for the coining of the bullion pur chased under the- act of 1800 , amounting to about 181,000.000 omicrTho no-called seigniorage , estimated to amount to $55- 000,00(1 ( , Is lo be flr t coined as fast as pos sible , the secretary of the treasury In the meantime Issuing certificates ngalnnt It , and ( is soon as this shall have been accomplished the mints are lo continue on coining the re mainder of the silver Into legal tender stand ard silver dollars , the coin to bo held for the redemption of the treasury notes Issued against the bullion. Treasury notes re- ileomcd with silver nro to bo cancelled and sliver certificates Issued on the coin , A proposed amendment for the redemption of silver certl/Icatcs / In gold was defeated. The result Is a distinct victory for the sll- vt'i men and again demonstrates that the majority of the democrats In congress are unalterably In favor of crowding the white metal Into the currency regardless of conse- qiicnr.'M. If the measure that has passed the. house Kliould become a law It would result In throwing Into the currency about $55- 000,000 of paper that would bo nothing more nor loss than flat money , and the effect could not bo otherwise than embarrassing to the treasury and demoralizing to the finances of the country. It would be nn essentially dl'shoni'st transaction , because every ounce of silver In the treasury Is held In trust for the redemption of the treasury notes , which more than represent the present market value of the silver. The alleged seigniorage Is a pure fiction , since , as a matter of fact , tlio government , Instead of having a profit on Its silver , has sustained a loss , as between the price of the white metal when purchased and Its present market value. According to the report of the secretary of the treasury the average price per ounce of the silver purchased under the act of 1890 , and which It Id proposed to coin Into standard silver dollars , was a little over 92 cents. If It were sold now It would bring not to exceed 5S cents , If so much. It Is manifestly ab surd , therefore , to talk about the seignior age. age.What What are the chances of this measure be coming law ? Is a question that the finan cial and business Interests of the country will now eagerly nsk. The passage of the bill by the senate Is not Improbable. The republican votes In that body that will bo cast for It will probably offset the demo cratic votes that will be cast against It , so that the result will very likely be de termined by the three populist senators , and these are absolutely certain to vote for the measnre. It would therefore seem that US' passage through congress may be re garded as highly probable. If Mr. Cleve land has been correctly reported ho maybe bo depended upon to veto the bill If It ever reaches him. Ho Is said to have expressed himself , just before leaving Washington on his hunting trip , as decidedly opposed to the proposition to coin the seigniorage , sayIng - Ing that one of the objects of the ndmlnls- trai.bn In Issuing bonds was to avoid this. Assuming the president to have been cor rectly reported the hope of the country for the failure of this measure Is in his veto. veto.As As to the effect upon the financial Inter ests of the country of the action of the house it has been , perhaps , to a large extent discounted , but It will nevertheless servo to retard the return of confidence. A different result would undoubtedly have had a most wholesome Influence. 3HSTAKKX SENATORIAL COURTESY. "What Is called the courtesy of the sen ate , " says George TIcknor Curtis , the emi nent constitutional lawyer and publicist , "whereby n nomination of any member of that body Is acted on Immediately and with out reference to a committee. Is entirely wrong. " Mr. Curtis ventures this opinion In criticism of the proceedings by which the late vacancy on the bench of the supreme court was recently filled , and thoughtful reflection must lead to the conclusion that there Is much to bo said In support of his ( fositlon. Mr. Curtis' strictures apply only to the par ticular case of Senator White , whoso nomi nation , he says , should 'have been referred to the judiciary committee In order to give opportunity for public opinion to express Itself upon the question whether there should bo two judges from the Louisiana circuit and none from the Now York circuit. Ho Is furthermore convinced that had this oppor tunity been given the nomination of Senator White would not hnvo been confirmed. And ho coos on to say that the senators do not hold the power of confirmation as a personal endowment , but that they hold It In trust for the whole country , and It Is not proper for them to act on any nomination without In formation or without hearing from the coun try on all the bearings of the case. The question hero propounded Is broader than the mere question of the prompt con firmation of Senator White to bo associate justice of the supreme court. Opinion seems to concur that Justice White will bo the right man In the right place and there Is little reason to bellcvo that n more deliberate consideration of his qualifications for the po sition would have had any different result In that respect. Rut there are senators who are not endowed with the qualities which the people would expect In a member of the supreme court. There Is nothing whatever to prevent the president from sending the name of ono of them to the senate , which , under the rules prescribed by Immemorial precedent , the senators would bo compelled to confirm as. a mark of courtesy to their colleague. This courtesy of the senate aa- siimes that any ono who can secure an elec tion to the United States senate at the hands of his state legislature and can manage to have his credentials approved and to bo admitted to membership In that body Is by virtue of that fact fully qualified for any position within the appointing power of the president. * This assumption every ono knows to bo untrue. The requisites of a senator are not necessarily the requisites of every other federal - oral officer. Nor should the courtesy of the senate load to the confirmation by that body of men who , wore they selected from private ll o , would bo bound to bo rejected. Our Government recognizes no public office as a stepping stone to any other ofilco. Every appointment Is expected to bo considered upon Its own merits. A man rejected for nn appointive office this week Is not to bo con firmed next week simply because ho has In the Interval been elected and admitted to the senate. Itecognlzo the senatorial dig nity as entitled to this discrimination , and we Immediately establish a cast-like group of men who can hold out to the president the tipeclal Inducement of an unquestioned confirmation , U they are but nominated to high ofllcc. U must bo apparent then that this phase of the courtesy of the senate has no place In a republican form of government , If the senate wishes to defer to the judgment of the president In his choice of men for par ticular offices , the cabinet secretaryships for example , It may do to with propriety. Dut if the ofHco Is one that demands the careful consideration of the candidate's character and attainment. * , nil nominees to that office shoild bo treated alike. It the name of the layman must be referred lo n committee b - fore action by "the senate , so also should bo the name of n senator , whoever ho may be. The report of Senator Peffcr on the causes of agricultural depression cites ns one of them dealings In options and futures. The claim Is made In that report that this form of speculation reduces prices and It h shown thnt In 1892 and 1893 twice as much wheat was sold on'tlio New York produce exchange ns was raised In the United States. The re port offers an argument In favor of anti- option legislation and In this respect It un questionably represents the views of a very large majority of the agricultural producers of the country. The farmers , through their associations and by means of petitions and memorials lo congress , hava with practical unanimity nskod for legislation that will supprcis or regulate that system of specula tion , peculiar to this country , which they bclieva to bo Inimical to their Interests. They did this two or three years ago and there Is no reason to suppose that their opinion on this subject has undergone any change. It It safe to assume that they still mint this legislation , which they came so close to obtaining In the last congress , and It need hardly be sitld that the wishes and views of so large and Important a part of the country's population are entitled lo the earnest and careful consideration of the lawmaking - making power. Two anti-option bills have been Introduced In the present congress , ono In the senate and ono In the house. The opposition to the house bill was successful In having It re ferred to the committee on ways and means , a majority of the members of which are hostile to the measure , the plea for doing tills being that the object of the bill is to raise revenue. Strenuous effort on the part of Its author , Mr. Hatch of Missouri , In duced the house to change the reference and the bill Is now In the hands of the com mittee on agriculture , of which Mr. Hatch Is chairman and a majority of the members of which nro understood to favor the proposed legislation. It Is now assured that the bill will bo reported to the house and bo dis cussed there. Moreover the vote by which' the reference of the measure was changed from the hostile ways and means committee to the friendly agricultural committee Indi cates the probability of Its passage by the house If It shall be brought to a vote. In Its general features this bill Is similar to the one that failed In the last congress and over which there was then a prolonged debate. It requires n revenue stamp on each con tract for the future delivery of agricultural products , the stamp to cost one-tenth of a cent for each bushel of grain , and stamps to double thnt amount to bo added on the bill of sale given at.tho expiration of the con tract , with corresponding charges for the other articles of produce named In the bill. Besides the Initial stamp a tax of 10 cents per bushel for grain and 2 cents per pound for the othfer commodities Is to bo collected In all cases where the contracts nro ter minated without actual sale or delivery. . The bill docs not propose to Interfere with con tracts for future delivery by producers who sell ahead of production or consumers who buy ahead of consumption , these being rec ognized as legitimate transactions. The advocates of this proposed legislation are said to be confident of success , but they will be wise to prepare themselves for a vigorous fight. Already the Chicago Board of Trade has taken steps to bring all Its In fluence to bear in opposition to such legisla tion and It la to be expected it will be Joined by other Influential commercial bodies , who will unitedly send representatives to Washington to work with congressmen. A rcpltltlon of tlio fight In the last congress against anti-option legislation Is to bo looked for In this congress. The advocates of this legislation have learned how great Is the Influence exerted by the speculators In the products of agriculture and they should re quire no further Instruction as to the neces sity for zeal and vigilance If they would not fall. They will hardly bo able to add much to what they have heretofore said In justi fication of their position , so that much will depend upon work. It is not to be doubted that the great majority of the people other than farmers believe that speculation In agri cultural products Is an evil and that they would approve legislation Intended to sup press It. , AS TO JKWERSOX SQUARE. The park board is said to bo adverse to the surrender of Jefferson square for a mar ket house and auditorium. Its opposition Is said to bo based on two counts. First , tliat the question of location has not been sub mitted to the voters of Omaha , and second , that It Is a piece of extravagance on the part of the city to take a public square that Is claimed to be worth $250,000 , and convert it Into u market place. It Is scarcely credible that the members of the park commission , who are men of good scnso and business capacity , would sot up such a straw man to bo knocked down by the slightest breeze. Whore Is there any law which requires that the location of a market house must bo ratified by a vote of the people ? Has not this city passed the point long ago when a vote must ba taken as to the exact spot on which every building the city constructs Is lo bo located ? To be sure this has been done In the case of the city hall and public library , but In both Instances' there wcro valid reasons for sub. mlttlng the location. A broader field was given , howovcr , In the location of the proposed - posed market house and public hall , The location was defined within fixed boundaries , cast , west , north and south. Jefferson square Is within that boundary , and consequently quently the location is in accordance with the vote of the , people on that propo sition , llut If there had boon no defined limits submitted tn the people , the mayor and council by the power vested tn them could have designated the market place either on a public square , street , or grounds to bo ac quired and purchased. It Is very doubU ful whether the location of additional market places will over be submitted to ratification by popular vote. The mayor and council will probably designate such market placoa as they have designated locations for engine bouses , police stations , etc. Jefferson square may bo worth a quarter of a million. If It is worth that much It Is because of Its advantageous location for- carrying on traffic. Hut where does the city lose anything by converting the squtu-o from a posey garden into a market place ? Sup pose the council had decided to expend $100- 000 in the purchase of a market place. In that case wo would bo out $5,000 n yuar In terest and lese the taxes which the ground now pays and which it would continue to pay forever , If the popuhtlon of Cimitm really needs a breathing plr.ui It nan be bought for a great deal less than a quarter of a million and moro centrally located for the people who need un nlrlng. The fact U 'that Jefferson square is not lo'cated con veniently for the clft g of people that want rest and fresh air. To I ho north of it there nro nt least eight'lilWks ' occupied for busi ness purposes , anil In Its Immediate vlcVi- Ity east nro railway nhnpa , warehouse * find factories that constnfilly eoilt volumes of smoke. 'The sqtfaroi ( ttrcrcfow only ac cessible as n breathing spot lo people from the west and soutjijand.jilicso people would bo belter suited with n iurl < located farlhc'r wcsl. \ ' According to a Jcrtort from Chicago the railroads are cxcwllhgly pleased with the decision of Judge Orosscup , which they re gard ns In effect ttj lj-ath blow lo the In terstate commerce act. "it Is staled lhat orders have already gene forth regarding certain proposed Yollntc arrangements to carry them out exactly , as though the law had been repealed and It Is by no means Improbable that such Is the fact. That the railroads will take every possible ad vantage of Ihls decision Is lo bo cxpcclcd , but while ft goes far to weaken the net and to Impair Its usefulness It docs not quite make the law a dead teller , as Iho Corporations will undoubtedly find If they undertake , as they seem disposed to do , lo proceed In tiller disregard of Iho statute. Moreover , the decision of Judge Orosscup Is not conclusive and there Is a possibility that it will not stand. The Interstate commerce law Is not dead and public sen- , tlment will not permit it lo dlo. Tlio supreme premo court has plainly Indicated that con gress has the authorlly to render effective the provision of Iho act to which the de cision of Judge Grosscup applies , and If this Is not already done by the amendment of 1893 a way will undoubtedly be found to do it. In Iho meantime Iho corporations will be wlso to restrain their disposition to treat the law ns a dead letter. Southern congressmen whoso Interviews have appeared In the press do not appear to bo greatly edified by the accusation of Ignor ance made against thorn by ex-Mayor Hewitt of New York. They have always Imagined that they were endowed by nature with the usual amount of brains , and to bo told that they nro brainless has proved a rude shock to their sensitive constllulions. They have also spared no pains lo Impress upon their constituents that they know about nil there Is to bo known that Is worth knowing. The public has not yet heard from the con stituents of the southern congressmen since the terrible revelation by Mr. Hewitt , but they will doubtless bo highly Indignant , not so much at the accusation , but that they have so long permitted themselves to bo fooled. They thought they were sending brainy men to congress ; If they have been mistaken they run the risk of having It In ferred that their rcpresentallves really represent them. The people of the south catmot help it If their congressmen betray orMgnorance indicative of lack of brains. Managers of western traffic associations announce that the anti-pass agreement has been perfected. This means that so long as the compact shall bp observed shippers cannot ' not be given passes' dver the lines In in terest In return for. business consigned over such roads. The regulation has no reference , however , to the nurrtlfcrless attorneys and third-rate politicians residing In cities and towns along the- lines of road. These worthies do not ship merchandise , to bo sure , but about convention tlmo they handle a great deal of hpman freight , which they purchase and consign to railroad headquar ters In blocks ofi five1. There Is not the slightest danger of. the anti-pass agreement interfering in th6' remotest degree with this peculiar traffic. ' 'Wo are constrained to put out this assurance for the especial bene fit of a large number of briefless lawyers who , by some trick of. legerdenaln or quirk of the forked stick , manage to get and hold annual passes good on all lines of the leading political railways of this stale. .We hear no sound giving evidence of life In Iho Railway Employes association. The demise of this organization is for some reasons to bo regretted. If the hopes of some of its misguided members could reach fruition the association might have rendered great assistance In the vital contest that Is now going on between the Union Pacific re ceivers and the men 'employed ' on that road. Nor has the employes association made pro test against the Injustice of the voluntary relief department ( so-catled ) , whereby rail way employes are Induced to sign away their rights. There Is plenty of business to engage the attention of the employes asso ciation. It ought to bo vitalized and put upon Its foet. There has not been a year in the history of Omaha without the usual agitation for an early start tn the matter of prosecuting pub- 'llc ' Improvements and without moro or less delay In getting the work really under way. The city authorities ought by this time to have had sufficient experience to avoid the obstructions that have hltherlo been met. There Is no reason why wo should not know before the opening of spring Just what work Is to bo done. With specifications prepared and contracts let nn early start can bo made and the Improvements completed before Interrupted by the autumn's frosts. Significant ( iiilnx. llnlttmore American. If the United Stntes Senalo will use us slrong efforts to kill the Wilson bill as the house Is using to kill time the country will be supremely happy and prosperity will soon , return. It Is significant thnt In every congres sional election since that bill was an nounced the republicans hnvo made extra ordinary gains. Improvement Abroad. I'htlaMphta Lelaer. England reportBra. considerable Improve ment In trade , which , hns been exceedingly dull nil over the world. The Improvement was Inevitable , ns a consequence not only of the consumption of accumulated Blocks , but of the Impatlejicfi pf capital to llml new investments nfter having- been Idle many monlliH.berauso of a panic. The Improve ment may be blow * but It Is welcome news that It has begun to show Itself , nut only In Kngland , but In this country. Serving Notice on Allcm I'mimlos. I'ltttatlelpMn Tlmtr. The foreign cliciiii- laborers who come to this country to underbid American work- Ingmcn and cngiiKQ In rioting whenever they find that they , arp not getting nil they want , hnvc been given n lesson In the Al legheny court they will probably remember. Forty men of tliu Mansileld rlotorx , nearly or ciuile all of whpnvwero foreigners nnd most of whom were 'aliens , never having applied for naturalization papers , were sen tenced by Judge Hwlnc to terms of Impris onment varying from one month Ui two nnd ono-lmlf yenrs. The nnnrchlst len-lera were Klvrn the longest forms of Imprisonment , ns they deserved , nnd nil were ( ilvcn to tin- del-slum ! thnt rlollng Is dangerous bunlncus on American Roll , , V I'olnlcr tn Tnko l-'nrtiirlr4 l'hitaa < > llcnilil. The crying of fnlso newt * by newsboyfl , especially on Sunday evening , ImH become n regular imslnena. Nearly eVery Sunday poo- pip nre trlcknl Inlo buying imp rn by the Hhotitn of urchin ! ) announcing mnno ilbtafl- tor or the death of n prominent person. I .nut Sunday the cry wns ! "All rtbout I'renderKnst'B milcldo. " Of omirse Premier- Kasl bad not committed Hiilclclr. The po lice Hhotild look Into UiU'inntter. The news boys themselves nro not so imu-h to blnmn ns the people who get out the "fuke" t > n pern that they sell. Thcoo people nre common swindlers. They nbtnln money under false pretenses , nnd thev could be i-onvlcted on that charge. The public Blinuld be protected ngnlnsl the rhenp rim- cnla who gain a few pitiful pennies by dls- Hcmlnnllng false nnd sensational rumors. The Coming Irrigation Convention , Denver HtpuMlean. An Irrigation convention will meet In Omaha on March 21 and 22 , cotnpor d of delegates from Nebraska. KnnsnH and Col orado. There could hardly be too many of these convention for Irrigation Is a mm- Ject of the highest Importance to the people of llu ! urlil region. While neither Knnmia nor Nebraska IH called nn arid ulntc , each of them ctmtnln.H a great deal of land that could bo Increased In productiveness by Irrl- Katlon. Crops In the western parts of these states are uncertain becauno of the nmnll nimmnt of rainfall. 13ut this uncertainly could IIP removed If nn ndequalt- system of Irrigation were established. It Is iirnctlra- ble to Irrlgnto n great deal of land In the western countteH of Kansas nnd Nebraska by Impounding ntorm wnler , and each Htnte should make provision for the construction of the requisite reHcrvolrs. As a step In that direction congress ought to grant the reelnlmnblc arid lands upon condition thnt the Htnto do the work of reclamation. After reclamation the land could bo Bold to set tlers at n price BiiHIclcnt to pay the cost of making the reservoirs. . The Unlvoralt.v of Nrbrankn. Acto 1'oi/r / Trtbnuc. The University of Nebraska , of which n thorough description wns printed In Sun day's Tribune , now ranks In size , equip ment and scholarship nmoni ? the three or four chief colleges of the west , and. with Its compeers , challenges the respectful es teem of all American educators. Planted in the heart of the western plains , It Is naturally typical In pplrlt of the restless energy and enterprise of thnt region , let It vindicates Its right to tin : title of univer sity , not only by teaching nil the branches of learning which Its patrons require , but also In excclllnR In the generally recognize * requirements of liberal culture. It gives Instruction In agriculture ns It Is to be practiced on the plains , and Is not less dill- Kent nnd elllclcnt In the classics , philoso phy nnd art. In the former Its worth Is recognized by the farmers and herdsmen of the Plattu valley , and In the latter Its achievements nro honored , not only here In the east , but In the great centers of learning In forelun lands. Once the bare thought of "higher culture" In the far west would have provoked derision. Today a Greek play on the banks of the Pintle seems scarcely loss congruous than at Cambridge or New Haven , and excites a serious Interest nnd a profound admiration. Pr. Cnnlleld and bis coadjutors , and the whole "brainy nnd brawny" state of Ne braska , nre heartily to be congratulated on the quarter-century's achievements , equally brilliant and substantial , which this anni versary commemorates. In n Fnlgu I'osltlon. JVcic J"or7f Mill. Hon. Julius Sterling Morton Is In a false position as secretary of agriculture because lie seems to be no friend of paternal agri culture , nnd the Department of Agriculture exists for no other purpose , with the excep tion of spending some of the Rovi'rnment's money In salaries. In a letter to Congress man Joe Slbley of Pennsylvania In regard to certain mlsrepresentallons of the secre tary's opinions about the Russian thistle , which the statesmen of the blizzard belt want congress to appropriate . $1,000,000 to exterminate , Mr. 'Morton says : I do not think It Is the business of tlip rov- ernmcnt to destroy weeds for th < people any more than It la to raise whpnt for them , or to culti vate corn by appropriations from the public funds. This Is ns true as trulh. The government has no more right to pull up weeds for the benefit of a citizen than to pay for his shoes or to pnlnt his cart. It cannot be re peated too often that the business of the government Is to mind Its own business. It Is not doing so In conducting a department for the supposed benefit of farmers. Let the farmers take care of themselves , ns shoemakers nnd conductors and lawyers do. The farmers do take care of themselves , nnd the supposed help given to them by the government Is vain and Illusory. Mr. Morton has tried to pare down some of the humbugs In his department , but total amputation Is the only remedy. Ills own principles are Inconsistent with his re maining In nn ofllce from which the hand of the government Is constantly thrusting forth a knife to cut down the citizen's weeds or a powder to kill his potato bugs. Come out of the humbug , Mr. Morton. Ask congress to abolish your job. The Kurco or Prohibition. Ilnttan. Tranicrtpllwl ( > ) , Some time ago we published as nn Inter esting Item of news the estimate of the Wine nnd Spirit Gazette that there were over 40,000 liquor dealers In New York stale , and that their employes of nil classes num bered nearly 200,000. It appears that the assertion of the Gazette attracted wide spread attenllon , as well It might , arid a New York paper denied Its accuracy. The denial was based on the reports of the local boards of excise authorities , which ac counted for but 28,000 planes In the stati1 where liquor was sold. The Gazette has returned to the charge , repeats Its assertion nnd declares that the reports of local au thorities are utterly untrustworthy ns bases for estimating the liquor trafllc anywhere. The reports nnd returns of the federal In ternal revenue olllcors arc what It goes by. and they Issued In New York state last year 40.1)78 ) licenses to retail liquor dealers. Oilier licenses In other classes brought the total up to 42,552 retailers. After proInK over the data carefully the Gazette comes to the conclusion that at the time of Its computation lOS.lSU men of voting ago were Identified with the liquor trafllc , which Is pretty near 200,000. The Gazette is undoubtedly right In pre ferring the reports of the federal to the local ofllcers ns bases of estimates. The Internal revenue olllccr In search of reve nue Is a perfpct sletith-liound. In com munities where the local police find few erne no liquor dealers the revenue officer Is likely lo find many , nnd he will have his license taken out nnd paid for. The kltohen bar room that the city police have diffi culty olllclnl dllllculty we mean In locat ing , gives evidence in Its framed nnd dis played United States license that the reve nue officer has been there. From stales under prohibition laws the United States draws larne revenue from the sale of liquor. At the. date of the last annual report of the commissioner of Internal revenue there were outstanding nnd In force in the pro hibition states of Maine , Now Hampshire. Vermont , Town , Kansas , North Dakota and South Dakota 14,320 retail liquor dealers' licenses Issued by the United States , 123 wholesale liquor dealers' licenses , 41 Issued to brewers , 1,651 retail dealers In malt liquors , and 4C1 malt wholesalers. As a school of hypocrisy prohibition can not be surpassed. There Is another consid eration attaching to these figures nnd It Is a very serious one. If local authorities cannot enforce the law of their states , If there nro nearly 17.000 people carrying on n business prohibited by local laws. Is their immunity duo to lack of trnlh and courage on the part of officers , to the latter's fear of being refused re-eloctlon If tbev do their duty , to the Inherent feebleness of our local administrative policy , or to a realizing sense that prohibition Is simply a prospec tus Intended to snare the unco good ? The contrast between the direct and fearless method of the federal olllcors , nnd the In- c.ltlclcncy of tlio local authorities is not nattering to the elective principle. Spent of I'uat War Ship ! ) . CRAWFORD , Nob. , Fob. 23. To the Ed- ( tor of The Doe : What Is the fastest tlmo made by any of our now war ships ? Please glvo It In knots per hour In your next Thursday Issue. A CONSTANT READER , Ana. Tlio Columbia made 22.70 knots nn hour , corrected time , over an eighty-mile course. For ono of the measured strelchea she exceeded 21 knols. Highest of all in Leavening3BoweSV- U. S. Gov't Report. HII'l'KI ) III' TIIK WK Chicago Posl' Judge Orosscup's decl- Men seems lo be broad enough to prohibit nny further tinkering of the net. It acorns to settle the point that n provision of the constitution cannot bo not a.ildo by legisla tive enactment , however desirous some law makers may bo of accomplishing such a purpose. St. Paul Olobo : The decision of Judge Crosscut * overthrowing the Interstate com merce law will throw seven distinguished statesmen who compose the commission out of n job and rave their salaries , amounting to $52,500 a year , besides office nnd travel ing expenses nnd clerk hire. The entire sav ing will nmount lo about J200.000 annually , n handy sum with which to retire Interest- bearing bonds , Chicago Dispatch : This decision utlorly dcslroys the worth of the Interstate commis sion. The whole affair Is Intcresllng chiefly from the fact that thai commission has proved nn ncllva factor In the commer cial nnd legal life of this country for many years , millions of .dollars being Involved In Its operations without any suspicion being aroused that the law under which It was organized was uncnnstltiitlonal. Chicago Record : The fact thnt Judge Orossciip's decision practically nullifies the Interstate commerce law Is of not so much Importance as that the law Itself renders void a very valuable nnd Important pro vision of the constitution. If the law Is defective It can easily bo amended , while It would he Impossible to amend the organic law of Iho country to meat the defecls 'of nny bill congress may happen to pass. The only wonder Is that this conflict In the law with the consltullon'haH not bean discovered before , for certainly the occasion for nuch discovery has not been wanting even In this city. Pioneer Press : The Inlerslalo law has served n worthy purpose In bridging a chasm nnd giving the railroad problem a chance to work Itself out. It Is too big for legis lation to handle. It must solve Itself , nnd It Is solving Itself by the trials of ex perience. The best thing that can happen Is to have It taken out of politics , nnd the passage of the Interstate law did lhat for the tlmo being. So far , It served n good purpose ; and as for Its practical application , oven such n blow as It has now received can scarcely make It deader than It already was. JIUlll ! .tM > rilKKK. The golden background of Joe Keppler's cartoons Is appraised nt $500,000. Advices fall to state whether any cuckoos wore bagged during the presidential hunt. hunt.W. W. T. Purnell of Scotland Neck , N. C. , Is cultivating land granted to his progenitors by King George. The Gulf and North Polo populist railroad Is steadily forging to the front. A 'Topoka typewriter has attached It for $20. There Is a consuming desire In adminis tration circles to lot the dead past bury the Hawaiian question. The senate , however , Insists on giving It another Frye. After a three- months siege with the grip , n York man has como off victorious , but minus ono eye. He Is glad ho Is still In the ring , oven If ho is n lltllo disfigured. Perhaps the development of the Iron In dustries down south nnd consequent sharp competition with Mr. Hewitt's business In terests tended to sharpen that gentleman's strictures an southern statesman. The Chicago Herald delivers Itself of n lecture on municipal affairs In Omaha. The amusing part of It Is that the screed comes from a town where the ftro department turns out to squirt on the aurora borcalls. Edgar Fawcetl , the poet , playwright and novelist , Is a bachelor 40 years of age. Ho likes society , the theater and the opera. He Is of medium height , dresses In the latest style , Is English In appearance nnd keeps his own carriage. John Wesley Hardln , the terror of Texas In the 70's nnd one of the worst desper adoes the world has ever produced , his victims numbering between twenty and fifty , recently walked out of the Texas pen itentiary a free man , having served a twcnty-llvo years' sentence. Sir Wilfrid Lawson , proprietor of the Lon don Dally Telegraph , Is counted a humorous speaker from the English point of view. In his recent speech against the House of Lords ho parodied the well known hymn after this fashion : Lot earls nnd barons squash home rule , For 'tis their nature to ; Let dukes and bishops play the fool , For God has made them so. The Courier-Journal details In startling headlines the trifling mailer of boodle dis tribution among Louisville aldermen. It appears the city solons have habitually ac cepted handouts ranging from $5 to a house and lot for their Influence and votes , and otherwise cultivated hay In sunshlno and storm. The startling character of the C.-J.'s announcement Is doubtless Intended to con vey the impression lhat the practice is an unusual one. Another branch has been added to the gencologlcal tree of the cuckoo. The honor which has been bestowed upon ( Senator Morgan , the St. Louis Republic claims , belongs - longs to Hon. William Durke of Chicago , a member of the Illinois house of representa tives In the last assembly. He had a mis understanding with the speaker , and when ever a member showed an excess of zeal in complying with the speaker's rulings Mr. Burke would make wings of his arms and emit the plaintive call of a mechanical cuckoo responding to the pendu lum. Burko's cuckoo was n local one , Mor gan gave It a national habitation. ffKllll.lUK i AXlt JfKllIt t. The Craig Tlmos proposes lo do only n cash Inislnons with Its subscribers. Tlio date of the Mnll county teachers In- Btltuto has been fixed tor July 23. The Beatrice city council wants to reduce .tho fire department force , but the men don't propose to have It that way. There In tnlk of running Snm Wnh , the Chinese Inundrymnn , for mayor of Schuyler on n citizens' ticket. Ho'll wnsh nil right. Northwestern Nebraska farmers held nn Institute nt Mornn lasting two days , A Grind Island man fell whllo stepping from n bath tub nnd burst n blood vessel In his left. Ilathlng Isn't qulto ns free from dnngnr us It lined to bo when people scrubbed tliem.'clvco In n washtub on thn kitchen floor , but It's more populpr. Andrew Debncy , the man under sentence of locution by hanging , It Is thought will fret Jlmself to death before the llmo comes , says the Columbus Journal. He will lln down n lltllo whllo In his cell nnd suddenly get up nnd walk and wave his hands , nnd this ho docs continually. Children cowboys nro talking of having another rnco In the near future. U Is tiro- posed to start from Chadron nnd go five mllus cast , then return , going over this route ton times , making n 100-mllo race , Sentinels will bo posted over the route and cnro tnken thnt no horses nre nbuscd or overtaxed. The southeast district encampment of Iho Grand Army of the Republic will meet In Beatrice March S. Several hundred vet erans will bo In attendance representing the counties of southeast Nebraska , The afternoon business session will meet nt 2 o'clock. In the evening n public Installa tion nnd camp flro will bo held In the audi torium. Commander Church Howe has con sented to bo present , ns has nlso Senior Vice Commnnder Adams of Superior. Political r . Scnntqr Morgan IH announced by such papers ns the Now York World "a repub lican In disguise" because ho signed the re port of thu senate committee on foreign re lations censuring Cleveland for his course with Hawaii. There appear to bo n great many different kinds of democrats now. \ \ hencvcr a man who has been a consis tent democrat for thirty years docs mnnc- thlng a Now York newspaper doesn't like ho Is railed oil In a corner by himself nml labeled with n contumoltlous epithet which doesn't hurt him while it does amuse Iho New York Journals. I'ulliiro or Liverpool HroUur.i. LIVERPOOL. March 1. The failure of James Gaskcll & Son was reported on 'Change today. The failure had no effect on business , however , ns It had been anticipated. l.A UI1X < ! .V.I TTKIIN. Glens Falls Republican : In the ups und downs of life the baby Is unrivalled. Cleveland Plain Denier : How the speaker would have enjoyed It liml General Sickles bcim wounded In tlio voice. Illnghnmton Republican : It Is hard to nay which Is the worst congressional evil , the cold tea or the absentee. Gnlvcston News : Unless a man sends forth his own clarion tones In this country he Is not going to be heard from. Atchlson Olobe : If a woman wants a welcome when she irets homo she should leave her husband with the baby when she goes. Philadelphia Record : The wife who always Hays "I told yon so" when things unpleasant have occurred Is not ns bad as wives who alt and simply look , without a word. Indianapolis Journal : Yabsley Say , when uro you going to pay mo that $5 you owe me ? v Kludge I would pay It right now , but T this Is the thirteenth time you have met -v i me and asked me the' same question. Sittings : A man engaged In selling "elixir of life" In Boston was arrested for wlfu-beatliiB recently. She says "elixir within nn Inch of her life. " Atlanta Constllullon : "What will you give me for this article ? " asked the author. "I ciin't afford much. " replied the editor , "but if I could I would cheerfully give you six months ? " Brooklyn Eagle : ' "What do you think of Mr. Ilardhlt's execution ? " said Miss Giishey at the muslcnlc. "I hadn't heard of It , " said Old Growley. "but I think It's a good Idea ; when does the hanging take place ? " THE NAUGHTY MAN. Kuntaa Cltii Journal. If a body meet a body In a darkened hall , If a body kiss a body- Just a joke , that's all. When n man his own wife Kisses , Thinking she's the maid , And whispers , "Ah , you charming Bettyl" Then the deuce Is played. IX PJJXIACK T13IKS. Acto I'oi li Recorder. " ' dear that's funny" "I've a story , , "No , It's Lent. " "Can you let me have some money ? " "No , It's Lent. " "Do not wear thnt flashy bonnet With the flower garden on It , No , my dear , you shall not don It , For it's Lent. " ' "We must dress In garments sober , _ For It's Lent. " ' Something quiet , like October , For It's Lent. And when Charley , so entrancing- . Up the steps Is proudly prancing , You must keep your heart from dancing , For It's Lent. " The largest mnlcera and Hollers ot line clotlie.i on cnrtti , Your inonoy's vorth or your inunoy hao'c. Our Side of it Is that \vo always aim to please bur customer with whatever we nell him , and our aim being- pretty sure , wo always hit the mark. Just now we "are hav ing1 a special run on our New Spring . Overcoats In very nobby styles and colors. They are gems of the tailor's art , and coupled with their usefulnessi they make a very necessary garment for springy Wo are also making some very interesting prices. BROWNING , KING & CO. , X U'lllunylbocxprcfslfyoukend I CV Pnr . . 1 stli iml Dmml'ic Qtu JV.UI.OU1 iluU . the money ftrSCOworlfiormuru I J- UOUglilS OlS.