THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: TIILIISDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1901.
The omaha Daily Bee
U. I10HKWATKH, KDITOIt.
vuuumitii) Kvniiy morning-.
TKKM8 or Ht'HSCMUPTlON,
Dally Her (without Sunday), Ono Yenr.$6.00
Dally Hoc and Hunday, Ono Year S.ro
Illustrated Her, one Year . . .. 2.)
Hundav Bee, One Year , 2.00
Hnturdny Bee, One Year 1.5")
Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year.. l.W
DMLIVKHL'D HY CAHHIKH.
Dally Bee (without Sunday), per copy... 2c
Daily 'Hep (without Sunday), per week... He
Dally Beo. (Including S-indiiy), per week. 17c
Kutidny Hip, per "opy... bo
Kvenlng Hen (without Sunday), per wcck.lOo
Hvrnlng Ileo (Including Hunday), per
week .' lfie
u..i.iii)unt of Irregularities In delivery
should" be addressed to City Circulation De
partment. OKFICKS.
Om.iha The Dec Building.
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Twenty-fifth nnd M streets.
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ashlngton 601 Fourteenth Strret.
COIUU-ISPONDKNCK.
Communications relating to nows nnd edi
torial mutter ahould bo addressed; Omuha
Wee, Editorial Department.
business lettkiih.
Business letters and remittances should ho
addressed; Tho Uco Publishing Compuny,
Omaha.
REMITTANCES.
Ilcmlt by draft, express or postal order,
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Only 2-cent atampa accepted In payment of
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THUS HUH PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OP CIRCULATION.
Btato of Nebraska, Douglas County, as.:
Oeorge H. Tsschuck, aecretnry of The lice.
Publishing Company, being duly swprn.
says that thn actual number ot'fiill ana
complete copies of The Daily, Morning,
Kvenlng and Hunday Heo printed during
the month of November, 1001, was as fol
lows: 1 no,H2o
2 :to,tio
3 :io,iio
4 :i",77ll
r :io,hno
6 :itl,NIIO
16 HI. OOO
17 no,it.io
is ,:io,bho
19 :to,:i7o
so ao.itio
21 IW.'MU
22 :io,io
2J :to,;t:it
21 ao.ur,.-,
25 ;to,i w
: :o,io
27 :to,ono
28, no,iuo
2? :io,i 10
co....... :kv-h
:u,:tuo
no," to
ilO.UOO
:to,:tr.o
ao,7no
........'10,7110
.'10, MOO
s...,
o....
10....
11....
12..,.
12.. i.
II....
...no.no
15
,.;to,:i:to
Total
Leas unsold nnd returned coplra.
. IO,!l" i
Net total sales 01 l,nl
Not dally Average Iio.asi
QUO. U. T.HC1IUCK.
Subscribed In my precenco and awom to
befoni mo this Sflth day of November, A. D.
1901.
M. n. iiunoaTk.
(Beat.)
Notary l'ubllc.
Tho liillntlon of tlio census of 1800
has done Omnliii mi liiculeulahlo amount
of Injury with foreign Investors, but
high taxes havo boon much more dam
aging. Over .?1,000,0)0 Is hii Id to have been
lost In tho "blind pool" recently operated
In lloston. It It not expected tliut the
management will over bu nblo to see
where It went.
Tho flood of bills linn already .swamped
tlu clerks of both houses of eonnross.
Tllti clerks lutvo the consolation of know
ing t lut fc tnoHt of the bllln will be
swamped later.
.lust at this nionient Omaha does not
wnnt(a first-clnss hotel nearly an lmieh
jis It does capacious modern warehouse
bulldliiKH t lip t will accommodate large
jobbing concerns.
Hoss Croker again announces that he
will retire from Tammany leadership,
lie should stay until after tho spring
roundup, as the herd has evidently
drifted badly and the services of an ex
perienced hand are needed.
Iowa's prison census shows a marked
decrease iu population during .the past
year. Perhaps the resident population
Df the penitentiaries could be profitably
brought up to the normal by rounding
up tho bank robbers so active of late.
Tho National I.lvo Stock association
has exhibited good, practical sense In
ordering the printing of all undelivered
speeches In .It 9 future record. Iu this
It only follows tho example of tho
bucket shop men who record all options
for future delivery.
Selling galvanised brass watches for
solid gold Is an Imposture Hint lays tho
denier llnble to sev.ero penalties, liut the
paper that buncoes advertising patrons
by bogus circulation claims goes right
on preaching business morality whllo
getting mouoy under fnlsefpretenses.
Order having been restored there, tho
United States marines have been with
drawn from tho Isthmus of Panama.
Dther nations which pretended to be
Hove the landing was only the prelude
lo a permanent occupancy can now re
Ilro to their nightly rest with no specter
to harass them.
The National Live Stock association
ivnuts Unclu Sam to go out of the
land business Jijst as soon as it Is prau
tlcnblo to do so. Hut who is to .take
L'nclo Sam's place and who Is toown
tho land? The policy has been to re
ervo tho public domain as homes for
tho homeless and not as preserves for
Ilia cat tie kings,
An ordinance to protoet patrons of bar
ber shops from tho barbers' itch is perni
os In tho city council. If tho ordinnnco
Is' passed iu ftlmo it will afford an op
portunity to tho eminent Jurist now oc
Mipylug tho police bench to pass upon
Iho Inherent rights of men to expose
themselves to anything that Is catching
without restraint or hindrance from the
ilty council..
Sonio of the delegates .to the Pan
kraerienn congress appear to be deter
mined upou having arbitration of Inter
tatlonal differences oven If they arc con
polled to light for It. Tho delegates
r-ho favor the old method of settling
Uffereucos.hnvo tho better of ouo argu
ment It U chenper to carr on a war
m tho South American plan than It Js to
co lawyers.
Tho milk dealers have appealed to tho
ilty council for protection against the
Invnslon of their domain by tho owners
)f slnglo cows, who ,aro specially fa
fored by n lower license than Is exacted
jrom.the dealers. If this ordinance goes
through wo may look for a combination
)mong the owners of private cows nnd
in Issue of watered stock that will diluto
Jit luctonl fluid beyond tho chalk Hue.
SKCUETAUV OAGrS HKlH)nT.
There Is a great deal of useful Infor
mation for the tlnanclal nnd business In
terests of the country Iu tho annual re
port of the secretary of the treasury.
The genernl public will be chiefly In
terested In the recommendation that
revenue be reduced. The Indications
are that at the-nd of the current llscal
year, June HO,' 1IKK!, tho surplus will
reach $ KH.i.OOO.lHK) and Secretary (Inge
Is of the opinion that It will be safe to
reduce revenue to the extent of $r0,000,
000. He recommends tho repeal of all tho
miscellaneous taxes known ns wnr taxes,
saying of them that "they are in their
.nature vexatious, In some Instances op
pressive and, separately ' considered,
yield but small revenue." Pcrhnps con
gross will not be djsposod to cut off so
much revenue as the secretary of the
treasury suggests, though there Is no
doubt It could be donu with entire safety,
but It must make some .reduction, or the
party in power will certainly suffer In
tho congressional elections next year
To continue tuxes that lire vexatious
and oppressive when tho national treas
ury Is accumulating money at tho pres
cut rate cannot be Justified. It Is true
there will bo heavy expenditures by tho
government In new enterprises, but
these should not be so large as to re
tpilre tho revenue the gov ernment Is now
getting. The people should be relieved
of unnecessary .taxation and iu the In
terest of tho business of the country the
great Mow of money Into the nntlonal
treasury should bo chocked as soon as It
Is practicable to do so, which will be at
the beginning of tho next llscal yenr.
Secretary Gage urges modlllcatlons of
thu national banking law, . with a view
to enabling th'e banks to Increase their
note circulation, It Is the asset cur
rency plan and Iho secretary of the
treasury thinks It would result In a
large addition to the bank note currency,
at the .same time relieving the govern
ment of the necessity of carrying so
largo an amount or gold as at present
for redemption of legal tender notes,
the plan contemplating the .impounding
of greenbacks. The asset currency Idea
has been pretty fully discussed ami does
not appear to have made a generally
favorable Impression. Mr. Dau'os, the
former comptroller of the currency, ex
pressed tho opinion that asset currency
such as Is proposed In current plans Is
unsafe and that the need of an asset
currency In tho transaction of current
business Is not great enough to Justify
any radical change In oftr .system of
bank note issue. It Is very probable
that tills view will bo found to prevail
among a majority In coiigivs. The
matter may receive consideration, but It
Is safe lo say that the recommendation
or Secretary Gage will not.be acted
upou.
Tho secretary submits argument Tor
an American merchant marine, recom
mending legislation providing for the
carrying of ocean .malls lu American
steamships, Tor which he says the time
Is opportune and the conditions propi
tious. "There Is 110 longer any reason,"
says Mr. Gage, "why we should bo de
pendent on the auxiliary navies of
Kuropeau fpovers for our ocean mall
service." He argues that the establish
niifnt of a complete American ocean mall
service to lOurope, Asia, South America
and Australia will in Itself furnish the
backbone for an American system of
communication by sea. It Is very prob
able that congress will take favorable
action upon this recommendation of tho
secretary of the. treasury, which Is en
tirely sound and practicable.
I.MPOUTAKCK OK llllttGATIUX.
It Is a inost. encouraging fact lu con
nection with the Irrigation question that
today there Is a great deal of eastern
sentiment In favor of the reclamation of
tho arid regions. Wo referred only a few
days ago to the expressions of one of
the leading dally papers of the east to
this subject. In which It eloquently and
.forcibly urged the duty of the govern
ment to do something for reclaiming
the arid lands, most conclusively show
ing that In doing that It would be con
tributing lu an Inestimable way to tho
building up of tho national welfare.
Another eastern paper, the Haltlmoro
News, iu discussing this subject, says:
"There Is an empire In the west which
for years to como will serve as a home
for the overllow for the teeming popula
tion of the east, provided pains are
taken lo make ayallablo tho natural re
sources of Hint empire. While Ameri
cans are talking reciprocity and seek
ing foreign trade, they should not over
look the fact that a market may bo
developed at home through the reclaim
ing of the arid west which would de
mand more manufactured goods prob
ably than all of the foreigners with
which we do business."
There Is cert 11 Inly a very practical
Idea In this that Is worthy of most, seri
ous consideration. This great arid re
gion of our own country, the reclama
tion of which Is unquestionably feasi
ble,, ami which Is capable of supporting
when reclaimed a population almost If
not equal to tho present population of
the country, presents a proposition that
ought to command attention second to
none other with which congress has to
deal..
THE ISTUMUX CASALIWPMIT.
The report of the Isthmian Canal com
mission, now before congress, discloses
nothing the public was not already In
formed f. U iiuqualltlcdly favors tho
Nicaragua route ns being In nil respects
preferable to Panama. A canal through
Nicaragua, according to the .commis
sion, can bo constructed In less time
than would be required to complete tho
Panama canal and will cost consid
erably less, taking Into account what
would havo to be paid tho Pannnm
compnny, which Is a very much larger
sum than It has been supposed Unit
company would ask. Tho estimated
cost of completing the Panama canal
Is also much larger than any hereto
foro made, but It must be assumed that
In this matter tho commission was care
ful not to overestimate, It Is safe to
predict, however, thnt Its llgurcs will
bo challenged as too high. .The esti
mated cost of the Nicaragua canal Is
considerably In excess of thnt of tho
previous commlsslou and undoubtedly
Is u more trustworthy estimate, though
very likely several million below what
the canal will cost.
'I he report of the conimIslon will
doubtless put nu end to discussion In
regard to routes, since further contro
versy N manifestly useless. There Is
no doubt that a large majority In con
gross favor the Nicaragua route and
when the bill for the construction of a
canal Is Introduced there will be llttlo
delay In passing- It. The commission
recommends that thn government nc
quire control of territory ten miles wide
from sea to sen and expresses the opln
Ion thnt there will bo no dlltlculty lu
arranging terms with Nicaragua nnd
Costa Ulea. We shnll doubtless hnvc
to pay handsomely, however, for so
much territory. There seems to bo noth
ing now lu the way of carrying out
this great enterprise. The trenty with
(heat Itrltaln concedes everything our
government has asked, the protocols
with Nicaragua and Costa Hlca assure
a satisfactory arrangement with those
countries, which It Is presumed are
anxious to havo the canal built, and we
have the money to carry on tho work
Such being the situation there Is no np
parent reason why tho enterprise should
not take practical form early In the
coming year.
A'ECBS.S'Tl or HUTUKNCUMCST.
The paramount question thnt Inter
csts tho taxpayers of Omalin and Uoug
Ins county Is tnx reduction. The bur
den of tnxntlon M'lilch has been grow
ing heavier from ycnr to ycnr must be
lightened lu some way before any con
sldernblo rlso lu the market value of
real estate can bo hoped for.
There are only two ways by which
this relief enn be had. One Is by grcntcr
economy nnd retrenchment In the
management of county, city nnd school
affairs the other by a more equitable
distribution of tho tnx burdens through
the assessment of corporate property
ami ffranchlses and personal property
that have heretofore been undervalued
or escaped taxation altogether.
Y Itli the new year the llrst step
should be taken by city, county and
school governments by the Abolition of
sinecures and the application of busi
ness methods In all departments. While
none of the local authorities can change
the law creating permanent olllcers and
Ilxlng their salaries, there Is a largo
Held where the pruning knife can be
applied with good effect without Im
pairing tho elllclency of the service. In
due time the largest saving can be
effected by the school board through a
thorough rearrangement of the system,
which Is top-heavy and needs readjust
ment at tho base. (
The more serious dlllleulty will be
oiuountered In the effort to equalize
tho tax assessments so that the consti
tutional provision requiring every cor
poration and Individual to pay .taxes In
proportion to both properly and fran
chises shall be enforced without favorit
ism or discrimination. With reasonable
retrenchment a reduction of from $30,
1)0(1 to ? 100,000 can be made for the
coming year .In the total of city, county
anil school taxes. An Impartial as
sessment would without question add
several million dojlars to the grand as
sessment roll, with a corresponding re
duction of the tax rate.
If the property owners of Omaha and
its business organizations can get. to
gether to work out a plan designed .with
this end In view, they can accomplish n
great deal without waiting for tho aid
or consent of any legislature or consti
tutional convention.
The report of the state auditor shows
that the Indebtedness of the slate is and
has been for n number of years Increas
ing at the rate of $100,000 per yenr. So
far as the ultimate result lo the state Is
concerned, it Is Immaterial whether this
represent) regular or extraordinary ex
penses. Such a condition may bo good
business, but in private affairs It would
soon lead to the bankruptcy court." If
there were no other reason than this
condition, It would be a good Investment
to have a special session of the legisla
ture, which could devise means to .re
establish the state's llnanccs on a solvent
basis.
If the friends of Irrigation could per
suade Commissioner .Maxwell not to
project himself too far Into tho front In
the discussion of tho Irrigation problem
before congress they would materially
Improve the chances for the pnssngo of
a ratlonnl bill. It Is as well .known In
Washington ns It Is In Omaha that Mux-
well Is not agitating this subject for his
health, but that he Is the hired repre
sentative of heavy Interests, and ,such
men seldom wield much Influence.
London papers comment upon the fact
that every nation In Europe envies tho
United States Its treasury surplus and
each ono rejoices thnt no other country
possesses It A treasury surplus of that
size to back up some of the ambitions of
Kurope would be an endless fiourco of
trouble for other nations. Tho United
States Is content, however, to put up a
"Keep off tho grass" sign nnd allow
Kurope to worry along with Its own
troubles.
The Heal Kstate exchange hns suc
ceeded In unloading tho Grcntcr Omaha
consolidation scheme on n committee of
fifteen .citizens and that committee hns
turned over the tnsk to a sub-committee
of live dlstlnguMied gentlemen qualified
In legal lore, but thnt fact should not
deter the members of the exchongo from
devising some plan thnt will bring about
a reduction of .taxes under the existing
county, city and school hoard manage
ments. A certain class of Cubans seek for n
pretext for believing the United States
Intends to obtrude Itself Into purely
Cuban affairs with the persistency of a
woman who has looked for a man under
the bed every night of her life. Tho
authorities at Washington might bo ex
cused for showing Impntlenco with this
constant Impugning of their motives,
and that they hnvc not done so Is nn
added credit mark.
A I'rnfltnble (Sanir.
Ronton Qlobe.
Yala'a gat receipts for the foot ball sea-
ion will reach a total of about 175,000. Too.
lato gatno with Harvard netted (33,000. Is
It not more profitable to educate the feet
man tne Dead 7
Murk, tlm Dole-fxil Cry.
Haltlmoro American.
Hawaii wants an appropriation of $10,
000,000, There Is no doubt of tbo Island's
quick assimilation Jt American principles.
Whore the Order la Xreileit.
Springfield Republican.
There was organized In Anderson, S. C.,
at. tho time of tho assassination of Presi
dent McKlnley nn order for the suppression
of anarchy. It, has been followed tuero this
week by a lynching, tho first time In tho
state for a year or two. Soma 200 men
took pnrt and they doubtlcs Included ninny
members of tho order for the suppression
of anarchy.
I-'oIIimtIiIk Xotilblp I'xiinililea,
Detroit Krce Press.
We let a ulngle company control tho
sugar business of tho country, a single
company runs the Illuminating oil busi
ness and two companies do all the tele
graph business of tho country. Aro the
railway magnate much to be blamed If
they suppose that they will be permitted
to combine the railroad lines Into n half
dozen or so creat systems?
IIimt War l'lncliPN Vnlora.
Springfield Hcpubllcau.
The depreciation In stocks on the London
market since the beginning of tho lloer
war 19 of astonishing extent. Taking 325
representative stocks itraded In there, In
cluding American rails, the English Hank
ers' Magazlno finds that tho depreciation
In two yenrs amounts to 750,000,O00t Hut
as there has been a very large advance In
American securities listed on tho London
exchange, tho depreciation In Drltlsh se
curities must have been much greater than
Is represented. Nor does tho worst ap
pear to havo been passed.
TIIK HAKKOFK IX IMIMTIVH.
Knlc or Oklnhotnn'n (inheritor n
'1'lmrly AVnrnlnir,
Haltlmoro American (rep,).
President Iloosevelt removed William At.
Jenkins, governor of Oklnhoma, becauso It
was shown by his own statement that Jen
kins hnd made an arrangement by which
ho would reap a benefit amounting to $10,
000 or more front a contract between tho
territory- nnd a sanitarium company which
was to care for tho Insane of tho territory.
Mr. Iloosevelt lu his letter saya: "A
chancellor would not for a moment retain n
trusteo who, In dealings for tho trust, re
served an advantage for himself. The
thought Is not to be tolerated thnt the
president can be leas vigilant and exacting
In the public's Interest."
This Is tho wholo case In a nutshell, nnd
Is Just what was expected of tho president.
Mr. HooHcvelt has often in public speeches
declared thnt the samo rules of honesty and
fair dealing should prevail In transacting
thn business of the people that aro ob
served In tho dealings of one man with an
other Hnd his actions In public offlco have
been squared Btrlctly In accordance with
this principle.
The politicians' are finding out that thor
havo In tho president, a man to donl with
who la courageous and who will go to tho
root of any mnttcr whenho glvea his de
cision. One of the great curses of American poli
tics, especially' in cities, Is tho "rnkeoff."
The chief aim some politicians havo In
securing office ts to get n much ns pos.
stbie out of every contract for work done
for tho people and for which the people
pay In taxes. It has como to pass In some
localities hnt a man's worth to his party
Is valued' by his shrewdness In robhlntr a
city of all ho can without being discovered
and his supporters strive to keep him In
office, having nn eye to mutual profit. It Is
not to bo wpndered at that those, who profit
by tho rakcoff die hard in politics. The
astounding pnrt of tho business Is thnt
people anywhere In tho country unbuilt to
being held up and robbed by thoso they
would decllno to trust In nny ordinary
transaction of prlvnto business. '
r. O V K It M B XT o w. 11 n M 1 1 P.
Trend nf (.'oiniuiinKr . of - inlrm.i
l)rnl In llallrnmln.
United Htates Investor.
A great deal might be said regarding the
future of transportation facilities as a re
sult or the "community of Interest" deals.
Tho question resolves itself Into two parts;
first, will tho public Interests bo served as
well ns at present If a number of great sys
tems nre united and kept under private
management; and, second, will the public
Interests bo served as well as at present If
a number of great systems aro united and
placed under the control of tho govern
ment? On tho first point wo have our
doubts. Past experience has shown that
when a number of roadB traversing the
same section of country havo been welded
together Under ono management, the public
havo speedily begun to complain of n cur
tailment of privileges. Human nature be
ing what It is, wo Incline to the opinion
that the northwest In particular and the
country In general have more to be afraid
of than to rejoice over, In connection with
the transportation situation, ns a result of
such deals as the ono Just consummated by
Messrs. Morgan, Hill and Hnrrlman. The
cose becomes different, however, when we
look nt tho transportation problem In the
light of government ownership. We do not
attach much Importance to the argument,
so commonly advanced, that the railroads
would be less efficiently managed under
government control than tinder private con
trol. It amounts to a certainty In our mind
that tbo railroads would be as effectively
handled by the government as tho Post-
office department now Is, and that
Is saying a good deal. Government
will give the people all that the
people Insist upon It giving them. In
tomo things the people are tolerant and al
low the government to pursue a shiftless
course, but not In matters which they know
for a certainty affect their pocketbooks.
Tho people of the United Stales allow the
government to draw from them every year
an extravagant amount of money to be
spent In usolebB ways, but they do not eon-
sqlously permit tho authorities at Wash
ington to do anything that will impede the
operation of their various Industrial pur
suits. They think they know what they
need and they make the sovemment give
them exactly what they think they want.
Now, In the matter of railroad privileges
the public know what they need and under
government control of the railroads they
would unquestionably get what they
wanted, The government could not tam
per with tho rnllroadj, even If It wanted
to; Its shortcomings would bo too easily
detected and too quickly denounced to ad
mit of tho supposition that the roads would
be managed In other than a most efficient
manner. Consequently, we do not believe
that the public would bo losers, from the
point of view of transportation facilities,
if the outcomes of tbe Northern Securities
company deal should be to turn the rail
roads Ib question over to the government
of the United States. Whether the gov
ernment would be Justified In taking them
at the prices which the present owners
would be likely to Insist on, Is quite an
other question. No doubt a moat audn
clous attempt will be made "to stick the
government," It; over tho question of state
ownership of the railroads comes actively to
tbe. frost.
Reclaiming" the West
Hrooklyn
America high destiny Justifies the exten-
sion 01 us principles over new lands; 11
Justifies tho accessions of nllcn territory
and tho preachment to atrango peoples of
doctrines which will lift them out of bar-
bnrlsm and Idleness, but, surely, It calls for
tho redemption of its own territory before
nny other thing. Of our country but n
smq.ll part Is Inhabited. Nearly a third of
11 on ino mrtner smo or tno .Missouri Is so
thinly settled thnt wholo atntcs do not com-
paro In population with slnglo cities In the
.now it.iu U!5i Hii-iiB ino not imuiiuimi unuer
present conditions, Wo can add hundreds
of thousands of squaro miles to our hnb-
liable domain by converting tho nrld region
to fertility. And, nlbclt thero was a tlmo
wnen a proposition of that sort would havo
been as nwo-lnsplring as the turning of tho
Atlantic Into tho Sahara, the experiences of
tno past score of years have shown It to ho
entirely feasible.
in tne east we are sweeping away our
forests, mile on mile, exterminating' thu
spruce, tho pine and poplar, to feed tho
sawa and pulp mills, and aro thereby ex-
posing the soli to tho blare, of the sun,
destroying tho vegetablo mold, converting
me nuis to eminences or rock that nre this great conversion of the American dc.1
washed baro by rains Instead of storlug f t, tho gain, that Is. to settlers and to tho
tnem and causing tho country to suffer from
extremes or urouta in summer and from
noous in spring, nut It Is hopeful of tho
tuiuro or tno country that, whllo this do-
vnstatlon goes on In tho older states, the
newer ones are applying tho scientific cor-
rocuon ror these evils nnd are even aiding
naturo In planting. Eastern rivers nre
siinnKing and western ones will gain,
I'nrts of Now England aro threatened with
desertion, whllo tho west grows. Tho men
of the west hnd to confront tho conditions
that wo arc slowly creating In the east and
they proved themselves equal to tho taak.
In overcoming tho difficulties they developed
a splendid race. It has been n matter of
surprise to tho Investigators to find thnt
arid land wna tho best land, Tho desert has
not partgd with Its atores of nutritious mat
ter, augmented as they have been by the
vast herds of animals that hnvc traversed
them, nnd they nwalt only tho mnglc of mols-
turo to burst Joyously Into bloom. In Egypt
and other countries, where Irrigation Is
necessary to producn crops, the yield Is
more abundant than In areas of correspond-
Ing size that depend on rnlns. Organic
matter Is apparently stored In tho earth and
conclusions based on something over a thou-
sand analyses ore that the desert soil,
west of mlil-Kunsns, Is Hcher than tho
country east of the Mississippi by an avor
ago of three times as much potash, six
times ns much magnesia and' fourteen times
as much lime. Tho settler has often to
contend with salt, but that Is readily soluble
and easily washed out of the ground.
Hero then Is raw material of fertility
abounding. It would bo absurd lu this
people not lo use them. It does not Imply
expenditures for manures In order to
obtain n yield of crops. Every river that
'courses through the country Is turbid with
mineral riches. In nnd nbout Tucson it
hns been found that the actual market
value of the .plant foods carried to nn aero
In an ordinary Irrigation system Is over !
a senson more than the average farmer
thinks of spending for fertilizing material
In almost any part of the world.
There aro In our west BOO.OOO.OOO nrres
of arid lnnd which nro yet In tho public
gift. Wonderful results hnvo been obtained
through Individual efforts to reclaim tho
ri-:mso.Ai. notks.
A woman. Mrs. Maria Ferguson, of Los
Angeles, has Issued the first directory of
Dawson City. Yukou nnd Alaska, It li a
book of 900 pages.
Jnn Kubellk, the new violinist. Is a good
looking fellow and can piny, they say, but
his hair Is a couple of Inches short of the
proper length for an artist.
Dr. William Harper of tho University ot
Chicago has ncreptcd the offer to become
director of universal educational congresses
nt the world's fair In St. Louis.
Hon. Terrenco Mcflovern, -who was de
feated at Hartford, Conn., on Inst Thursday,
has been starring this season In "Tho Road
to Ruin." No comment Is necessary.
Herbert C. Hoover 1b ono of the highest
salaried men of his years In tbo Industrial
world. At the age ot 29 ho Is In receipt of
(33,000 annually for his sorvlces as a mining
expert.
A party of small boys with a Run fired
Into a powder house near Utlca, N. Y and
effected a scattering. Unlike n similar
Incident near Omaha years ago, the Utlca
kids escaped with their lives.
(Jovernor Stanley of KanBas objects to the
settling In that Btato of a llttlo company or
waifs from 'a New York foundling hospital
on tho ground that It would bo Introducing
hii Ignoraut nnd vicious element.
"More than ono community," says tho
Hostnn Transcript, "will watch with Inter
est Omaha's attempt to ordinance barking
dogs Into good behavior or utit of the world.
Notwithstanding tho truth there is In tho
adage nbout tho safety of a barking dog, a
dog who persists In barking unlntolllgcntly
ts a noisome nuisance."
J. N. Adam, who has presented to the city
of Buffalo tho aplendld organ built for tho
Templo of Music at the l'an-Amerlcnn ox
position nt a cost of $18,000, Is n woll known
merchant nnd municipal reformer. Ho
was for some years n member of tho Hoard
of Councllmen of Buffalo nnd In tho recont
campaign was elected a member of the
Board of Aldermen.
Masculine modesty respecting mortuary
display receives a sovere Jolt by tho action
of a Virginian who bequeathed $1 each to
his wife and nlno chlldron and tho rest of
bis cash assets, about $10,000, for ho erec
Hon of a watertight vault, "commodious
and beautiful," to enclose his remains. The
family contribution should be devoted to
curving an appropriate epitapu on ino
vault.
(JIlir.NTH OF THIS SPOILSMAN.
I'lr Pifttrllitilor Think the President
Una tli- "Hltf lleud."
Philadelphia Bulletin (rep.).
There Is n good deal of growing and
grumbling reported from Washington to bo
on private tap among the republican leaders
over the way in wnicn ino presiucui nan
declined to honor the recommendations of
not fewer than four mombers of the na
tional committee, each of them having been
turned down Individually, one after an
other. The members who represent Delaware,
Louisiana and Toxas and Kentucky have
been thus disposed of, and now the veteran
from Missouri, "Dick" Kerens, with Marcus
A. Hnnnn and Stephen B. Klklns bohtnd
him, finds himself halted, with moro than a
llkellhogd thnt his voire In tho bestowal
of patronago of thnt Btale will hereaftor
cease to be potential,
But In all the whlsporings and inutterings
which have beon coming from them to the
effect thnt tho president Is troubled with
"tho big head," they havo failed to produce
any reason which shows that In each and
every Instance he has not done his full duty
to his office and to the country.
It looks ns If the old hunkers and shady
bosses In the national committee nro going
to have a hard Job on tholr hands this
winter If they attempt to "work" Iloosevelt
along the regulation lines. ,
Kuglc,
desert and when one considers what might
bo dono by federal management Imaglna
Hon Is startled and eladdenpd bv the nn
slbllltles. It Is an ttnntrn that lies fallow
beyond the mountains, nn empire wherein
millions Who now overcrowd cities may
llvo In the comfort and freedom that are
denied In stony towns. To make homes for
these millions It will be necesjary that the
government prepare tho way. Tho coat
and tho labor are too vast for personal
undertaking. Koresta must n plnntcd
io insure constancy in water supply, reser
volrs must bo created bv damming vallev
lu order thnt the supply may be ample In
volume; caiinls and drains must be dug
ncross tho country for milts, with gates
nnd dikes nnd other such appliances, and
thero must be uulformltv In lows rosnecl.
Ing rights to use of water. Most of th8
nrld hind Is lu what have recently becom
states, but by the same authority or co
operation whereby forest reserves nn
nntlonnl parks, Indian and-mllltarv reset-
vatlons and experimental stations 'have
been secured for public uses, the nreded
ponds and canals could be crented.
And, apart from the Immediate gain of
Industries which they will create. Is th
profit of the whole country by the Incrensc
In Its output and the gunrantv of uerma
nenre In Improved climatic conditions. For
water haa n tendency to recrentc Its sunnh-
Irrigation In tho west has made tree plant
Ing feasible: treo planting. In turn, haa In
creased tho Bnrtnirs. decnened thn hrnnie
and Increased the rain nnd ilowfall. Lnnd
haa risen tenfold In vnluo under these eon
dltlous, In the desert It must rise nn hun
dred. Wrong, partial and arbitrary oxer
else of power respecting water rights and
ratea have mndo Irrigation In some states
difficult nnd have given risen to legal and
even physical contests, hut thnt Is largely
becauso no general attempt has been mndo
to secure a Inrge and permanent supply
Exactly how comity between states In to be
secured will depend on congress. It may
be needful to revise the constitution before
we can reclaim tho desert. Then let It be
revised. No issue before the nation Is so
Important.
Wo cannot say In our easy, scornful
fashion that these are matters that concern
only posterity. I'oisterlly Is our own flesh
and blood and he thnt would consign that
to any disadvantage Is a barbarian. The
moral nnd material prosperity and political
power of the American people depend on
Its displacement from foul, donso centers
of population nnd Its easier diffusion over
healthful spnees of country. With tho arid
regions of the west under control nnd In
process of reclamation, we shall bo nblo to
offer n homo to every lacking citizen and
add Immensely to our human resources
Wo shnll, moreover, be doing that which It
Is a provldenco of thla republic to do, nnd
thnt lis to show to other nntlons tho way
to larger wealth, a larger health and a man
Her stnto.
A patriot, a man of genius, a man of
sanely audacious prevision, a man of east-
crn culture nnd of western experience Is
president of the United States. Ho could
signalize his administration In no grander
nnd In no more excellent way than by
Identifying It with tho beginnings of the
great work nnd of the great duty of re
claiming tho west on the lines tho Eaglo
Bets forth today,
HITS Ol' AVASlll.NRTON LIFE.
1 Ktchln of Men and Kvrnta 1 the
XntlmiRl CnpKnl.
Much adverse comment has been pro
voked by the unusual display of flowers on
the desks of members nt the opening of
congress. In quality, variety nnd quantity
of floral offerings the display surpassed that
of former years. Senators were particu
larly favored, some members being hidden
behind banks of blossoms, The Chicago
Tribune correspondent says the display was
"especially distasteful to alt tho older mem
bers, particularly In view of the fact that
this wbb the first time they had como to
gcther officially since the terrtblo tragedy
at Buffalo. Hundreds and probably thou
sands of dollars wero. wasted on flowers
for hard-headed statesmen, moat of them
men beyond middle age, and all ot them
looking exceedingly foolish as they peeped
out from behind their floral Intrenchmcnts.
"Tho result was a vast amount of talk
among the senators themselves looking to
ward thn adoption of a rule forbidding the
display of floral gifts within tho senate
chamber. Many of tho most elaborate
pieces, ns Is well known, como from needy
sycophants In the departments, who hope
In this way to curry favor with their sena
tors." The guides who steer tourists about
Washington to tho various places of Inter
est havo a new attraction to offer to their
patrons now. When they spy a party of
sightseers nnd havo failed to Bccure en
gagements by offering tho usual Induce
ments they ask;
"Would not you like to see tho Roosevelt
children?"
Most of tho tourists 'admit that they
would, and tho guide, starts off as though ho
were leading tho way to a cngo in which
tho children were kept for exhibition pur
poses. Tho tourists aro tnken to tho White
House nnd Into Iho east room, tho southern
windows of which look out on tho prlvnte
lawn of tho While Houso. Pulling aside
tho curtains the guide peers out and ns
genorally there aro several of the presi
dent's numorous family out In tho yard, he
will say; "There, Indies nud gentlemen, Is
little Kermlt, the president's son," or "little
Ethel, the president's dnughtcr," as tho
case may bo, Tho presidential children
have become used to this scrutiny. They
pay no attention to tho visitors, and If they
aro digging In nn old flower bed they keep
right on turning up the earth as though
the east room windows were not filled with
Interested spectators.
Visitors to the capltol last week saw a
novel sight, which at first caused some
alarm from Its resemblance to a fire. A fire
onglno was at work out In the plaza sending
a st remit of water on the marble walls of
tho splendid building. The dust, the Eng
lish sparrow, and his more agreeable con
gener, the common homo pigeon, In the
course ot tho year, manage to soil the
whllo walls, and nothing short of tbe power
ful pumps of one of the best engines In
tho city will wash the grime and filth away.
A force of firemen clad In rubber boots nnd
coats were kept at work sending the water
Into tbo nooks and crannies of tho Grecian
capitals on the massive pillar's and Into
tho recesses of the sculptured figures of
tbo ornaments In the tympanum of the
house and, senate gables. Even the heights
of tho groat Iron dome were splnshed and
flooded, and hardly nny part of the Im
mense structure escaped a relentless bath.
In addition to tho work of tbe engine .1
large force of capltol employos, with scrub
bing brushes and plenty of soap, attacked
tho worst placos which did hot yield to the
washing given by the engine.
A correspondent of tho Chicago Post fur
nishes tho following Illustration of tho
manner la which tho president disposes of
offlceholdlng double-dealers: A federal of
ficeholder from a western state whoso term
1 nearly up was at tbe White House tbs
other day, Ho was nchlng to get a reap
pointment and thought he could Insure I
nnd nt tho samo tlmo please the preslden
by tendering his resignation on the theorr
that ho would thereby leavp him free to
net. So tho fedeml Job-holder walked in
to President Hoojevelt nnd nfter n few pre
liminary remarks added Hint he had his
resignation In his pocket.
"I wnnt you to feel free to-net, Mr. I'resl
dent," said he, feeling that 'ho wns doing a
very clever thing, ' nnd whllo I hope to bv
reappointed there la my resignation nt your
fcrvlee." ,
If the caller thought the president would
eagerly tell him to keep his resignation or
say, "Well done, good and faithful servant;
go buck and hold your offlco threo years
longer," ho wns disappointed, for, quick as
n flash. Mr. Roosevelt took the resignation
from his unwilling hand and, turning to a
stenographer, briskly said!
"Notify Secretary Ongo that Mr.
has resigned and there Is a acaucy In th
so-and-so office."
Before tho officeholder could collect hl
scattered wits ho was In tho nnte-room
vaguely wondering what had happenod to
his clever scheme to "get solid" with the
chief Job dispenser.
Ho then broke nil speed records gutting
to his congressman, whom ho told of the
result of his visit and begged to go at
otico and try to repair the damago ho had
done. Tho congressman lost no tlmo In
calling on tho president and, as tactfully
ns possible, told him thnt hln constituent
had not meant to resign nt all, but merely
Intended to place his position at tho dis
posal of tho now administration.
"nidlculoui," tho president exclaimed It
his rapid manner. "If ho didn't mean tt
resign why did ho come here with hii
resignation? There is no sense In suoh ac
tions. It's ridiculous."
Tho officeholder will probably be reap,
pointed, as It Is not unllkoly President
Roosevelt saw through his little feint nn
mischievously decided to teach him a lei.
son nnd discourage "grnndatand plays."
SAFF.TY OF HAII.UOAI1 TttAVRI,.
I.ras l.ns of l.lfr nnd Injnry Than on
CHy Streets.'
St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Such nn awful disaster as thst which oc
curred on the Wsbash railroad near Beneca,
.Mien., on Thursday, when two passenget
trains running at the rate of between lift
and alxty miles nn hour collided, amashlni
both trains and causing a terrible loss of
life, Is calculated to mako nervous peooli
shudder at the perils Involved In Journeyt
by rati. Of the 600 persons on board, at
least seventy-flvo wero killed and many
moro Injured. No other railroad casualty
Is recorded In thla country which Involved
so great a loss ot life not even tho memor
able dlsaatcr of Abfetabuln, for only sev
enty were killed in that accident. It will
not diminish the nervousness of the timid
traveler that this dtsastor was due to au
erroneous reading of nn order by tho engi
neer of ono of the trains. It was ono of
thoso mistakes to which fallible human be
ings nre llnble; and It Is this uncertainty
In tho operation of tho human machinery
that directs tho movements of trains which
furnishes nn element of peril greater than
nny defects In tho physical machinery which
is directed by the more, fallible man. Hut
although railroad dsastors from both causes
are not Infrequent, Inking tho vast opera
tions ot all the railroads In tho country Into
view, yet, as n mntter of fact, statistics
show that upon tbo average n man ts about
as safo upon a railroad train ns In tho
streets of tho city whero ho lives, or even
safer; that is to say, taking the whole num
ber of passengers traveling on railroads
during nuy given ycnr, thero In much less
losa of life than' occurs ns tho. result of ac
cidents In city streets, oven after eliminat
ing all thoso duo to the movements of street
cars. Moreover, It hnB been demonstrated
that tho ratio of casualties to travolors by
railroad Is far lees than thoso to travelers
by other modes of convoynncc Iobs than
thoso caused by runaway horse alone, ho
that really such occasional disasters afford
no cause for tho slightest degroo of ner
vousness about trnvollng by rail.
LAUGHING CiAS.
Phllnrtnlnhln Press: Junior Partner By
thn wsy. tnlklng of unexpected windfalls,
Horroughs tells me ho has como In for
some money.
Ronlnr Pnrtnpr That's so. Just tell lilm
ho can go"out ngnln without It
New York Sun: Grandma I'm worried
nbout Sally's baby.
uranapa bo am 1. wun iwo granamom
n an' thn rlnntnr nil warktn oft'ln each
other, as you sny, you enn't tell what'll
happen.
Cblcaco Tribune: "My friend." inquired
the man In search of Information, "would
you mind telling me tho exact Ulfferenro
between a shine and n polish?"
"Ft' centn." responded the child of sunny
Italy, who owned tho boot-blacking cstnb-
usnmcni.
riiipncn Post- "You havo stolen tny
Ideas," asserted the struggling author.
"Trim." admitted thn Huccessful plagiar
ist, "but the knowledge that you have been
of assistance to so great n man ought to
satisfy your ahbltlon."
1
Washington Star: "Does your son know
much about farming?"
mi aiiniilH ufii hn rlnen " iinswered Former
Corntossel. "lie sa-H ho reckons he'll go
to town nn' mnko nbout a million dollars
an' then cum buck nn' run this farm
proper."
Rnmervllln Journal: "Why do you wan
der aimlessly from place to pluco?" asked
tho good woman of the tramp.
"Uecauso 1 110111 Know uny omnr way
o wander," said tho unimaginative roamer.
t
Ran Francisco H-.illstln:
HIrch Buffering
Aesopl Look nt muggers! Did you ever
see nuch seedy-looKlng emtnear
uuggs uiey nre eureiy n inne nn.n, inmrs
true. 1
niiBH Hut when 1 knew him he used to
wear expensive aim wen inung ciomes.
'Yes," nut no h ncn now.
LOOK CIIKIQItFUL.
' Sornervlllo Journal.
No matter how depressed you feel,
Look cheerful!
A gloomy fnce Is ungcntcel,
Look cheerful!
Nobody enres ubnjt your woes,
Each hns his sorrows, goodness) knows!
80 why should you your grief disclose?
look cneerrui;
hough you nre blue as Indigo,
Look chcurful!
You're prettier when you smile, you know,
Look cheerful!
The world abhors n gloomy face,
And tales of woe nre commonplace,
Ho stir yourself nnil tuke, u. brace
look (iieerrui:
Help Your Eyes
We cannot emphasize too. strongly
the grave danger of delay In attend
ing to them. We are ready to give
you the same expert attention and
conscientious serylco that bus placed
tbe names of over 1,000 pleased pa
trons on our books all are people you
know right hero In Omaha and
vicinity.
J. G. Huttson & Go.
Consulting Opticians,
1520 Douglas St., Omaha.
lB!B?. i '..
1
