0 The omaha Daily Bee u. uosmvATKit, editok. PUULISllHp EVKuV MOftNINO. -t- T13UM8 OK HC'HSCItlPTION. DfltlV lleo Inlllinilf Hitn.lnvV (In V.nr lad bally Hee and Sunday, ono Year 8.00 jiuininucci unc, utio Year i.w Sunday Hec, One Year.. 2,(0 Huturday Her, Ono Year l.fio Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year... 1.00 DHMVEIlED HY CAItltlKIl. pally Hfo (without Sunday), per copy .... Dally Iter! fwlttwillt Hnniln vl.nfr Wnrlt Dally iter (Including Sunday), pcriweck..l"c Sunday Ike, per copy ., So hvcnlng Hec (without Sunday), per week. 10c Lvcnlng Dee (Including Sunday), per week 15c I'otnpiaints of Irregularities In delivery Biiuuiu uo auurcsscu to uuy circulation do purtmcnt. offices. Omaha The Hen lltilldlmr. South Omaha-City Hall Uulldlng, Twen- ly-miii ana ,i Hirecift, Council MutTs 10 Penrl Street. ChlcaKO-lfrio t'nlty Uulldlng. New York Temple Court. Washington 601 Fourteenth Street. COIIHESPONDENCE, Communications relating to news and edl torlal matter should he add reused: Omaha uco, Editorial Department, HUSINHSS LKTTKKS. Huslness letters and remittances should ho addressed: The Hec Publishing Company, uinana ItEMITTANCES. Itemlt by draft, express or postal order, Dayahlo to Tim tlnn Piilillnhlnir Ccimnanv Only 2-cent Htnmps accepted In payment of mini accounm, fcrsonai cnccKS, except on urnann or eastern excnitngcM, not accepieu, TUB HI3I! PUHLlSHINd. COMPANY. STATEMENT OP CIltCULATION. fitfttc of Nebraska. Ijoualas Cnuntv. an.! George IJ. Tzschuck, secretary of Tho lies rumisning company, oeing uuiy sworn, ays that th actual number of full and complete copies of Tho Dally, Morning, JOvonlng and Sunday Heo printed during mo monin or ueccmDer, jwi, was as lol lows: 17 :io,(M)o 18 :io,ni 13 ao.SHO 0 ao,4io 2t :io,7to 22 :to,(iio 23 .'10,-180 :i :io,iho 25 iio.iio 28 ao.noo 27 .'10,070 28 ;io,nio 29 .'lO.ORO .to :mm t 21 iW,VM) Less unsold and returned copies. .i. 10,01H Net total sales :t:i,1r7 Net dally average .. :io,l(ll GEO. H. TZSCHUCK. Subscribed In my presence and aworn to beforo mn this 31st day of December, A. D. 190; . M. II. HUNGATE, (Heal.) Notary Public. fit. Juckwm'K dny Is comlnir. Wntoh tout for sticks (lrojipod from skyrockets of uncorked oratory. Tut It down tluit a market house only forty feet wide will linrdly come up to biodorn raiulrunlciita. It will bo a cold day when the lire Insurance companies find themselves without an excuse for raising rates .where they want to raise them. Sending lu false alarum of tiro is no Joko for the llremeii. When the Jokers find the Joke Is on them they will think twlco before repeatluR their foolishness. The Nebraska press Is so nearly unanimous lu condemning the pardon of Hartley that the few who uphold tho action of the governor must feel lone Home. It seems that Hrooklyn also has some police magistrates who Insist on tho perpetual right to hold olllce. If Brook lyn succeeds lu getting them out Omaha (Will afford a ready market for the, plan. Although the Northwestern Canadian Editorial association Is visiting this sec tion, It Is not Incumbent upon the iwcather bureau to supply them with Winnipeg weather. They have plenty of that at home. Tho olllce of the county auditor Is an expensive luxury. The powers of tho county auditor should either bo 'enlarged to correspond with those now exercised by tho city comptroller or tho olllco should be abolished. Tho prollts of tho state saloons In South Carolina amounted to $345,2-18 during the year Just closed. Thlfc Is not u very remarkable showing. South Carolina dispensary artists must have lost the art of dilution. Captulu nicliuiond Ilobson of the Jiavy Is credited with a doslro to quit tho service and run for congress In 'Alabama. If he proves as good at kiss ing babies as he did at kissing maids it fcvlll bo useless to try to beat him. Paris Is greatly agitated over tho re port that tho Itockofcllers aro after tho gas frauchlso In that city. No complaint should bo entered if American mil lionaires want something lu France more substantial than Impecuulous litis 'bands for their daughters. Tho plan for consolidating Omaha With tho towns and villages within a radius of ten miles and segregating Greater Ohiaha from tho balance of the county, prepared by tlvo eminent at torneys and citizens, has been carefully wrapped, labeled and tiled away In Its flual resting place. Somo ono has discovered that the king of England borrowed $ 13,000.000 In 1340 from Florentine bankers and that the loan has never been repaid. Computa tion of principal and Interest shows Unit It now amounts to more" than ail tho money 'in tho world. This may bo In teresting to mathematicians, but as the debt has been outlawed for several years It Is not likely to bother auy one else. Tho T'an-Amerlean congress has taken up tho Question of' sanitary regulation nnd will recommend concerted action to prevent the outbreak and spread of epidemics, Tho success of tho United States In practically stamping out yel low fever in CuJmi' has demonstrated .what can bo doneby Intelligent action along these lines and If tho natlous of South nnd. Central America can be In tluced to folhtw the examplo It will be only a matter of a'few years when such epidemics will bo a thing of tliu oust. l :io.ioo 2 ,:t(,oiiR A :to,:i:ii) 4 :to,:ito b :u, ir.o no,:no 7 no.ano ft i..:io,aoo 9 :ki,:i;i(i 10 invito n :io,-im 12 :io,noi 13 :io,mo 14 :u,r.'io is au.aoo is no,-iuo Total mir Titcx' orrost rnt MKnacn. The recent conference of tho gover nors and attorneys general of tho seven northwestern states to devise means for preventing tho consolidation of the Northern I'aclllc, Great Northern and Burlington systems of railways has pro mulgatcd a declaration explanatory of tho motives that have Impelled their opposition to tho projM)sed merger. The first of these Is as follows: In our opinion the threatened consolida tion of these systems In tho several states through which they run as parallel and competing lines Is contrary to sound pub lie policy, and, with the exception of Idaho, Is in violation of the contltutlons and laws of said states. The hostility to the amalgamation of these railway systems of the northwest Is, however, not merely Inspired by tho fact that It Is contrary to public policy and In conflict with the provisions of the constitutions of the several states represented lu the conference, but be cause of the excessive and discriminat ing transiwrtntlon rates charged by some of these roads. The refusal of (lovernon White of North Dakota to take part In tho con ference called by Governor Van Sant of Minnesota has drawn lire tipon lilni from lending newspapers that have de nounced tho merger as a conspiracy against tho well-being of tho producers of that section. Tho Minneapolis Times, for example, propounds tho following questions: Docs Governor Whit of North Dakota know that tho Great Nerthorn rato on North Dakota wheat from Hoss to Minneapolis, 656 rallcB, equals tho Minneapolis rata to Liverpool? Does ho know that the Great Northern grain rato from Fargo to Minneapolis, 233 miles, equals tho Chicago rato to New York, four times tho haul? Docs he know that for a haul of 600 miles Into cither Minneapolis or Duluth J. J. Hill charges North Dakota farmers three times tho rate from Chicago to Ualtlmore? Docs ho know that for a haul of 300 miles from tho twin cities Into North Dakota tho Great North ern chnrges 80 per cent higher merchandise rates than for tho same distance southwest to Sioux City 'points? Docs ho know that tho Great Northern merchandise, rates from Minneapolis or Duluth to Fargo equal tho rates from Minneapolis to Kansas City or Chicago to Omaha? If Governor Whlto knows theso tacts what appeal from theso rates does ho think tho people of North Dakota will havo when tho two competitive railroads havo been merged Into the North ern Securities trust of Now Jersey? How aro theso roads to bo bettor able to give North Dakota relief In rates after they aro saddled with an 8 per cent guaranty on Burlington stock and havo Interest to meet upon 1400,000,000 In Now Jersey mer- gor stock? Theso Interrogatories are certainly pertinent as well as pointed. They are not only suggestive of arbitrary and unreas onable .exactions to which the farmers nnd merchants of tho northwest are be ing sujected, but they are also sugges tive of tho helpless condition In which theso shippers and producers will be when all the public carrier upon which they depend for transporting their prod uce to market nro 'consolidated and mado subservient to tho Interests of ono gigantic syndicate pledged to exact divi dends and Interest charges upon a capi tal of $400,000,000. WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN IOWA. Iowa woman suffragists are preparing for an organized assault upon tho legis lature, with a view to securing tho sub mission of a constitutional amendment granting Iowa women tho right to vote at all elections. Tho advance guard of the woman's suffrage lobby Is already on the ground at the state capltol and the first onslaught Is to bo made by a lKimbardment with petitions now being circulated throughout the state. If woman suffragists could bring any tangible proof that tho standard of po litical morals will be elevated nnd a higher grade of public ofllclals will be fished out of the political sea than Iowa has over had under manhood suffrage, an enlargement of the ballot boxes and tho doubling of tho number of voters might be looked upon with favor. Hut all theories must bo tested by experi ence, nnd experlenco has demonstrated that no material Improvement In tho breed of otliceholders has yet been brought about by woman suffrage lu tho states where It lias been tried, nor has tho admission o'f women to equal suffrage brought about any compensat ing or beneficial results -to offset the brutalizing effect produced by project- lug women Into. the political cesspool. Woman suffrage prevailed In Utah during tho rule of Hrlghara Young, but, notwithstanding the fact that there were seven women voters to every man voter, tho women voters of Utah utterly fulled In tho suppression of that twin relic of barbarism jmlygamy. Woman suffrage has prevailed In Wyo ming ovor sluco Its organization as a territory, but woman suffrage has not diminished tho number or badness of Wyoming saloons, dance halls and gambling houses. Colorado has been blessed by woman suffrage for a number of years, but tho women of Colorado havo not raised tho staudard of social or political morals In Denver or Cripple Creek or contributed lu auy way toward the suppression of tolerated vlco and crime In tho Cen tennial state. So far as wo can observo tho standard of morals In Iowa Is much higher than In Colorado and the character of public ofllclals In Iowa will stand favorable comparison with that of tho public of llcials of Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. The contention that woman suffrage Is an Inherent right has long since been exploded. Tho right to life nnd freedom Is Inherent at birth. If the right to veto weru luherent In man and woman, like the right to Hfo and liberty, It would bo Inherent to all, whether born on American soil or born In fondirn lauds. Every human being hns a right to life, liberty and tho enjoyment of tho fruits of his labor, whether It be an Infant or a matured man or woman, whether they aro born and reared lu darkest Africa or lu lightest America; every liumun being has a right to bo. THE OMAHA DAILY PEE: TUESDAY, free, unless that right bo forfeited by tho commission of crluie. But the right to vote Is a privilege coupled with obligations. The right to votp carries with It certain duties, auch as the enforcement of law and order In vnrlous capacities, civil and military, and those, who by nature are Incapable of fulfilling these duties cannot Justly claim tho privilege. ' MUNICIPAL OWNEKSUW IN CHICAGO. Municipal ownership Is one of the Is sues to be fought out In tho next spring city election campaign at Chicago. Three weeks ago a committee of the city council to which had been referred a proposition for the extension of the franchise of the street railways, re ported lu favor of a ten-year extension. In making this recommendation the committee expressed the opinion that municipal ownership was at this time Impracticable for want of legislative enact incut that would authorize the enormous Increase lu tho municipal debt which would necessarily have to precede the purchase of the street rail roads. Whether these objections to Inline dlato municipalization aro well founded or not, Mayor llarrlson appears deter mined to submit the question to the voters of Chicago. In order to bring the Issue squarely beforo the people a petition, signed by not less tlinu 101,000 voters, Is necessary. More than 00,000 signatures have already been procured and no dllllculty Is anticipated In secur ing many more signatures than the law requires. Public sentiment among the great masses in Chicago favors muulclpal ownership, not because any material re duction In street car fare Is expected, but because of a demand for an im provement In the service. In Chicago, as lu all of the principal cities of the country, tho overcrowding of street rnllway cars at certain hours of the day and the frequent accidents in conse quence of this overcrowding has created an Intense feeling of discontent that will doubtless make Itself manifest at the coming election by an overwhelm ing expression lu favor of municipal ownership. The popular demand for municipal ownership has furthermore received a strong Impetus from the Intrusion of the managers of street railways Into tho domain of politics, and the corrupting Intluence exerted by them lu securing special privileges and concessions from legislatures, city councils, boards of equalization and tho courts. Tho Im pression also prevails that these favored and privileged corporations frequently tamper with Juries and Influence tho courts whenever questions affecting their Income or tho taxation of their holdings are Involved. These abuses will doubtless furnish the chief topic of dlscusslou in the coining municipal campaign at Chicago. Whether tho city will be ablo to ac quire the street railways In tho event of a decisive vote In favor of municipal ownership remains to bo seen. Chicago business men havo been called together to discuss tho threatened clos ing of tho public schools In thnt city by reason of a large deficit in the school fund. The primary auso of the over lap ls said to be the foudness for fads and hlgh-snlarled parasites that have been foisted upon the pay roll by the superintendent and members of the board Interested lu retaining special favorites and relatives In positions ex pressly created for them. Tho fads and special studies lu tho Chicago schools aro estimated to cost $100,000 a year. Of this amount $:t0,000 Is paid for draw ing, $30,000 for music, $15,000 for house hold arts, $10,000 for physical culture, $5,000 for child study and $00,000 for kindergartens. In view of tho fact that Chicago has 210,000 school children In attendance and Omaha has only one fourteenth of that number, theso figures would Indicate that Chicago ls not as extravagant, comparatively, as Omaha in the matter of school fads. Secretary Gage has recently Issued an order that clerks and other employes of tho Treasury department must pay their Just debts or leave tho public serv ice. The secretary declares that when a clerk or other employe receiving a stated salary neglects or pleads Inability to pay debts for the necessary support of self and family without presenting satisfactory reasons therefor, tho de partment will regard such clerk or em ploye as guilty of Improper practice aud ono who ought not to be continued In tho public service. This Is eminently proper and should not only npply to tho em ployes and clerks of tho Treasury de partment, but to all branches of tho public service. It would bo amusing, were it not dis gusting, to noto the outcry of tho local self-styled organs of moral, reform against what they designate as tho despotic octlon of tho mayor nud police commission In refusing to rclssuo u li cense to tho saloon keeper whoso place tho pollco reported to bo tho resort of disorderly aud questionable characters. If the mnyor aud pollco commission would exerclso more tyranny lu tho same direction no law-abiding citizen would have any ground for complaint. If all taxpayers In Douglas county aro to be taxed for the construction of South Omaha's pest house, the pest house ought to be freely open to tho use of all smallpox cases in tho county, whether they origluato lu South Omaha, Omaha, or outside of both. That ought to be a stipulated condition beforo the mouey voted by tho county board for this purpose Is taken out of tho county treasury. Old Mberty Hell has started on an other tour of the country nnd will bo exhibited at tho Charleston exposition. Thorp Is much lu tho theory that op portunities for peoplo to seo tho patriotic Lrellc axe valuable, but thero is uioro lu tho argument that an object held so dear by nil the people of the country should not lie Jeopardized by being carted over the country. The light between the !Lugnr trust and tho beet sugar representatives Is to bo resumed before congress. In the mean ume uie augar trust has planted 150 carloads of cane sugar at Minneapolis, St. Paul, Milwaukee, lied Wing, Winona, J-aorosso and other twlnts In the north west In order to block the sale of the beet sugar and make Its manufacture unprofitable. Star chamber methods in the transac tion of the business of auy public body are always reprehensible. Tho people aro entitled to the fullest Information concerning the transaction of public business by their servants and the widest publicity ls the only safeguard against corrupt practices and unbusl ness-llke methods. It Is announced that tho representa tive of this country at the coronation of King Kdwnrd must have In the neigh- noriiood or $2.,000 which he Is willing to spcnti in return for the nrlvilcce. At this rato the average citizen will prefer to wait and view tho movlm? piciure snow from a 25-cent seat in Uie theater. I.KIsratlun I.ontr Unnn Ont. Philadelphia. Ledger. Tho railroad comblno ls ta hn fnni-h in uio court, uy uie t mo that ronti. la Ho nlltltfl thn .nmLlh. ... . ... . .-v un vujuuiuu win do ouncr dead or luvinciuic. SlintliMTy Itrmiltn. Indianapolis News. It begins to look as If tho Pan-Ameri can conference iiow meeting In Mexico will bo about as effective for peace as tho con ference at Tho Hague. (irentmt of .Mnrkrd-Dcnrn .Hale. Chicago Post. Tho Panama Canal company Is said to havo decided that Undo Sam can .havo its Isthmian property, bag and baggage, for N0.000.O0O. And it may bo added that Uncle Sam knows when t tako advantage of a marked-down sale. Hot Letter Looked 1'or. Philadelphia Itecord. J. Sterling Morton hu been nn- Hon. polnted to represent Nobraska at tho St. Louis Exposition. As tho distinguished agrostologlst is opposed to expositions In general, this appointment ought to bo good for a red-hot letter of declination. JVeir .Irrfti-y I'nt to tlm Teat. Washington . Post. Thero ls no better test of tho quality of a party than tho selections It is ablo to tnako of tho men who may speak for it with authority. The republicans of Now Jersey will bo put to an immediato test when thoy shall fill tho vacancy occasioned by tho death of tho lamented Sewell. As tho stato ls, so aro Its senators. Trnde Offneta Pollctea. Portland Oregon Ian. They put a duty on sugar fn Great Brit ain to raise money for tho Boer, war, but so briskly does Germany pump her bounty fed beet sugar Into Britain that tho price keeps coming down in aplto of tho import tax. To uko a Hlbernlclsm, with ono hand Germany rebukes England for suppressing tho Boors and with the othor sho contrib utes bounties to carry on the war. As an exhibit In statesmanship this ls wonderful, my masters, wonderful! A Type of Combine. Boston Post Tho asphalt trust Is a typical trust, and bo is tho manner of Its collapse typical of tho ending of Inflated corporations. It was built upon tho accumulated stock of cor porations really doing business. For Hself tho asphalt trust did no business dividends. It owned neither asphalt nor working plant. It wad a Action created for tho purpose of preventing competition, maintaining prices and, in ehort, restraining trado. In this It differed at no essential point from tho sugar trust, tho tobacco trust, the tele phone trust, tho steel trust, or any other of the modern combinations for monopoly which we designate by tho generic name of trusts. 1'ontnl MavliiK Ilanka. St. Loula Republic. Advocates of postal savings banks aro compelled to answer the objection that tho placing of so much money into tho bands of government officials would bo a tempta tion to defalcation. During tho past fiscal year of tho money order department tho only loss was $174, this amount being paid to a man who bad tho eamo namo as the rightful owner of tho order. Considering that this branch of tho government's buBl ticas cxcccdB Jl.000,000 a day, it will bo hard to find any private business with such a clear record. There ls no reason why the Postofflce. department could not operate a postal savings bank with as little loss. Him IS A llKM'HIt. Southern Commendation for the Unalttlra of Mm. I M. Shaw. ' Atlanta Constitution. Mrs. Shaw, wlfo of the now cabinet mem ber, ls going to be heard from during her husband's term In offlco. She has been tell ing the newspaper correspondents what sho thinks, and it may be said for her that she "thinks In a straight line." Sho baa lot It be known that Governor Shaw did not agrco to accept tho Treasury portfolio until he had consulted her. and when the gov ernor said he did not want to go anywhere his wife and children could no go with honor and comfort, Mrs. Shaw says sho realized it was too great an honor to do cllno, and bo decided he should accept. Governor Shaw Is said to bo worth but $350,000, and when Mrs, Shaw was told that Secretary Oage spent $100,000 more than his salary, she said: "I've always done my best wherever I've been and I'm not at all frightened. I know they say Mr. Gage spent $100,000 more than his salary, owing to the demands of so ciety, but that seems to me needless and a trlflo foolish. Mr. Shaw told mo Senator Allison assured htm wo would be able to go out Jn society all that Is necessary on $5,000 a year moro than his salary and I guess raaybo wo can stand that for a few years. I don't want to raako Mr. Shaw bard up, and I ahall not, but you know I've always borne my eharo of society work, and I ox poet I shall in Washington. They Bay it nearly wrecked Mrs, Gage's health, but I shall not bo alarmed on that account, as I'm so well and strong." That is tho way for a woman to talk. Tho chances aro that Governor Shaw owes as much of his success to his wlfo as he owes to his own abilities. Sho must bo a regular Bteam tug of energy. There Is nothing that boosts a man along in this world mora than a loyal, sensible wlfo who "is not at all frightened," who ls ready to do the best sho can, who cheers him on and when opportunity offers tells him to "o lln and win." JAyUATlY 7, 1902. Can It Keep, the Pace? United States Investor, Janunry 4. The newspapers havo recently quoted roads In tho comblno considerably lu ex prominent railroad ofllclals ns saying that, cess of tho nmouut stated above as havlug in their opinion, tho crest of tho wave !n railroad prosperity has been reached Thu question which naturally suggests Itself to us on reading these Interviews, ls this, what will bo the effect of lessened rail- roau earnings on tuo great railroad deals of 1S017 Take tho caRp of the Northern Securities company. This company Is capl- tallzed at $400,000,000, based on tho owner- ship of the capital stock of tho Great ionnorn nnu rsorthern raclilc companies, inc amount was placed at this Ilguro be- applicable to dividends, nnd operating ex cause It waB tho nvowed belief of tho pro- penses wero 69.30 per cent of gross motors of tho schemo that the earnings of earnings. Now, It must bs apparent at a the acquired roads would admit of 4 per glance, to nnyono ncuualntcd with rnllrnad cent dividends on such a sum. Tho com- blncd earnings of the two roads, Judging by their published annual reports, did 'not equal 4 per cent on $100,000,000 during the last fiscal year, but they camu so near It that Messrs. Hill nnd Morgan may havo actually assumed that tho full amount would be reached hereafter. Hut If so. they apparently adopted a very Irrational line of argument. In tho first plnce, on general 'principles they should havo averaged tho earnings of tho combined properties for a long series of years In order to dotcrmlno what would bo their probablo earning power In tho future in- stead of capitalizing their new proprietary tmujinujr ua mc uuais oi u Hingio yenr 01 extraordinary prosperity. Then, ngaln, at tho time tho now project was outlined, It was an established fact that tho corn croo of 1901 was a falluro and that ovcntuallv the general prosperity of tho country must bo nffected to a greater or less extent thereby. Furthermoro, men In their posl- tlon could not havo been Ignorait of tho fact that our exports to foreign countries were falling from tho high level touched In recent years. Dcsplto all these condl- lions, however, they went nhead und re- capitalized the Great Northern and North- em I'aclllc railroads "on a basis which necessitates permanent earnings consider ably In excess of those for 1901. Can they nttnln this end? If every cent earned by the two roads during tho last imcm year nau ocen appucamo to Qiviuenos on tho $100,000,000 stock of tho Northern Securities company, nothing being carried io surplus, ino amount, woum uavo ucen $15,789,054, or less than 4 per cent Taking the figures as they stand, this would be sailing altogether too close to tho wind for safety. An avorago chargo to surplus, In auuuion 10 per cent on iuu.uuu.uuu oi cap- ltal, necessitates net earnings by tho two IlOVMl AIIOUT NKW YOIIK. Klpplea nn (lie Current of I.lfe In the Metropolis. One of tho notnblo social functions pe culiar to Gotham ls "Chuck" Connor's an nual ball. It happens around tho holi days. Tho last one was "pulled oft" De cember 31. "Chuck" Connor la a typical Bowery character. As a concession to tho reigning spirit of reform ho moved his social headquarters up to Fourteenth Btrect for tho occasloa and held court In Tammany Hall. Thero was a generous showing of police about tho cntranco and In tho corridors. writes Polly Pry. while In tho ball room Itself, several bluccoatcd officers lounging In conspicuous positions, gavo promlso of order and an absenso of troublo which was reassuring to the timid. "George," tho gentlemanly hotel barber, who was our guldo, chapcrono and pro tector, lod us through tho maze of people who encircled tho cleared space where several hundred couples were dancing with a vigor and abandon that was hilariously Infectious, and directly I had my elbows on tho front rail of a box and looking down at a couple who were whirling dizzily around on a spot not much bigger thaa a table top. Ho was a short, broad-shouldered youth. with his hair curled down over his foro head In an oiled bang, his pug noso, seemed In a stute of open rnvolt with his sneering upper lip and the stub of a cigar which ho carried la ono corner of his mouth. Ills black, double-breasted coat, edged with wldo black braid, wus buttoned closo up to his glaring bluo tlo, and his flat derby hat Bat far back on Ills bullet-shaped head. He held tho girl's right arm straight out, nnd with tho left hand ho grabbed tho middle of her back. Sho wan a thin, black-eyed crca- turo In a faded red waist and Baggy black skirt, and they wcro locked together bo closely that her chin protruded ovor his shoulder an In a sort of trance thoy whirled swiftly round llko a couple of dancing der vishes. When tho music ceased ho lot go of her so suddenly that sho whirled around and fell flat on the floor, whereat ho laughod and said: "Hully gee, Mln, look out or youso '111 bust do floor!" And she scrambled tip -with: "Youso a beaut, youso 1b; I don't tlnkl" "Aw, go ahnl Say, but I got a tlrst dat's a daisy. Como on an' I'll blow yauso to a suds!" And they Joined the rush toward tho bar. The scene was a typo of tho night's whirl. The vital statistics for 1901 of the city of Now York show somo Interesting figures. Thero was a decrcaso in tho death rato. 'In other words," says tho report, "over 1,800 lives havo been saved In tho popula tion of tho greater city, and this notwith standing tho largo Increase lu tho number of deaths from Btinstroke, 1,271 peoplo hav ing succumbed during tho Intense- hot spell ot last summer; and nlso tho largo Increase In tho number or deaths from smallpox, 410 deaths being reported In 1901. Contagious diseases, except scarlet fovor, show a re markable decrcaso. Tho greatest decrcaso has occurred among tho diseases of. tho respiratory system, this being especially truo of pneumonia." There wcro fower births than during tho year before, and nn Increased number of marriages. Tho totals of death from noma diseases aro as follows; Tubercular di seases, 9,396; pneumonia, 9,128; diphtheria and croup, 2,067; scarlet fever, 1,154; ty phoid fever, 729; measles, 440. It will bo noted that smallpox carried off only ten moro than moasles. Whooping cough, 292; Influenza, S58; acctdonts, 3,857; suicide, 701; homicides, 105; cancer, 2,455; deaths under flvo years, 4,273. The total deaths havo been 70,808; births, 80,735; marriages, 33,485. Death rate, 0.02. Occasionally somo man or woman In so ciety gives a dinner which costs $50 or $75 or even $100 a covor, and when tho news papers got hold of It they exploit It as a wonderfully costly feast. Hut such en tertainments as tho modish world gives pale Into dullness beside tho festivities of the fashlonablo half-world. Theso, of course, do not get into the papers. Last week thero was glvon at a restaurant moro ele gant than respectable, a llttlo dinner party of a dozon people, which cost something more than $8,000. Tho host was n young fellow, a recent graduate of Yale, and hid men guests wore tho most brilliantly glided youth of Wall street. The women guests Included a very famous vauflovlllu beauty, a hardly less famous artists' model, and a signer of bomo reputation, whoso namo ls generally heard In connection with that of a certain trust magnate, the other three behu notable beautiful women, each with been earned last year. Hut tho real nature of tho situation Is not discerned until we look moro deeply Into the facts. bast year tho Northern I'nclflc corned $7,202,611" nppllcable to dividends, but, to our mind nt least, tho forco of this con- elusion Is broken when wo discover that In order to accomplish such a result It was necessary to operate tho property nt 61 per cent of gross earnings. During the same period tho Great Northern earned $S,rS(!,433 accounts, that the oneratlne exnensn nf fh Northern Pacific cannot be mnlntnlnod at anywhere near til nor cent without nrrma. ncntly Impairing tho Interests of the Fecur- Ity holders. Anil it may very gravely be questioned If tho'fiSUO per cent reported by the Great Northern last year ls a conserva. tlve showlmr. Wo know of no better way of arriving nt a satisfactory opinion on this point than bv comparing tho showings of tho two roads in question, lu tho mattor of operating ex- pensrs, with thoso of othor systems of a similar standing. Consequently wo have compiled tho following tablei Indicating tlm percentages of operating expenses reported ror tho last nscai year by a number of the great western railroad avstoma: Per Cent. Northern rnclua fiuo Great Northern s. i:'.. ctilengo, uurllngton & Qulncy. Ht. Paul fti.03 Northwestoni la.is item on"' '. m'S Missouri Pacific Is not Included in tho nUoVe table, for tho reason that tho figures for 1901 aro not yet obtainable, but wo may stat that for tho calendar year 1900 this ron,i wnR niwrnted nt nhnut nr. r.m f crofl9 pnrnlniM. Kmnlovlnir th rmnnnmilv. method, wo reach tho conclusion that, on their face, tho showings mndo by the Northern Pacific and Great Northern In the matter of operating .expenses aro not con ducive to confidence lu tho managements or tncso properties. Thero Is certainly C00Ii -round for distrust, of ihn nl.mtv nf tho Northern Securities company to pay a fiatlsfactory return to Its stockholders, even I( Brofm carnig8 keep up to the lovel of ln.t venr. Wh.it win hn th rtct nn m,- comnnnv If carnlnna actuallv fall off. In n mattor about which speculation ls bound to ijusy Itself reputation for cleverness. The dinner favors for them wcro woven gold purses, costing probably $400 apiece, Tho men got gold- handled pocket knives, worth $30 or $40 each. Tho prlvato room, dinner, wines, dec orations and music may bo reckoned at $500 more.- Tho room was specially draped and decorated nnd the waiters wore dressed In Louis XV costumes to match tho scheme of tho room. It ls Bald that tho feast was given to eclobrato a "killing"' which the young host had made In Amalgamated Cop per. fn his annual report Chief Engineer Mar tin of the Drooklyn bridge, says that it In estimated that during tho eighteen years of service 660,000,000 passengers havo been carried with unparalleled regularity and safety nnd but ono passenger killed through accident to tho trains. During this porlod ot service both the New York and Hrook lyn terminal stations havo been rebuilt and am now twice their original capacity, and also a doublo railroad track has been laid across the .bridge, nil of which was accomplished with only a partial Inter ruption ot traffic for half of ono day. Dur ing tho whole eighteen years thero has not been a delay of a single day thnt was due to any defect In or breakage of any part of tho bridge itself until July last, whea thero was a partial Interruption of travel for thlrty-Blx hours. Tin: AHPiiAir cor.i.Ai'.sn. Severe I'liiilnli tnent Meted Out to Gullible Investors. Philadelphia Press. Tho collapse of tho asphalt companies la one of tho most serious of tho many cor porate delinquencies which havo come to light In this city during tho last ten years. Thero havo bcon by fnr too many of them nnd this, partially at least, accounts for the high stato of chagrin and Indignation which exists In the financial community over tho asphalt receivership. Tho companies were promoted nnd formed at a tlmo when tho public was In n greatly excited und susccptlblo state over such creations, and the securities wero placed easily and on tho most favorablo terms for tho promoters. Of all the manv schemes launched In this city during that period none was more successful than as phalt. Loading corporations and old and experienced Investors vied with the veriest tyro In tho effort to become the owner of the Amcrlcnn company's 5 per cent bonis at 90 or better. It was insisted that the company had,, a monopoly of Its product and a pull with tho authorities of tho leading cities of tho union which would load to an enormously profitable business. Not only was It urged that tho bonds wero a perfectly safe Investment, but it was con fidentially said that tho stock, which was Belling at $10 por share or moro, was des tined to ho a Buro 10 per cent dividend payer In a very short ,tlme. After tho securities wcro placed ,the com pany whs apparently successful for a time. but It soon met with reverses, and It was known months ago that thero was compe tition In tho asphalt business, as In every thing clsa, Things went from bad to worso rapidly and tho valuo of the securi ties depreciated, but all was yet screno lu high asphalt circles. Tho holders ot thn securities were given no particular. Infor mation ns to tho condition of tho com panies, but It was freely reported In a general way that the Interest on tho bonds and tho sinking fund was bolng earned; and this quioted tho fears of tho main body of tho holders of tho bonds until the market quotations plainly told tho story of disaster. Thero ls tho strongest feeling agulnst those who nro responsible for tho optimistic repoUB nt a tlmo when tho company as borrowing money to pay Its Interest und a receivership was Imminent. This was the position of affairs nfter last July. Tho result was a decline In tho American 5 por cents to 284 and In tho National 5b to 12. There is no support pf the securities oven nt theso figures, and tho unfortunate holders have cither sold out at a loss or are entirely in tho dark aa to tho futuro of tho properties, The intorest of .tho bond holders are being looked after by two committees, but It Is not believed that thero will bo any definite Information for a month, and meantime receivers will caro for tho prop erty. Pending an nfilclal statement as to tho position of tho companies, Jt can bo said that there hns ruruly beeu an In stance of morn ready and sevcro punish ment to gullible Investors, or a moro wan ton exhibition of nn utter lack of appreci ation pf responsibility by tho promoters and corporate ofllclals. The only thing for the owners of the property to do Is to get together and save what can bo saved from the wreck and appoint competent and faithful men to conduct the company's ajaffnlr WHERE DORS FAIL To Cnro Woman's Ills, tydia E. Pinkham's Vegctablo Com- Sound Succeeds. Mrs. Fnuliuo iidsou Writes : "Dkar Mrs. Tinkium: Soon after my marriage two years ago J fourjd rnysolf In constant pain. The dootor said my womb wan turned nnd this caused the pain with considerable in flammation, lie prescribed for mo for MB.S. PATJT.TNK JUDSOK, BscreUry of Schermerhorn Ooll Clnb, Brooklyn, New York, four months, when my husband became Impatient because I grew worse instead of better, and in speaking: to tho dnis gist he advised lilm to pet Ijytlla K. lMnklmm'H Vctretablo Compound and Sanative "Wnsli. jiow wish I had takeji that at first ; It would havo saved mo weeks of suffering-. It took three lonfj months to restoro tuc, but It is a happy relief, and we aro both most prratcful to you. Your Compound lias brought joy (o our home nnd health to me." Slits. Paumhk Jtrosow, 47 Hoyt Street, Jlrooklvn, N. Y. $S0O0ferftlt If aifv tutlmonl'al 1$ not pnus. It -would seem by this Mate incnt that women would sav time and much hIoIiiions if they xyould pet Lydla J2. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound at once, and also write to Mrs. Pinklmm t jLynn, Muss., for special ad Vice. It is free and always helps. I'UHSO.VAI. NOTRS. Thn Cubans hnve gono nhend of their American preceptors already. Wo boycott tho primaries, but they boycotted the polls themselves. Now York's foreign corporation tax law proved disappointing. It was expected to bring In $250,000, but realized only one-fifth of that sum. Hx-Ktupress Kugenlo Is busy preparing her memoirs. A complcto rerord of her reign ls to bo left nfter her death to tho public library of Paris. Tho empress has carofully filed every personal letter slnco tho day of her marrlago. Artist Itobcrt Itold's boautlfnl painting of "James Otis making his famous argu ment ngalnst tho writs nf assist ants In tho old town house In Iloston, Feb ruary. 1761," has been hung in the stato house, Hostnn, ond was unveiled New Year's day. Kx-I'resldent Harrison's old law offices In Indianapolis, from which many political bat tics wero planned, hnvo been vacated by his successors, Messrs. Miller, Klam, Tester & Miller. The offices wero first taken by Gen eral Hnrrlaon and his associates October 1, 1874. P. was particularly noticed at tliej recent New England dinner In Philadelphia that tho Bpcech ot Chlncsn Minister Wu enslly outshone all tho others so far ns good Eng lish ls concerned. Among tho orators ot tho evening wore Justice. Hrowcr, Mr. Ham lin, Mr. Hill nnd Mr. Cockrnn. Edward North, who had been Greek pro fessor of Hamilton colloqo for flfty-soven years, but resigned a month ng, received 700 letters appropriate to tho dny on Christ mas morning from tho alumni of tha In stitution. Tho Idea wns suggested to tho alumni by a St. LouIb "grad" nnd among tho letters wero ono from Secretary of War Root, who graduated In 1801, hnd ono from ex-Attornoy Cicnernl W. II. II. Miller of tin class of 1862. T. H. Mlnahnn, formerly of Omaha, now n resident of Columbus, O., is cutting qulto swatho In tho enst. Ho Is ono ot tho pillars of tho Knights of Cnlupibus, a fratornul or ganization of considerable strength, nnd was choson president of tho nowly-formed Amorlcan Federation of Catholic Societies. The latest of Mr. Mlnalmn's efforts Is a contribution to tho dlsctiBSlon raging in Now York City, "How to Mnko an Ideal Sunday for a Cosmopolitan American City," In othor words, open or closed saloons on Sunday. Mr. Minahan believes tho question will be solved when tho American people "abolish the utterly Bcuselcss custom of saloon treat ing." ri.A.siiics or vvs. Clllrniro Tribune; Anxlnun Tniim Mnn Camilla, is your lovo for mo absolutely dead? Henutlful Maiden-It ts. Philip. T have nppllcd tho cyanide of potassium test, -it'll it docs not respond. Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Two mannnera lire Hduubhllnc fnr the nossasHlon nf tlm young violinist who recently cunio to this country." wnni's tno loy doing' uhoitt Jt7 ' "Ho doesn't mind. It h nit nliiv fnr film no matter how It's decided." Phlladclnhln. Press: "Stin linn Imnmv.j In her singing- nnd she knows ft, too." "Think so? I noticed It didn't require very much fipplniiBo to Induce her- to sing "No, but there was a time whon It didn't require any applauuo ut ull." Hrooklyn IJfo: Mrs. (Intterson You. will como to dinner, nnywny, Mr. Tutter, will you not? 'Though I nm afraid thero -will not bo many Interesting puopln present. Tutter (galinntly)-Whut dirferenco docs that maka? Ono Is always euro of a good square rneal at your hnuso, Washington Starr "It Is nppnlltiig to contemplate tho effects that thlB Inereaso In tho prlco of corn may leiul to," suld t ip pan cky person. "It may lead to soma thing; llko u famine." .''worsa thnn that." returned Colonel Stlllwoll, solemnly; "Worso than that. In my opinion the pangs of thirst aro even moro terrible than thoso of starvation." Hoston Trnnscrlpt: Hnrrls t say, Char ley, ynu'vo got n. tremendous cold. How in tlmo did you got It? Thompson-Standing on tho sidewalk while Yawlor gavn mo directions how to prevent taking cold. Chicago Post: ''There Is nothing like choosing tho right tlmo for an argument." "How so?" "Well, for Instance, this would seem to be a good occasion to put forward thr theory that tho Bifn Is losing Its heat." A I'ATIIIJH'S I.UIXAIIV, Somervlllo Journal. I. "Sleep, baby, sleep I" (Confound'tho squalling; brat!) "Tho angels vigils keep,'1 (You posky little rat!) "Thy father Is sliiikliig thn dreamland tree, fAs his father did!) "To shako down little dreams on thee." (Shut up, you kid!) ' II. '"ltest. baby, rest!" (I'll gag you protty Bopn!) "Safe In your downy nest," (Herot suck this tablespoon t "Thy father Is wutchlnir hltt baby wee." (Yes! Hlte your thumb!) ' "And mother Is cnmlncr bnmn tr th. I (Thank (Jod, she's cornel) '