THE OMAHA DAILY MONDAY. DECEMBER 19. 1004.
The Omaha Daily Dee.
K. KOSEWATER. EDITOR
PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING.
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Daiiv Hei (without Sunday), per week...Wc
Daily He- (including Sunday), per week. .1.0
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Evening Ueo (Including Sunday). Pr,
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REMITTANCES.
Tlrmit by draft, express or pos'' order,
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.i'lv 2-eent stamps rereived In payment or
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THE DEE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
Pinte of Nebraska, Douglaa County, as.:
Oeor U. Ttechtirk, secretary of The Bee
Publishing Company, being duly sworn,
says that the actual number of full and
complete copies of The Dally, Morning,
livening and Sunday Bee printed during
tbe month of November, 1904. was as fol
low: l .11,310 i 2r.nno
1 21,4tM 17 20.81K
J xn.ino 18 2t.aio
4 S0.4fW 1 2.BOO
6 40.RRO 20 80.270
6 .1T.400 8t,BO
; 4t.ion 2,oo
t 2,nno a ao,4m
t 4H.100 24 2.8.rt
10 84.100 25 2t),TM
11 ao.xw 2 a.2
12 a LOOT 27 atl.UOO
1J
Hfl.OnO 28 2U.700
14 x,koo
1J
29 2W,3iH
K) JfH.itOt)
Total 9BI.O0
Less unsold copies lO.Bltt
Net total sales....
Dally average ....
045,014
. .','. U1.61T
GEO. B. TZ9CHUCK.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before me this Suth day of November. 1904.
(Seal) M. B. HUNOATE,
Notary Public.
'America extends spontaneous sympn
tliy to throat Itrltaln. They are having
a real live tariff discussion over there,
too.
tlrcat Ilriluln has decided to withdraw
its army from Ecypt. The example set
of the I'nitcd States In Cuba was not
wasted-
l'.anker Heckwlth nays there Is some
thing behind Mrs. Chadwick ho can't
fathom. This is quite evident from his
previous course.
From now on until the opening of
spring the Associated Charities will find
abundant work to do among the indi
gent unemployed.
A more numerous city council and a'
less numerous salary list should be the
main feature of the new charter for
cities of the metropolitan class.
IIviii laid Dakota's misfortunes on
wheat rust and the Beef trust, the
farmers of the state will prepare to de
posit nuother large surplus in the banks
Yiext fall. '
The way for the Douglas County
Democracy to score on the Jacksonlans
is to get up a banquet of their own and
give Colonel Bryan a chance to choose
ltetweeu them.
Business in the bankruptcy court in
Nebraska lias reached such a condition
that the clerk of the district court now
considers the filing of two applications
ia one day a "boom."
Even if the whole election in Colorado
were declared void and the vote of the
etate thrown out of the electoral college,
President Roosevelt would still have
enough so that he wouldn't miss them.
For some strung", reason the people
at large refuse to work themselves Into
a ferment over the conflicting aspiration
of competing candidates for the speak
ership In the Impending Nebraska leg
islature. Our late fusion candidate for governor
rises once more to remark that he still
Utinks the railroad pass is a bribe. But
to has not risen to prosecute a test case
to see whether our law against bribery
covers official pass corruption.
Frenzied cotton financiers advise
southern planters to burn 1,000,000 bales
of cotton to run up the price. By the
same sign the price of tobacco would
go up If Virginia and Kentucky planters
would send 10,000 hogsheads of tobacco
up in 6moke.
If the charter revision committees are
to hoiHi to accomplish anything between
now and the oieuing of the legislature
they must proceed without further delay
and keep steadily at the work. Even
then it is doubtful whether the task can
be accomplished in time.
Why should the railroads escape pay
ing city taxes on the valuable terminal
property within the city limits that
have the same benellts of city govern
ment us the property of individuals
within the municipal jurisdiction? This
question will be propounded again to
the coming legislature.
The local franchised corporations in
the past have preferred to do business
with the Board of Equalisation rather
than with the Board of Iteview. It is
quite probable that some of them will
pursue this policy again this year. It
behooves tho Real Estate exchange
committee to Weep awake.
The action of congress for the im
peachment of a United States judge for
marking up his traveling expense ac
count in excess of actual expenses, sug-
gotta that our own legislature would he
kept pretty busy if it went after all the
sheriffs, fetute employes, etc., who ask
tho state to reimburse them for travel
ing expense, they hart never paid out.
a.v tMmitTAST roixr
In connection with the discussion of
the question of enlarging the powers of
the Interstate Commerce commission,
the Philadelphia Becord makes the js-r-tinent
suggestion that In any event the
delay of Justice in the courts should
not Is? allowed to operate to the detri
ment of either .the corporations or the
public. Whether congress adopt the
recommendation of the president or re
fuse to do so, provision should be made
for quick Judicial determination of the
matter on appeal. It is highly needful
In the public Interest, says the P.ecord.
that "provision should be made for a
more immediate determination of ap
peals against discriminating rates, re
bates and other arbitrary and Injurious
acts of common carriers. The impossi
bility of securing within n reasonable
time final action In the courts amounts
to a denial of Justice. This is the pres
ent situation and it should not remain
unremedied."
We think there will be very general
concurrence in this view and the neces
sary action by congress should be had
without difficulty. It is manifestly In
the public interest tlyit the determina
tion of appeals to the courts should be
reached with the least possible delay
and it may be presumed that the rail
roads would have no objection to this.
Not the least important benefit that
would result from the creation of an in
terstate commerce court would be the
quick determination of the matters pre
sented to it. Having to consider and de
cide only cases arising under the inter
state commerce law, such a court could
dispose of them promptly and the ad
vantage of tills to all concerned would
be great. But It Is not to be expected
that the proposed tribunal will be cre
ated In the near future and in the mean
time there should be legislation that
will expedite Judicial determination of
appeals against discriminating rates, re
bates and other violations of the laws.
EXPORTS OF IJREADSTUFFS.
The indications are that the exports
of breadstuffs fur the current year will
be CO per cent less than they were last
year, a falling off of about $100,000,000.
This heavy decrease, it is noted, occurs
la all the important classes grouped
under the general title of breadstuffs,
but is especially marked in segard to
wheat. It Is explained as due first to
a slight reduction in JJie home produc
tion, second, to a material increase in
home consumption and third to unus
ually large wheat crops abroad which
curtailed the world's demand for bread
stuffs from this country. Had the de
mand been as large as last year we
should not have been able to supply it,
since as It Is there will be no great sur
plus of wheat by the time of the next
harvest.
In regard to the home consumption It
probably has not been very much if any
larger than last year, but the situation
naturally suggests the questioii7whlch
has been more or less discussed, whether
we are not very near the tlmes-hen.we
shall produce no mofe wheat than will
supply the home demand. There are
some who believe that this will Te the
condition a few years hence. The de
crease in exports of breadstuffs would
have made a large cut in the trade bal
ance had not the exports of manufac
tures been largely Increased. This In
crease has more than offset the loss
from the decline in breadstuffs exports,
so that the international trade balance
for the current year will be somewhat
in excess of that for 1003. This fact
seems to quite conclusively confute the
theory that the tariff hinders the exports
of manufactures.
EMPLOYER'S LIABILITY LAW.
Interest Is being shown In the sugges
tion of President Roosevelt regarding
an employer's liability law and there is
said to be a favorable prospect of the
legislation recommended. The president
said In his message that the wage earn
ers are peculiarly entitled to the pro
tection and the encouragement of the
law. He pointed out that from the very
nature of their occupation railroad men,
for instance, are liable to be maimed
doing the legitimate work of their pro
fession, unless the railroad companies
are required by law to make ample pro
vision for their safety. He stated that
the administration has been zealous in
enforcing the existing law for this pur
pose, but the law should be amended
and strengthened. "Wherever the na
tional government has power there
should be a stringent employer's liabil
ity law, which should apply to the gov
ernment itself where the government is
an employer of labor." He result
mended that congress appoint a commis
sion to make a comprehensive study of
employer's liability with the view of
extending the provisions of a great and
constitutional law to all employments
within the scope of federal power.
This recommendation is said to be
favorably regarded by members of the
house, where a measure has already
I een introduced proposing to put em
ployes of railroads on the same footing
Willi passengers, so far as recovering
damages for accidents is concerned. In
suits of this nature the bill provides that
the fact that the employe may havo
been guilty of contributory negligence
fhall not bar a recovery where his con
trlbutory negligence was slight In com
parison to that of the employer. 'I he
reprt sentatlves of orgnnlzed labor at
Washington have eagerly taken up the
pusident's idea and are exerting the-n
selves to have It carried out. One of
them, representing the organizations of
railway employes, says that under the
federal law as now constituted the bur
Hen or industrial aeeiueiitg falls upon
the person who is injured. He has no
relief in the courts, "We believe that
the employer should be held to Just as
strict an account for the safety of his
employes as be Is for the transports
tlon of passengers over his road. As it
Is now the employe is discriminated
against. We believe that the law ought
to be altered so that trainmen of all
kind will have the same privilege of
recovering damages for injuries that Is
now enjoyed by passengers."
Unquestionably Mr. Roosevelt Is en
tirely right In regard to this matter and
will be supported by public opinion. It
Is to be expected, of course, that the
railroads will oppose any legislation that
shall lie proposed for carrying out the
president's recommendation, but it is
not to be doubted that eventually the
desired legislation will be secured, be
cause it Is required In the Interest of
justice to the great army of railroad
employes. There Is no question as to
the authority of congress to require rail
roads engaged in Interstate commerce to
assume the risks of accidents to their
employes.
TAKE CARE OF THE MILITIA COMFAX1ES
The talk of disbanding the three mili
tia companies of Omaha because of the
inability of the members to meet tbe
regularly recurring expenses for armory
and drill quarters must not be allowed
to materialize Into reality. Aside from
the desirability of keeping up these or
ganizations with a view to the benefits
they confer upon the young men consti
tuting their membership, It would be
unprecedented for a city the size of
Omaha to be entirely without local mili
tary companies.
It seems to us that the difficulty arises
from the failure of the state authorities
to recognize the difference In conditions
that surround national guard service in
the cities and in the rural towns and
villages. The law and custom in this
state provides for an allowance to each
enlisted company of a stipulated sum for
the use of quarters and the sum is the
same no matter where the company may
be located. It Ls plain enough that if
the state should provide the quarters
directly the outlay for rental In the
large cities would be much more than
the rental charges in the small towns.
No doubt the sum alloted Is ample in
many cases, but In this city it Is a mere
bagatelle In the sum total of the militia
men's expenses.
We are of the opinion that the solution
lies In a change In the plan of distribu
ting the funds appropriated for this pur
pose and that If necessary the law
should be amended to permit the leas
ing of quarters at the expense of the
state, the lease contract being subject to
confirmation by the adjutant general or
other qualified staff officer. To expect
the members of the city companies to go
down into their pockets for the priv
ilege of serving in the national guard
Is asking something unreasonable, and
to send them on a periodic begging ex
pedition among our citizens for sub
scriptions to help them out is demean
ing and uncalled for.
One by one the roses fall. Speaking
for the McLean wing of Ohio's democ
racy the Cincinnati Enquirer declares
the time has come for a general showing
of hands, and suiting the deed to the
word the Enquirer wishes good luck to
Bryn and his friends without recrim
ination or hard feelings. But no more
Bryan leadership, no more restraint on
the flight of the American eagle and no
more tugging at the hold-back strap.
Patrons who take up three or four
columns of space in the want ad col
umns of the World-Herald are assured
In advance that their money will be re
funded to them if the advertisements
do not bring the largest number of an
swers. That reminds us of the fellow
who was asked to hire out on trial for
one month without pay with the assur
ance that his salary would be doubled
every month thereafter.
yrg
President Roosevelt will put no ob
stacle in the way of General Miles ac
cepting the appointment of adjutant
general of the state militia tendered him
by (iovernor-Eleet Douglas of Massa
chusetts. Had the necessary permis
sion been refused, we might have had
another epistle in epaulets.
Although the policeman who used bis
club with fatal results was acquitted of
murder It ls probable that he has had
enough trouble to serve as warning to
his fellow policemen when they are In
clined to lose their tempers and strike
regardless of results.
Although his term of office is fast
ebbing, the lone democratic congress
man from Nebraska has not yet deliv
ered his speech on the abuses of the
franking privilege by members of con
gress. Haven't We Had Enough?
Chicago News.
It Is Jim Hill's Idea that the nation Is In
great need of supervision and regulation
by the railroads.
Hope for the Dyspeptic.
Chicago Record-Herald.
Experiments carried on at the California
Medical college show that the healthy
human stomach Is electrical In Its action.
Perhaps the time Is coming when people
may throw away pills and simply put In
new batteries.
Frlsrld Fist of the Serpeat.
New Tork Press.
In a recent effort of a certain woman
novelist, whose books are to be found in
the possession of factory girls on their
way to work or in the kitchen regions, but
seldom above stairs, were discovered the
following extraordinary similes: "The hands
of the heroine. In an emotional moment
'burned like those of a volcano'; the vil
lain's, on tho contrary, were 'cold and
clammy as those of a serpent.' " For
tunately the class of readers to whom these
novels appeal are not critical and do not
stop to question the phenomena of vol
canoes and serpents endowed with hands.
So Loasrr a Trad Barometer.
Washington Post.
Once upon a time the stock market was
known as the barometer of business. Now
adays the general conditions of trade have
no relation whatever to the range of values
In the stock market, or vice versa. If they
had the noisy slump of last week would
have Indicated that the entire commercial
fabric was falling to pieces and an era of
universal disaster and ruin setting In. On
the contrary, the weather signs all point to
a happy situation in the country at lurge,
with bright skies and a clear atmosphere.
Conservative leaders In finance advise cau
tion, but In no way lend themselves to the
encouragement of a pessimistic outlook.
RERt LATINO It til. ROAD R ATF.S.
Prepnaed C'eaapremlae Bill.
Chicago Chronicle.
Every constitutional and administrative
difficulty that 1 experienced by the com
mission would be experienced by the court.
The bill simply dodges the Issue and re
sembles a man who thinks he Is thinking,
but Is not. No wonder it Is already oppjed
In every quarter.
The Pool nan.
Minneapolis Journal.
The creation of an earnings pool, and the
requirement that rates be maintained so
that each member of the pl must pay
Into the pool the amount of money due for
transportation bnsed on the volume of traf
fic at the published rate, not only destroys
any Inducement to cut rates, but mnkee It
Impossible to do so without direct lose.
Every Incentive to discriminate Is de
stroyed. A Good Plan.
New York Press.
There are at least twenty reasons why
Prertdent Roosevelt's plan for regulation
of railroad rates should not be put Into
effect, but all these reasons are offered by
the rnllroad lawyers and railroad congress
men and not one of them appeals to the
people who must pay the rates. It Is a
good sign that the combined railroad presi
dents are already out In the open and fight
ing the president's scheme to sbollph un
just rates. This will convince everybody
that the present system Is all wrong.
The Morton Plan.
Chicago News.
The Morton plan having been hailed by
many Influential persons as a solution of
the problem of rebates and of rate regula
tion, it Is nocesry for shippers to study
it with extreme care. They have asked
that the railways be restrained by govern
ment authority from certain evil practices.
The railways are prompt to discover a way
In which this request may be made to se
cure for them Important privileges from
the government. If they should direct leg
islation at Washington on this subject it
would not bo surprising to find them emerg
ing triumphant with new privileges of op
prenslon, the public being supplied with
some sort of regulation machinery which
under the critical eye of the supreme court
would fail to regulate- to any appreciable
extent. There must be fair play In this
matter.
PKRSOXAL NOTKS.
The newest type of an ocean liner is
provided with elevators.
The first statue ever erected to a son of
Nova Scotia In his native province was
unveiled recently In the Province BulMing
squure at Halifax, In memory of Joseph
Howe, the poet, orator and statesman.
Count Tolstoi's son, Andre, who Is an
orderly attached to General 8 )beloff's Sixth
army corps, stationed at Mukden, has re
ceived a St. George's cross for r;pe;ited
bravery in carrying dlspatchts under fire.
Tho Chicago board of health lends weight
of Its wisdom to the saying, "A white
Christmas means a lean churchyard."
Snow cleans the air and decreases the
death rate. Another knock for callow un
belief. Theodore S. MrLellan, Maine's oldest
printer, and the frlc-nd and companion of
President Franklin Pierce, NathanUi Haw
thorne and tho poet Longfellow, observed
his ninety-third birthday lust week at
Brunswick. Me.
There are 12,665 graduates of the Yale
university living, the oldest being Rev.
Joseph S. Lord of Lalngsburg, Mich., who
was born April 20,, lSOtj. He is the only
survivor of the class of 1S31, which was
graduated with a membership of eighty
one. At the general business session of the
Society of Medical Jurisprudence in New
York a resolution was carried unanimously
that all literature of the society In the
future should bear the title "physician"
instead of "doctor." This ls to prevent
confusion with other doctors.
An Iowa debating society Is wrestling
with the question, . "Why do the bride's
friends always cry at a wedding and the
groom's friends laugh?" In the interest
of domestic peace the question should be
pnssed up to The Hague court of arbitra
tion. The farther off a settlement Is macio
the better it will be for debaters.
Congressman Cooper of Texas tells of a
distinguished army officer who on one oc
casion offered prayer before a regiment.
He summed up the causes and objects of
the war the war with Mexico and as
serted that It was no war of conquest,
but annexation only, concluding his sup
plication to the Throne of Grace with: "I
refer you, good Lord to Polk's message
on this subject."
BACK TO FIRST I'RISCIPLES.
Power to Fix Railroad Rates Treed
by the President.
Chicago Tribune.
Senator Cullom, the author of the Inter
state commerce law, being asked If it was
his understanding that the commission pro
vided for by It was to have the power to
fix rates, replied: "Beyond all doubt. We
did not express that power In so many
words In the law, but there was no differ
ence of opinion among us. The commis
sion, in fact, win created for that pur
pose." The first members of the Interstate Com
merce commission, who had every opportu
nity for being familiar with the intentions
of the framers of the act, believed they had
power to fix rates, and attempted to ex
ercise it. One of the members was Thomas
M. Cooley, a conservative Jurist of great
ability, who was not In the habit of giving
the words of a law a force and significance
they did not clearly possess.
The supreme court refused to construe
the act as those who voted for It Intended
It should be construed. The court held that
congress had not explicity conferred upon
the commission, in so many words, the
right to fix rates, and, therefore, it had not
the right. With that decision the commis
sion sunk to a body that could Investigate,
recommend, or remonstrate, but not order.
As tbe railroads paid no attention to Its
advice or entreaties, it became Impotent.
In the light of the history of the law,
what ls there revolutionary or subversive of
the rights of railroads In the recommenda
tion of the president that there be a lim
ited enlargement of the powers of the
commission? The railroad men who lift
their hands In holy horror and exclaim at
the rashness of the president must belong
to a new generation unfamiliar with the
intentions of the men who in 1887 voted
for the interstate commerce law. The
president advises no new departure. He
asks congress to restore to the law the
scope and vigor which Its authors believed
they had made provision for to make It the
efficient measure it was intended to be.
The supreme court has said that congress
did not make Its meaning plain. The ob
ject of the president Is to have congress
write into the act words whose meaning
cannot be misunderstood.
It Is nonsVnse for the railroad attorneys
to pretend at this time that some radical
Innovation Is proposed. Assertions of that
kind were justifiable in 1H87, but not now.
All that Is sought la to give life to a prin
ciple proclaimed then, but which congress
did not write down clearly enough to suit
the supreme court.
Tbe president proposes a return to the
old ways, not departure loto new ones.
CiOMIP ABOIT THE WAR.
leases to tbe Raaolaa Fleet Slaee tbe
War Brill.
If dispatches from Japanese sources
announcing the destruction of the remnant
of tho Russian fleet at Port Arthur are cor
rect, the event merely adds one more to
the remarkable scries of disasters sus
tained by Russians on the seas since the
war began.
At the opening of the conflict Russia hud
at the Pacific stations a fleet consisting of
eight battleships, four armored cruisers,
six protected cruisers, three unprotected
cruisers, three armored gunboats, four
unurmored gunboats and thirty-four boats
of the torpedo clnss. a total cf sixty-two.
Three months after the war began sixteen
ships of the fleet were destroyed or put
out of action. IUsaster stieceded disaster
from both mines and futile sorties, cul
minating In the havoc wrought by Japa
nese guns on 2H3-Meter hill. All that re
mains uninjured Is a fragment of the fleet
sheltered at Vladivostok. The last of the
battleships reported afloat at Port Arthur
ls the Sevastopol, first commissioned In
lfW, carrying four twelve-Inch guns and
four torpedo tubes.
"We have heard much about the loss of
life and sickness In the Russian srmy In
Manchuria." says the New York Sun, "but
very few details have been made known
concerning the loss on the Japanese side.
"It seems from such reports as we are
able to obtain that In the month of Octo
ber last there were nearly 60,000 sick and
wounded Japanese soldiers lying In the
various hospitals established In Japan, un
dergoing trentment or convalescing. Ac
cording to statements to hand by the last
Japanese mall the number arriving weekly
from Manchuria and distributed among the
hospitals averages nearly 4.700. The num
bers, for Instance, for the two weeks from
October 13 to 27 were 9,331; those for the
week of November 4-10 were 4.R51, and there
was one week when they were more than
fi.ooo.
"These statistics Indicate a loss of life
In killed, wounded and by disease that Is
appalling; for, of course, the cases sent to
Japan only represent a part of those dls
ab'ed by wounds and sickness. Those who
cannot be moved remain In Manchuria, as
do also the less seriously disabled who may
be able to return to the ranks within a rea
sonable time.
"Of the totals of the killed In battle and
by dlsense we know nothing: but It may be
Inferred that a large proportion of the first
260000 troops sent from Japan to the war
will never return."
The envelopes containing the descriptive
accounts sent to New York by the wat
correspondents with the Japanese army are
artistically Indicative of the treatment they
receive before being forwarded by the Jap
anese authorities. In addition to the cus
tomary blue 10-sen stamp the face of the
envelope bears the Impression of a rectan
gular red stamp-block, an inch and a half
long and an Inch wide, composed of a thin
line enclosing three columns of Intricate
Japanese characters, three to the column.
This is taken to be the stamp of the Im
perial censor. Above this is a smaller
square, containing four elaborate charac
ters In a line, the sign of the "army
post."
On the back of an envelope Is an ovoid
stamp, also in red, powdery-looking Ink,
quite filled with characters. This lies di
rectly across the flap of the envelope and
aids in sealing it. In the middle of the
wrapper is a line of written characters.
scrawled with a purple Indelible pencil, and
toward the foot of tho envelope another
string of red things, which probably means
a great deal not entirely clear to the New
York postal authorities.
For the service of correspondents in the
field the Japanese provide a special post
card, pinkish In hue and blazoned with a
blue stamp, which looks like a T-square In
a frame.
Regarding weather conditions In Man
churia, a correspondent writes:
"Around Mukden the thermometer does
not usually fall below sero (Fahrenheit)
until the middle of December, when night
after night it may sink to 5, 10 or even 20
degrees below sero, and during January to
30. In the frequent northeasterly or north
westerly blizzards no human beings can
live under canvas. Some may be quurtered
In native houses; but where, even suppos
ing that the owners should be ruthlessly
turned out, will accommodation be found
for 600.000 men?
The answer ia simple; the Japanese are
already making we of underground dwell
ings, such as the natives sometimes use,
and which were used by the Russians dur
ing the winter after the Boxers had de
stroyed their railway buildings. The soli
of Manchuria, excepting In certain placet,,
Is dry at this season, especially in the dis
tricta between Mukden and LJau Yang,
where it is, largely, loess and sand. The
Japanese, who hold the low Mils with gen
tle slopes, are In the better position. The
method ls to dig a trench about ten feet to
forty-two feet deep and varying In width,
but generally about nine feet wide. A nur
row stairway ls cut leading down to the
south end. At the base it Is widened and
a door frame set up with a native door,
turning on wooden pivots. The upper half
of the door ls openwork, which, being cov
ored with the opaque native window paper,
admits light. Tlie sun shines at midday
down the steps, and, when the door ls
opened, freshens and warms the room. Im
mediately within, on one side, is a cooking
stove, camp oven or boiler, in a simple and
primitive style, to which both Russians
and Japanese are accustomed. Along the
length of the trench ls a platform some
two and a half feet high and six feet wide,
made of hammered earth and rough, un
burned bricks. Beneath this are several
simple flues, up and down which the smoke
and heat from the cooking place finds Its
way, issuing at the end, remote from, the
entrance, by a small chimney, cut in the
solid ground. On this platform, which re
sembles the old-style of greenhouse flue
and Is called by the Chinese a kang, many
men can sleep in warmth and comfort on
a rough mat or dried grass. This mode of
heating is not only economical, but the
flues consume and carry off the earth damp
or carbonic acid gas which always gener
ates in underground dwellings. Across the
top of the trench rough pieces of timber
or poles are laid, and on these kaollan
stalks or straw, upon which Is heaped the
earth excavated from the trench. This
covering keeps out the cold and ls prac
tically shellproof. No rain falls, and but
little snow, and the latter can, if desired,
be swept off the roofs or mounds over the
dwelling.
The Japanese have access to a large num
ber of the native "surface" coal mines,
where a coarse dust coal is readily exca
vated and can be, when mixed with a lit
tle wet loess earth, burned in the rough
cooking places referred to, in which grass,
rubbish and almost anything can also be
consumed as fuel. Whilst the first twelve
to twenty feet of the plain and low hills
now occupied by the armies are dry In
winter, good water can be found almost
anywhere at twenty-five to thirty feet be
low the surface.
Baoaab and to Spare.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
Contrary to general opinion this nation
has more men than women within Its bor
ders. Which seems to effectually disprove
the assertion that the matrimonial market
owes much of Its dullness to the fact that
there axa not enough me a to go round.
AIIVICK TO I.AWMAJtF.R.
Rentrlce F.xpress: If the legislature wants
to do the right thing by the banner repuft
liran county In the state, let It select a
speaker from the Gage county delegation,
St. Paul Phcnogrnph Press: The vultures
that feed off of the body politic are hov
ering over Uncoln and will descend on
the capitol city about January 1. Every
legislator should go to Uncoln heavily
armed so as to protect himself and the In
terests of the state.
Tekamah Journal: It seems to be the
Impression over the state that the railroads
are storing up a lot of trouble for them
selves In fighting their tax assessment. The
opinion is that the humor of the next
legislature will be such that railroad legis
lation will be handled without gloves.
Blue Springs Sentinel: There Is a whole
lot of good hard sense expres-ed In The
Omaha Bee In Its leading editorial that the
republican majority In the coming legisla
ture Is strong enough to organize in the
open and do away with the caucus and Its
methods. No member should be afraid to
cast his vote in the open.
Norfolk I'ress: The Press seconds the
motion that the legislature elect the speaker
of the house and the president of the sen
ato In open session without the aid of a
caucus. With a fair field and no favors,
the open session is best In every way, and,
above all. It' will give the people of the
state an opportunity to see what Influences
are at the back of each candidate.
Alnsworth Star-Journal: As It gets nearer
to the time for the legislature to meet It
looks more and more as though Represen
tative Douglas would be the next speaker
of the house. It will be a Just recognition
of individual merit and of the northwest
part of the state. Very few members In
their first term take such a leading place
as Mr. Douglas had two years ago, and
the state will not suffer in case of his
preferment.
McCook Tribune: It doesn't seem to the
Tribune to be of any Importance what
amount or per cent of taxes others pay
In Nebraska. The question ls simply, are
the railroads of Nebraska paying on the
bsls of one-fifth on an honest and rquitable
valuation. That's all. More than that
should not bo exacted. Less tliun that
should not be received. They are entitled
to the same square deal that ls due any
corporation or any citizen, and the same
methods of enforcing the collecting of de
linquent taxes should obtain In their cases
as in the case of the poorest and humblest
Individual citizen.
Broken Bow Republican: The Republican
notes there are several candidates for pres
ident pro tern of the senate as well as for
speaker of the house. Among the candi
dates for president of the senate are M.
L. Fries of Arcadia Bnd Judge Wall of
Loup City. Either would muke good pre
siding officers, and it would please the
Republican to see either of them land the
prize. Possibly the most Important posi
tion on legislation this winter will be In
the speaker of the hou.-e. A bill along the
line of temperance legislation will be one
of the important issues, and those who
believe there is need of further legisla
tion along that line will do well to learn
how the candidates for speaker stand on
thut lBsue before pledging their vote.
Fremont Tribune: The Bee makes the
suggestion to the legislature that It engage
In no secret caucuses In order to perfect an
organization of the two houses. It urges
that there Is no necessity for the secret
caucus, since one branch of the legislature
ia unanimously republican and the other
nearly so. Under the circumstances there
Is no possibility of the fusionlsts organ
izing the two houses, whether the repub
licans vote as a unit or not. The Bee's
suggestion ls a good one. Let every can
didate for every position come before the
legislature in the open. Let every member
register his vote upon the floor of the
house. This would be a unique thing, made
possible and practicable by the overwhelm
ing victory achieved at the polls. And this
same course should be pursued with refer
ence to the election of a United States sen
ator. A senatorial caucus ls rendered un
necessary not only because of a practically
unanimous republican legislature, but be
cause the usual work of the caucus wns
performed by the stute convention when It
by a vote of more than 90 per cent of the
delegates Indorsed the candidacy of Mr.
Burkett and formally nomlnuted him for
the place.
Stanton Picket: The republicans In the
legislature which will shortly convene will
have a heavy loud to carry, but it is in
their power to make It light. They have
the opportunity to establish a record that
will bring credit to themselves and their
party. There are but eight fusion members
In the lower house and not one In the
senate. Republican members must differ
among themselves If they differ at all. Not
having enough of the opposition to contend
with to make It necessary for all to stand
together in order to accomplish what seems
necessary from a party standpoint, there
ought to be enough honest and conscien
tious men In either body to secure such re
form legislation as may seem best. It would
not be at all a bud plan to begin at the be
ginning and lop off all unnecessary em
ployes In both house and senate, which
would certainly mean a considerable saving
to the state. It has ever been the practice
of members to secure as many of the posi
tions as possible for friends, ond the same
feeling will, no doubt, again prevail. How
ever, an early agreement can be reached as
to what help will be indispensable and re
solve to employ no more. Then distribute
the places as equally as possible among ihe
members and stop at that. It will not be
necessary to waste any time over the elec
tion of a United Btutes senator and the
session can be made a short and .Inexpen
sive one if a majority are so Inclined.
There is a reason, and the best Kind of a
reason, why Ayer's Hair Vigor make the hair
grow long and heavy.
It is a hair-food. It feeds the hair and makes
it healthy and strong.
Healthy hair grows, keeps soft and smooth,
does not split at the ends, and never falls out.
Give Ayer's Hair Vigor to your gray hair and
restore to it all the deep, rich color of early life.
afsds by h. t. O. Ayr Cm . Lowell, kw.
ilH MhASUfeOttir.rS of
ATKft'a CmtRRr PICTOBIL For coat s. TBR PILLS-For eoBftipstlos.
ASaJt'C AJtaAJrAfclLLA-Vof tae Hud. AIKB'ft AGUa CUMa-V awuana aal afM.
TIIR STKF.I. It Alt PnOI..
Its ftreed llrarrvra the Attention of
the Itepnrtment of Commeree.
Chlrago Tribune.
The United Slates Steel corporation r.
nounres that It bus rejected the Invitation
of the foreign steel rail manufacturers 1 1
Join their pool. Tho virtuous resolve will
be mure gratifying tn railroad builders l-i
many foreign countries than It will to the
managers of American railroads, who will
have to continue to buy rails from a do
mestic pool In which the steel corporation
Is the predominant partner.
That corporation will not go Into a poi'l
with European manufacturers because It
ran undersell them in neutral markets and,
believes It can make more money when
competition exists than It can hen com
petition ls suppressed. Conqiently for
i elgners wil be able to buy American rails
at f n ton or less.
The steel corporation Is of the opinion
that It can make more money In the home
marknt by doing away with competition.
Consequently It Is pleased to be a member
of the Steel Rail asooclatlon along with the
Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, Cambria an J
Maryland Steel companies. The Lacka
wanna has not been making ralLe for nearly
throe years, hut Its new works at Buffalo,
with a capacity of ono.mx) tons a year, are
completed and It Is about to resume manu
facturing. It wns In the pool formerly and
gladly returns to It.
The five companies fix a uniform price fop
rails, pool their earnings and accept a eer
tain percentage of those earnings as their
share of the business. The percentage Is
figured on the basis of the output of the
respective plants. The steel corporation Is
entitled to 00 per cent, tho Itckawanna to
15, the Pennsylvania and Cumbria to 19
each, and the Maryland to 6.
The pool has steadily held the home price
of rails at a ton. With the cost of man
ufacture whan It Is now that means a profit
of I1A a ton, of which about one-half la ex
cessive and unnatural. For every ton of
steel rail the American roads buy they pay
$8 more than they should. Tlint S Is a tax
on transportation levied by the steel rail
pool. Naturally the railroads endeavor to
shift the tax to the shippers, and they lit
turn to the consumers.
The Steel Rail association Is a corn pact,
powerful body. It fears no home compe
tition. Its only competitors are the Colo
rado Fuel and Iron and Tennessee Coal and
Iron compunlea, whose output Is so small
that they cannot keep the association front
fixing and maintaining a high price. It Is a
pool whose methods and Illegitimate profits
call for early Investigation by the bureau
of corporations. The public would like to
have from Its agents an authoritative state
ment of tho cost of manufacture of steel
rails in this country.
PASSIVO II,E ASANTIt IFS.
"He's quite a collector. He has a num.
ber of rare picture of Washington."
"I got hold of one tnywelf today."
"You don't say! A rure one?"
"It whs rare for me. It was on a $10
note." Philadelphia Ledger.
"It doesn't ray to talk 'bout yoh
troubles," said Uncle Klien. "De mo' you
hollers 'bout gettin' cheated in a mule
trade, de less chance you has of worklir
de mule off on somebody else." Washing"
ton Post.
"I wonder," snld the passenger with tho
hunted look In his eye, "if a person can't
be absolutely snne and yet commit sui
cide." "I see," observed the passenger with the
flushed face, "that you're In the midst ot
the Christmas shopping season, too.
Shake!" Chicago Tribune.
"A Chicago wife helped her husband paclc
his trunk when he started to elope wllta
another woman."
"Did she know he was going to elope?"
"Of course she did. That's the renson
she wub so helpful." Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
"Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you,
what you are."
"Well, I s'pose I eat more wiener wurst
than anything else. Now, confound you,
go on with your theory If you've got the
nerve." Chicago Record-Herald.
Blopay If I must have a doctor send for
Dr. Bolus.
Mrs. Hlopay But you still owe htm for
your former Illness. Why not engage an
other doctor?
U 1 X- 1 Tin ) 1 1 will Ka rr nrm It 1 w
to cure me. He'll realize that if he doesn't
make me well enough to earn some money
he'll never get his pay Philadelphia Press.
WATCIIIMi FOR SAXTA IXAUtV
Leslie's Weekly.
From Florida's golden orange groves
To rocky shores of Maine,
A million happy children watch
Fur Santa Clans again.
They sit together round the fire
And will nut go to bed.
But listen for tlie silver chime
Of slclghbells overhead.
They picture him n Jolly man
With beard of flowing white.
And eyes that twinkle Ilka the stars
l.'pon a frosty night.
They wish for all fhe gorgeous gifts
The glittering shops display;
He could not bring Ihe half they want
In his capacious sleigh.
The child of luxury awnkes
On Christmas morn to find
A wealth of rare and cuHtly toys
Of every shape and kind.
But scattered on the nursery floor
Neglected soon they lie.
With battered wheels and broken springs;.
Or legs und arms awry.
Among the crowded tenements,
Up many a narrow stair
The dawn goes fteallng like a ghost
To find no Christmas there,
But empty hands and lonely hearts
Where Joy and mirth are not.
And baby faces pinched and pale
By Santa Claus forgot.
But hark was that the winter wind
That shook the chimney tall,
And made the soot In flaky showers
Upon the heurth-stone fall?
Lo! while the drowsy golden heads
Are nodding In A row
The saint has filled their stockings up.
And vanished In the snow.
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