TITE OMAHA DAILY BEE: MONDAY. DECEMBER 26, 1904.
Tiie Omaiia Daily Bee.
E. ROSEWATER, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING.
TERMS OF 8LBSCRIFTION.
DELIVERED BT CARRIER.
... . n i . ...... mnf
jjany nee (witnoui B'inoji. rw in
Dally Bee (without Sunday), per wee...if
Dally Bee (Including Sunday), per wee ,1ir
Sunday Bee. per copy M'lMlw To
Evening Bee (without Sunday). per weea
Evening Bee (Including Sunday). Pr.,
Complaints 'Vf' irregularities in d1'''"
should he addressed to City Circulation De
partment. OFFICES. .
Omaha The Bee Building. -.nl.
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fifth and M streets.
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Chfoac imo Unity building.
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CORRESPONDENCE.
Communication relatti.g to news and eai
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REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft, express or postal order,
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Only I-cent stamps received In payment or
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THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss.:
George B. Tsachuck, secretary of The Bee
Publishing Company, being duly sworn,
ays that the actual number of full and
rnmnlnti pnnUi nt The
Daily, Morning,
Vtl.nln. ini Biina I.. nrtnted d UrllK
the month of November, loi, wu as fol- i
lows:
1 S1.310
t 2W.400
t 119,1 BO
80, 40
1 40,ftAO
87,400
7 ,.40.100
0,BBO
1 4H.1WO
10 84. too
U 80.es M
12 81.0HO
11 80.OS0
14 1TO.3O0
15 8U,8t0
It 1.S0
17 80,390
IS X9.840
It X0.300
tO 80.2TO
a go.Bfto
S3 20,000
tt 29.4B0
2 so.aao
at iw.too
M 82.200
17. .....80,000
a ....ao.Too
tt St.310
ft) ZO.2O0
Total BBO.oao
Less unsold eoploe lQ.PlO
Net total sales 9-MI.B14
Dally average 81,8 IT
GEO. B. TZ8CHUCK.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before me this 3oth day of November, 1901
(Seal) M. B. HUNGATE,
Notary Public.
Colorado In to send potatoes to Ire
land. That's equal to sending coals to
Newcastle.
It does not often happen that we have
two days of Christmas, but this Is a
ltooseveltnn year.
When the statistics are all In it may
bo found that playing Banta Claus with
cotton Is as dangerous g game as foot
ball. ..-..
The strongest proof against the pres
ence of Japanese vessels wits the Dog
gerbabk fishing fleet is that no Russian
ships wereunk.
Judging from the advice given their
citizens in Morocco neither France nor
Englund have money to spend helping
the cause of Ralsouli. " . o -
A congressman has found one federal
commission j too., largt for tlts purpose,
which is conclusive evidence that none
of his con8ttuents1anued oh the board.
Countess fonyay. promises to-corhe to
America just as though this country
could not produce a sufficient number of
interesting and unconventional women of
ita own.
There is still another charge against
Chief Donahue which Elmer E. Thomas
has kept up his sleeve, and that is that
Tat Crowe was a side partner In the
kidnaping business.
The World-Herald says that its de
mand for art investigation of the in
aauo asylum la In the Interest of human
itybut it can't help at the same time
trying to put in a few licks for politics
on the side.
If all the Christmas presents distrib
uted by Omaha people had been pur
chased In Omaha the bank deposits of
Omaha retail merchants would have
been swelled by at least a round hun
dred thousand dollars.
Courtesy pasteboards bearing the
names of the members of the incoming
legislature are being carefully engrossed
and enrolled for distribution. low many
of these compliments rles will be re
turned with thanks deponent eayeth not
Harper's Weekly says "it seems to be
certain", that David B. Hill will carry
out his announced Intention of retiring
from politics at the end of the year. No
body la willing to take Mr. Hill at his
word.
Omaha attorneys who formerly were
content wit throwing bouquets at each
other when they clashed' words in tlie"
police, court or before the police coin
inl8sl6n" ndv throw hand grenades and
bombs loaded with confetti and cuss
words.'
The proposition to re-create the office
of district attorney under the title of
public prosecutor and make the county
attorney, the legal adviser of the county
board la worthy of serious consideration
providing it does not create additional
tax burdens:. .
ThaC suggestion that the Tanama
Canal commission is too large for effec
tive service and that its membership
should be reduced must be very dis
tressing to the members of that body.
A plu.ee on the canal commission is sup-
posed" to be a snap of the first magni
tude. " ' ' .' -
The railroads are sending out notices
to the county treasurers of the different
counties in Nebraska through which they
pass thut acceptance of the partial pay
ments they have been teuderlng for their
current taxes will not, under Judge
Mungera restraining order, prejudice the
rights of the counties to the residue- of
the taxes and thut they are willing to re
new their tender of part payment in or
der not to em bars us the finances of the
county and school district governments.
How kludl " , ' -
Dally Be (without Sunday), one year..4
Dally bee and Sunday, one year
Illustrated Bee, one year Jrj
Sunday Bee, one year J tJJ
Saturday Bee. one ynr t i TJ.
Twentieth Century Tanner, one year... "
.... o
THE KKBATE QUESTION.
A New York paper quote a trunk line
official a saying that so far as the east
ern trunk line situation I concerned,
that In, the situation between the Atlan
tic coast and Chicago, It Is aa rlenn as ft
can reasonably be hoped to see It. The
storm center so far as inequitable rates
are concerned, nccordlng to this author
ity, Hes between the Mississippi and the
Missouri rivers. He pointed out that In
that territory there Is so much competi
tion, and. moreover, rates are so high in
connection with prorating1 with the east,
that it Is a most difficult matter to pre
Tent concessions being made to secure
business. lie had no doubt that on ship
ments prorated through between New
York and other eastern points to the
Missouri river shippers whose tonnage
la an inducement for rallronds receive
In one form or another advantages over
their smaller competitors.
This trunk line official expressed the
opinion that the greatest Injustice Is, the
result of private car lines. "There Is
certainly no question among practical
railroad men," he said, "that the private
car lines should be tinder Interstate con
trol quite as much as other cart. Present
conditions certnlnly leave the doors wide
open for abuses and for discriminations
against all small shippers that the rail-
roads themselves cannot hope to remedy
for some years at least." He suggested
that the only remedy will be found in
the form of a large holding company
that shall conduct the refrigerator and
ventilator and heater cars on the same
general plan as the Iullman company t
conducts the parlor passenger coach
business. He thought the abuses con
nected with the private car Jine system
cannot be remedied under existing law.
The views expressed by this railway
official are In essential agreement with
the position of the Interstate Commerce
commission in its annual report. It
points out some of the evils attending
the .use of private freight cars and urges
that the private car line companies be
brought under the act to regulate com
merce and their charges made subject
to the determination of the commission.
"The. rebate must be stopped, the abuses
of the private car and private terminal-
track and sidetrack systems must be
topped," declared President Roosevelt
in his annual message. It is a question
which congress must deal with and the
sooner the better.
THE 8 A MA It VPRIStSO.
General Corbln, - in his report of the
uprising in Bamar, speaks of the Situa
tion as critical. A, few days ago the
killing of a number of native scouts was
reported and, according to the official
information, the relelllous PulaJ.-iues
number 2,000. The Kamnr natives have
been the . most stubborn opponents of
American control of the Philippines, the
present uprising being the third ajtouipt
they have made against ' such control.
The island of Sainnr. it will be Inter
esting to note, is the third In area of, the
island of the archipelago, Alitison mid
Mindanao, being, larger, lls-compara-tlvely
4usigniflcant, In population, con
taining only about 200,000 inhabitants,
or less than 3 per cent of the total.
Pa mar was the last of the Philippine
islands, outside of the 'Mohammedan
part of the archipelago, to yield to
American sovereignty. ' An armed le
slstance was kept up until the summer
of 1002, when a civil government was
established in the island. It now ap
pears that a considerable number of the
people are not satisfied with the gov
ernment and, while of course the up
rising will be speedily crushed. It Is a
reminder that there are still sesda of
disaffection in the Philippines. . The
Moors have not yet been brought under
complete control, though according to
the report of General Wood there Is but
one hostile band remaining in Minda
nao. With these exceptions peace prac
tically prevails In every part of the ar
chipelago and most of the work now
required of the troops and the constabu
lary is of a police rather than a military
character. This Is likely to continue in
definitely, as savage tribes that have
ll'-ed for many generations In a stata of
barbarism and Independence cannot be
expected to suddenly conform to ah the
rules of civilized life. The progress
thut has been made with them Is re
nitrkable and gives abundant assurance
of the ultimate redemption of all of
them. Doubtless there will be periodical
outbreaks, such as that, in Pa mar for
somi time, but the most serlou part
of the great task undertaken by our
government has been accomplished.
LESSON OF THE SIOVX CITY FIRE.
Two entire blocks in the business cen
ter of Sioux City were destroyed by fire
within less than three hpurs, entailing
a loss of more than 12,000,000 upon the
owners and underwriters. The fire
started in a department store and
quickly spread to pther business houses
Immediately adjacent, not because Sioux
City lacks an efficient fire department,
but because business blocks in Sioux
City, like those In nearly all other west
ern cities, are constructed of crnnbusttble
material; in other words, because most
of the structures used for mercantile
purposes are veneered flretraps.
Outwardly these buildings create the
impression of solidity, but the most im
posing brick and stone structures of that
clans usually contain vast quantities ot
lumber In the shape of Joists, purtltlons,
floors, doors, stairways and even ceil
ings. This firewood is made the more
combustible by several coats of pulnt,
while the tar-pupcred and tar-coated
roofs furnish so much additional fuel
for the flames. .
The lesson of the Sioux City fire, like
the fire In other cities, emphasizes the
need of fireproof construction by the sub
stitution of steel, fire tile. Iron lath and
other modem flreprooflng appliances.
Had the department store at Sioux City
in which the fire originated been a fire
proof building the fire would doubtless
have been confined to that structure and
the loss would have been limited to the
merchandise destroyed within that store
and the damage to the building itself.
Admitting this to be true, it will be
argued that towns like Sioux City, Des
Moines and even Omaha and Kansas
City are not ripe, or rather not In posi
tion, to compel fireproof construction
within their business districts because
of the Increased cost of such building,
the greater time It requires to erect fire
proof buildings and the greater desira
bility of covering a large area with
poorly constructed buildings than a
small area with buildings of higher cost
which would yield a comparatively
small Increase of rental over those of
seml-flreproof, or firetrap construction.
All these considerations, however,
should not outweigh the demands for
public safety and stand in the way of
twentieth century evolution. There is
no more reason why public buildings
should be constructed of fireproof ma
terials with a view to durability and
safety than business blocks, public office
buildings and hotels, should also be
planned on the same lines, unless It Is
thought desirable tnt modern cities to be
fire-swept and reconstructed several
times before they reach a mature
growth.
Incidentally, It may not be out of
place to remark that there can be no
half-way road between firetrap and fire
proof construction. Experience has
shown that the so-called "slow-burning"
and seml-flreproof buildings go up In
smoke alout as rapidly as the buildings
veneered with brick and stone and gar
nished with painted and seasoned tim
ber. That fact was demonstrated In the
Baltimore fire and will be demonstrated
In any great conflagration wherever it
may occur.
JANUARY DIVIDENDS.
, It Is stated that dividend and Interest
disbursements to be made in January
will break all records. A compilation by
the New York Journal of Commerce of
the forthcoming payments, in the opening
month of the new yeur indicates a total
of about $136,000,000 to be paid out by
leading railroad and Industrial corpora
tions, bunks, trust companies and the
national government. This Is nearly
$3,000,000 larger than a year ago. The
Industrial payment show a falling off,
owing to a reduction and passing of
dividends, but this Is much more than
offset by Increased payments on the
part of railroads.
These disbursements will release a
sum of money for employment In the
general market which Is likely to have
a stimulating effect upon stocks and In
due time upon general business. The
figures given do not cover all the divi
dend and Interest payments to be paid
next month, it being necessary to add
a considerable amount for the disburse
ments of state banks, traction companies
throughout the country and the smaller
corporations not Included In the Journal
of Commerce compilation. Doubtless the
grand total will exceed $200,000,000.
Omaha needs an lnterurban tramway
for connection not only with Lincoln
and Beatrice, but also with Fremont,
Columbus, Grand Island, Hastings and
the immediate towns and villages within
a radius of 150 miles west, and It also
needs tramway connections with Sioux
City, Yankton and the Intermediate
points this side of Niobrara. It needs
and eventually will have an lnterurban
line to riattsmouth, Nebraska City and
as far south as Atchison, Kan. But the
promoters of lnterurban tramway lines
should not impose unreasonable condi
tions upon Omaha and Douglas county.
It is unreasonable for them to ask for
a 090-year franchise over the public
roads leading into and out of Douglas
county without even ( offering a dollar
for the privilege or a penny of royalty
on Its earnings. Possibly, however, the
promoters of the Lincoln & Beatrice ln
terurban are simply asking for the larg
est possible concession, in order to get
a free franchise for a reasonable period,
say, twenty-five years.
The railroads are busy spreading the
reiwrt through subsidized country week
lies that the taxation of railway termi
nals for municipal purposes at Omaha
means depriving the people of the rural
districts of part of their mileage values
for taxation. No one knows better than
the railway tax-bureaucrats thatlt means
nothing of the kind and that their misin
formation Is designed purely to throw
dust In the eyes of people not familiar
with the situation. No one knows tet
ter than they do that all of the terminal
values distributed outside of the cities
pay no municipal taxes whatever and
that subjecting the terminals to munici
pal taxation would not alter one lota the
valuation upon which the railroads pay
county and school district taxes outside
of the cities. It Is plain, however, that
this Is the line of tactics the railroads
have agreed to pursue to head off legisla
tion that would cut off the privilege they
now enjoy of shirking city taxes with
impunity.
The State Bar association will renew
Its plea for a resurrection of the office
of district attorney In the interest of
economy and more energetic enforce
ment of the criminal laws. The particu
lar bill, however, which is advocated
does not figure up much saving in the
expense account except that it transfers
the cost of the prosecuting machinery
from the county to the state. If the bill
undertook to save the salary of the
prosecutor out of the salaries now paid
the court reporters and extra bailiffs the
economy would be more noticeable.
If the saloon is ever to be banished
from the proscribed district It must be
banished by January 1. If licenses are
granted for another year to keepers of
resorts that are frequented chiefly by
the vicious and lawless they will con
tinue to Infest our community for an
other year, at least '
One New York newspaper has declined
to print Tom Iawson's advertisements
concocted to effect the movements on
the stock market. The chief trouble
with. Law sou Is UuU h putt hi an
nouncements in the papers as paid ad
vertlsements while the other operators
try to work the public through the
papers by all sorts of ruses to secure
free space. If it is legitimate to talk
to newspaper readers In free self-road
interviews, why is it not legitimate to
talk to them In paid for advertisements?
Crael Obstacles to Happiness.
Indianapolis News.
TV. IVII.J CI . . ma mtrt Vlfl
' ' " Liiiim 1'iaira 1 1 ,'i . . , - -
decided that a discharge In bankruptcy does
not reliever a man from paying aiimony.
The pursuit of happiness meets a whole
lot of obstacles these days.
A Flttlnsr F.plteph.
New York Tribune.
General Botha, In Ms address at the
funeral of Kruger at Pretoria, pronounced
the last president of the Transvaal "South
Africa's greatest son" a fitting epitaph by
one competent to pass Judgment.
Material for Warriors.
Chicago Tribune.
Figures continue to show that more boys
are born than girls. Cither figures continue
to show that this la necessary in order that
the supply of men for possible use as sol
diers may be kept up.
Majesty of Horse Sense.
Boston Herald.
The United States supreme court has now
decided that when a river marks the bound
ary of a state the boundary Is not changed
if the river happens to change Its bed.
Herein the law seems to coincide with the
majesty of horse sense.
Liberty as a Maaxaet.
Indianapolis News.
Four-fifths of the Immigrants Into Cuba
last year were Spaniards, and In the year
before a smaller number, but a larger per
centage of the Immigrants came from
Spain. Cuba Libre Is evidently not an un
desirable place of residence for the sub
jects of the mother country.
Odlooa Comparisons,
Pittsburg Dispatch.
Criminal punishment has overtaken the
men responsible for the calamity In the
Paris subway In August, 1903. The differ
ence between France and the United States
seems to be that France waits abouts six
teen months and then punishes someone,
while the United States waits as long as
that and punishes no one.
Fair Hlinnlng of Good Order.
St. Paul Pioneer-Press.
With a total attendance at the St. Louis
exposition of neary 19,000,000 persons, the
number of arrests for offenses of all sorts
was only 1.439 In the whole period of seven
months. That Is only about one to 13,500
Of the fair's transient "population." It la
doubtful If any great assemblage of people
ever left so clean a record.
Poller of Give and Take.
Philadelphia Press.
Some of the railroad presidents express
their belief that if the Interstate Com
merce commission Is authorized to change
rates, found to be unjust, pooling should
be made legal. With such a change in the
law they would perhaps be satisfied. As
long as the Interstate Commerce commis
sion could change the rates there would be
less objection to pooling on the part of the
public.
Pa reels-Post.
Portland Oregonlan.
The parcels post, which may be estab
lished as an adjunct to the free delivery
mall system, urban1 and rural, Is no novelty.
Tho German postofflce carries an eleven
pound parcel any distance up to forty-six
miles for 6 cents, and beyond that distance
anywhere In the empire for 12 cents.- For
10 cents the British postofflce will deliver
In the British Isles a three-pound parcel,
with free collection and delivery, house to
house, anywhere In city or country.
MJEFFERSOSIA SIMPLICITY."
Samples of tho. Real Article Having;
Tbelr Root in Myth.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
Because Mr. Pryan has chosen to buy a
103-pound silver punch bowl, reputed once
to have belonged to Thomas Jefferson, he
and his favorite character In political his
tory will doubtless be made the subjects of
much cheap humor.
The truth Is that the stories told to show
that the personal habits of Thomas Jeffei
son were of Spartan simplicity are almost
entirely myth, and that the few grains of
fact In them were evidenly the product
of accident rather than Intention.
The story that Jefferson rode to his
Inauguration alone on horseback, In gar
ments spattered with mud, Is a pure Inven
tion. The truth Is that Mr. Jefferson was
then living at a house Just outside of the
capltol grounds. A military escort had
been provided and carriages for the party
were at hand. But the day was bright and
sunny, and Mr. Jefferson preferred to walk
the few hundred yards to the capltol. And
walk he did, accompanied by a few per.
sonal friends and escorted by the cavalry
assembled for the purpose.
The really notable incident of the in
auguration was the lack of courtesy shown
by President John Adams. In departing
from Washington during the night before.
Instead of doing what every president since
has done accompany his successor to his
formal entrance Into office.
There Is also the story that President
Jefferson received a British minister In
"dressing gown and slippers:" There Is
some question of veracity here. The truth
would appear that Mr. Jefferson, perhaps
with a view to Indicating to the British
envoy that the Ideas of his government as
to how American affairs should be con
ducted were not quite so Important as he
thought, or perhaps merely because he
was unwilling to keep his visitor waiting
while he made a formal toilet, received the
Briton In what hla pomposity chose to re
gard aa careless undress.
In his taste In dress President Jefferson
would appear to have been in advance of
the Ideas of his time of what was ap
propriate for men In high station. ' Hla
dislike of highly decorated garments does
not seem to have arisen from the idea that
plainness in dress was a virtue, but to
have been merely an expression of the
same taste that leads gentlemen nowadays
to eschew brilliant colors while wearing
the most expensive materials of the kinds
deemed appropriate.
There Is plenty of evidence that Thomas
Jefferson, so far from being careless or
negligent In his personal habits, was rather
nloa and precise. He collected pictures and
had one of the largest private libraries then
In America. His table was always well
appointed, and he entertained a great deal
In fact, more liberally than moat prudent
men lr his circumstances would have
thought they could afford. For him to
have owned a ten-gallon punch bowl wit
not at all Inconsistent with the customs
of bis home at Monticello and his habits
at the White House.
As a practical politician, engaged In
building up a party In opposition to what
he regarded as monarchical and aristo
cratic tendencies, he was naturally not
averse to the circulation of stories that
represented him aa one of "the plain peo
ple." But he does not seem to hvs bean
mora than normally hypocritical about aucn
things. II aeein merely to have taken
advantage of a situation created by his
own tastes.
In a word Thomas Jefferson lived as he
thought became a gentleman of atatloi,
and It la time that there cam an end to
abitta aixmt "Jarsonlaa simplicity,"
INTERSTATE CORPORATIONS.
Entirely Reasonable.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
The legal power of control certainly
should be commensurate with the thing
to be controlled. In the light of that
principle and to end the present condition
of anarchy. Commissioner Garfield's prop
osition seems entirely reasonable.
Marks Oat the Road.
Chicago Tribune.
When Jamea R. Garfield, commissioner
of corporations, suggests that corporations
doing an Interstate business shall be re
quired to apply for federal licenses he
marks out a route of action which la In
evltable that the United States shall some
day travel.
Are Present Ills Exaggerated?
Philadelphia Record.
Before the country hall assent to this
It will be well to consider whether he has
not exaggerated the present Ills, and
whether a sufficient remedy, more In ac
cord with our political system, may not
be found In giving states ampler author
ity to regulate the business done within
their limits.
Something; Mast Re Done.
New York World.
In some form the evils shown must be
combated, the remedies Indicated must be
applied or feasible alternatives sought.
Letting alone will not mend matters.
Trust law and merger morality will. If
permitted, continue to rule and ruin; uni
form law for trusts there must be If these
Frankestelns of modern "high finance" are
to be controlled for the publio safety.
Safegaardlng Legitimate Business.
New York Tribune.
Speculators might not like real Instead
of nominal responsibility to the federal
government for their Interstate operations,
any more than some of them like to make
even' the customary reports to their own
stockholders. They want to be allowed
to run "wildcat" not merely In Wall street,
but through the country and the courts.
But the great body of conservative busi
ness men of this country, we believe, real
ise the danger of letting any corporation
get beyond effective legal restraints, see
that between the domain of the present
state and federal laws there la a space
occupied by corporations where practical
anarchy reigns, and are anxious to have
the government armed with adequate
power to protect the rights of Individuals
and safeguard legitimate business.
PERSONAL XOTEJ,
It also "staggers humanity" somewhat
to learn that Oom Paul Kruger left a for
tune of $3,500,000.
The man who tried to "touch" President
Hadley of Yale goes to Jail for six months.
Of course. The Idea of trying to get rich
quick off a Connecticut school teacher!
A. I... Sharpe, the only republican elected
to the Texas legislature, Is a native of
Ohio, but has resided In Texas about ten
years. He Is a country merchant and
ranchman, but was formerly a railroad
man.
Samuel L. Hawks, superintendent of air
brakes of the Chicago A Alton road, Is the
only employe who has been In the service
of that company for more than fifty years,
or ever since the line was first open to
traffic.
Mrs. Cassle Chadwlck, well known In
social circles of several cities. Is being
entertained during the Christmas holidays
at the Cleveland residence of United States
Marsha!' Chandler. Mrs. Chadwlck Is an
amateur magician1 of some note.
Even the rich are being hard hit In the
present era of high prices. Terrapin, for
example, Is reported to have gone up about
B0 per cent and to have deteriorated In
quality within the last year. The thrifty
millionaire la nowadays often found lunch
ing on a plain chop and a mug of beer.
A glance at the passengers on German
transatlantic lines Is liable to startle the
observer. For Instance, "Herr and Frau
Patrick O'Brien" were among those who
arrived In New York a few days ago on
the Kaiser Wllhelm der Gross. Another
distinguished passenger who sailed recently
was "Herr O Donovan Rossa,"
Some old duffers burdened with more
years than wisdom would, if they could,
abolish the illusions and delusions of the
season, shoot Santa Claus on the spot and
strip the world of Its Yuletlde verdure. But
these Illusions will live aa long as youth.
ful Joys animate the world and sunshine
reaches the heart. 'Twere better If the crusty
Joined youth In Its Joyous revela Be merry
while you can. You'll be a long time dead.
Mrs. C. B. Colby of Portland. Ore., was
speaking on woman suffrage be fa re a con
gressional committee In Washington, her
plea being on behalf of her sex. "It does
not require so very much brains to vote
she said In the course of her remarks. Sev
eral members of the committee smiled at
this statement, but Congressman Hardwlck
of Georgia, a democratic member, said
with great gravity: "Madam, the recent
election clearly demonstrated that It hardly
requires any."
MR. HILL'S THREAT.
Cot in Wages if the Railroads Are
Interfered With.
Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Jamea J. Hill may, without injustice, be
styled a shrewd citizen.
Since his public announcement that, al
though he had not read the president's
message, he was opposed to Its recommen
dation that (he Interstate Commerce com
mission be empowered to fix and put Into
force reasonable railroad rates, he has
thought further en the subject, and ampli
fies his opposition.
Mr. Hill, of course, does not concede that
there are such things as unreasonable rail
road rates. This fact should be borne In
mind while considering this, his latest ut
terance: "To cut down transportation rates arbl.
trarlly, and consequently reduce earnings,
would necessitate reduction of operat ng
cost to meet the new conditions, and this
naturally implies a reduction of wages."
Thus does the famous creator of the
Northern Becurllle company misconceive
a situation which is of grave concern to
the whole people, as well as to the rail
roads. It may be said there la no shrewd
ness in misconception. That depends a
great deal upon whether or not the mis
conception Is wilful. Moreover, It should
not be overlooked that Mr. Hill closes wl,h
a threat, the shrewdness of which, from
his standpoint, Is unquestionable.
This threat, with only slight changes In
form, has seen long and successful service.
It is a menace to the worker as his weak
est point his means of livelihood. Trans
lated Into plain language, It amounts to
this: "If the United Slates government at
tempts to stop our schemes of extortion
and discrimination, we will take It out of
the wage-earners."
The aim of Mr. Hill's mora diplomatic
words Is to produce a fearborn public sen
timent antagonistic to the proposed re
form. Mr. Hill Is 'not unaware of the
power of public sentiment, but It is
doubtful If he realises the extent to which
Mi publio has been educated on economic
questions.
Such a threat as he makes might have
been effective a few years ago. If he and
his contemporaries in railroad manage
ment attempt to carry It out now tbey
will simply b-. hastening the doom of pri
vate ownership ot railroads, - -
BITS Or WASHINGTON LITE,
Remlalseeaees of the Retiring Pen
sion Commissioner.
Pension Commissioner Ware la going
back to Kansas to rest among the cy
clones, convinced that with fond recollec
tlona of his experience In office he will find
cyclones restful.
Mr. War has made a unique record In
office. A correspondent of the New Torn
Times says he Is execrated by government
clerks and much admired by persona who
like to see government work done like
other work.' His unpopularity Is of the
same kind that Is enjoyed by every offi
cial who tries to have a fair day's work
rendered for a fair day's pay In the gov
ernment service. This city takes Its tone
from the government clerks; the news
papeis here breathe their Ideas, and a man
of the Ware type Is bound to be regarded
as a tyrant.
There have been other Wares. Auditor
Morris waa killed by an Indignant and
outraged clerk after having tried to In
troduce buslnesllke methods In his depart
ment, and the prevailing opinion was that
an unrighteous tyrant was gone. Assist
ant Secretary Vanderllp resigned from the
Treasury department after threats had
been made against his life by outraged and
Indignant clerks. General Alnsworth stag
gers under a henvy burden of odium; so
did Pension Commissioner Evans, and so
did Secretary Gage, under whose Inhuman
administration a time clock was introduced
In the Treasury department The Indig
nant and outraged clerks went to con
gress to have the Infamous thing removed.
It Is a little hard for an outsider to get
the Washington viewpoint. There are
plenty of clerks who work hard and do
their best, but the tone of the town Is that
a government Job Is not a llfework, but
a gift. When General Alnsworth Intro
duced the rule that clerks in his bureau
must stay there until 4 o'clock, the hour
for closing, a mighty protest went up
against this unheard-of Inhumanity. The
women clerks held a mass meeting and
sent a spokeswoman to Alnsworth.
She asked Alnsworth If he had considered
the fact that If the women clerks went out
at the same hour with the men clerks they
might be Jostled In the corridors by the
latter, who would naturally be hurrying
home. Doubtless he had not considered It,
and would, on Its beJng pointed out to him,
restore the Immemorial privilege of going
home a half hour before closing time to
the women clerks, at least.
"Madam, I had not considered It," said
Alnsworth. "But what you say la very
true. I suggest that you and the other
women who do not want to be Jostled re
main In your offices until one minute past
4. I will guarantee that at that hour you
will not be Jostled In the corridors by any
thing except ghosts."
Ware never compromised with the easy
going manana spirit of government clerk
Ism, and went out of office one of the
worst hated men who ever set foot In
Washington. For whereas other business
like men had simply shouldered their bur
den of unpopularity and gone on with It,
Ware was a fighter. He could not com
prehend the Washington atmosphere; his
gorge rose at It, and he fought It with all
the powers of his Ironic and eccentric wit.
He not only wrestled with it, but he ridi
culed it and emblusoned his scorn of It
In public places.
His first and most famous eruption of
this kind was in the case of Wiggins of
Georgia, and It was not until then that
the clerks really sised him up. They had
already found him a strange customer, and
he had mystified them. One woman clerk
had related with great Indignation how
she had got to Ware and had explained
to him her services, her merit and the
great benefits that would inure to the de
partment if she were promoted. She said
that in the midst of her statement of her
merits Ware sprang from his seat, took a
turn around the room, and exclaimed, In
a voice of absolute anguish:
"Madam, you are, without exception, the
most egotistical woman I ever met."
The promotion of Wiggins of Georgia
was accompanied by the bulletin, conspicu
ously posted In the pension office.
Oct. 18, 1902.
Record of J. S. Wiggins (Georgia) Is as
follows:
1. Annual leave In four Years, fourteen
days.
i. Not n (lay sick leave In eight yscrs.
8. On merit excellent.
4. His chief recommends him.
5. He has steered no statement un aralnst
the commlffliner.
6. He has not told the c-mnrlssloner about
his pedigree and his distinguished relatives.
7. He has not told the commissioner how
capable he (Wiggins) Is, and how deserving
of promotion
r nrome
Mr. Wl
Iggt
1ns will be promoted today from
fl.ono to 1.200, and chiefs are requested to
furnish the commissioner with the names
of all others In the bureau with a similar
record.
This has been Idiotically commented on
as If Ware were setting up for rising young
men the standard of never taking a vaca
tion. It was not so misunderstood In Wash
ington. Every malingering or soldiering
government clerk felt the notice to have
been Intended as a rebuke and satire to
himself, and hated the commissioner with
a consuming hatred.
The Washington newspapers, always the
staunch defenders of the clerks, began a
lampooning campaign against Ware, and
have never let up on him. Ware was pro
voked Into new and severer satire. He
said stinging things and posted new pla
cards, Including that which read.' "The
Lord hates a liar." He Introduced a new
system of promotions, making his bureau
chiefs Into a sort of civil service commis
sion, directing each to select three men,
from whom Ware could make a selection
them by the
For over half a century Ayer's Hair Vigor has
been sold in every civilized land on the face of
the globe. v
Is not this long, unbroken history of success
the very best Kind of a testimonial? j
Mmm vsmi
ATZB'S BARSAPARtLtA-For the sloos.
AIKa'I rC10KAL-ro( couch.
for each' promotion. In his letter of ln
structlons to the bureau chiefs he said:
"I wsnt to establish n Incentive. There
fore you will not overlook the nulet man
who attends to his duty. Do not forget the
man who has no statesman Interceding for
him."
The "statesmen" ultimately became sore
In thrlr turn at the frequent satirical refer
ences to thorn and their time-honored habit
of suggesting promotions. When the W!g-gtns-of-Oeorgla
notice appeared they took
much umbrage at section 6 "He has
steered no statesman up against the com
missioner." One Kansas congressman sent
a msn to Ware, with Instructions to say.
In a cold, dignified way, conveying some
thing of rebuke and reproach In his tone:
"Mr. Plunk has Instructed me to say that
you need fear no requests from him for
promotion of clerks."
The mecs nger delivered the message, and
waited for Ware to shrivel and wilt. War
thumped his desk with an expression of
genuine and heartfelt Joy, and said:
"Fine! Fine!"
This occured before Ware's character was
so generally understood a It was later.
Now Ware has given up his long fight t
make a hustling place of Washington,
to make Greek fire out of cold molasses,
and has gone back to Kansas. But while
he was here he did wonders. It Is cold
fact, not denied, that the office has never
been run In so businesslike a manner aa
during hla term, and that the government
never before got anything like eo much for
its money. For th first (Ime In the en
tire history of the Pension office the work
is up-to-date. Even the most optimistic of
commissioners, those who did most toward
bringing It up, never figured en a time
when that would come.
Away back among the half-forgotten
verses he wrote a quarter of century ago
there Is one which certain late events make
worthy of resurrection. He wrote it In tha
time of the Russo-Turkish war, and it was
entitled, "The Siege of DJlkprwbs." Thus
it ran:
Before a Turkish town
The Rusalnns came.
And with huge, cannon
JJId bombard the same.
They got up close
And rained fat bombshells down.
And blow out every
Vowel In the town.
And then the Turks,
Becoming somewhat sad, .
Surrendered every
Consonant they had.
Those who have been stirred to profanity
In the course of the present Russo-Japanese
war may profoundly regret the lack
of a laureate of their emotions.
Learning: from Western Farmnra.
Des Moines Register and Leader.
Just at present authorities In the east
are urging the people to learn the lesson
of successful farming from the west.
Think of It; the states which have been
tilling the soil for over two centuries
learning from the states in which two
decades comprehend both ancient and
modern history. Farming has been revo
lutionized In the transmlseluslppi west
within the last decade. Farming machin
ery and the training of the brains of the
farmers have been responsible for this.
The days of the one-horse plow are well
nigh over. In the far west steam plows.
threshers and harvesters are in dally
operation during the season; In the Da
kota wheat fields twenty-horsa teams are
to be seen on almost every farm.
MIHTHFIL REMARKS.
What you need." said the physician.
IS
more exercise.
"That will be all right." answered the pa
tient. I'll probably begin walking the floor
when your bill comes In." Washington
Star.
Mrs, Highmus You kept one girl slg
weeks? How did you manage It.
Mrs. I Dmore I dldn t munuge it - 8he
fell down the steps and broke her log the
first day Hnd, of course, she had to stay till
she could walk out again. Chicago Tribune.
"I never tip sleeping car porters," as-,
serted the skinny passenger. "And so they
never bother me with their attentions."
"Well," said the portly passenger, "I
always tip 'em myself; but they always
give me a wide berth Just the same.
-ieveiana meaner.
"Here's an account," said Pa Twaddles,
"of the marriage of a couple of deaf mutes.
I wonder how they will get along together."
"I should say," responded Ma Twaddles,
"that they will probably be unspeakably
hnppy." Philadelphia Press.
"If a mnrrled woman." said Unci Eben,
"would talk to her huHban' de same way
de ludles talks to de gemman at a los
cream festival dar'd be mo' happy homes."
Washington Star.
Bess Didn't I see you buying a ring for
May yesterday?
Jack Yes; t was a key ring.
Bess Fibber! I know! It was a dia
mond. Jack Yes; but a key ring nevertheless.
It unlocked her heart. Philadelphia Press.
DEAR OLD SANTA (LAI'S.
Written for The Bee.
What do you think, my friend.
Is the world coming to an end
When the people will plan to rob
Dear old Santa Claus
Of his life's lung Job?
Dear old 8anta Claus, whose name.
Never connected with any shame;
W ho worked early and late.
And carried candy and toys
For all the girls and boys.
These wise men would smile
At Santa before a court Juvenile;
Then again children would cry,
8eelng dear old Santa Claus
Attempting to prove an alibi.
And now we really fear
That by another year
They will be crying "extras."
Then we'll hear them say
"Dear old Santa Claus was tried today.-
Read to your children with care
Will Carleton's beautiful poem:
"Annie and Willie's prayer,"
Before old Santa Clans you rob
Of his life's long Job!
KATHEH1NE V. BTILWELJU
Omaha. Neb.
We with you would
feel perfectly free to
writ tbo Doctor at
any time. Aik him
anything you wish
to know about your
hair. You will ob
tain the best medical
advice free, and no
one will see your
letter but tbe Doctor.
Address,
Dr. J. C. Ayer,
Lowell, Mass.
Testimonials? We can furnish
thousand. Here is one:
uiswmrg r vs
ITtB'l PILLS-Vat eeastlDStloB.
ATsk'S AGUK CUkK-tm BtaUuU aad Sgt.