10 THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 100S. Tim Omaha Daily Bee E. TtOSEWATER, EDITOR. FUBLI8HED EVERY MORN I NO. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: Dally Bee (without Sunday), one year...$4W Daily Bee nl Sunday, one year Illustrated Lee, one year I M Sunday Bee, on year Saturday Bee, one year 1 Twentieth Century Farmer, one year..., l.W DELIVERED BY CARRIER. Tally pee (without Sunday), per vnpy.... 2o iJally Be (without Sunday), per wk....l:'c Dally Ree (Including Sunday), per week..lio Evening Bee (without Sunday), per week. o Evening Wee (Including Sunday), per week I" Sunday Ree, per copy Complaint of Irregularities In delivery should ho addressed to City Circulation De partment, . OFFICES. Omaha The Bee HtiHrllng. South Omaha City Hall building, Twenty fifth and M streets. Councir Bluffs 10 pearl street. rhlrnrn IfUfl I nttv hllllrilnir. New York 150S Home Life Insurance building. Washington 501 'Fourteenth street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communication relating to news and edi torial matter ahould bo addressed: Omaha Bee, Editorial Department. REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, express or postal order, payable to Tho Roe Publishing Company. Only 2-rent stamps received In payment of mall account. Personal checks, except on Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted. THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss: C. f Rosewater, secretary of The Bee Publishing Company, belr-t duly sworn, says that the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally, Morning. Evening and Sunday Ren printed during the month of May, l'JOj, was as follows: 1 2K.04O 2 2H.400 1 2M,010 4 3N,ir,( t 2N.U40 t zn.ono 7 81. BOO 8 28,1110 9 28.4BO 10 a,ioo n ao.aoo U 28.U40 13 80,2:10 14 ai.suo 10 HS.7HO 10 2S.400 Total UlT.JMM) Leis unsold copies lO.OUU 17 ,20.870 18 2M.llt it 2H,8S( 20 30.2TH) 21 81.7O0 211,020 23 2M,fl80 24 2M.B10 26 28,75(1 28 SHMMO 27 BO.IBO 28 20,110 29 aii.Knu jo aa.ooo Jl 2U.02O Net total sale 107,804 Dally average SiO,2s4 C. C. ROSEWATER. Secretary. Subscribed In my presence and sworn to before me this 3lat uay of May, 19u6. (Seal) M. 11. HL'NOATE. Notary Public. WIIE.M OUT OF TOWN. Subscribers leaving the city tm. porarily should have The Ilea mailed to them. It la better than n daily letter from lioiue. Ad dress will be chanaed mm often as requested. School Is out and the school house janitor will take Lis nuuual vacation. Philadelphia revelations are sugges tive of municipal graft In other cities. The Zaliuskl guu Is trained on Fort Omaha, although the signal corps Is not yet in sight. Chicago teaiUHters and team owners seem to have un Idea that the closed tthop means "all tor us and nothing for anyone else." The 'Panama Cunal commission will confer a favor by holding that order for 7,000,000 brick until the local short age is supplied. Chicago employers who paid to have strikes called on other people have no right to complain If they get some they do not pay for. the avssux poixt or view. There Is, on the whole, a good deal of conservatism and common sense In the comments of the Russian press in re gard to the peace movement In the first place there has been a very gen eral expression of confidence In Presi dent Roosevelt, whose initiative in be half of peaceJias leen as cordially com mended in Russia as elsewhere. There Is manifested an unqualified faith In the friendliness and the impartiality of the United States, ample warrant for which Is found in the perfectly fair course toward each belligerent which our gov ernment hus pursued throughout the war. The conditions of neutrality an nounced at the opening of hostilities have been faithfully observed. While it Is true that American pubHc sentiment has been overwhelmingly in sympathy with Japan, so far ns the government Is concerned It has done nothing to indi cate that it was In accord with this sen timent, nor has there been a public utterance of any responsible official of the government partial to either of the belligerents. Henco the selection of Washington as the place for the meet ing of the peace conference Is regarded with apparent satisfaction by the Rus sian press and especially by those pa pers which are understood to reflect of ficial opinion. These papers point out to the Rus sian government the expediency of hav ing a settled policy respecting the terms of peace for presentation at the confer ence and also the importance of select ing the ablest men available as plenipo tentiaries. The real nature of the sit uation seems to be at last realized at the Russian capital and It is an encour aging fact that there is no longer be ing shown a disposition to put any ob stacle In the way of arrangements toward peace. If there Is any; element In Russia that Is opposed to ending hos tilities it is not publicly manifesting Its opposition, while on the other hand the advocates of peace are not hesitating to make themselves heard in no uncertain way. There appears to be a feeling In Rus sia that in the event of the success of the peace negotiations there will ulti mately be brought about something In the nature of an alliance between that power and Japan by which the destiny of eastern Asia will be determined. It Is by no means unlikely that the Rus sian government may seek something of this kind, but It seems improbable that Japan would be willing to enter Into an alliance with her present enemy. Her relotlons with Great Britain appear to forbid anything of the sort at present and there seems to be no reason why she should not prefer to continue the alliance with the most powerful of naval nations rather than enter Into one with a power incapable of being In any way helpful to Japan. Moreover, an alliance with Russia, lnsteod of aid ing in deciding the destiny of eastern Asia, would probably only lead to new complications and disturbances. . While It cannot now be confidently asserted that peace is assured, there Is very good evidence that Russian pub lic opinion Is favorable to ending hostili ties and this Is In Rome measure a re flection of official onlnlon. Mexico made progress before, but doubtless she would have gone forward more rapidly bad she been on A gold basis at the outset of her Industrial and commercial revival. No country that has gone from the sliver to the gold standard has ever found reason 'to re gret the change. A FALSE ALARM- The alarm sounded by the local red letter sheet over the alleged prevalence of typhoid fever In Omuba is absolutely groundless. Typhoid fever is no more prevalent In Omaha at the present time than it has been during previous years. There is neither sense, rhyme nor rea son in trying to make people believe that Omaha is menaced with typhoid infection. This is the consensus of opinion among tho very best medical practitioners in Omaha as well as the health office. There are and always will be some cases of typhoid fever in n city of Omaha's population. The fact that one particular physician claims to have treated twelve cases within five months affords no proof that all physicians in Omaha have had a similar number of typhoid patients. The only menace of typhoid to which people are subject in Omaha comes from the use of water drawn out of wells that are In the neigh borhood of cesspools and isolated dwell ings that are In the neighborhood of stagnant water. Missouri river water, whether settled or unsettled, is the healthiest beverage anyone can drink. The rapid current of the Missouri, constantly permeated with sand, Is self-puiifylng. Missouri river water below Omaha and as far down as St. Louis, after it has absorbed the contents of the Chicago drainage ranal, still retains its purity. No harm can, of course, come from boiling all drinking water before it is consumed, but there Is no ground for apprehension that the consumers of unboiled drinking water will run the risk of typhoid. The New York legislature has been called to meet in extra session June 22, so Paul Morton may earn that f 150,000 a year sulary protecting the Equitable reserve. Reports from the east indicate that the rainy season will do as inucf as the peace negotiations to force an im mediate truce or a long armistice iu Manchuria. New York subway cars should be equipped with life preservers if they are to become popular with visitors, who fear they may encounter a broken water main. Council Bluffs has ulso a grievance and n protest against railroad tax shirk ing. Baldwlnvllle prides Itself on being submissive and not inclined to resent ordinary impositions. The expression "dolug things brown" will take on a new meaning in the First Nebraska district this year whllo the democratic heelers try to "do" Brown before he is counted out July 18. The payment of $100,000 from the United States government to the Omaha Indians will not be received with the same Joy in some quarters that it would have created a few months ago, before the new commissioner of Indian affairs took charge. The real reason for the resignation of those two hlghi Russian admirals is probably a lack of ships In the navy equal to the dignity of their positions, Hio Russian navy doesn't need ad mirals nearly as badly as it needs guns and gunners. An Ohio banker lms pleaded guilty nd received a sentence of seven years In the penitentiary. If this thing con tlnues a branch bankers association might be formed behind the prison wall to teach members ou the outside bow to stay there. The Irrepressible coufliet between the Water board and the water company has simmered down to a question of pressure. In the meantime the old water rates still prevail and the hydrant tar for 1005 has been flxed by the Water board at flOO.Otrt). PROPOSED COMMERCIAL TREATY- It is announced that the German gov ernment will soon send to Washington a draft of its views on the proposed commercial treaty with this country. American agricultural producers and manufacturers will be equally inter ested in learning the views of Germany as to the kind of trade treaty that country is willing to make with the United States. Under the tariff that will go into effect early next year there will be a very decided discrimination against a number of American products unless something is done in the mean time to give these products the benefit of the minimum rates. Tho German government is disposed to enter into a commercial treaty that will place our products on a favorable footing with those of other countries with which it has treaties, but it Is doubtful If this con be consummated, so strong Is the opposition to granting any tariff concessions. Perhaps the execti tlve branch of the government will frame a commercial treaty, but then there Is the seuate to reckon with. There has been some talk of recourse to retaliation, which would bring on a tariff war very damaging to bothr coun tries. We are doing a large trade with Germany and the question of preserv ing It is certainly important It will doubtless be urged upon the attention of the next congress. rumor Is unfounded and Mr. Ryan actu ally owns every dollar of the stock in his own right, and the stock was acquired by him with his own surplus, the policy holders very naturally still will want to know what difference it will make to them whether Mr. Ryan is the owner of the stock or Mr. Hyde, so long as Mr. Hyde remains the mainspring of the Equitable mechanism. It is announced that all of the right-of-way for the Omaha & Nebraska Cen tral Electric railway project from Has tings to Omaha has been secured ex cept the stretch between Millard aud Omaha and the franchise through Wahoo. This Is very gratifying, pro vided always that the promoters of the enterprise have the necessary financial backing to make good within a reason able time. The Beatrice, Lincoln & Omaha Electric seems to have temporar ily gone into w'.nter quarters. There was a time when Eighteenth and Farnam was all the rage. Now it Is Seventeenth and anything. The Young Men's Christian association has pur chased the corner of Seventeenth and Harney and the Young Women's Chris tian association the corner of Seven teuth and St Mary's avenue, and both of the organizations propose to run a race for subscriptions, catch Mho catch can. Chicago has asked that the peace con ference be transferred to that city If Washington be found to be too warm. Chicago must want to learn how wars are terminated. It needs no lesson as to how they are produced. A MATTER OF PL AllS FACT. Let us be (air and truthful about this matter of paying taxes and state the cuse as it is. Nothing Is to be gained and only harm can be done by misrepresenting the facts, fia some newspapers are doing. The railroad companies believe that the last assessment was unfair and wrong as to them. They submitted the matter to the courts for settlement as to the part be lieved to be wrongful, promptly paying the other part, which is about 75 per cent of the whole. A railroad company, precisely the same as any other taxpayer, has an absolute constitutional, legal, moral and natural right to have the question whether they are wrongfully assessed settled by the courts. That Is what the courts are for. Other taxpayers have the right, and exer cise the right, to have such questions set tled. Lincoln Star. As a matter of plain fact, last year's assessment of the railroads was not un fair and wrong to the railroads, but un fair and wrong to the other taxpayers. According to the computation made by former Land Commissioner Follmer, who was not hostile to the railroads, the assessment of real estate for 1004, gauged by the recorded real estate sales, which are generally higher than the actual cash transactions, represented 01 per cent of the true value of the lands and lots, as near as could be as certained, while the railroad assessment represented only C4 per cent of the mar ket value of those properties. As a matter of equity and Justice, the railroads should have been assessed lust year for not less than $00,000,000 In stead of $46,500,000, and the railroad tax agents and attorneys had no ground for assuming that the last assessment was unfair and wrong to the railroads. If tho railroad companies sincerely be lieved that the last assessment was un fair and wrong to them, they should have paid the whole tax under protest and Invoked the power of the courts for redress instead of trying to scale their taxes by paying 75 cents on the dollar, while other taxpayers are com pelled to pay dollar for dollar or have their property sold from under them. What standing would any other tax payer than a railroad have in a state or federal court if he refused to pay more than three-fourths of the tax levied on his property? Would not his petition for redress be thrown over the transom were he to repudiate the tax levy under pretext that it was not fair, after he hod enjoyed every opportunity to im press the assessor and Bonrd of Equal! ration with his own idea as to the value of bis property? Is it not a matter of plain fact that the railroads, by reason of the tremendous political Influence they exert, insist upon enjoying privi leges and immunities that are denied to every other class of property owners? If it is any consolation to Captain Kirknian he may know that while he is serving his three years at Fort Leav enworth he is associated with a num ber of eminent bankers who got longer terms with fewer trials. Diplomats at Washington who will be compelled to lose their vacations be cause of the peace conference unfortu nately belong to no union which can enforce a demand for extra pay. A Killina- lime. Philadelphia Ledger. In ten years 1,100 persons were killed and 5,593 Injured, more or less seriously, on In dependence day In ten cities. The Are losses reached the snug sum of 85,659,000. The tribute paid by noisy patriotism to the country's natal day ts rather costly. Working; a Good Thine;. Indianapolis News. Mr. Morton's neatly constructed circular, In which by a skilful turning movement he transforms the Equltablc's troubles Into an advertisement for the company, suggests that perhaps literature has lost a great deal by his getting the wrong start In life. Crop Report Scandals. Chicago Chronicle. Scandals like that which has arisen over the government cotton crop report Justify doubts as to the advisability of government crop reports of any kind. Those reports naturally affect speculative prices and spec ulators who lose money are naturally dis posed to question the Impartiality of the government statisticians. If the gathering of these statistics were left to private en terprise the speculators wculd have no causa of complaint. They could make up their own figures and draw their own conclusions. Things that Make for Peace. Minneapolis Journal. One of the best ways to bring about peace would be for the mikado to start from Toklo and the czar from St. Petersburg, meet half way and do It. It would be well for the czar to carry a small bottle of su perior vodka from the lmporial cellars, and the mikado to bring along several bags of the royal tobacco. While the czar was pouring out about three Angers of the stuff the mikado could busy himself filling a couple of long-stemmed pipes. It seems as If peace could be made In a few minutes thereafter. The Grand Duke Alexis, who, a good many years ago, made bis visit to Omaha memorable by tendering a silver dollar at a tip teethe geueral superin tendent of the Union Pacific Railway company, has resigned from his position aa the admiral of the Russian navy. PR0FIT1XQ BF GOLD STANDARD. According to a report from the United States consul at Muutamoras, Mexico, that country is already realizing the benefits of the gold standard. He states, from information furnished by bankers, importers and commercial houses in his consular district that the adoption of the gold standard has served to stimulate the inauguration of new business enterprises, as well as to strengthen confidence and credits. With a flxed rate of foreign exchange, says Consul Griffith, the logical sequence of an unvarying monetary standard, im porters are making lower prices and many exporting firms in the United States and Europe who had withdrawn their traveling salesmen have notified old customers that the sending of these agents for the promotion of business will be resumed at ouee. It ia further noted that business on the American side of the Rio Grande has also ex hibited a more healthful and confident tone since the establishment of a flxed monetary standard by Mexlcp. There Is nothing extraordinary In this, yet the fact that our neighbor re public has so soon found the advantage of having the gold, standard Is Interest ing, If only as additional evidence of the fallacy of those people in this coun try and elsewhere who have persistently fousht that standard. It la true that The anti-cigarette law enacted by the late legislature will go Into effect ou July 1, but the anticipation of the friends of the measure may not be tully realized. A similar law enacted last winter by the legislature of Indiana U now being evaded by the organization f cigarette clubs, whose object it is to provide its members with cigarettes purchased in bulk outside of the state, and thousands of original packages are now coming into Indiana through the malls and by express. The decision ren dered by an Indiana court that cigar ettes so bought may be smoked in the state and that the right to buy outside the state and smoke Inside the state cannot be interfered with makes the law In Indiana practically a dead letter. It does not take a prophet to forecast the same effect in Nebraska Just as soon as the original package deal ers are enubled to organize the con Burners into cigarette clubs. Mr. Ryan assures tho policy holders of the Equitable society that be has be come the sole owner of the 502 shares of stock formerly owued by Mr. Hyde and that uo other person or interest has the right to contribute a single dollar to ward Its purchase. This statement is doubtless given out to allay the rumor that Mr. Ryan, who has close relatlous with the Standard OU corporation, slmnlT represents the "system." It thU Prosperity la Business. Springfield Republican. Insolvencies became very large In the latter part of 1303 and .in the early part of 1901. With the revival of business they fell off materially, and while the liabilities of Insolvents In May were a little larger than those of April, there has been a pretty steady diminution of these liabilities from December last. Dun's figures show that the liabilities In May were less than In the tame month of the three preceding years; they were larger than those of May, 1901, but not much more than a third as large as those of May, 1900. Reversing- the Conditions. Minneapolis Times. Had Russia been victorious what would Its peace terms have Included? Kouropat kln threatened to make peace In Toklo, but It was a vain boast. It Is pobable that Japan might have been permitted to exist, but that It would have been shorn of every vestige of power and placed under the heel of the conqueror would have unquestlon. ably have been the price of peace. Japan knew this; therefore It did not take the Initiative bef orfTt, was prepared; then It struck with such force that there was little chance for aught but victory. Hu manity demands that the war shall end. Justice, however, dictates that Russia shall pay the price. RAlLBOAOa AS TAX DODGERS. False Report for "Taxation Par. poses" Filed by the Managers. Chicago Record-Herald. What are Illinois railroads worth a mile? That question Interests the State Board of Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners which is- meeting at Springfield to decide on the general level of freight rates In the state. Rates must allow a reasonable profit, and one of the faotors In determin ing reasonableness 1s the value of the prop erty on which profits must be earned. Former Attorney General Hamlin has been unkind enough to Introduce In evi dence on this point the railroad companies' own figures of the value of their property per mile as they presented them last winter to the Btate Board of Equalization. The railroad lawyers were astounded at his simplicity. What had those figures to do, with the case? They had only been prepared "for taxation purposes." As for "reasonable rates purposes" the values were ever so many times bigger. , There used to be a saying that the power of taxation Involved the power of confisca tion. No one would guess it today. It would be truer now to say that the power of escaping taxation and the power of confiscating a nice little percentage of the value of all traffic go- hand In hand. How long will the railroad be permitted to play both ends against the unfortunate publia la the middle? OTHER LASDS THAN Ol R. Apropos the Sweden and Norway con troversy ot which Kins Oscar Is the cen tral figure to the world, how many people realize that his name Is evidence ot the influence of Napoleon. The name Oscar does not occur In the list of Swedish kings until 1844, when Oscar I. mounted the throne. He was the son of Bernadotte, who, to please his Swedish subjects took the name and style of Charles XIV. (John) on becoming king. Oscar I. was born when his father was simply General Bernndotte, In 1799, and his name was selected for him by Napoleon, who was an Intense admirer of Osslan and the Ossiatilc literature cf which Oscar Is one of the heroes. Napo leon's approval gave the name a great vogue. It Is to this day not uncommon In France, and has been eagerly adopted by Norse people. If there was an Oscar of flesh and blood, he was Irish, for in Ire land Is the scene of the Osslan poems, not only those of Macpherson, but the ruder lays and fragments of eplos on which the Scotchman bullded. Possibly It is Norse In Its root, however, for the Norse peoplo were once dominant In the dim and shadowy Ireland of the remote past. A bill has Just been submitted to the Belgian Parliament, providing for a com plete reorganization of the defences of Ant werp and Immense Improvements In Its port accommodation. The total cost of the military works Is estimated at more than $20,000,000. In the port Itself there will bo an Immense Increase of the quay space and warehousing accommodation, one branch of tho river being locked off anJ converted entirely Into a long canal dock, whllo many other docks, wet and dry, are to be constructed. Of the latter there will be a group placed close together of vary ing size, one at least having an effective length of S50 feet, capable of receiving the largest vessels. For these magnificent har bor works no less thnn 10,560 acres of land are to be appropriated, and the total cost of the land and of the works Is estimated at more than 136,000,000. The state expects to recover enough by the re-sale of land to reduce this expenditure by $10,0(10,000 or so, and the town of Antwerp will defray the cost of the dock canal, estimated at about $9,000,000, so that the total expense to tho state for these commercial Improve ments is likely to be something less than $20,000,000. The latest reports from the scene of the Arab Insurrection against Turkish rule are of great Interest. The area of successful revolt has spread so far south that only one place of Importance In the Interior of Southwestern Arabia, Tals, remains In Turkish hands, and that Is now blockaded by the rebels. Ibb and other places be tween Tals and Sanaa have fallen Into their handv, so that should Tals be forced to surrender the territory controlled by them would become conterminous with the British Aden Protectorate. An attempt to relieve Tals Is to be made by a force from Mocha, but It Is doubtful whether the European Albanians and tho troops from the uplands of Anatolia will be able to operate during the Intense heat of the Southern Arabian summer. The sultan Is said to have resolved to reassert his au thority at all hazards, and has ordered an army of 100,000 men to be sent Into Yemen. Apart from the difficulties of climate and transport which such a force would have to overcome. It appears that the murder of some Italians In coast towns of that province has given the Italian government a pretext to afford Indirect encourage ment and assistance to the rebels by send ing a considerable force of war vessels to the Yemen coast to enforce the claims of their subjects. It Is far from Yemen to Tripoli In Barbary, but it may be safely surmised that If the moment Is deemed fa vorable the Incidents that have brought about Italian action In the Red sea will furrilsh the opportunity for the long con templated descent upon Tripoli. Slgnor 1 Tlttonl's last speech on tho unsatisfac tory attitude of the Turkish authorities toward Italians of Tripoli and Barca was of itself sufficient indication of this. London dispatches say that King Edward In one of his neatest after dinner speeches recalled for King Alfonso's benefit the time when the latter's father was a cadet at Sandhurst, the British military college. Probably the dignity of tho occasion pre vented King Edward from referring to the fact that the late King Alfonso was made to learn at Sandhurst that there is a democracy in even a British military school that chastens tho pride of a royal cadet. When King Alfonso was a new comer at Sandhurst one of the senior cadets asked him by what name he would like to be known to his associates. Alfonso responded by giving a namo of Castlllan length and dignity. With profane emphasis the British cadet said that would never answer. "Don" was too topping and "Asturlas" not to be thought of. "I'll tell you what we'll do," said the mentor. "Weil call you 'Squad Spain.' " "Squad!" being the comment hurled every minute at the beginners by sergeants was short, easily remembered and suited the condi tion of the sufferer. "Squad Spain" was the nickname of Alfonso aa long as he re mained at Sandhurst. A correspondent of a London Journal de clares that all the difference between Aus tria and Italy could be settled quickly If an end could be put to the mutual distrust which exists between the two nations. He therefore attaches great Importance to the confidence which Count Goluchowskl and Slgnor Tlttonl seem to have In each other. There is special need of It Just now, when the question of founding an Italian univer sity, or at all events an autonomous Italian law school, In Austria Is again under con sideration. The bill for establishing the Italian law school at Roverto, In the Tren tlno, has been read a first time In the Relchsrath, and, after some debate, re ferred to the Budget commission. Its fate. of cjurse. Is very uncertain. The only bit terness shown In the debate was introduced by German radical and pan-German depu ties. Dr. Erler, the German radical poll' tlclan, who was responsible for the dl turbancea at Innsbruck last November, de. nounced the idea of establishing any Italian faculty or college In any part of Austria as an abomination and a danger to Germanism. He solemnly appealed to all Germans of all countiies to rally round their brethren In the Tyrol and to support them In averting such a peril. It appears that an Important antl-Itallan pan-German association has been founded at Sterling, In the Tyrol, under the direction -of the pan-German agitator. Dr. Rohmeder of Munich, and of the Austrian German rad leal deputies of the Tyrol. The association is called the Tlroler Volksbund, and It alms to unite all the non-Italian Inhabi tants of the Tyrol, Including the Rhaeto Latlo elements, Into one great German league for the purpose of assuring the pre dominance of German political Influence down to the Italian frontier. POLITICAL DRIFT. Reform has reached a point In Philadel phia where policemen with prison records are t Id to pack up and go. Ex-Governor Bob Taylor of Tennessee Is trying to fiddle himself Into the United States senate. Bub Is accounted a smooth fiddler. Lest we forget. It may be noted that a man named David Bennett Hill appeared as counsel In the Patrick case In New York courts recently. An Illinois representative has refused a renoinlnatlon because a "congressman Is nothing except a pension agent and a solicitor of postoffk-e Jobs." Although a pair ot bondllng aldermen In Allegheny, Ta., practically confessed their crookedness, a sympathetic Jury told them to go and graft some more. A large delegation of Milwaukee officials stand a flrst-ciass chance of following Banker Blgelow to prison. The famo of the Crenm city grows by leaps and bounds. In 1904 New York Invested In Its public school system $10,531,228. Of this, $16,000,000 we it for enlarging the city's plant, and $20,000,000 to pay running expenses. No other city In the country approaches these expenditures. Some knockers In Kansas City are actively knocking a contractor who milked tho city for $2.C6 per ton of coal, while selling the same goods to business houses for $1.50. When the envious cannot butt Into a good thing they reach for the hammer. A recent Investigation shows that most If not all of the Philadelphia aldermen Involved In the recent scandal were native Americans whose grandparents had been citizens of the United States. The only foreign born man of prominence In the proceedings was Mayor Weaver, who pro tected the city. New Jersey, the "traitor state," knows a good thing and works it to a finish. The revenue of the state derived from corporations this year will amount to $2,357,819. One insurance company pays $204,011. New Jersey Is the hame of giant corporate enterprises. Eight companies have a capitalization In excess of $100,000, 000. Among them Is the United States Steel corporation, with a capital of $S'8, 683,1,00. At the other end of the line Is a lilliputian affair which pays a tax ot 6 bents on a capital of $500. I JISTICE TO THE VJXIONS. Leaders Mar tie Graftera, bnt tbe Rank and File Are Honest. Chicago Inter Ocean. Charges and countercharges of bribery and blackmail in the management of labor unions and in their relations with various employer have been coming thick and fast in the last ten days. In fact, so thick and fast have they come that the average man is prone to believe that at least half of them are true. There are doubtless some, Sam Parkses among the labor union leaders of Chicago. There are probably some employers of the kind that made a Sam Parks possible. These aro reasonable inferences. However, this does not Justify anyone in saying, as a Chicago newspaper said yes terday, that ' labor unions are bought." It is certain that 99 per cent of the members of Chicago labor unions are In no way re sponsible for any kind of graft. They are no more responsible for it than the great masses of farmers who vote the republican ticket are responsible for the stealing In the Postofflce department at Washington. The rank and file of labor unions, who work and pay their dues because they be lieve In the union Idea, never see graft from one year's end to another and never come In contact with It. They are not in a posi tion to graft and do not try to be. Only those who, become leaders who get Into the positions of trust have the chance to betray their trust for money. Hence it follows that the shameful charges now bandied about are not a part of any fight between capital and labor. They are Just part of the old familiar human fight between honesty and dishonesty. With graft neither labor nor capital can have any sympathy. The grafter is a friend of none but himself. What Is wanted In Chicago Is not a fight between labor and capital over graft, but a clean-out of grafters on both sides, for the welfare of honest labor and honest labor unions' as well as of honest capital and honest capitalists. WHAT 19 THB GAMUT Features of the Kqnttable settlement Call for Explanations. Louisville Courier-Journal. James II. Hyde Sold to Thomas F. Ryan 601 shares of stock of the Equitable Life Assurance society. The capital stock of the Equitable amounts to $100,000, divided Into 1.000 shares. Therefore, It was a controlling Interest that Mr. Ryan and his syndicate acquired. The par value of the 5ol shares Is tVUOO. Blnce the dividend on the stock Is limited to 7 per cent annually tho direct Incom of the syndicate on its holdings canm exceed $3,507. And yet the purchasers paid, In round numbers, KOHVOvO for the 501 shares. Naturally the question arises: Whjr should the Ryan group pay so largo a sum for stock yielding only $:t,5 7 in divi dends? The transaction Is sufficient to arouse the suspicion that the so-called reorgan latlon and purification of the Equitable means, put bluntly, Just a shifting of Jug glers. Paul Morton has announced that he In tends to conduct the affairs of the society "for tho best Interests of the policy hold ers." It Is a good rule he has set out for himself, and It Is to bo hoped that he will adhere to It strictly. But the Ryan syn dicate consists of too shrewd a group of business men for the rest of the world to believe that it will be content with a measly return of $3,607 on an outlay ot M.f0,000. The members of the syndicate may be philanthropists, It is true, but the suggestion has not the air of plausibility these piping times of dollars and graft. Every cent of the profit of the Equitable above tho sum of $7.0"0 pledged In annual dividends to the stockholders every penny above the sum spent In reasonable salurles and the expenses of conduction the business brtongs absolutely to tho policy holders. These have put up the money. All earnings of that money aro theirs. These Include Interest on loans and deposits and profits on Investments, The stockholders and officers are entitled to nothing but their fixed dividends and salaries. What, then, Is the game to be played by the Ryan syndicate? Not only the Equit able policy holders, but the public at large, would like to know. LINES TO A SMILE. "Somebody says the Russians have r. such word as 'hurrah.' " "Well, we are a good deal more Inter estM Just now in finding out whether the nave any suc h word as 'enough. Cleve land Plain Dealer. "Are you hnppy, now that you are rich?'' asked an old-time friend. "I don't know ns I'm happy.'' answered Mr. Cumrox; "but I'm dead sure I'm not as discontented as 1 would be If I was broke." Washington Star. Lot and his wife were fleeing from Sodom. "He-he," they snickered, "this time we leave Instead of the cook." In tho exuberance of her Joy, Mrs. Lot forgot and looked back. New York Sun. Jaxon Why do preachers always wea long coats? Jonson To cover the patches In their trousers. Cleveland Leader. "You never hear ot the Scadwells' family skeleton nowadays," observed Rivers. "No," said Brooks. "They have ac cumulated so many bones that everybody has forgotten its existence." Chicago Tribune. Bosh Blanket stammers frightfully; but there's one time when he never hesitates. Josh When's that?" Bosh When he comes for the rent; he's our landlord. Detroit Free Press. 1 Shaver Do you believe that "early to bed'1 makes a man wealthy? Old Boy Well, er yes. You see If he goes early to bed It keeps him from squandering his money at night.' Detroit Free Press. Letttaa- Himself Down Easy. Chicago Chronicle. Though the cxar may lack something of complete greatness as a monarch, he has no superior In the gentle art of letting him self down easy. His reply to President Roosevelt's peace representations reads as though Russia were generously manifest ing mercy and consideration to Japan. It reads so much that way, in fact, that Japan may not like It. In that case some. thing of the tone of condescension will have to be abated or else General Llnevitch will have all the fighting be yearns for. A Hint of What Mlsrht Be. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The dreadful fate of the torpedo boats and submarine craft attacking the fortifi cations at Fortress Monroe are a hint to Admiral Togo of what he would have been up against if it had been Uncle Sam he met in the Tsushima straits. WIIEX THE RAILROAD DKOITED IS. Wallace Irwin in New York Globe. (A .J. Cassatt, president of the Pennsyl vania railroad, has had a private Interview with Mayor Weaver of Philadelphia in tho latter's office.) When the Railroad dropped In to see Weaver It made Just a casual call, For the Railroad Is not a deceiver And wily? dear, no; not at all! It doubtless came round Just to proffer Its aid In the eauso of reform. To strangle the grafters and offer The Cause Its encouragement warm. When the Railroad sent round Its Head Spieler He doubtless evolved a great plan To make every man a square dealer With a Square Deal for Every Man. He doubtless brought specie In bucket Good government's clalniB to sccuie, And offered to spend many ducats To make Philadelphia pure. But If. when the Railroad saw Weaver, It flaahed the bright wages of sin And whispered like Nick, the Deceiver, s "How much do you ask to come In?" We'd feel such a scorn for the Railroad, Such sad disappointment, In fact But we all of us know that the Railroad Would never commit such an actl Browning, ICing & Co CLOTHING, FURNISHINGS, AND HATS m t PRE-IPEiWORY SALE With inventory only two weeks off we find as every other trust worthy house finds, that it pays to cut off all profit when lines of goods are broken, some sizes miss ing and sometimes when gar ments don't go off as they are expected. From now till July 1 we shall have a variety of bar gains to offer you in men's, boys' and children's suits that are beau- tifully tailored, stylish and of our famous quality for less than the usual price. "HO CLOTHING FITS LIKE OURS.' "Experience has taught nin to take my tailor's ad vice," said Beau Brummel, "for it represents the best wisdom of many minds." Fliteentli find Douglas Sts. L OMAHA NEB. Broadway at S2ud Street NEW y YOUK Factory, Cooper Scr