Nebraska Newspapers

    HIE ft EE: OMAHA. MONDAY. .TAX TAR Y -2X
The Omaha Daily Hkk
IfOV.NDED BT EDWARD ROJEWATKK.
VICTOR HOSE WATER. LDITOR.
Kntered at Omaha patofflc Konil
eias natter.
TERMS OF RLI1SCR1PTION.
oinds? Fro. on your
Saturday Hee. tin year MAO
laj!y Yt (without Sunday), on year. ..
lelly Re and Sunday, on year
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Fvenl g Fee (without Sunday!, per wees Rc
Dully Hr (without Sundsyi, twr week..H
Al ress all complaints of irregularities In
Oauviry to City circulation Oepeitment.
OFFICES.
Oiriiha The Rep Ktiilcttnar.
Boi th Omaha-.' N. Twenty-fourth SL
Oomell HMirr-f 15 Scott 6lrat.
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CORRKSPON DfcNCK.
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Remit liv draft, express or poatal order
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Only 2-rent stamps received In ymeiit of
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STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska. Douglas County, aa
Dwla-ht Williams circulation manager of
Th Be Publishing Compur. being duly
warn, says that th actual number of full
anal complete copies cf Th Dailv. Morning.
Kvenlng and Sunday Bee printed during
th month of December. lM. was aa fol
hws: 43,870
t 44,000
43, XO
4 aa.no
4a,70
43,4
4V,B0
.43J3v
4J.6S0
14 40,400
II 44JM4I
It . . . 43,681
!... 48,400
14 --.4,830
43,T
... 44,410
...44VaO
.W.43,M0
... 4344
...43.840
...44.80
. . .44,330
II..
II
14
II 44.S50
II 44,400
IT 44,350
II 4S.S50
II 4a,
St
II
II
Total .,
M.7M
Rturnd Copies
Net Total
.1,344.887
Dally Average
DWIOHT WILUAMI,
Circulation Manager.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
baler me this list day of December. lia
ROBERT HUNTER,
Notary Public
Babaorlbers leaving ta city teas
rarity skoal tar Tha
seal led ta then. Address will be
changed aa aftea as rea nested.
lironio-seltzer king aues for divorce.
I'sh-at:
cite the Laud show once and you
will want to see it again.
Aviators earned 1940,000 last year.
And. let's Bee, how much did they
loae?
Now the' women are trying to tell
va they never liked the horrid rata,
anyway. ,
Mr. llobson'a thirst for trouble la
Insatiable. - H6 Ittirdemands four sew
battleships.
A drop In the price of eggs Is, after
all, only a drop in the bucket of the
cost-of-living matter..
They have formed a "League of Po
liteness" out in San Francisco. Has
New Orleans Joined?
We are ready to listen to further
details of Mr. Edison's plans for mak
ing gold moie common.
Omaha will furnish the bridge
across the Missouri for the transcon
tlental automobile highway.
No graftera ahould fail to aee the
wonderful graft made by Burbank
on exhibition at the Land show.
Another thing demonstrated by that
democratic teaat at Baltimore waa
that the unterrtfled had not lost their
appetltea.
Nat Goodwin reiterate he did not
tall the girl "baby doll." But what
la the difference between that and
"doll baby?"
Those scientists who say there will
be no more babiea after 100 years are
probably merely playing In with the
janitors of their flats.
It is barely possible that, to pre
serve peace and harmony In the party,
"Joe" Hailey might consent to take
that presidential nomination himself.
Kev. Thomas Dixon's latest novel is
"The Root of Evil." If It proves to
be among the six best sellers, some of
the root may find its way into the au
thor's pocket.
The arlous Interests concerned
doubtless recognUe in the ancient and
honorable hold-up. bills reintroduced
at Llncola tha customary Invitation to
"come across."
"Diplodocus carnegii," recently
erected in Carl Hagensack'a prehis
toric too ia London, sounds like a flip
thrust at one of our most prominent
philanthropists.
' Champ Clark'f insistence upon the
statement that there is bo oratory in
congress today is yet liable to provoke
hostilities between "Jeff" Davis and
"Pitchfork" Tillman.
ajsaBaaasisaaaaBaBaMSBBaaBssa
Speaking of who shall succeed Nor
man K. Black as chairman of the dem
ocratic "national committee, w nom
inate Mr. Bryan. Why not? He
boss. the job, anyway.
Probably Mr. Sheehan, who went
out and raised $300,000 for tbe last
democratic ticket la New York,, will
have a word or two on the "Sting of
Ingratitude" should a cog slip and de
prive him of that toga.
Excessive Express Charges.
It Is quite significant that the tlg j
express
companies in joint artion
should snnounc- a reduction ,,f i
through rate Just as the Interstate ft"" r nre every year minions 01 uoi
Corumerce commission pin era In clr- lata" worth of property and precious
tulation Ha first annual report on the
"statistics of exptcss cotnpan ies"
That rpport discloses many reasons
why reductions ahould he made. It
easily confirms the general impression
that has existed as to the relative
rorporatlons and the -'Joint action" to j
.a.., I. in itaoir Kviiienr of i
the common bollpf that "jtentlenipn's
agreements." rt ni-e a mild term, have
governed the express business.
This report, whlph covers business
for the year endins June. 30, 1909,
shows as to earnings that the
"operating InPome for the year Is 51
per cent of the value of the property
used In operation." It shows Ihst the
"rtcord value of the property actually
used in oppratlon by the exprpss com
panies Is but 12 per cent of the as
sets shown bv their Iwlante sheet
statements." The statistieian for the
commission Interposes the comment
that "This i. perhaps, the most sig
nificant fait contained In thla report
as Indicating the 'peculiar' business
of express companies." Certainly It
Is significant enough to justify the de
mand for a change in those condi
tions. The report further discloses
that "the total investment as shown
by the value of real property and
equipment is but 23 per cent of the
capital liability of the companies as
represented by the capital stock and
funded debt." It shows also that the
companies have an accumulated sur
plus of $164,000,000, and then this,
stated in the commission's own words:
The balance sheet statement shows very
clearly that It Is throuRh the profits of
the business that the large assets have
been accumulated and It may be safely
asserted that the original Investment In
this business was relatively Inxignlflcant.
The express business Is, perhaps, the bent
llluetrailmi which the country affords of
the accumulation of considerable assets
out of revenues.
These corporations, four of which
the American. Adams, United States
and Wells-Fargo control 95 per cent
of the total value of the real property
used in operation by the whole thir
teen, have decided at last to reduce
rates. It will not hurt for the gov
ernment to see that this reduction Is
actual and not merely apparent and
that It is somewhere near adequate.
Wa have no difficulty. In reviewing
this annual report of the commerce
commission, in determining why the
express companies are so violently op
posed to the parcels post. It contains
some excellent argument for the fur
therance of lbs parcels post legisla
tion. Detective! Watching Democratic
. Legislature!.
The sensational report comes that
detectlvea are on watch at the capi
tals of New York and New Jersey. to
see that no corruption enters into the
selection by the legislatures of United
States senators. If this be true, it is
a severe commentary upon the present
method of choosing senator and a
suggestion of the wisdom of popular
elections, ft goes to show the possi
bilities of fraud, of thwarting the will.
not alone of the people, but of the aia
jorlty of honest legislators. But more
than all this, It reflects seriously upon
the political conditions of these two
states.- It Is repugnant to a decent
sense of popular or representative
government to think of a contingency
calling for a detective patrol of the
election by atate lawmakers of mem
bers of the highest legislative body In
the world.
Perhaps this is not the first time that
such precautions have become neces
sary, but it should be the last time
and not being the first does not tend
to ameliorate the case any. Demo
cratic bossisni In both states, Tam
many In New York and another clique
of political pirates In New Jersey, it
is said, have by their high-handed
methods provoked this action on the
part of the law. If that la what dem-
ocratic victory there means, if It is a
I fact that such conditions exist In those
states, It is to be hoped that the cor
rupt powers will be unable to carry
out their schemes and that whatever
men are elected will be the honest
choice of the majority unfettered by
sinister influences.
Our Unnecessary Fire Losses.
According to a report to the State
department by the American consul at
Prague, the average annual fire loss
In that capital of Bohemia has been
less than fUO.SOO and not a life has
been lost by flre there In the last fif
teen years. In the ordinary city in
thla country with 500,000 population
the flre los would, we are told by an
architectural authority, be at least
$1,000,000 a year, while the deaths
from Cre would be numerous.
Prague'a freedom from fire losses Is
explained by the superior building
construction required by law, together
with the careful habits of the people
and the responsibility that tire dam
age entails upon the owner of the
property. In Prsgue most of the
buildings are built of brick or stone
with tiled roofa. the hallways .are
usually of concrete and the atalrs of
stone, and the kitchen floors are built
of concrete with tile wainscoting. The
erection of hszardoua buildings Is not
permitted, atid when a man is so un
fortunate aa to have a Ore h Is looked
on as an offender in the eyes of the
law and la held responsible fpr any
damage that may be done to adjoin
ing property.
The mere recital of tbe conditions
that make Prague, a city of more than
r.oo.oon peopl. practically a rlty
" "out hree in a trrrtfic Indictment of
."""""' -ihiito m mr
American city tnat sscrint eg up to tne i
Uvea that pan never he replaced. Our
unnecessary fire lonpa are a disgrace
to American civilization.
Prohibition in the South.
At the last state eleetlon the people
of Texas voted for a proposition au-
thorl - ln: the legislature this winter
to submit to the voters at the next
general election: a proposed constitu
tional amendment for state-wide pro
hibition. The people of that state
may rind In the xperlments recently
made in Alabama, Tennessee and
other southern states something to
guide them In their aptlon.
Alabama has gone hack on state
wide prohibition, in Tennessee the
law has not proved satisfactory to
some of Its original advocates. The
mayors of the four largest cities.
Memphis. Nashville. Knoxville and
rhat tanooea, declare It haa not proved
a success and should be repealed or
amended to permit a compliance with
the will of the people who wish to
have the liquor traffic effectually con
trolled. , Consequently, these four
mayors have gone before the Tennes
see legislature with a plea to this end.
They argue that the law has not been
enforced, which, of course, is arguing
that It will not be enforced by them.
Rather in this case, at least, It cornea
of a belief that it is not the law the
majority of the people want enforced.
What will be the action of Texas
one is left between two criteria to
Judge. The proposition to submit a
constitutional amendment carried last
autumn along with the defeat of the
prohibition candidate for governor.
Somewhere between these two must
be a medium of sentiment, but it Is a
matter of doubt aa to Its endorsement
of experimental state-wide prohibi
tion, especially in the light of the ex
periences in other neighboring states.
There are peculiar reasons why the
liquor question is acute in the south
and the effort to prescribe a proper
check is part of the effort to reach
a satisfactory adjustment of the race
difficulties there.
Keep Hiitory Straight. "
With evident Intent to magnify hla
election as United Statea senator, Con
gressman Hitchcock's paper repro
duces an article from the Sioux City
Tribune which contains this falBe and
misleading statement:
Nebraska Is naturally as republican aa
Iowa. Never before In her history has she
elected a democratic United etatea senator.
Even the father of the new democratic
senator served In the senate aa a repub
lican. Reversing the order, first, the
father of the new democratic senator
from Nebraska, - although - professing
to be a republican, was elected by
votes of democratic members of the
legislature.
.Second, Nebraska has not now
elected a democratic senator, but a
fusion senator, whose name was on
tbe official ballot twice, once as a dem
ocrat and once as a populist. Ne
braska once before elected a fusion
senator and has several times had leg
islatures with fusion majorities on
Joint ballot.
Third, Nebraska is not naturally as
republican as Iowa. Nebraska gave
Its electoral vote twice to Mr. Bryan,
while Iowa has always voted for re
publican presidential candidates. In
Nebraska the republicans have five
times failed to elect the governor,
while Iowa has had but one demo
cratic governor since war times, and
has had only republican United States
senators. '
Nebraska is naturally republican,
but by no means aa republican as
Iowa.
One of the first bills favorably
recommended by committee at Lincoln
Is to raise the pay of jurors from $2
to $3 a day. The Bee first empha
sized tbe necessity of doing something
to make jury service less burdensome
to wage earners who have to forego
their regular employment to sit In the
jury box. More adequate compensa
tion for tbe jurors should relieve tbe
pressure to be excused from the panel.
As an offset to the Intimation by
Theodore N. Bell at the Baltimore
meeting that Mr. Bryan would like to
see Champ Clark the democratic
standard-bearer In 1912, Mr. Bryan
gives over tbe front page of his Com
moner to an address by ex-Governor
Folk on "The Religion of Democracy."
Mr. Bryan Is not going to play a fiddle
with only one string.
In Los Angeles a judge has sen
tenced a woman shoplifter to atay
away from bargain counter salea for
oue year. Taking the very bread and
butter out of her mouth. Are not
such cruel and unusual punishments
prohibited by the bill of rights
... t
So far as la ascertainable, Nebraska'
is now the only state where fusion of
political parties is not only counte
nanced, but encouraged, by law. The
fusion fake should have been scotched
here long ago as It was In Kansas and
other neighboring states.
That erudite citizen of Boston, Mr.
"Sam" Langford, la to be accorded the
opportunity of wresting from Mr.
"Jack" Johnson a certain title long
held by another eminent citizen of
Bobton many years ago. We hope
Boston may come Into her own.
In spite of the work of our juvenile
court, Omaha is infested with alto
gether too many footpads and bur-
alars just below or above the Juvenile
age line. The nay to repress profes
sions! prime Is tr punish willful
criminals
Congressman-elect Lobetk, breath
ing the atmosphere of Washington for
the first time, is moved to pick out
the democratic ticket for 1912 Here,
now, no dictation! Let the people
rule:
The lumbermen are maklnc snnrks
flv v.- .ll-.-H hrt Undl.. ,.f -hi... !
gles. We move for a pure lumber
law with a misbranding clause requir
ing every bundle to tell just how many
full-sired shingles it contains.
The proposal to establish a limit of
one saloon to every 1.000 population
would reduce the number of Omaha
"life-saving stations" down one-half.
That would be real revision down
ward. The sane balance of Governor Wil
son's lnsugural address seems to have
thrown the whole camp of democracy
into consternation-- that Is, those not
favorable to Dr. Wilson's progression
Mr. Bryan Is understood to have
recommended to Texas the use of
steam rollers on its country roads.
There is some expert testimony which
Texas cannot well afford to Ignore.
One Controrersy Settled.
Washington Post.
The Baltimore banquet settled at leas't
one controversy the democratic party has
not gone dry.
Levelheaded Caatlon.
Pittsburg VHspetch.
The announcement that Mr. Taft is to
keep out of state politic Is further evi
dence of his levelheadedness. State poli
tics In most states nowadays Is no place
for a peace-loving gentleman.
Recasting; aa Ola rrocria,
Loulsvllla Courier-Journal.
Mr. Edison says gold will eventually be
made out of common clay. It Is now
when a person of superior powers of
analysis and a high order of courage sits
across the table from a lump of clay that
lacks th grit to raise on three of a kind.
Sociable Tlaies la Iowa.
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.
People In the west are more "folksy" than
we of the east. W note as an Instance
of this that a day or two after the In
auguration ceremonies In the state capltol
of Iowa at Dps Moines, last week, a re
ception was given there which was par
ticipated in by the legislators and their
wives and the state officers and their
wives. The decorations for the two oc
casions were the same. In this way the
Iowa wives ar given some share In that
acquaintance which comes to the legisla
tors by virtue of tbelr office, and these
social occasions are the means of starting
friendships that last.
1.1'THER BlRBAttK'9 WONDERS.
Novel Realts Caaae from Sclenttflo
Cnltlvatloa.
Hampton's Magaxlne.
Luther Burbank has evolved a walnut
tree that grows to commercial value In
tw1v years;' he "3 developed a flower
that will not fade, a pitless plum, a plum
with th flavor of a Bartlett pear, a white
blackberry, a plum cote (combined of an
apricot and plum)., the wonderberry (a
oross between a raspberry and a California
dewberry), given perfume to flowers that
did not possess it, changed the odor of
others, and produced new scents and new
blossoms by various processes of selection
and crossing. He Is seeking now for the
seedless appl and the downless peach and
doubtless he will find them or make
them.
Burbank does not believe that his meth
ods ar applicable to plants alone. He as
serts that In this nation, where so many
typa commingle, ther will be produced
eventually, the finest race the world has
vr known. He declares that the nation
must consciously strive toward that ideal,
giving Its young an environment of love
and health and wholesomeness. Though
ruthless in his destruction of the plants
which do not fit his botanical purpose.
Mr. Burbank advocates no destruction of
the unfit In the human race. He claims
that our modern system of education forces
th child far toe much, and that there
ahould b no school save play and out of
door until the child reaches th age of 10.
People Talked About
James A. Farrell, new president of the
United States Steel corporation, will have
to worry along on C0,WiO a year. Charles
M. Schwab and W. E. Corey, as presidents
each received IIOO.OUO.
Edward Qrannla, representative to the
New Hampshire legislature from tlare-
mont, ia th third generation of his family
to represent Claremont. His father, Lau
rens Grannls, represented Claremont about
seventy years ago, and Timothy Grannls,
tMward's grandfather, was representative
about 100 years ago.
The genealogical and historical re
searches of W. Lewis Kane of West Ches
ter, Pa., hav convinced him that Uncle
Joe Cannon Is a descendant of a Norman
baron who made the Incursion Into Kng
land with William the Conquerer. The
insurgents hav Insinuated more than once
that the strain is still effective.
No record has yet sppeared of the cham
pion oyster-eating democrat at the Balti
more banquet. Whoever claims the heavy
weight belt must first settle with the na
tional chairman. J. L. Mortis of Van Vleet,
Mass., who at a Christmas dinner disposed
of 141 oysters, when the restaurateur shut
off the supply, fearing Morris would burst.
After disappearing twenty-two years ago
and believed dead by his family, John Reed,
aged '!, was reunited recently to his wife
and three children In Ualngerfleld. Tex.
II haa returned to find seventeen grand
children. Reed's children accidentally got
a clue that the father was living In Ar
kansas. They invited him to return and
he did so.
Every time tU )ouiik emperor of China
Is taken ill the royal physician are 'noti
fied that their salary is cut off until his
majesty Is perfectly well again. The pas
sionate seal with which the physicians of
the royal household work to get the em
peror back Into a condition of health where
their salaries will begin again Is said to be
something astounding.
In the twenty-four yeais of his life Wal
ter I a. Gardner of St. Charles, Mo, has
had the misfortune to suffer twenty-four
fractures of various bones of his body, lie
also has suffered five dislocations and lost
by accident one finger on his right hand
and three on his left, lie is still somewhat
dloabled from his Istest accident, when a
horae Wicked him, breaking his left arm for
tbe eighth Urn.
Around New York
atlpplae a tbe Cnrreat of Ufa
ae laea la the Ort American
MtrooM from Bay ta Bay.
The 1SI1 wane scale cf the WW men
who aie members of the New York Build
lnS Trailr council has .hist been Issued.
The schedule Is based on eight hours' work
twr dc. with Saturday halt-holidays, and
all IikbI holidays oleiP1. Work on Suii-
" or holidays, or after the noon hour on
rates.
The schedule Includes: Bricklayers,
5. W) per day. overtime. ior hour, Il.tO.
plumbers. to.M and 11.40; carpenters,
and gl.26: masons, 15 and 11.23: Ironworkers.
I and II. S: metalworkers. 14. Ti and l 1:
dtcorators. 14. .V) and II. 15: hollermakers,
14. 25 and 11.10; painters. 14 and tl.Oj. Help
ers in the various trles receive from 13
to 1:1.80 per day, with overtime at 71 tents
an hour.
In his article In the American Magaslne
on the futility of the laws governing per
sonal property taxation In New York. A.
J. Nock describes the following method
used by one concern to evade this tan:
"One concern doing a large business In
New York refused Its assessment, and re
ported Its headquarters as at Wading
River, In Suffolk county. The office of
such a corporation ought to be as con
spicuous as the Statue of Liberty In a
place like Wading River, but the local
assessor could not find It. never did find
It; er.d the assessment lapsed.
"The Inwardness of the case was this.
The attorney for the corporation had a
country house at Wading River. , He had
the firm's name painted on a very small
tin sign, posted unobtrusively above his
kitchen door. One a year or oftener he
addressed a letter to himself at Wading
River In car of the firm, -dropped It Into
the local postoffice in the morning and
took It out at night, thus being able to
take oath. If necessary, that the firm re
ceived mall at Wading River. Then once
a year h gathered the directors together,
brought them down from New Y'ork in his
automobile, under cover of darkness, and
together, as the law requires, they held
the annual meeting of the corporation at
Us principal office at Wading River.
"it was an easy matter. The corporation
was there, its sign was there, it received
mall there. Its annual election of officers
was held there, all strictly as th law di
rects, and it waa simply up to th local
asseSKor to find and assess It if he could."
Six 'undertakers and their assistants,
armed with instruments and embalming
fluids, stood in front of the bar of Hrady's
hotel on upper Third avenue Just at th
1 o'clock hour one morning last week and
demanded to know of Mr. Keenan, the
bartender, why he was not dead. Every
one of the six had been summoned by tele
phone with calls for service for "poor Mik
Keenan, rest his soul," who had died of
pneumonia. Bright's disease, delirium tre
mens and smallpox, according to th
notifications. Keenan thinks some Joker
in the back room of the saloon where the
telephone booth Is at the service of the
public Is responsible. The management of
the hotel offered a reward of 1100 for the
discovery of the miscreants. The police
were called In, but declined to act.
The chairman of a New Tork committee
In search of a pastor has discovered a
new financial poalblllty.
'I waa at my table in the club the other
day," be aald, "and happened to mention
the need of our church. One of the men
at -the table turned-to m ojSfullfr" and
aald: 'I'll give you fciS If you will tak our
minister. . .
"Paid another, 'Hold on, there. How
many are on the committee?' I answered
that there were seven. 'I'll give you r0
apiece It you will take ours,' he said
eagerly."
Begging is said to be a calling that
sharpens the faculties. It certainly de-
velps sometimes an Ingenuity of Impud
ence, as may be seen In a tetter which re
cently came to the office of the New York
Post and which the paper prints, omit
ting names and places:
'I am a married man, 38 y-ears old, em
ployed as electric car motorman seven
years. 1 'vork thirty days per month.
With losing only on day !n fifteen month
my saliy affords us only a moderate liv
ing. "I bav a daughter who Is a stenographer.
"With a full determination I started a
campaign some time ago to make us a
home In by donations from the weal
thy. I have a good portion towards It al
ready; but not enough. Pleas slip a 16 or
a tl bill In enclosed envelope and send it
to me and see If you ever miss It.
Help me succeed.
"Use hospitality one to another without
grudging." I Peter :.
'The young chap whos morals I trem
ble for Just now Is my nephew." th city
salesman remarked. "He has a position
as errand boy in a banking house. He 1 a
bright lad and as steady as they make
'em, but sine he got that Job in th bank
his women relations are urging him Into
crime. They do not advise him to pick
his employer's pocket or run away with
the day's deposits, but the principle In
volved is Just as reprehensible. They ask
him to abstract a few bags that the silver
money Is carried In. The women want
those bags for sofa pillow covers. They
are made of material that will never wear
out and feathers and down simply can
not sift through. By boldly asking for
what he wanted the boy has secured
enough bags to encase his mother's sofa
pillows, but if he supplies the rest of the
family I see nothing ahead of him but a
career of crime."
Ice water, tea. sandwiches and maga
sines had been sent up to room 417 In a
New York hotel, but presently the bell
rang .again. The boy w ho had been dis
patched to attend to the woman's needs
returned with the report that what she
wanted that time was six empty spools.
"Spools?" said the proprietor. "You are
crazy.
"Maybe so," said the boy. "but If I am
417 Is crasy, too. That is what she said.
spools."
The proprietor's wife found the spools
among the children's pla things and the
proprietor took them up.
"I was afraid," he said, "that the boy
had made a mistake. Mix empty spools."
"Yes, that's right." she said. "You have
no clothes hooks In this room; nothing but
nails, and rusty nails, at that. I don't
like to hang my clothes on nails, but by
slipping thexe spools over them the cloth
is protected from rust and the nails can t
punch holes."
Japan's Grapple with taarrh).
New York World.
The sentence to death of twenty-four
persons concerned In the anarchist ; plot
against the emperor of Japan may be
taken as a measure of Its seriousness or
of the severity of Japanese Justice. Which
ever conclusion Is accepted, the fact is
clear that Japan under modern conditions
of development is confronted with a prob
lem familiar to all civilized countries and
which seems inseparable from national
progress every whera
The Bco's Letter Box
Contribution on Timely gubiaote
Wot Exceeding Tw arnadred Wor4
Ar Xavtt f rem Oar rs.
Initiative and Referendum.
OMAHA. .Inn. Jl.-To the Kdltor of The
Hee: W have been somewhst amused to
note the care with which th pollticlana
are approaching the Initiative and referen
dum, about the ssme sitvoint of caution
the prurient msn mHnifeaia In Doing lc
h'nd a mule with which he Is not ac
(It'aintfd. These leaders of modern thought.
Wok uon It as being of the nsture of the
late primary, uncertain In its results Th
mount of uh and oratory expended at
and oerore tne primaries st i election, in J
sounding the slogan let the people rule,
was accomanled with an assuiance that
has quite disappeared now that thee are
up against the real thing. Rut why should
they hesitate? the proposition Is not .
very new, It had Us birth as far hsck ss
IW. when the populists polled over Tn.Oii
votes In the state. At that time It whs
looked upon by both of the leading parties
as wild and fanatical, it was even ridi
culed and dismissed with s wave of the
hand. The proposition as now advocated
at this time amounts to this, that the peo
pie at the polls can pass more Intelllnrntly
on matters that they desire in the way of
legislation than their representatives when
assembled for that, purpose. Rut now that
the time has come to act, some questions
arise, among them the following "Shall a
Majority of All th Votes Cast at the Elec
tion Ieclde. or Just a Majority of Those
Voting on the Proposition?" It must not
be forgotten, however, that the cry has
been "Let the People Rule." and In mat
ters of this kind the people are those who
vote" at the election where the proposition
I determined, and a majority of all who
vote Is necessary In order to get an ex
pression of the people. If this were not
ih case a very small minority might pass
a measure and In that event the people
certainly have not declared for It. Now
keep In mind that th reason given for
the referendum, is that legislatures do
not reflect the will of the mass of the
citlsenshlp. but often only th minority, th
thing the referendum seeks to remedy.
loes it follow that those who do not ex
pressly vote "no," fall to mak themselves
felt? By no means for th reason they
know that their vote will count as much
a if they had written "no" on their bal
lot. We can safely assume that Is what
the framers of the constitution understood
when they drafted the Instrument. There
are many who vote for amendments that
do not understand what they are voting
for. For example a large number at the late
primaries voted for the amendment on suf
frage, who thought they were voting for
woman's suffrage, when In fact they voted
to deny the franchise to a certain class
of men for five years.
In the legislature we require a msjor
of all the members elected thereto to p;u.i
a bill, no matter how trifling the bill
may be. Minority rule is out of harmony
with all the reformed movements of the
time. It Is safe to assume that th man
who des not vot for a measure does not
want It and he ahould be allowed to ex
press his disapproval by not voting for
It. That Is th reason amendments have
not carried In the past, the people did not
want them and refused to go on record
In their favor. In these times of light
ning reform "Let th people rule."
J. II. PRESBON.
M bat are Tfcer Afraid, Of . . .
HOlTirijMAHA, Jan. n.-To the Editor
of The Bee: I read that our lawmakers
shy at accepting an Invitation to lunch as
guests of the Block Yards company while
visiting in Bouth Omaha. What ar they
afraid of? Have they so little confidence
la themselves that they fear they may be
Influenced by a bite to eat offered them In
pure hospitality? If we have any law
makers who would be suspected of being
bribed with a fre lunch, th Nebraska
legislature must be in a bad way this yesr.
" J. H.
A Word fur the Retailer.
OMAHA. Jan. 21-To th Editor of The
Ree: Many people are Inclined to blame
the retailer for high price without giving
him any credit for doing business on small
profit. I am familiar with th grocery
trade and know that success is seldom at
tained and then only by most economical
methods and personal application, its not
a bed of roses by any means, the average
grocer ha to start out before daylight
to buy bis market supplies snd he returns
to his store by 7 o'clock. II then unloads
and puts hla horse In th stable and hitches
up the satn or another horse to his de
livery wagon. The cost of delivery la
usually overlooked by thos who complain.
Not long ago I overhead a grocer talk
ing over tbe phon: "Ye, this is Meyer;
yes, ma'am, la that all you want? Will
it do if I send it about t o'clock this after
noon? My wagon will be making deliveries
In your neighborhood at that time. Oh,
you must have It at once? All right I'll
end th boy as soon aa h comes In."
1 asked what the lady had ordered. "Hhe
wanted a package of yeast," said Meyer,
"aud I have already made two deliveries
to her house today. I must send the boy
with this yeast, although my profit on It
is less thaa a cent.' I cannot afford to lose
th lady's custom."
In the old days, customers used to go
shopping with a market basket and carry
their purchase borne with them. The
present day customer wants a whole
grocery store brought to the back door
In response to a telephone call. A. & K.
SAID IN FUN.
"it la said that distance lends enchant
ment to the view."
"Yes, but I have always noticed that the
nearer 1 can gat to a stack of bank notes
the mote enchanting It appears." Chicago
Record-Herald.
Kmployer Are you a married man?
Applicant No. sir; that acar on mv face
came from being knocked down i' an
automobile Philadelphia Telegraph
Bacon And you say your brother has
settled In Canada?
Egbert No. 1 didn't say so. I think he
went there to get out of settling. Boston
Transcript.
Saplelgh Are you positive tbat Miss Cut
ter is not In?
The Maid-Yea. sir. I'd lose my Job If 1
wasn't Rostoa Transcript.
The governor of North Carolina had Just
made his memorable remark to the gov
ernor of South Carolina.
"Yes." sighed the chief executive of the
Palmetto state: "and this 1 the dark of
the moon, too!"
Hut thev fcund some native moonshine
and indulged. Chicago Tribune
"What makes you so sure that young
man will make a great diplomat?" asked
one statesman.
"I heard him talking to a policeman w ho
held bun up berause the lights were out
on his automobile. " Washington lar.
"Why Is that woman silting so lonely
and apart from the group of busy talk
ers?" "She has no conversation worth listening
to. Never in her life had any kind of an
opera Ion
performed." Hal il more Amen-
n.
"Whets the hsrdest thing about roller
skating when you r learning'.'" asked a
hesitating oung man of th Instructor at
a rink.
"The floor," answered th attendant
Youth's Companloa.
REDMOND STIRS UP IRELAND
Savi Veto of the Lords Will Bo
, -------- 9
I Abolished. ! 1
j DISMAY SEIZES ONE FACTION
Irish Lender's lntrinenl Vies! lcM
, nlle He Una Mnde anil t nMsi-s
I'nrnrr in Ul of Hrltlsn'
I I.I.-S.
MiN'lxiN Jn. iSpe. lal r.ihli tmm.l
- Intense frdlnK hs hern . . i-' through
oin irrmnn nv jouu i.chimi'hii 'I'-unii-predli'tlon
n Huhlin ni thf Kino'i' t t"
rclcMsle the ssuios of the rn. if
"Krln's friends In Noiih America." thst
the veto of the lord would he nl.ohvhod
before the coronation siul without en
largement of the chamber for "swamping
purposes.
It Is the niot definite phophei r lo hss
made since he assumed the leadership of
the "regulars.'' who believe It to be based
upon a hint received front the prime min
ister, despitn the fact Hint Redmond
bracketed with a warning to tho liberals
of what would happen if pioiiusr wer
not kept.
In t'lster the sentiment Is one of dismay.
Nor Is the anxiety In thst quarter lessened)
by the action of the Nationalist press Iri
reminding Irishmen that this year is rn
one hundredth anniversary of the be
ginning of O 'Council s Hgltstion for Cath
olic emancipation snd the repeal of the
union.
"Iet us push on boldly and patiently.'
says a Ouhlln paper, "never forgetting the
motto of O'Connell, 'Hgltate. sRitate, agU
tate.' "
Say Irish Are Ton tlnatr.
t'nionlsts In London challenge the pre
diction as one more case of "Irish count
ing chickens before they are hatched "
According to the tory view, when tha
Asquith parliament bill qsmiies th lord
the latter will meet It iiiarely with aj
scheme for self reform and with amend
menls going to the root of th contro
versy." King George's intervention at. this lateil
stage will effect the compromise wtolch,
according to the unionist oraties. Is
"really as much desired by liberals aa by
unionists."
It la the possibility of unsatisfactory
amendments to the bill that accounts ton,
the warning Mr. Redmond has given Mr.
Asquith the possibility that the measura
of self control to be given Ireland will fall
short of her necessities.
His assertion that he has no Objection
to a home rule bill so drafted as to fit In
with a "larger plan" Is not novel.- Ho haa
made It frequently.
Th crux of the dispute Is th undis
closed snd as yet undetermined character
vi ino oronu project or nevouiiion. 01 local
government In all parts of the United
Kingdom now forming In Mr. Asqulth's
mind. The devolution might prove Inad
equate from the Irish viewpoint, though
deemed ample by Scotland and Wales.
What amendments the lords have up
their sleeves Is the question In nationalist
circles. At the moment there is not the
least symptom of a cleavage in the ranks
of th coalition.
Mr. Asquith leads with Jaw set hard anil
glvet, no signs of fear of nationalist re
volt. Redmond's promise to stand firm.
"Without regard to minor Issues, provided
the cabinet la true to the pledges as '.to
veto and home rule." means tbuy Asjiu;tii
Is not to be badgered oy him oif nny ques
tion of tsctles.
Irishmen are nutpiiously staunch alili.i.
Mr.' Balfour has admitted as "much. They
will cling to the coalition unless, and until,
vent ' infringement upon police regula
tions. SENATORIAL DRIFT,
New York, Sun; The Sacred Codfish, that
old palladium of Massachusetts liberties. Ih
plunging and leaping In most ungodly glee.
Let It beware, let the accursed reactionary
beware! Foss is entirely capable of order
ing It into cakes or oil.
Sioux City Journal: Henator Hitchcock.
addressing the Nebraska legislature In
acknowledgment of his election under the
Oregon plan, gave earnest assurance of
being a party man. The Oregon plitn. how
ever. Is not a party measure. It Is Intended
to impair party rule In the election of sen
ators of the t'nited States and to promote
the Influence of Independent voting. - The
Oregon plan calls for a nonpartisan elec
tion, and It la a long step toward bringing
all primary elections to that basis.
Pan Fianciaco Chronicle: Senator-elect
Works declares that there must be a new
alignment of parties. If he can contribute,
to that result he will deserve credit, pro
vided the lines are so drawn that sensible
men will know Just what pollticlana of his
kind really desire. Such knowledge should
prove a great assistance to those who
would like to know where they "are at. '
but who cannot do so because of the vatjue
neas of the demands and the utter Im
practicability of much that the professional
reformers are urging.
Springfield Republican: Rhode Islands
tendency to send to the senate at least on
man of business and usually the other sen
ator does not count Is illustrated again In
Mr. Lippitt's election. Rrtiator Aldiich
was successful as a wholesale grocer before
entering public lire, and Senator l.lppltt
will tak to Washington a profound knowl
edge of cotton texlles. Mr. I.lppllt might
almost tie called the senator from Manvllie
and the social twhei so much of his
cotton cloth is made). It is also to he said
concerning him that the Ippltts are an
old family and have been a power in Ui
plantations for many generations.
IF I WERE CARNEGIE
Detroit Free Press.
If only 1 were Carnegie.
With coin to give away,
I'd hang up money prises for
The things we need today.
I'd give a million to the man
Who would Invent a scheme
Wrereby the Janitor oould sleep
And still let us hav steam.
I'd give a heap of money for
A fountain pen, 1 think.
That one could fill and not appear
As though he'd bathed in Ink.
I'd hire anmelmdy to Invent
A keyhole with a light
For use when 1 come home from lodg
At 10 o'clock at night,
i
I'm sure I'd give a million to
The man who would deiise
A flannel undershirt that would
When washed, not shrink In sit.
And when he had Invented that
I'd mak him doubly rl h
If he'd denaturlse the stuff
And cure It of Its Itch. -
If only I were Carnegie,
With coin to give aay,
I'd offer money to the man
Or woman for a play
That wasn't built on naughty themes
Or filled with silly slush.
A play that grandma might behold
And never have to blush.
Nolice to Corporations.
l'ubllsh your notices of indebtedness
In The Uensuii Tinirs, a legal medium
which answers legal purposes without
undue publicity. oct only fl Stock
holders For your owu unl tlon invlst
tbat tbe-e notices be published annually.
For further psrilculars, blanks, etc , tele
phone lioiiglua L'IGS. or call at the Omaha
office ol th Hen.oii Times. tZd Uoulu
Itth SL