J A.
THE OMAHA DAILY BEK
FOUNDED BY FlfWARD ROB F. WATER.
VICTOR BOBEWATER. KDITOR.
Entered at Omaha postofflce a econd
clase mallei.
ThHMS OK SUBSCRIPTION:
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Saturday He, nut year '
Imily be (without Sunday), oni yar.. "0
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CORRESPONDENCE.
Communications relating to newa and ed
itorial matter should be addressed Omaha
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rKURUART CIRCULATION.
47,621
Stat of Nebraska' County of Douglas, :
Dwtght Williams, circulation manager of
The tie Publishing Company, being duly
worn, nays that in average daily circu
lation, leva apotled, unused and returned
copies, tor the month of February 11)11. was
uwiurii wilLiams,
Circulation Manager.
Subscribed tn my presence and sworn to
before me this 1st uay nf March, 1 1 1.
(Seal.) ROBERT HUNTER,
Notary Public.
Sabarrlber leaviaaj ta city teaa
' porarllr .; ehoala have The Bee
mailed to 4heaa. Address will ko
Reno? 'Corral" ought to be able to
close In oh those rebels.
la It,. not about time for the
Mullah to break out again?
Mad
The proposition to tax babies looks
like a thrust at the poor man.
Mr. Bryan's dollar dinner was dry,
but not etalfi, thanks to Mr. Metcalfe.
When doctors disagree it devolres
for once on the legislature to decide.
"What Does Llmantour JJean?"
Headline The answer must be In a
Mexican dictionary.
Our precious (8,25Q.O00) Water
board bas been saved again. Let all
render up a prayer of thanks.
An eastern contemporary sagely dis
cusses how to educate domestic help.
Better tell how to keep it first.
Champ Clark t probably will plead
as an excuse Ihat all the Missouri
mules wen needed down in Texas.
Hope it will not turn out that Texas
put up this Job ou the president as a
further means of advertising its land
for sale.
8o far as luck, goes. President Taft
probably has nothing to fear from his
second extra session, aa compared with
the first.
It turns out that Mayor Love of Lin
cola la likewise to be a one-termer.
Can it be a case of being too good for
the town?
More and more those democratic
bosses in New : Jersey are convinced
that they do not like an "Impractical
theorist" for governor.
Thus far Colonel duffey of Pennsyl- international arbitration. Diaz chose
vanla has not donated any stained Llmantour as his peace envoy, know
window glasB to Champ Clark, D. : na;. that w hile he was an eminent
Wllsu or Ouvernur Harmon. statesman and held the confidence of
When Mr. Bryan declared that the
editorial page had lust Its power and
Influence he meant all the editorial
pages except the Commoner's.
The reward for the capture and
con vie tf on, of the murderer of Herman
Cohn caunot ha earned too soon to
suit those who aie-ieuly to pay it. I
While the file wardens are getting
busy, the building Inspector's office
might distinguish Itself by refusing
permit's occasionally to tinder-box
flre-traps.
We hope, however, that congress
does not happen to think of Oeneral
(rant's famous utterance about tak
ing all summer to 'fight It out "along
this line." ' ' " '
Our Nebraska Jaw-uial-ers liave'evl- I
deotly reconciled themselves to stay-
Ing on .the' Job at least a week after
their pay stops.' Such self-sacrificing
patrlotlsm will deserve a hall of fame.
llnherltence lax law " 400,000, uoo in
Omaha spends practically twice ae!caplul ,nd a Iarge number of citizens
much money for ftre protection as It :htve airady been lost to the state."
does for police protection. It s doubt- jand tnerefore voices a demand for the
rul if the same ratio prevails In any
other American city of the same class.
If
those court houss dynamiters
.,. , i, . i . . ,
will oniv writ tileuty cf tl,rientn
, ,. ,., . c ..i.i. - .
Into the came aud help e them
wherever they uiy hav-m to be,
whether Iu Nebraaka cr ana.
The Chicago Evening 1'ont says that
100 n after the woman suffrage bill
passed the Illinois house a store was
robbed ot 1350 north ot false hair.
Ten to one sowe nian did it to preju
dice the bill's chances In the senate.
A coojiulaslOBer's Job iu the city
hall paying fs.CCO a year may be ex
pected to attmuiate a fine long list of
intrles In tbe race to land tbe prize,
louth Dakota's aevn-foot ballot may
let be In it with that used In Omaha's
text mualclpal election.,
x- ' .' ' '
Fair and Unfair Criticism.
In his recent tirade against the
newspapers Mr. Ilryan made no dis
tinction, but Included them all in his
sweeping denunciation. If he had
any exceptions In his mind he was not
frank enough to name them. He im
puted faults to the press, which, If
universally true, would be culpable In
the highest degree,, and which Mr.
Bryan must know are not possessed
by even a majority of papers. For In
stance, when he declared that 'the
newspapers are given watered stock
by the Interests In order to protect
the remainder of the stock," Mr.
Bryan must know that this can apply
rarely only to a small proportion of
the great number of newspapers In
this country. As a matter of fa,ct, he
knows that there are thousands of
newspapers, the vast majority, whose
stock is as free from the water of the
'interests" aa Is the stock of hig own
Immaculate Commoner.
It is, Indeed, Important that news
papers tell the truth and do not mis
represent. But H is equally as im
portant that Individuals do likewise,
especially individuals of great nation
wide renown and powerful oratorical
abilities. Sometimes the libel laws
seem one-sided, and the balance be
tween the free press and free speech
unequal, because any demagogue may
proclaim from the rostrum what a
reputable, reliable newspaper would
not dare and would not care to print.
Colonel Roosevelt la much more
fair in his criticisms of the press. In
his address at Berkeley be spoke char
acteristically of the "Ananias muck
rakers that misrepresent and discredit
public servants." He reiterated what
he had said on former occasions to the
effect that. Important as is the position
of a public man, it Is not nearly so im
portant as the position of him who
moulds public opinion. Colonel
Roosevelt has the courage to discrimi
nate between the good and evil forces
in Journalism; to recognize that they
are there. Just as they are present In
every other realm of moral influence.
Any man who has given serious
thought to it knows that the menda
cious paper Is as insidious a foe to the
reputable paper as it can be to society
at large. And Colonel Roosevelt is
ready to admit the vital part the de
cent press has bad in working out so
many of the great movements that
have been brought to useful fruition
in this country of late.
Money Side of Wax and Peace.
The man selected to prosecute the
cause of peace In Mexico is not the
premier, not the foreign secretary, nor
the war secretary, but the head of the
portfolio of finance In the president's
I cabinet, Senor Llmantour, of whom it
is said: "The great Mexican financier,
familiar alike with the Bourse of
Paris, with Threadneedle street, Wall
street and moneyed Vienna, and Ber
lin.". .He was called from. Paris by
President Diaz to so to New, York and
begin negotiations for a settlement of
the revolution and the progress at
tained Is being credited to his efforts
and influence. In the event of peace
he will loom aa the largest figure iu
the republic of Mexico.
The money aide of war Is a vital
side, perhaps more so today than ever
it was. The fearful cost of destroying
navies and forts and private property
that represent millions of investment
acts on the passions of inflamed na
tions aa a powerful deterrent. That
is a negative Influence. We see the
positive, however, in Andrew Carne
gie's contribution of $10,000,000 for
!tbe contending factions In Mexico, he
was above all a great financier, with
Influence among the men who control
the finances of the world. And here
was an 1bbu in which the money ele
ment was strong.
it is a somewhat new aspect of the
ways of war, but not necessarily a
sordid one. Why should not capital
be timid and sensitive in such crises?
If-wars can be prevented or stopped
easier and quicker from this side, then
that is the side from which to make
the approach. It Is Increasing the
righteous influence of money. Al
I ways, of course, in modem wars the
I matter of financing has been a large
: element of consideration, but it 1b
I coming to be tbe element cf considera
tionthe pivot on which '.he policies
'of natious turn.
New York's Inheritance Tax.
In lila special niessage to the legis-
Mature Governor Uix accredits tbe the
statement of "certain New York fi-
i
nanclera" that aa a direct result of the
repeal of the law. The New York
World is less credulous and suggests
, K k V. mm, .,. v ''fin.! ,, - V
. . . .
iwu,uuu.uuu ana tne numner ana
I
'names of the citizens New York
bas
lost" before the legislature takes final
action. Whether the law be repealed
or not. it should 'be worth while to
run down this story. But. as tbe
World observes, "political and eco
nomic Information coming from 'cer
tain New York financiers' who are
Interested In having a law repealed iu
subject to discount. "
Inheritance tax lawa have not made a
big bit with "certain financiers" in
other states besides New York. : Ne
braska haa such a Isw, which, while not
considered as drastic as the New York
law, has not proved to be exceptionally
popular with certain people, although
no organized effort Is being made to
efface it The specially objectionable)
feature of the New York law seems
to be" its" progressive rste. Kstates
are classified by amount in five
classes, with increasing rate of tax:
l'p to 123.000; from $25,000 to $100,
000; from $100,000 to $500,000;
from $500,000 to $1,000,000; amounts
in excess of $1,000,000. To Immedi
ate relatives or lineal descendants the
rates are respectively 1 to 5 per cent
and to ail others 5 to 25 per cent.
Opponents of the law In New York
have taken the position that this pro
gressive or cumulative rate is based
on an unsound principle, suggestive
of punitive Intent, carrying the Im
plied idea that possession of property
is a crime. This certainly Is a radical
view, we believe. The inheritance tax
law can find much more fair and
equitable ground on which to stand
than that. Those who fator such laws
are not known to be people who view
the possession of property as a crime
calling for punitive action. If the
scale of progression In the rate is too
high, the thing to do is to reduce it.
Cost of Government.
Comparison discloses that not only
the aggregate, but the per capita, cost
of maintaining our national govern
ment Is steadily increasing with tbe
Increase in population. In 1860, with
a population of 23,191,876, the ex
penses of the national government
were $60,407,019, or $2.60 per capita.
In 18S0 the figures stood: 50,165,
783, $373,278,712 and $7.30; In 1900
they were. 75,994.575. $819,318,953
and $10.78; in 1910, 91,972,267,
$1,121,858,321 and $12.10. The to
tal appropriations of the last session
of congress were less than those of the
preceding session, yet well above the
billion mark. Congressman McHenry
of Pennsylvania declares that while It
Is natural for the expenses of goveri;
ment to rise with the rise in popula
tion, the expenses per capita should
not Increase, but the cost of govern
ment should be less for a greater num
ber of people than if the government
were sustained by a few people.
This theory may be accepted as or
dinarily sound, and no one will dis
pute the statement that economy in
the maintenance of the government Is
necessary. The fact, however, that
the appropriatlona by congress for
1911-1912 are $96,368,660 less than
the appropriations for 1910-1911,
ought to encourage the belief that
those in charge of the government re
alize this and are working toward that
end. The per capita expenses should
not be as much for the year to come
as they were for the last year and as
the pension roll gradually diminishes,
as It will from now on, the decline
may be still greater next year and the
year after.
The fact Is, however, that in the
last thirty years during wheh the total
and per capita expenses have' risen so
high, the country has been doing Its
greatest-extension , work and partlcu-
larly in the last decade has it reached
out into new fields of improvement
and development necessary to give it
its place as the great leader of nations.
Among the principal new sources of ex
pense may be mentioned public build
ings, battleships, the work , of irriga
tion and drainage, the forestry and
coal preservations and the Panama
canal. Is there any that we could
have done without .or that we did not I
have to spend' money for? No one
certainly would care to stop the move
ment of empire building by shutting
down on the reclamation and forestry
service and no one would care to limit
the nation's power and Influence at
home or abroad, or check the roove-
j ment of world peace and progress by
J shutting down on the canal. Efforts
seem to have been set to work to ef
fect a better system of economy and
efficiency and that Is the best that
can be done. -.
A Much Neglected Law.
Up in Wisconsin the legislature has
appointed a committee to look into
infractions of tbe anti-lobby law, and
tbe very announcement of this pur
pose la said to have caused a sudden
exodus from the state capital of nu
merous gentlemen who were supKsed
to be sojourning there as idle specta
tors. Nebraska bas au anti-lobby law
very much like that of Wisconsin, un
der which people engaged profession
ally iu working for or against the en
actment of any legislative measure
are supposed, to register themselves
In a duly accredited list, and to con
fine their operations to appearing be
fore com ni It tecs or addressing formal
communications to members of the
two bouses, yet If the Wisconsin antl
Uobby law is honored in the breach any
more than is tbe Nebraska anti-lobby
law it must be In a very bad way.
It Is probably too late in the session
in this state for our law-makers to im
itate their Wisconsin colleagues by in
stituting a aimilar inquiry into the
whys and wherefores of tbe unbidden
presence in close proximity to leglsla
l live balls of so many gentlemen who
w ant to be friendly and sociable, to
say nothing of hospitable, and for
whom someone must be peyiog the
bills, but whose names do not appear
autographically Inscribed anywhere on
tbe official register kept according to
tbe provisions of the anti-lobby law.
But the information, if it could be
had, would undoubtedly furnish inter
esting reading for a leisure hour.
Postmaster Thomas is gently re
minded that something is yet to drop
at Washington when the report of the
investigators arrives. Tbe only ques
tion is. Will It make an explosion like
dynamite or merely puff like wet
powder?
The returns of passenger travel be
tween Lincoln and different point In
the state ought to make a good show
ing on the railroad earnings sheet,
particularly as compared with a few
years ago, when everyone who had
business calling for a visit to the leg
islature got a free pass for the asklug.
Two cents a mile is better than noth
ing at all.
A former employe of the Carnegie
Steel company who completes a
twenty-year penitentiary term la found
to have been innocent of the charge
against him. He emerges from prison
penniless and Mr. Carnegie wires that
he will be glad to help him. Doubt
less the proffer will not be rejected,
nor would have been twenty years ago.
The saving of our precious ($8,250,
000) Water board Is something like
the "Immediate and compulsory" pur
chase of the water plant which began
eight years ago. It is a continuous
performance with many ajeta, and the
end yet to come. "
A Memphis man is trying to per
suade Mr. Bryan to move to that city
and the Houston Post seconds the mo
tion. But the conspiracy to steal Ne
braska's illustrious citizen will fall.
for it bas nothing but green-eyed Jeal
ousy back o( it.
Wnaaers In tke Wind.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
A Nebraska college professor proposes to
photograph people's thoughts. He's going
to get some awfully blurred negatives.
Direction of tke Gale.
Bt. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The high wind, it will be noted. Is travel
ing eastward. The special session of con
gress begins at Washington next week.
Hearlngr (eatlaan Good.
Washington Post.
A naval bombardment can't be so bad,
after all., since all the reporters who re
turned from the blowing up could hear
an invitation to take a drink Just as well
as ever.
Discrediting; Rnmor Factory.
Indianapolis News.
There seems to be no reason, however,
why more credence should be given to
rumors emanating from San Antonio than
to positive statements made by the pre
Ident at Washington.
I.abellna "Yellow Dope."
Louisville. Courier-Journal.
President Taft invites the Japanese Am
bassador, Baron Uchide, to lunch, and the
Baroness l chlda gives a dinner for Miss
Taft, but Hobeon was not invited, and the
Japanese war, scare still rears its horrid
head over the horlson Just where the sun
goes down.
Penalties of Dishonest).
Baltimore American.
After Imprisonment and Its lasting dis
graoe. Gaynor and Greene, of government
swindling fame, have been released aa
paupers. Another instance of the wages
of sin, but hardly a terrible example, as
the next get-rlch-qulck ' speculator In dis
honesty will take the same chances, each
hoping, with the gambler's trust In fate, to
be the lucky one to escape paying those
wages. Yet the sight of these men In
their old age, dishonored and ruined, ougTTV
to be a lasting and Impressive warning.
In the Meat of tke Debate. -
1 Springfield Republican.
Everybody knows that Champ .Clark has
been an ardent Brynnlte. To embarrass
his alleged presldentlaPcandldacy, it is re
called that he once declared Mr. Cleve
land's election .to the presidency "the great
est calamity to the human race since the
fall of Adam.'!, Mr. Clark, however, begins
a new career -with his elect on as speaker
and all democrats will be disposed to Judge
him more by what he does In that office
than by what' be said "In the distant days
of his Clevelandphobla.
.Nevada 'a Divorce Indastrr.
New York Times.
Th principle of the comity of the statea
dos not apply to the "time lock" divorce
act Just signed by Governor Oddle of Ne -
vada. Nevada may. If It pleases, derlsre
that plaintiffs In divorce suits need reside
within Its confine not more than six
months, and that, ,ln cases of emergency,
absence from their fictitious domiciles be
permitted, thus shutting off the Inquiries
of Nevada's courts as to Intent, or good
faith In establishing a residence No court
oi the other forty-five states In the uhion.
however, need recognise divorce decree
Issued under this law. According to the pro
cedure of Great Britain's courts, British
citizens obtaining auch decrees and return
ing home to remarry would speedily find
themselves In jail for bigamy.
People Talked About
If gentle spring was a genuine lamb the
wool would fly with the hide
Possibly the March Hon Is preparing the
country for the extra esnlon:
Lloyd's of T.ondon offer odds of 5 to 1
that the coronation will be pulled off on
time.
Frederick H. Frlcke. democratic candi
date for the St. I.ouis city council, has a
plan for getting votes that beats the cam
paign cigar, he says
Since he was noml-
nated he has given an ay i.OK pancake
turner, and he 'ays he will give away as
many more as the women will call for.
Gardiner. Me. claims a (rap drummer
prodigy In the prison of I'onald l.. i.Jrover,
i year old. Th hoy has appeared at sev
eral entertalnmeni. He plavs both trap
and base drum and keeps perfect time.
It Is as Id Almost anything he hear h
can reproduce In greater part on some In
strument. His father, l.inwoud IJ rover, i
a member of the city baad.
Henry M. Flagler, the Standaid Oil mil
lionaire, 4 so nearly blind lie I unable to
see his signature aa he Is wilting it. He Is
II years old and for several years his eye
sight has been falling, hut that wan at
tributed chiefly to his age. Hut that he la
la danger of losing hla sight entirely did
not become known to any except his inoat
Intlmat Mends until a few days ago
The boss of th- "hello piifh In th:
country Is ready to pax a iinerat rem am
to the Individual who coins the most ac
ceptable word that will express "telephone
message." "Phonogram" Is the favorite so
far, but a better one is sought. The New
York office will receive on next Saturday
the contributions of word coiners and th
company's lines all over the t'nlted States
will be open to all comers on that day.
Ueorge N. Olldden, the oldest conductor
on the Knox and Lincoln division of th
Maine Central railroad and one of th
oldest freight conductor In Main, whe
retired from service last week, has been a
freight conductor between Rockland and
Brunswick for twenty-five years, and dur
ing that tlm haa never received a black
mark or been railed Into the offtc for
reprimand, nor ha he evar met with an
aucieeab
Direct Primary
as it Works Out
I J. Abbott In Harper s Weekly.
Tbs direct primary, like the Initiative snd
referendum, the recall, or any other steps
toward purs democracy. Is no civic cure-all.
It works or fails to work, exactly as the
convention works or falls to work, de
pending entirely upon the men who work
It
So tar aa I know. It has bei a rejected
by no state which has one adopted It.
So the Judgment In the aggregate is de
cidedly In lis fsvor. Tet the direct pri
mary, as It has coma under my observa
tion for a series of years, bas certain
palpable defects that can In a large meas
ure be remedied.
The first question to be settled Is whether
you shall have an "open" or a "closed"
primary law. The open primary has th
ilames of all the candidates arranged lit
parallel columns upon a single ticket. This
Is the law that prevails In Wisconsin and
Nebraska. Vnder such a system the elector
Is given a ballot with the candidates of
every party upon It. In the booth he Is
free to vote In any column, although In
Nebraska no on la permitted to cross
over from on column to another. In Wis
consin, I believe, there Is no such limita
tion. -
It Is readily seen that the open primary
party distinctions are quickly eradicated.
This probably makes for good government.
There Is no question that, had It not been
for thousands of Wisconsin democrats for
saking their own candldata and voting for
Le Toilette, that bundle Of feSrlass energy
would long ago have been relegated to
private life. But on the other hand tbe
open primary In Nebraaka, this very fall,
permitted thousands of "whisky repub
licans" to vote for the "wlda-open" dem
ocratic mayor of Omaha, and thus nom
inate him for governor over a conservative
and earnest democrat who had mads a
good record as governor and was un
doubtedly the choice of a considerable
majority of his psrty.
Again, under the open primary It Is
possible for one party to present but a sin
gle candidate for each office; then upon
primary day most of Its electors csn vote
for the weak candidate of the opposition,
and thus make him the choice of their op
ponents. This Is an expedient much dis
cussed where the open primary prevails,
yet I must confess that I have never known
the trick to succeed, except possibly In the
case of the Omaha mayor mentioned above.
It should be explained that there were
two republican candidates In Nebraska
last fall, so this It not exactly a case In
point.
The "closed" primary requires all elec
tors to give their psrty preference when
they enter the election booth. A ticket
la then handed them In accordance with
their previously declared party affiliation,
in this way the electors of one party can
not dictate the nominees of another. But
on the other hand there are many cltl-
sens who do not affiliate with any po
lltlcal party, who are thus disfranchised
at the primary. ..These Independent citi
zens are often the best educated and moat
thoughtful men In the community, yet
under the closed primary they are tabooed
from selecting men for office because they
refuse to wear a party label. Again, many
party men for reasons of their own, often
prefer not to disclose their party prefer
ence. They, too, are disfranchised by the
closed primary, while the Wisconsin plan
allows every one a chdlce. ' in this "re
spect, as well as In the facility afforded
men to shift from one party to another,
the open primary Is far more democratic
than the closed primary that prevails
throughout the south.
Having determined the kind of primary
to be adopted, the next question to be con
sidered, and by all odds the first In Impor
tance, is tbe number of candidates to be
suoject to tne primary law. This Is the
chief defect of every primary enactment
with which I am familiar. To Illustrate:
In the Oklahoma primary election of Aug
ust 2, 1910, the democrats were compelled
to make choice among ninety-five candi-
i dte" who wer 8P'rlng for no less than
1 thirty-seven offices. Th republicans had
e'abty-nine candidate seeking thirty-eight
I offices.
! ul ot th'8 fend hodgepodge of good,
bad and indifferent, bow could the elector
make any Intelligent choice? He was as
sailed wUh countless letters, handbills,
printed speeches, nswspaper articles and
public addresses. In tbe hurlyburly of the
primary It waa all but Impossible to get the
truth regarding any aspirant for office one
did not know personally.
One attending a "candidate' barbecue"
Just previously to the primary cannot but
be nauseated by the fulsome praise candi
date after candidate gives' himself. A man
ot keen sensibilities revolts at the un
seemly scramble, at th self-laudation, and
the tacking up of bis halftone plctur at
every crossroads, like advertisements for
patent nostrums. Men of high Ideals will
not enter such a race, and the field Is left
clear to the calloused and the demagogue.
Th man who wins Is the hand-shaker, th
"Jollier," and the fellow with the Sunny
Jim smile.
Now this Is not tru of the men at th
head of the ticket, in Oklahoma a blind
nan, not burdened with wealth, defeated a
millionaire banker for the L'nlted States
senate merely because the people under-
i ulnml 1 1. . I J. us mwtA n n , . . . t k . 1 . 1 1 a
Z ""iiu man
iu ici v mem. ineie hi b live or SIX
offices that every elector Is Interested In.
For these, men are put forward and nomin
ated that the people really want. But a
large number of very Important adminis
trative office are almost totally over
looked. It la true sometimes, for a par
ticular reason, that some minor contest is
brought prominently to the front, and then
most of the voters will Inform themselves
regarding the merits ot the respective can
didates for this office, but this Is the ex
ception, not th rule.
1 can vouch that 1 have heard a hun
dred men of intelligence, ask Just previ
ous to voting, regarding the qualifications
of certain candidates tor offices of high
est Importance. Quite as frequently the
answer was, "I don't know any ot 'em,
I just voted for the first fellow on the list."
Ana in mat leiiow on th list got th
mminatlon. This year an very Hon. L. T
Uurnes, regarding a hopeless his candi
dacy for state commissioner of Insurance
of Oklahoma, gave up th canvass, with
drew his name, and went off to Central
America. But th ticket had been certified
up to the printer, his nam went on the
ballot, and, beginning with a "B." It hap
pened to coin first in the list. Ho In spite
of th fad that Mr. Burne was no longer
a candidate and had left the country, he
waa nominated by a handsome majority.
mm earns tan Wisconsin outdid even
this. In that stst a candidate for attor
ney general was nominated who was dead
The Oklahoma aspirant for civic honor
hs finally located and brought back to
run his race. Wisconsin could resort to
no such expedient
The remedy I not difficult to auggasi
Nununat but a few of th most Important
offlrlals. , l.t the executive appoint his
executive helpers Then hold this execu
tive to a strict accountability for his ap
pointees. lias It not been shown that the direct
primary, like every measure requiring the
action of large bodice of people. Is In
theory useful and effective, but In action
often crude and unsatisfactory?
SLAUGHTER OF THE UTOOCENTS.
Kansas City Times: The life nets of the
New York fire department were perfectly
good until they were used. So were the
Iron-weighted life preservers of the "Gen
eral Slocum" excursion boat.
Indianapolis News: The announcement
that a vigorous Investigation Is to be made
into that New Tork fire la which some 150
people tost their lives may remind you that
you have heard of the beginning of more
Investigations of that kind than you have
heard the result of.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat: Building and
Inspection laws abroad are carefully
framed snd rigidly enforced. Why boast
of an Onequaled Increase In population It
decent provisions for Its safety are lack
ing, and Why point to national wealth be
yond example when It goes up In smoks at
the present rate?
Cleveland Plain Dealer: The crudest
thought In the hour of sorrow over human
Ufa Wasted Is that the waste might have
been prevented, that death and Buffering
have been unnecessary, that they are trace
able directly to a carelessness that arise
above the level of the ordinary criminal to
that of the positively vicious.
Springfield Republican: Responsibility
for this horror rests upon those, whoever
they may be, or upon that society of men.
who have permitted the employment or
assemblage of so many persons within so
small a compass high up from the ground,
and especlaly In the midst of greatly In
flammable material. Here are the crimi
nals and the criminal neglect for this par
ticularly awful consequence.
Philadelphia Ledger: IJfe appears to be
aa Insecure In a modern city as in a Jungle.
Only recently a terribly destructive ex
plosion of gas took place In a subway at
the new Grand Central station, and pedes
trians at some distance from the scene
were Injured and killed. Only a short time
before that there was a terrlflo explosion
hot dynamite across the river from New
York City, leaving. In Us path of terror,
destruction and lives lost. In nearly all of
these and similar cases It appears that the
simplest precautions had been neglected,
and the law absolutely disregarded. Al
most as shocking as the loss of life In
these disasters Is the barbaric recklessness
which makes thein possible.
THIS PRIBB OF PIKE.
Aa
Aaeleat Vocal Jewel from
Ike
Wlalr Tonaea of Ckanap.
'ew York Bun.
The Washington correspondent of the
Indianapolis Star sees a John W. Kern
boom "Imminent:" the adjective suggests
panic or bubonic plague Instead of the
promotion by the warrior statesman of
Lincoln, Neb., of his dearest friend except
four or flv thousand. Including the Hon.
Meauchamp Clark; and doleful dumps now
stir the bosom of th Pride ot Plk:
"Somebody hss been fishing into the
Congressional Record and has unearthed a
pointed remark that Clark once made about
Grovcr Cleveland in a speech on the floor
of the house.
Here Is what Mr. Clark ssld:
" 'The election ot Orove'r Cleveland to
the presldenoy was th greatest calamity
that has happened to the human race sine
the fall of Adam.' "
W don't vouch for the quotation, but
tbe seaHtnent la. It-are. congenial to Mr.
Bryan and hi courtiers, and In their
moderation and wisdom characteristic ot
th Pride of Pike. . A champion anthology
would be full ot such measured and pon
dered utteranc. Now that new honors
are coming upon Champ, cannot som little
ense of responsibility b planted and ger
minated In him? Everybody who wishes
well to the democratic party hopes ao;
there may even be souls of sugar that
expect so. But ths Pride ot Plk I so
Invaterat a hair trigger; whst 'Ms and
our old friend ths late William Everett of
Massachusetts would hsv called Incurably
chalanostomatous.
is br$ht J 7
wfienthellST yHj
bright
J Kyis
Bring your friends to hear the
new Victor Records for April
.. .
They'll thank you for bringing them and to -will we.
We want everyone to know the delightful Victor music
and we consider it a pleasure to play it for you.
Here are fcome of the newest Victor Selections:
6S30 Day Dreams, Ttslea Of BUa ' '
' sisi gtavanaou and Henry aarr
litis Operatl MasWrple Fry or Baa
Th Barflar Bnok ( Banjo i Free Taa lip
ltJ2 fcaJlaii igystlaa latanaesso (Xylophone ,
I William . lt
sated 'Koaad aa OU to (Cemla Moaelogwa) '
HIH Muri-ey X. Mill
(Jolly Jlnglss Tws-IUp Vlotor Dvao Orbstra
60033 The Butterfly (Klutei J oka X.Hun.o .
7O03S Travel, Travel, little Star Matgomrr tou
IT; O for th Wings f a Dev Oeraldia ftrtar
Mill raaat kforte l Valentino (Death of
alen tine, Act IVi Aatoale SaeiM
A. HOSPE CO.
1513 Douglas Street. Omaha, Nebraaka.
aassWfcslBaaSBasBBasaW
L'sksa l!:inD C:U.r Essj
r ! i n
I
1!M ,
Lialid
Absolutely Puro
Tito only bakfn& pawt!ar
mas9 front Royal Qrttpa
Oraam of Tartar
t;3ALL?:.u:3u:.:EF;:::n!A7i
LINES TO A LAUGH.
"If your wife I sut
rook why don t eu est
a terrloly no-d
mnra dinner at
home?"
"Uee, how would I know how goo.l she
could rook If I didn't est somewhere else?"
Cleveland Plain Iealer.
Hert 1 hear your halfback lust his head
In esterrtay's foot bull game?
Hob You heard wrong. It was two fin
gers and an ear that he lout. Vonkei
statesman ,.
The IVisoner Judge,
ter keep me down.
The Judge All right.
Toledo Plan.
everybody's tryln
.. . . t
I'll send you up.
"flasor hurt yon, sir?" ssked the ener
getic barber.
"Not a particle." replied the sarc.tatin
victim in the rhaar. "but the blood running
down my neck Is a little annoying."
Chicago News.
"I'm afraid that man I too energetic to
succeed in local ' politic." laid Farmer
Corntossel.
"Hi Industry that counts."
"Yes; but he too busy to devote two
or three afternoon a week to having hie
f Icture taken." WoHriina-ton Htar.
The man who makes Ms wife get up In
the morning to start the fires at last saved'
enough money to buy an automobile. One
day while go In Up hill th machine
stopped. ' a '
"You'll have to get out and push, Fan
nie." ha aald. ''because I've got to stay
here and guide It." I.lpplncott's Msgazlns. i
The Marketer Aren't you wasting a groi
r
oesi or that steak in trimming UT
Th Butcher No, ma'am; I weighed t
first. Toledo Blade.
The trust magnate detained by a wash
out, sought the vlilsge awtand. 1
"What have you got to read here?" he
Inquired:
"Well." said th proprietor, "we have the
popular magarlnes snd"
"Give m one of the unpopuler main
lines, if you have any." Interrupted thu
trust magnate, with a scowl. Chicago
Tribune.
FATHER LEADS THE WAY.
John Talman.,
Years and years ago. when 1
Was just a little lad, '
An' after school hours used to. work
Around the farm with dad,.
I used to b so wearied out
When eventide was come, v
That I got kinder anxious-Ilk
About th Journey home. .
But dad. he used to lead the way.
An" once in-si. while turn 'round an' say-
Ho .cheerln'-llke, so tfndrr "cemai
Com on, my son, you're nearly home!"
That alters used to help me soma,
An' so I tollered father home.
I'm old an' gray an feeble now,
An' trimbly at th knee,
But life seems Just th same today
As then It seemed to me.
For I am atlli ao wearied out,, : .
When eventide is come, .'
An' still get kinder anxlous-IIke
About the Journey home.
auuui mo journey nome- J
But still my father leads flie way. f
An' once In a while I hear him say, J .
So cheerln'-llke, so tender "come!
Come on, my aon. you're nearly homejp 1
An' earn aa then, that helps, me soTe, V
An' so I'm follerln' Father home. i i
v
i
r
V
I
