THE COURIER
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It's too bad wo could not all lire
on S street between Sixteenth ad
the university. Not living there we
have escaped the national publicity
that Chancellor Canfield has given
to the principal residents of that
street. In his interesting article in
the December Forum entitled "Is the West Discontented? A Study
of Local Facts," the chancellor indulges in a few illustrations that,
to tho people of Lincoln, are of special interest. Of course he does
not mention the street or give the names of tho people he intro
duces as examples; but there is not much difficulty in identifying
either the locality or the people.
For instance who does not recognize tho family thus described?
"At the head of this street lives a family of which tho parents are of
German birth and tho children are American born. Those now at
home are the father, mother and six sons. Tho oldest son is tho
business manager of one of the evening papers, in which his father
is a bookkeeper. Another son is an accountant in tho university,
ono practices law, one is studying medicine, one is a post graduate
student and instructor iD tho university, where also the youngest is
a student. Tho post graduato student and the youngest son are
employed on tho newspaper during tho vacation, and in other spare
time. AH are intelligent, industrious, bright, temperate and reason
ably successful. They are undoubtedly ambitious for better things
but certainly cannot be said to bo 'discontented.' "
Tho various members of tho Westermann family are pretty accur
ately hit of by the chancellor, although we thin : ho is a bit off as
regards tho oldest son but whether Hans Theodoro is tho oldest of
the six sons or whether the twins, Max and Fritz, lead is, after all, a
matter of comparatively littlo moment to tho people of the United
States, and tho chancellor may be forgiven this error, if indeed it bo
an error.
Now that the family of Herr Westermann has beon placed unde- tho
strong calcium light of national publicity, it is perfectly admissable
for us to indulge in a littlo personal discussion. There is no law or
canon of propriety to prevent us, or anybody, for that matter, from
talking or writing about national characters, and such Herr Wester
mann and Max and Fritz and Hans Theodore and William and
Joseph and Louie have, with electric suddenness, become. Wo
always knew this recognition would come; but wo will admit it came
a little sooner than we expected.
Anybody who knows Fritz and this member of tho family as tho
most ubiquitous is known to everybody knows that ho at least
could not bo confined to tho pent-up Utica of a celebrity that em
braces one small provincial town. Fritz as a litterateur, attorney,
leader of society, and man about town, is a daisy, and we are a little
surprised that the chancellor did not give him a littlo more atten
tion. As to his being contented, we have our misgivings. Fritz's
ambition has soared aloft so frequently that we are afraid he is not
wholly contented. Fritz would like to have lived in the mediaeval
days when hearts and castles were stormed by chivalry, and genius
rod rough shod over the conventionalities; when the poetry and ar
dor in a man.s soul could find some expression other than the wear
ing of a carnation, or the presentation of a volume of Ella Wheeler
Wilcox's poems. No, this time and place are much too prosaic for
Fritz, and we doubt if he is contented. But wo do not mean to de
vote this entire article to Fritz, much as we would like to. It is an
interesting family, and on the whole the chancellor is to be congrat
ulated on his aptness in description.
It is unnecssary to state that Dr. Gitlen is meant by tho follow
ing: "Their nearest neighbor on tho west is a practising physician
and surgeon, one of tho most successful in the city. Ho is on tho
governor's staff as surgeon goneral of tho state militia, takes consid
erablepart and interest in public affairs, and is a good all-round cit
ison. It would bo hard to find a moro contented or happy family
than he and his wife and children appear to be." We submit that
Dr. Giffen ought always to tako hia hat off to tho chancellor arter
this! An '"ad" liko this is worth money, and some of the othor medi
cal friends of the chancellor may feel aggrieved at this singling out
of Dr. Giffen; but the doctor lives on tho chancellor's stroot, and ho
could not bo skipped. Other people aro similarly introduced, and
the article is interesting all the way through. It is a great boom
for S street.
Some two or three weeks ago The Coukiku intimated that a cer
tain well-known citizen of Lincoln would shortly appear before tho
public as an author. Wo referred to Charles G. Dawes, whoso book,
"Tho Banking System of tho United States, and Its Relation to tho
Monoy and Business of tho Country," published by Rand, McNally
& Co., has just been issued. Mr. Dawes has for somu years made a
close study of economic conditions, his briefs on subjects touch
ing railway management, rates, etc., having received especial recog
nition; and his appearance as a writer on banking is no surprise to
those persons who are acquainted with tho extent of his information
and general resourcefulness. It is hardly within tho scope of The
Coukier to make an exhaustive review of tho book, which wo are
satisfied will bo accepted as a thoughtful and sound contribution to
a subject that is very imperfectly understood. Suffice it to siiy that
Mr. Dawes doos not attempt to give tho history of tho banking sys
tem of tho United States. His book is moro of a primer, dealing
concisely with somo of the essential and moro important phases of
the system. His references to the panic of 1893 and its concomi
tant restriction of tho circulation of currency, as well as to the Bilver
question aro especially interesting, and he presents some now ideas
in tho discussion of both subjects. Tho book also contains somo
suggestions in the way of a law that would levy a tax upon national
bonds for the purpose of creating a fund to be held by tho United
States treasury for tho reimbursement of depositors in failed nation
al banks, that is interesting in view of tho recent promulgation of tho
Carlisle plan. Mr. Dawes book evidences careful study and is a dis
tinct credit to its author.
KNOW HIM?
It's no use to tell about him. You have encountered him. Ho
always sits just behind you, and before the curtain goes up you hear
him say to whomever is unfortunate enough to bo with him: "I saw
this in New York with the original cast. I don't suppose it's as
good now."
The orchestra starts in, and ho accompanies it: "Ta-te-ta-ta!
Ta-teta-ta! Very pretty don't you think? I have it at home."
The curtain goes up. "You'll like this first act. To my idea its
the best in the piece. At least it was the way they put it on in
New York"
A few minutes later: "Now this is going to bo a very pretty song.
I remember it well. It mado one of tho hits of tho piece in New
York."
Soon after that ho hums an accompaniment to tho waltz song, s
that no one within a radius of four seats shall fail to hear it. "The
girl thoy had in New York did it much better."
Then comes tht ensemble, and he says in a tone of gratified sur
prise: "Do you know, that's almost as good as it was in New York."
Managers who are really solicitous for tho comfort and ecjoyment
of their patrons should put up lobby placards: "Those who saw
tho (ew York production not admitted."
ECONOMY AND STRENGTH.
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Hood's Pills do not purge, pain or gripe, but act promptly, easily
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