IDE STATE CAPITAL
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO ALL
CITIZENS.
WILL NOT DISTURB PENSIONS
State Board of Public Lands and
Buildings Will Not Take tho
Old Soldiers' Money.
As to Pension Money.
Tho rulo requiring members of sol
diers' homes In Nebraska to pay u
percentage of pension money to tho
cash funds of tho homos, n rule that
was bitterly contested In tho courts,
has been suspended by order of '.ho
hoard of public lands and buildings
pending further orders of that board.
Tho supremo court hold that Buch n
rulo was logal. Land Commissioner
Enton, chairman of tho board, sent
notice to commandants of state homes
under dato of Juno 27 not to tako any
part of pension money until further
orders from tho board.
Tho board met and discussed tho
making of somo now regulations, but
no agreement was arrived at. Ono
member suggested a rule that all
lnmntos of tho homes who nro able
to earn a livelihood or who have
moans of support bo discharged from
tho homo, nt tho discretion of tho
board, and that this rule also npply
to tho admission of soldiers, tho In
tent of tho suggested rulo bolng that
HALF MILLION IN TREASURY.
Treasurer Brian Is Negotiating for
Large Block of Bonds.
Stato Treasurer Urlan has $G00,000,
according to his monthly roport, avail
ablo far Investments In securities, and
with two Drospectlvo deals on, ho
hopes to have tho sum Invested with
in n fw days. Ho has permitted this
largo amount of money to accumulate
for tho purpose of buying a largo
block of bonds which nro about to
bo placed on tho market. Should ho
fall on this proposition ho will call
In tho bond men and buy what they
have on hand. Ho has on deposit In
state depositories $599,000.03, all of
which Is drawing 3 per cent Interest,
nnd $10,205.72 not In depositories on
which no Interest Is being received.
Bocaueo tho stato depositories havo
nil tho stato funds they nro permitted
to receive under their bonds this
money Is on hand, but will bo depos
ited Immediately after Mr. Drlan
makes his Investment.
Tho permanent school fund con
tains $121,090.50 at tho closo of the
month. Tho totnl Investments of tho
stnto now aggregate $7,053,377.49, and
this amount will bo largely Increased
within tho next ton days If tho bond
deal now In view maturos. Follow
ing Is tho detnlled report of tho' trust
funds Invested:
Permanent school fund $0,998,200.57
Permanent university ..... 1ft t, 486.92
Agricultural collet!" endow
ment -144. 000.00
Normal endowment . 6G.GOO.00
J7.C53.377.49
Honds nf nil kind $0,992,087.59
Wnrrnnts of all kinds 000.089.90
J7.C53.377.49
Statement Bhowlng receipts nnd
wii, i lion l i '-v uitmm-wc j- - i in v v uw
I I " 'wwH ,.4' 'gags' jmea&xs&zs
v- mm " . '
Nebraska Military Academy, Lincoln's latest educational Institution.
soldiers who are ablo to work or who
lmvo largo pensions or other moans
of support bo not admitted, and thoso
of this character be discharged when
ever tho board finds It necessary to
mako room for, puroly Indigent veter
ans. Tho suggestion was not accept
ed by tho board.
In tho discussion It was stated that
tho formor commandant, Mr. Ask
with, of tho Grand Island soldiers'
homo, had never enforced tho 61d rulo
regarding tho payment of all pension
money over $12 a month to tho sup
port of tho homo. It was enforced nt
tho Mllford homo. Commandant Pros
son said when ho went Into olfico the
pensioners thoro voluntarily camo to
him and paid over all In excess of $12
a month. An investigation of tho ac
counts of tho Grand Island homo
showed that Uttlo ponslon money had
jver been collected there. Tho pres
ent board .supposed tho rulo had been
enforced. In his letter to command
ants Commissioner Eaton explained
that tho board believed tho old rulo
had boon enforced and tho board
thought Its now rulo would bo satis
factory to all concerned bocnuso it
was moro liberal than tho old rulo.
Ho said tho board desired to treat
tho veterans with fairness and had
modified tho rulb. Tho court had up
held tho legality of tho contention
that tho board has control of tho
homes and can mako nny renBonnblo
rulo It sees fit, but that for tho pres
ent tho ponslon rulo will bo suspended.
Vacancies for Young Men.
Senator Uurkott received word from
Major J. P. Elliott at Washington
that thoro nro llftv-soven vacancies in
tho rank of second lieutenant In tho
marina corps. Tho major Btated that
ho would bo glad to allow any young
mon Senntor Uurkott might recom
mend tako tho examination for tho
positions. Applicants, Major Elliott
oxplalned, must bo educated and com
ply with tho physicnl requirements
of tho United States army.
Game Laws Fractured.
Chief Game Warden Cnrtor rccolved
a roport from Seward to tho effect
that Harry Uradley. who somo time
ago pleaded not guilty when nrrosted
for Illegal fishing, enmo Into court and
pleaded guilty. A fine cf $15 and co3t
was paid by him. Alexandor Hitch
cock was caught at Lincoln pnrk by
tho gamo warden and Deputy Hunger
In tho very act of working a dip seine.
State Flch Exhibit.
Superintendent W. J. O'Hrlon of tho
Btnto 'fisheries at South Hond called
on tho stato board of ngrlculturo for
tho purposo of asking for Improve
mont In tho fisheries building on tho
utnto fair grounds. Ho doslro to give
a crodlblo showing for hatchorlos sup
ported by tho stato and llnds It nec
essary to have soma lacgo aquariums
In tho exhibition building. Tho orig
inal plans called for largo ones In the
front of tho utructuro whoro thoy
can bo viewed, but for somo reason
wore never put In.
disbursements of tho stato treasury
for June, 1908:
Punda.
General
Permanent school.
Temporary school.
Permanent univer
sity AKrleulturul collejio
endowment
Temporary univer
sity Pcnltcnttnry
Redemption ;
Kearney Normal II
brury Orthopedic hospltul
Forest reservo . . .
Institutions' cash..
Hospital for Insunu
State library
University cash...
Peru Normal li
brary Mnrmnl ntwIniiMiwkiit
Normal Interest . .
Agricultural a n 1
Mechanic Arts..
U. H. experiment
station
Balances
Juno 1.
$ 27,C80.,12 J
170,944.90
350.98C.89
D0.1C7.04
45.074.71
C.4G9.92
83.52
41,198.78
7CC.C9
37.94
2,288.93
12,210.19
1.22C.G3
90.84
35,651,32
8.9C8.04
.CO
3,030.71
C.C89.17
C.283.12
Tlnlances
Juno 30.
13.452.00
421.09C.5G
4S,Ji;i.37
29,917.02
48.444.G7
2.982.C2
83.52
4.GC3.18
143.85
37.94
21.38
10,212.87
1,575.02
1,955.09
34,817.99
2,193.28
21,218.93
3,149.91
.01
1,592.94
Totals J7C2.C50.20 JC4G,800.35
Escaped Convict Brought Back.
A convict named Ingram' from Lan
caster county, who escaped from tho
Nobraska penitentiary nearly nlno
years ago, Is back In tho penltentlnry
once moro to sorvo ono month of an
unexpired term As ho lost two
months' tlmo by escaping, ho will
havo to sorvo three months Instead of
tho ono unexpired month that was be
fore him when ho left. Ho was sorv
Ing a term of ono year for burglary
and- wnq employed as a trusty about
tho grounds when ho decided to de
sort tho place. Ho lost no time in
committing n burglary in Kansas and
was sentenced to ton years In tho
stato prison at Lansing, Kas, At tho
expiration of his sorvlco thoro ho was
brought back to inako good tho sen
tence of tho law In Nobraska.
Sheldon Will Serve.
Governor Sheldon of Nebraska has
agreed to servo as ono of tho vice
presidents of tho International con
gross on tuberculosis that Is to bo
held in Washington under tho nu3
pIceB of tho national association for
tho Btudy and prevention of tubercu
losis, from Sontomber 21 to Octobor
12. Tho nrrangemcntB for Nebraska's
participation In tho congress and In
tho exhibition to bo hold In connec
Hon with It aro in the hands of a
commlttoo of which Dr. A. S. Von
Mansfoldo of Ashland Is chairman.
Dr. Charles O. Glesso of Hohlrcgo Is
treasurer and Hev. Stephen P. Morris
of Omaha la secretary of tho association.
A conforenco was held between Ad
jutant General Schwnrz, Major David
son nnd Govornor Sheldon concern
ing a proposition of (ho militiamen
to Bccuro nn lslnnd In tho Platte river
as a rlllo range. Tho officers point
od out to tho govornor tho fact that
tho now ammunition for tho Spring
flold rlllo is very dnngorous, tho
noudle-polntcd bullets carrying about
thrco miles. Whllo tho presont range
southwoBt of tho ponltontlary Is fairly
satisfactory, tho slightly raised olo
vatlou of n Bight would send tho ball
over the hill nnd Into Lincoln.
cs
as?
to
41 &KATENOJ hV(LD7Hr?MtG SKflTfm 2
ELLO, Illllyl"
"How aro you,
Jack? Glad to
sco you got
that appoint
ment. What Is
thero In it for
you 7"
"Pour thou
sand a year."
"Oh, I don't
mean tho sal
aryto h U with tho sal
ary; but what Is thoro In
It for you 'on tho sido?'"
"Not a cent. Just tho
salary, Hint's all."
"Come offl Why. two of
that last bunch clonnod up ton thousand aplcco bo
foro thoy walked tho plank."
"Well, II'b a now deal. No side issues for mo.
Just tho llttlo old four thou. That's nil."
"Why, you ain't honest, aro you, Jack?"
''Well, I nevor had 'Honest John' tacked onto
mo for a handicap, but I don't wnnt to go along
the street looking back to sco If nnyono's following
mo."
"Hut thoso follows nro allvo and well to day, and
tho statuto of limitations has run on 'em."
"Yes, mnybo; but It would bo Just my luck to
got 'snaked.' My tailor says stripes aro unbecoming
on tall mon, anyway."
"You'ro foolish, Jack."
"A regular lobster, Billy; but when I'm let out
1 wnnt to sloop nights, without listening for somo
ono to ring the door-bell nnd ask 'how about It?' "
Tho foregoing conversation Is vorbully a correct
transcript between nn appoint oo to a city office and
a political acquaintance, tho well-known nnd almost
"dlsbaned" attorney, tho Hon. William "Sklphls
nnmo." It occurred Just as written down, and la
moroly given to Illustrate tho gonornl Idea prev
alent among tho crooked, tho crafty and tho un
scrupulous that public olllco wns a private "snap."
Tho salary was supposed to bo merely exponBO
monov for bclntr In tlin nnlltlrnl mimn! Mm rnnl
"money" wns to bo gotten out of "sldo dcalB," ' WHAT'S TN COMSrrirOY U GyV
schemes where tho ofTlclnl was to ubo his Inlluonco UlJ QTW& Ff?HDS?" UIJ A
and his opportunities to get Into "something good,"
whereby for fnvors either directly or Indirectly
granted ho Got what is known sometimes as his
"rakc-ofr," or his "bit."
If ho was In n position whoro contracts wore to
be lot "to tho lowest blddor" It wbb his business,
If n "grafter," to sco that his "man" wns tho low
est bidder, or to havo a "combination" among tho
bidders so that tho contracts would bo divided
among two or thrco favored firms or Individuals;
or to work In somo, ono as sub contractor, or In
various ways "got n linger in the plo," so that ho
could "holp up" somobody for "a divvy." Whoro
Individual officials had tho ontrro control of their
offices, their opportunities for "graft" wore, of
course, extensive; whoro officials were co assoclatod
In city work, there had to bo either a complete nnd
general understanding as to "crooked work," or
thoro might bo underhand work by ono or two
mon which wns hidden from tho rest.
Tho public had woird and unlquo IdeaB about
"graft." Tho fact that "grafting" wns carried on
In city hall and city departments to a greater or
leas extent during overy political administration
was a fact that was undenlablo. Sometimes an ad
ministration was especially corrupt; sometimes tho
administration was headed by a man who was oven
by his bittorcst enemies -acknowledged to bo strict
ly honest. Hut as no ono man could ovorsoo tho
Ins and outs of ovory department in tho city, thoro
wus bound to bo some "grafting," howovor petty,
somowhoro In tho various offices or departments.
Dut the public generally scorned to bo of tho opin
ion that tho Instant a man was appointed or elect
ed to ofllco his entlro nature changed. Tho pcoplo
Imagined, apparently, that a business ninii whoso
Integrity, through many years, had never been
questioned became "crooked" tho Instant ho took
tho onth of olllco. And becnuso of this, tho most
Insulting nnd libelous statements woro being ban
died back and forth by Irresponsible parties, con
corning men who woro honestly and conscientiously
doing their duty in public offices.
Citizens who appropriated without any legal right
tho sidewalks In front of their stores for shipping
purposes mon who would follow nn alderman for
wcoks In order to get a bay-window put In a down
town shop contrary to tho ordinances, peoplo who
hung nboul tho city hall from dawn to twilight try
ing to got a railroad pass, would cuter a public
ofllco with tho air of Danlol going down tho olova
tor Into tho lions' den. And If a question wns asked
them when they Btated their business, they always
imagined It had a hint of graft In It. Woll, now,
lot mo toll you: Thoso folks that are always scent
ing "graft" in overy public ofllco and officer theso
"Holy Willies" that assume such an "unco guld"
air, thoy aro often the peoplo that will boar watch
ing thomsolvos.
Tho fact of tho matter was that that roal "graft"
was handled by men who worked It so that nearly
always It was ontlroly logal, In tho strict letter
of tho lnw. A moaBloy five or ton-dollnr bill handed
hero and thero for boiiio favor was a inero bagatelle.
And as for "graft" In politics, tho legislatures of tho
various states are as mighty universities to kin
dergartens compared to city administrations. As
for tho United States senato but that Is tho "king
row" on tho political checker-board, und not n mat
ter for comment In this article.
-Money Is tho cheapest and least dangerous form
of "graft," 1 mean money that buys favors; bilbos,
In a word. Illg "graft" concerns Itsolf with "shnres,"
"Block," "Interests" things thnt cannot bo traced
bo easily to corrupt Bourcos, IHg graftom aro afraid
of cold cash. They want something that can bo
nny frlonds. In tho first
place, ho hnd not ntoloit
onouglt so as to lay away
anything for high-priced
lawyers, bo ho could
neither poso no a martyr,
nor go Into court and mako
a light. Usually ho "lost
his Job for qtilto n whllo,"
his potty peculations woro
laughed at, and ho found
himself In tho street, an
object of contompt and
Jeers. Hut when a mnn
hnd gotten away with
forty or fifty thousand dol
lars, It was an entirely
dlfforcnt proposition. Ho
could then put up a good,
stiff "blurf." In tho first
place, It was "up to him"
to pooh-pooh nil rumors or
assertions which had been
undo against hla olllco.
Next, to explain that all
this talk about "graft"
6J
X
manipulated so that tho ugly word "mon
ey" can bo ollmlnntcd In enso of an ex
posure. Cash Is a hard commodity to "Jugglo,"
but Bhares and stocks can bo bettor oxplalnod
to a Jury. So only tho Ignorant or most brazen
of tho big "grafters" go aftor tho monoy In, tho
form of U. S. hnuk bills, ltecords aro telltales;
and monoy taken wrongfully and unnccountcd for
often retuniB to plnguo tho hypothecator with a
ponltontlary sentence
Another thing that scorns to bo overlooked Is
thnt loglBlatlon will not euro "grafting." True,
It can nnd docs punish tho Individual; but noth
ing but an aroused spirit of hlghor clttzonshtp will
effect a genornl euro of tho ovll. If you want to
know how many peoplo In your city nnd county
nro out aftor "something for nothing" got Into a
political position which either actually gives you
chances for bestowing favors, or apparently offers
tho opportunity. Nlnoty-flvo per cent, of tho pco
plo who cull on you como for tho purpoBO of hnv
lng you do thom somo favor, olthor for thorn
solv.es or others; and thoy nro not nt all particu
lar about how tho favor Is dono, so that It ho
done. Por myBolf, I know I wau bombarded duy
nnd night after I got Into olllco with requests that
ranged all tho way from tho impudent to the Ig
norant. Requests to aid In tho way of evading
or Ignoring city ordinances woro matters of dally
occurrence And tho charming thing about It
was that tho parties assumed that this was a mat
ter of courso In tho routine busIneHs of tho city
Hall, it was not morely "what's tho constitution
between friends?" but "what's honesty between
ucqunlntnncoB?"
"Skato" No. 1 would Introduco "Skato" No. 2.
and tho latter would unfold a schemo to "pull
off" Bomothlng In somo other department of tho
city hall, which was not only against all canons
of decency nn regarded common honesty, but bo
ridiculously apparent thnt no ono but, an ignoram
us would concoct bucIi a plan. Now theso things
happened so often that If you got mad at each
occurronco you would bo In n stato of soml-npo-ploxy
half tho time. Tho only thing to do was to
cut tho Intorvlow short by saying "1 haven't nny
thlng to do with thnt department; If you havo
any business with that end of tho city go there
youraolf."
Hut whon you como to pin down nny great
amount of "graft" in most of tho city administra
tions' ofllcos you fulled, from tho simple roason
that thoro was comparatively llttlo of it. Was It
bocauao groator publicity and grantor vigilatico
was being had through a hostllo press and a
watchful opposite party? Or was It because an
Improvement was bolng mndo In tho chnractor of
tho men olected nnd nppolntod? Or wns It both?
At nny rato, thoro wau a steady advanco for tho
bettor during tho cycle of nt loast eight years of
my oxporltnco In politics. Given an nblo and
vigilant mnn nt tho head of u city's affairs, and
"graft" will bo reduced to a. minimum during hhi
term of ofllco. Given nny other kind of a man,
and onco moro "graft" will lift Its hydra hoad.
It 1b a curious thing about manifestation, that tho
tendency to mako "a llttlo on tho aldo" seoms to
bo apparent In nil administrations, but is either
dormant or active as tho man at tho holm is
oithur alort or innttentlvo. I.lko yellow fovor in
Cuba, It is nlwayB present, oven If only ono caso
of It.
Tho cheap "graftor," whon found out, novur had
wan tho work of political onemles or "a dis
charged omployo seeking rovongo." A vory lino
article of "rosy talk" was usunlly indulged in by
a "grafter" who "was on tho run."
Then, when ho was finally Indicted, his lawyors
would consent to toll what an outrage It was that
their client sjiould bo bo persecuted. All criminal
proceedings which scok to bring a "graftor" lo
"book" aro known by hla lnwyors as "man-hunts."
Tho big "grafter's" friends llock to tho court
room, nnd quite frequently tho utmost courtesy
is oxtondod to him by officials high up In Jail
circles; especially If ho bo of tho Bamo party aa
the Jail officials. If ho happens to bo on tho othor
Bldo or tho political fenco, thoso courtesies aro
omitted.
Aftor a big "grafter" Is convicted thoro Is tho
usual appeal to tho higher courts and a lot of
skirmishing to koop him out of tlio ponltontlary,
but ho gets thoro just tho Bamo. Ho may, aftor
nerving a year of his scntenco, becomo so ill
that ho will havo to ho pardoned. If ho has ro
turned part or tho monoy ho stole, this Is a chnnco
not to bo ovorlooked. Hut If ho Is "stiff-necked"
and Insists on hanging on to what ho got, tho
chnncoB nro not bo favorablo. Only a ridiculously
Binall porccnlago of tho big "urartors" havo boon
punished. Somo of tho biggest of thorn all havo
absorbed their graft logally. Hut It was "grafL"
nevertheless. On many, tho statuto of limitations
has "run," nnd prosecution mndo impossible. Dut
It Is cheering to rolnto that "grafting" Is not qulto
bo fnshlonablo as It used to bo by reason of thoHO
prosecutloiiB; nnd much n3 tho "roformor" hnB
boen hold up to ridicule, it hns boon tho reformer
and tho reform organizations that havo mado
"grafting," If not unpopular, at loast dangerous.
l'otty "grafting" can never bo wholly stamped
out, as It can bo handed nround by moans of
presents, privileges, etc., In such a way that It
cannot bo traced so au to provldo ground for
criminal proHocutlons.
Tho technical term "grnft," whllo peculiarly
applied to politics, la not conflnod to that Bphoro
only. HiiBinoss, banking and railroad circles havo
tho disease. In city administrations tho spot
whoro It 1b llablo to mako most lnsldloiiB headway
Is In city councils. Thero It may bo found olthor
Indirectly or directly apparent. And It Is thoro,
aftor all, that It Is most dangorous, bocauso affect
lng an ontlro city. If a public official steals from
his office, It Is not such a direct injury to tho
public man ns tho man who "rolls out" to Jam a
franchise thiough n council.
And so, In tho last analysis, tho oyes of tho re
formers and tho citizens Bhould bo fixed steadily
on city councils. Tho best candidates for aldor
mon aro nono too good; tho salary should bo
such that a man could glvo all of his tlmo to tho
work and bo woll nnd ovon handsomely paid. It
tho public expects a man to glvo $5,000 worth
or tlmo In tho city council for $11,000 salary, thoy
uio merely putting u premium on "grafting."
Tho day of tho brazen "grnftor" has gone by.
Tho now loglmo Is making for hotter things. Tho
only way that "grafting" can nourish nowndays
Is by having a city administration In full accord
with tho most Influential newspapers of a city
npply tho "graft" legally, pockot tho "rake-off,"
point to tho "statutes In ouch enso mado and pro
vided," and so far as tho public Is concornod, "lot
thtt gulled Jade wince."
i
