THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
WILSON Hi PRESS
PRESIDENT RESUMES WEEKLY
CONFERENCES WITH THE
CORRESPONDENTS.
(THUS GIVE OUT HIS VIEWS
jChlef Executive Is Careful to Avoid
the Possibility of Being Misquoted
Big Stories Sometimes Come From
These Talks.
By GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington. President Wilson has
resumed Ills once-n-week conferences
pith the nowspaper men. Every Mon
day 45 or CO Washington correspond
ents nsscmblo nt the Whlto llouse to
talk things over with the president and
to publish some of the things that ho
bays, provided he will let them.
It wns a good while ago that Mr. Wll
pon called off the meetings with the
newspaper men promising to resume
them when it was possible so to do.
fTho reason for the stopping of the In
terchanges between the president and
,tho nows gatherers wns that Mr. Wll
Bon felt he could not discuss foreign
affairs, and as they were uppermost In
the people's minds the conversation
naturally would drift to them and
It would be difficult to uvold reference
thereto.
It Is entirely probable now that the
newspaper men will nvold asking any
(questions nbout foreign affairs which
nro. In their nature tdo delicate for the
president to answer. Other subjects,
however, will bo discussed thoroughly
and even If the president does not wish
his views on certain matters to be
given out, his words will bo n guide to
the newspaper men nnd will prevent
them from making possible errors of
judgment when writing on the sup
posed attitude of the administration
toward this question qr thnt
Careful About Being Quoted.
When the president Is willing that
his views on certain subjects shall be
fcmt on the wires at once he so signi
fies, but ho frequently says lie prefers
It shall bo said that the president views
a ccrtnin mutter In a certain light,
rather than to put his words in quota
tion marks.
Occasionally, however, Mr. Wilson
agrees to be quoted nnd then it is al
most his Invariable custom to ask the
stenographer who Is always nt his
elbow to take down what he has to
say, to make manifold copies of It on
the typewriter and to submit a copy
to him for approval. In this way lie
avoids possible misquotation, although
it can be said that rarely has the pres
ident of the United States had occa
sion to say thnt any of the correspond
ents have misconstrued his words or
mistaken his mcaninc.
Sometimes n big story comes out of
these newspaper conferences. About
three and a half years ago the presi
dent In the middle of one of the tnlks
with the newspaper men said : "There
Is an Insidious lobby working In this
city." It Is proper to quote what he
said because ho allowed himself to be
quoted nt the time.
Instantly newspnper men said almost
In chorus, "There is a big story In this,
Mr. President, if you will allow us to
quoto you." He called In a stenog
rapher and made the statement con
cerning lobbying methods In congress,
a statement which resulted in the great
lobby investigation in which the doings'
o some men were shown up in rather
an unpleasant light
These talks with the president are
Interesting affairs. The round office
room of Mr. Wilson when the talks are
on looks like the setting of an old
fashioned spelling bee. The corre
spondents, shoulder to shoulder, are
lined In a semicircle about the presi
dent, who stnnds in what would bo
the center of the clrclo If It were com
plete, and answers questions or parries
them as ho sees fit. More than occa
sionally he puts the question himself.
National Press Club Flourishes.
President ' Wilson, cnbinet olllcers
nnd prominent men from all parts of
the world will address the National
Press club of this city before the win
ter has wnned. This nntlonnl organi
sation of newspaper men, it Is a pleas
ure to chronicle, is in a nourishing
condition.
Once In a whllo a man likes to talk
shop, nnd if those who have to listen
may be believed, the onco In a whllo
comes often. Tho Press club of tills
town Is Just what its nnmo signifies,
a national organization.
Years ago there was a press club in
Washington which went tho way of
death before It had attained many
years of age and, it may bo said with
out acrimony, beforo It could attain
tho age of entire, discretion. It was
Buccecded after a lapse of considerable
time by tho present National Press
club, which hns been a success slnco
Us inception.
When it Is said that tho Washington
organization is a nntlonnl press club,
tho proof can be adduced by a glanco
at tho list of active members and at
Shot o tho papers they represent It
Is almost unnecessary to say that most
of the Washington correspondents
loino from the towns in which aro lo
cated tho papers which they repre
sent. In other words, here In Wash
ington arc gathered newspaper men
who linvo dono reportorinl work in
most of tho big cities and In mnny of
tho smaller towns of tho United
States. i,
Looking at tho list of active mem
bers nnd tho papers represented, wo
pump within tho space of a line or two
from Greensboro, N. C, to Seattle,
Wash., nnd from Birmingham, Ala.,
to Minneapolis, Minn. Tho towns
which lie In between also, of course,
are represented.
Is Host of Prominent Men.
The Nntlonnl Press club In Its rooms
nt tho top of the Itlggs building, nets
as host every year to many of tho
most prominent men of tho world. Its
rooms hnvo echoed the voices of roy
alty and semlroynlty, of democracy In
Its broad sense, of science, or travel,
of exploration, of Invention, of dl-.
plomncy, of politics and of Journalism.
There are four classes of member
ship in tho Nntlonnl Press club, nettve,
nori-nctlve, assoclato and non-resident
Tho non-resident list comprises tho
nnmcs of 385 nowspnppr men or tho
United States. Tho Nntlonnl Press
club Is their headquarters when they
come- to this city. They hnvo every
privilege cf active membership whllo
staying hero, nnd perhaps it may be
said that they get a companionship
which personally and professionally is
plensurablo and mayhap, In its way,
profitable.
Tho rooms of the Pres3 club Include
tho great general room, with ono of
tho most beautiful open fireplaces to
bo found In nil the country. Thero is
a commodious library with plenty of
books. The restaurant is n model.
There are n billiard and pool room, n
card room, a wilting room nnd n good
sized olllce for tho ncccssnry clerical
force.
Foreign Diplomats Work Hard.
Olllclals of the American department
of stato may think In these duys of
war that they aro the hardest-worked
men In Washington but If they do so
think they aro thinking bcsldo tho
mark. There nro certain foreigners
in tills town who know llttto sleep in
these dnys when their countries aro
at wnr with one another.
The diplomatic list Issued by tho de
partment of stnto gives tho foreign
nmbnssadors and ministers In Wash
ington in tho order of their rnuk of
service. Ono of tho foreigners tho
other day picking up the list, spoko ol
it ns n "labor list." lie was telling the
truth In largo part. As for himself,
ho has not seen a day's vacation In
two years and a half and his working
condition is that or seven or eight ol
his colleagues and of all the members
of their stafTs.
First In order, as ho Is in length oi
service In America, is J. J. Jusserand,
tho nmbnssador of Franco to the
United Stntcs. Slnco August 1, 1014,
Mr. Jusserand has been absent from
Washington only on two or three" oc
casions nnd these were occasions
which cnlled him forth to labor in oth
er cities just as he has been laboring
In Washington. He hns been In Amer
ica for nlmost fourteen years as the
ambassador of his country, He, un
questionably, Is tho best-known diplo
mat personally now In America.
From the pen of Mr. Jusserand have
come many books. lie has made a
special study of the relations of France
to the United States in nil periods
since this country beenme a country.
Next In rank to Mr. Jusserand is
Count J. II. von Bernstorff, the am
bassador from Germany. The count
hns been n representntlve of his coun
try in tho United Stntes for eight
years. The newspapers from time to
time have given full accounts of the
activities of tho German ambassador.
Enough has been written nbout htm
to show that his laboring hours are
long. It is possible that he has had
more perplexing and delicnto duties to
perform In the last two years and n
half thnn hnvo fallen to tho lot ol
nny other foreign ambassador.
The nmbnssador of Ilussln to the
United States Is George Bnkhmcteff,
mnstor of tho Imperial court of Russia
It is perhnps worthy of note that each
of tho ambassndors thus far named
has an American woman for his wife.
Presumably it is right to call Madarao
Jusserand an American woman, al
though she was born In Pnrls, her fa
ther and mother both being Americans.
Ambassador Bakhmcteff has Just
completed tho fifth year of his serv
ice in Washington. Ltko the first two
ambassadors named ho at present has
a hard-working time of It A frierui
of his snld the other day that figura
tively speaking thero were as many
trenches to bo dun in Washington ns
on nny front in Europe.
Spring Rice, Busy, Too.
Next In order of rank Is Sir Cecil
Arthur Spring Rice, who has been In
this country for n littlo more thnn
three yeurs, a period of time which,
of course, includes tho coritlnuunce of
tho present war in Europe. The duties
of Sir Cecil have been as onerous as
thoso of his collenguo ambnssadors.
pLIke them he tnkes n6 vacation nnd
nlmost constnntly Is nt his post In tho
big embassy which belongs to tho
British government nnd which Is situ
nted on Connecticut nvenuc.
Sir Cecil, previous to his appoint
ment as ambassador, had served In n
Junior diplomatic capacity In Wash
ington. From here he went to Persia
and then was changed to Washington.
The Italian arabnssndor, Count V.
Mnchohl dl Cellerc, camo to Washing
ton after tho outbrcnk of tho war In
Europe, but beforo his own country
hnd entered Into it Ho shares tho
burdens of work of tho other foreign
ers hero present Today thero 1b no
nmbnssador from Austria-Hungary in
tho Uqlted Stntes, tho hard wqrk fall
ing upon tho counselor, Baron Erich
Zwledlnek.
A now ambassador has Just como
from Japan, Mr. Aimaro Snto. Ho
speaks English fluently. Within n
night or two he mado an nddress at
a dinner given by a famous club in'
Washington In which ho showed that
his wit Is equal to that of any nmbns
sador, occidental or oriental, who over
saw servlco In this city,
CONDENSED NEWS
OF INTEREST TO ALL.
UATE3 FOR COMING EVENTS.
January 1 to C State Poultry Show nt
Kearney.
Jan. 10-11 Odd Follows' District Con
ventlon at Alliance.
January 1C-20 Stato Improved Llvo
Stock association mooting at Lin
coln. Jan. 15 to 20 Organized Agrlculturo
Annual Meeting at Lincoln.
January 1G Nebraska Association of
Fair Managers' Mooting nt Lincoln.
January 1G-17-18 Annual convention
of Nebraska Voluntcor Firemen nt
Auburn.
January 1G-19 Winter Apple, Flornl
and Potato Show at Lincoln.
Jan. 19 Northeast Nebraska Editorial
Meeting at Norfolk.
Feb. 7-8-9 Nebraska Retail Lumber
Donlora Association Convention at
Omaha.
February 1C Stato Volleyball Con
test at York.
North Platto Is laying plans for a
Beml-contennlal celebration to bo
hold Juno 2G to 30, thnt promises to
outdo anything In tho lino of munici
pal celebrations ovor hold In western
Nebraska. No program rfs yet has
been outlined other than to llvo ovor
again tho days of fifty yoara ago, when
tho west was "wild and wooly."
Three hundrod and fifty thousand
bushels of grain, mostly wheat and
corn, woro lost in a flro which de
stroyed Elovator B of tho Nyo-Schneider-Fowler
company at Fre
mont Tho loss was cstlmntcd at
$500,000, practically covered by In
surance. Eight banks of Harlan county have
por capita bank doposlts of $172.19,
according to an ofllclal statement
Issued recently. Tho total bank de
posits Is $1,721,954.19. Every bank In
tho county ha3 ovor $100,000 and
all but two havo over $200,000 on
deposit
Milk stations, whero milk will bo
sold as drinks and tables with read
ing matter furnished, to tako tho
placo of tho saloons after May 1,
woro suggested at a meeting of tho
Omaha Epworth League union.
Tho BnrnBton Mutual Tclephono
company had an unusually prosper
ous year, according to tho report of
tho socretary-treasuror, just issued.
Tho company, hns installed n now
switch board nnd other improvements
at tho plant during tho year.
Tho Fourteenth district bar assocla.
tion, comprising nino counties in
southwest Nebraska, went on record
favoring tho calling of a constitu
tional converMon during tho annual
meeting at Cambridge.
Christmas boxes weighing 283
pounds were sent to members of Com
pany G Nebraska National Guards
on tho Mexican border by tho people
of Hastings. Delicacies of all kinds
wero included in tho shipment
Lloutenant Governor-elect Edgar
Howard was tendered a complimen
tary banquet by men of Columbus
'.ast Monday. A number of guests
from outside tho city woro In attend
ance. Mr. and Mrs. B. Pont of Shubert
recently celebrated tholr golden wed
ding anniversary. Tho aged couplo
havo lived in the town nearly fifty
years.
Three' dozen fancy chickens were
sent to tho Nntlonnl Poultry show at
Chicago from tho 1733 Poultry Ranch
near Kearney. This ranch has fowls
that, aro valued at $250 each.
Firo of an unknown origin destroy.
cd tho big flouring mill at Dodge,
with a loss estimated at $13,000. The
mill was insured for $10,000 nnd will
probably bo rebuilt.
Superior Is to havo a now hotel
which will cost In tho neighborhood
of $50,000.
After nearly forty-six years of con
tinuous servlco with tho Burlington
railroad and after rising from tho
position of chalrrfian with a survey
ing party, out near Kearney, to that
of chief engineer, Thomas E. Calvert
died of heart failure at his homo in
Lincoln.
Tho Grand Island Horse nnd Mulo
company closed a now contract with
tho British government for nn inde
finite number of horses. It Is expect
ed that between 10,000 nnd 15,000
horses will bo delivered under this
contract
Citizens of Greater Omaha nre
planning to make tho city still great
cr by annexing two more suburbs,
Florence and Benson. A bill to per
mit the merger will bo presented to
tho stato legislature tho coming ses
slon.
Frank Howard, of Pawnoo City,
purchased clghty-flvo head of horses
In Beatrice. Ho said that tho horses
wore purchased for uso in England,
Franco and Italy, and that thoy will
bo shipped to Europo as soon as pos
sible. Tho American Beet Sugnr company
employes at Grand Island will re
celvo at tho close of tho campaign,
which will last 100 days, a bonus of
40c a day or $40, officials of tho firm
announced,
Ashland voted bonds to the sum
of $G0,000 for tho purposo o eroctlng
a new high school building. It will
occupy tho slto of tho present struc
ture, which was erected fifty years
ago and hns boen condemned.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm, Young, of Brock,
rocontly celebrated tholr sixty-first
wedding anniversary,
Bishop Tlhon of Lincoln doltvorod
tho sermon at tho installation ot
Archbishop' Harty as bishop of tho
dloceso ot Omaha, which took placo
In St. Cecelia's cathedral, Omaha,
last Thursday. Most Rev. James
Koano, archbishop of Dubuquo, In.;
Rt Itov. J. J. Hennessey of Wichita,
Kan.; Bishops Cunningham of Con
cordia, Kan.; Burko of St. Joseph,
Mo.; Duffy of Kcnrnoy, Neb.; Mc
Govorn of Cheyenne, Wyo.; Mul
doon of Rockford, III.; Dowllng of
Dos Moines, In.; ono hundred and
twenty-flvo prlosts, nnd 2,000 persons
attended tho coromony. Archbishop
Ilnrty Is a man who was beloved nnd
hold In tho hlghost affection and es
teem by tho peoplo of Manila, Phil
lpplno Islands, whero ho wns arch
bishop for twclvo years.
Tho MId-Wost Oil company ot Cas
per, Wyo., Is making rapid strides
with its drilling operations near
Chndron. It Is estimated that tho
1,000-foot mark has bocti' passed. Vari
ous oil companies from different
pnrts of tho United Stntcs aro mak
ing every offort to obtain control of
tho unleased land In this district
Goologlsts who havo Investigated this
Hold claim that if oil Is found it will
bo ono of tho lnrgcst fields In tho
United States.
Tlireo hundred and fifty ahoop
feeders of tho North Platto Valloy
and representatives of tho stock, ynrdB
and commission men ot Omaha, Chi
cago, St. Louis, Kansas City and St
Joseph and officials of tho Burlington
nnd Union Pacific railroad attonded
tho annual lamb feeders' dinner nt
Mitchell. Lambs to tho numbor of
340,000 aro being fed in tho North
Platto Valley this year and groat in
torcst.was shown at tho gathering.
E. P. Haynos and "Dazzy' Vanco
of Hastings claim to bo tho champion
rabbit hunters of Adams county, Ono
day last week thoy went hunting and
returned Mn four hours with ninety
two rabbits. Thcso animals aro re
ported to bo tho most numerous in
tho history of tho county and hun
dreds nro boing marketed in Una
tings, which is said to bo responsible
for tho Blight lowering of meat prices.
Six thousand eight hundred dollars
was tho prlco paid for tho Wahoo
Mills at an auction sala last woelc
Tho mills woro built ton years ago nt
a cost of $25,000. Tho owner of tho
plant suspended business In July,
1915, nnd slnco that time thoy havo
stood idle. Tho Farmors Co-Opora-tlvo
company of Wnlioo aro tho now
owners and expect to put tho mills
In operation in tho near future
Paronts-tenchers associations have
been orgnnized in each of tho
schools of Norfolk. Tho object is for
greater co-operation among tho moth
ors nnd teachers In training tho chil
dren. Thoy plan to havo the teach
ers glvo tho parents advlco and tho
parents to glvo tho tonchers advice
and so make tho school life and homo
llfo of tho pupils closely related.
Kearney Comerclnl has BOt asldo
a fund of $500 for tho purposo' of
carrying on tho freight rnto fight
which tho city Is making and moro
will bo avnllablo if needed. Export
Powell has been engaged and tho
citizens and business men aro deter
mined that Kearnoy must havo
equalized rate3 -competitive with
other cities of ltko slzo.
Dr. G. J. Collins of West Point was
elected president of. tho NobrnBka
Veterinarians' association at its an
nual meeting at Lincoln. Tho by-laws
of tho association will bo chnnged so
that in tho future tho meeting of tho
association will como tho week aftor
tho national meeting, Instcnd of at
tho same time, as now.
Hogs reached $10.15 on tho South
Omaha market a few days ago, which
Is tho highest prlco over paid for
hogs In December there.
Young men of Elk City, DouglnB
county, nro soliciting funds for tho
purposo or establishing a community
center meeting placo.
Nobraska farmers have planted In
creased acrcago In winter wheat this
year to tho amount of 8 por cent ovor
1915, according to a summary Issued
by tho U. S. department of agricul
ture. Tho report shows 40,090,000
acres in tito United Stntes seeded in
winter wheat, tho greatost ever plant
ed In tho history of tho nation.
Tho Stato Dairymen's association
will hold tho most Important mooting
of their history in tho now dairy build
ing on tho stnto university fflrm,
Lincoln, on January 17, 18 and 19,
1917.
Tho Brick feed and boarding barn
at Holdzego was completely destroyed
by flro, burning fifteen horses, flvo
horse-drawn hearses, twenty tons of
hay, about thirty carriages, hnrness
and all grain, causing a total loss ot
$25,000. It is understood that tho
property was Insured. .
Frank Fowler or tho Nye-Schnolder-Fowler
Elovntor company nnnounced
that tho big elovntor destroyed by
flro nt Fremont recently will bo re
placed in tho spring by a hugo now
modern steel structure.
James Brcnnan, residing near
O'Neill, killed a rabbit recently that
had a pair of horns fully two inches
long. Thoy protrude Just insido of
tho ears, rescmblo bono, and aro
Jagged, but curved similar to cattle
hornB. Mr. Brennan caught tho freak
In a trap Intended for barn rata.
Tho Omaha school board faces a
deficit or $234,373 at tho closo of tho
year, according to a report ot tho
financial secretary.
Itov. S. J. Megaw of Fairbury has
taken up tho work as pastor of the
Presbyterian church at Fullerton,
MIT HALF MILLION
DECEMBER RETURNS SWELL
TREASURY'S GENERAL FUND
PROBLEM OF EMPLOYMENT
Items of General Interest Gatnered
From Reliable Sources Around
the Stato House.
Western Newspnper Union Nows Servloe.
Unoxpoctedly largo remittances
from county troasurora, which havo
been coming in to Stato Treasurer
Hall slnco Docombor 1, aro again
building up tho stnto goneral fund
nnd olhor funds at a rapid rate. Tho
monoy hns literally boon pouring In,
indicating that tho peoplo of NobraB
ka havo plonty ot money to pay tholr
taxos and nro doing bo-earlier than
usual.
Tho total nniount received by tho
stnto treasuroj- from slxty-Jlvo coun
ty treasurers so far hoard from in
December Is $449,300, ot which $243,-
006 1b for tho genoral fund. Ab tho
general fund contained $247,000 on
Novombor 30, and nB not to oxcood
$100,000 has boon paid out ot it this
month, tho balanco on hand in that
fund is now about $390,000.
This will bo doploted to Bomo ox
tent by tho first ot tho year, as tho
quarterly payroll of stato olllcers will
havo to bo met, bcsldos other un
usual oxponses. It is probnblo, how
evor, that Treasuror Hall will got
through and start the now year with
at least $300,000 to go on In tho gon
oral fund.
State Englneor to Be Reappointed
Stnto Eqglnoor George E. Johnson
will bo ronppolntod for two years,
inlder tho Incoming Btnto administra
tion and Roy L. Cochran, ot North
Plntto, will bo his deputy. All throo
mombors ot tho now stnto board of
Irrigation Governor-elect Novlllo, At
torney Goneral Reed nnd Land Com
missioner Shumway hayo Indicated
that they aro agreed to mako thoso
appointments.
Tho stato irrigation association,
which hold Its annual convention nt
Bridgeport last weok, passed resolu
tions asking too reappointment ot
Stato Englnocr Johnson and also re
questing that Cochran be mado his
doputy. Govornor-oleot Neville and
Land Commlslonor-oloct Shumway,
who woro prosont, stated that thoy
would bo guided bj tho recommenda
tions and Mr. Novlllo said ho also
had tho promlso of Attornoy Genoral
Rood to abldo by them.
Problem of Employment
Tho problem of employment for
many members of tho Nobraska na
tional guard, who will bo lioro boforo
long, nccordlng to nuthcntlc roports
here, will bo a keen one. Goneral
Hall has endeavored to start its so
lution by enllBtlng tho aid of tho la
bor commission in finding placos for
a portlpn of tho mon. It Is said that
many will stop Into places which
thoy loft nearly six months ngo to
respond to their country's call. But
that number is small compared to tho
number of men enlisted from this
Btnto, and It will bo up' to most of
them to find work aftor thoy arrive
home.
Will Reorganize Department
Announcement regarding tho com
position of his ofllco forco was mado
by Stato Suporlntondontolect W. H.
Clemmons of Fremont, during a short
visit in Lincoln last week, Mr. Clom
moiiB stated that Miss Cora A.
Thompson of Bridgeport, superintend
ent of schools for Morrill county, Is
to bo ono of his assistants. Ho hns
tondorod her a placo and sho has ac
cepted. Tho suporlntendent-oloct also
told that ho plans to organize tho
department of odticntlon on a somo
what dlfforont basis than heretoforo.
At tho samo tlmo, ho Bald thnt somo
of tho people now employed In tho
ofllco will ho rotalnod. Thin will In
clude most of those filling clerical
and Btonographlcal positions.
Nobraska legislators get $600 for
tholr sosslon's work. That Is their
pay, no matter whother thoy . stay
at Lincoln Blxty days or a hundred
nnd sixty or oven if thoy havo to
sandwich a special session In dur
ing tholr tenure of olllce,
Agitating New State House
It begins to look as though somo
doclslvo action will bo taken by tho
Incoming legislature with roforonco
to a new stato capltol building. Thoro
aro a few who would "patch up" tho
old stato house and run along a tow
years. Then there aro many moro
who believe that tho great dovolop
mont of tho state and its rapidly
growing Interests demand Immediate
relief in tho construction ot a mod
ern, commodious and sanitary cap
ltol building, capablo of accommodat
ing a great commonwealth.
Acting upon the recommondntlon
of Land Commissioner Boclnnann;
who rocontly vlowed sovoral trots of
stato school land In Morrill, Banner
and Cedar counties, tho board of ed
ucational lands and funds has voted
to ralso tho valuations materially
over tho appraisomonts mndo by
county boards. Tho incronso amounts
to $9,796 on all thces lands, aggro
gating about two sections. Tho valu
ations so fixod aro tho prlcos at
which tho lands will bo sold by tho
stato to thoso having contracts for
thorn.
OFFERS A SUGGESTION
Superintendent Thomas Is Strong for
Consolidation.
Thero aro SG7 school districts In
tho stnto with a census of ono to
twolvo children ot school ago; fif
teen ot them with ono child each,
twenty-two with two, twonty-scven
with throe, forty-tlvo with four, six
ty with flvo nnd tho balanco with bo
twocn bIx and twolvo children of
school ago.
This, according to an educational
survoy, by Stato Superintendent
Thomas, shows that consolidation is
to bo desired, for oporatlon of
schools with a small numbor not
nearly no producttvo as larger schools.
Tho btnto ofllcor continues by
showing that of 6,571 schools operat
ed in tho stnto during tho past school
yoar thoro woro 3,390 operated with
from ono to twolvo pupils each.
Thirty schools had but ono pupil
each. Ono hundred and ono schoola
had two pupils each, whllo 151
schools had only thrco pupils oach. A
total .of 220 sohoolB had but four pu
pils oach nnd 299 schools had flvo
pupils each. Of six-pupil schools
thoro woro 319 and of sovcn-plipll
BChools 3G3. The balanco of tho
schools up to 3,390 had botwocn sov
on nnd twelvo pupils each.
Plan to Cure Defects
A meeting of tho joint commlttco
of tho legislature and stato bar asso
ciation was hold at tho loglRlattvo
xeforonco bureau rooms last weok.
Thero woro present: J. J. Thomas,
Soward; Bayard H. Palno, Grand Is
land; John Mattes, Nebraska City;
C. E. Sandal!, York; J. N. Norton,
Polk; J. P. Palmer, Omaha; J. H.
Brandy, A. E. Sheldon nnd C. E.
Soronson, Lincoln.
Tho plaiiB for socurlng Improve
mont in legislative methods woro dis
cussed and nn agrcemont roachod for
n roport which will' bo submitted to
tho stato bar association on Decem
ber 29, and tho stato legislature
when it convonos. Tho points cov
ered Includo appointment of a com
mltteo of throo from tho sonnto and
throo from tho houso to bo called a
rovlalon commlttco to work in con
nection with tho legislative rcforonco
bureau In roviBlng bills boforo tholr
introduction in either houso nnd tho
purposo of socurlng tho correction
of obvious orrors in form. This ro
vlslon will bo advisory only and
tho member, ,who desires to lntroduco
a bill may disregard it if ho chooses.
Discusses State's Oil Prospects
Whether thoro Is oil and gas down
near Tablo Rock, or whothor thoro
is not, is discussod In an artlclo
Just written by G. E. Condra, direc
tor ot tho Nebraska conservation and
toll survoy. Aftor Bhowlng that a
great antlcllno exists in Nebraska
similar to tho ono in Kansas whero
oil and gas havo boen found in im
monso quantities and this Nobraska
nnticllno Is really an extension of
tho Kansas formation, Doctor Condra
in a recent nowspaper story, tolls
of a trip ho, in connection With C.
J. Hurst, nn oil oporntor, mado
through southern Nebraska and down
into Kansas, whoro ho proved to tho
satisfaction ot Mr. Hurst that tho
geological formation of tho two states
Is similar in this respect
Deplores Educational Situation
Nebraska's fortune is to havo somo
excellent teachers in tho normal
schools.
But Nebraska's misfortune is to
lose them too often to states which
pay moro monoy so states tho nor
mal board roport given at a rocont
mooting of that body. In addition
to making this interesting observa
tion tho board says that it will nood
moro 'monoy for tho futuro than it
has during tho past year. Tho stato
lovy need not bo ohangod, howovor,
tho board says, but may romaln at
flvo-olghths of a mill. Tho incroaso
In valuation will tako caro of tho
greater sums needed for this work.
Dr. G. E. Condra, dlroctor of tho
stato conservation and soil survoy,
has gono to Washington, where ho
will chock up tho soil survoy work
dono in co-operation with tho United
States bureau ot soils. Tho survoy ot
flvo Nebraska counties has boen com
pleted this year. Ho will also ho la
conferonco with federal roads depart
ment and with tho national commit
too on topographic mapping, ot which
ho Is a member.
Commission Needs More Money
It tho railway commission wants to
serve tho peoplo to tho utmost It will
havo to havo moro monoy, Tho $93,
000 which it has had for tho past bi
ennial porlod will havo to bo In.
creased by at loast $9,000 and tha
commission could uso $20,000 moro
If tho legislature would voto It. That
la tho statement which Retiring Com
missioner Henry T. Clarko makes to
Governor Morohead as tho latter in
fulfilling his dutlos as budget ofllcor,
casts about to mako tho oxpenso
list for tho coming blonnlal period.
Will Prosecute Raffle Cases
Slnco Attornoy Genoral Rood an
nounced that raffling automobiles to
stlmulato trado constitutes a viola
tion of tho stato law, numerous calls
havo como in to him from out in
tho state aBklng "If ho meant it," and
"If iuch and such a proposition"
would como under that head. To
practically all of which ho has re
sponded that ho meant Just what ho
said ana. that prosecutions' would fol
low fractures of tho law..