Nebraska Newspapers

    THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
10
LEGISLATURE RESUMES IT8
WORK OF ORGANIZATION
Items of General Interest Gathered
from Reliable Sources Around the
' State Houso
Western Newspaper Unto.i News Service.
Both hoUBoa of tho legislature have
'resumed their vork and Bettled down
to tho grind that confront! them.
The houso named Us commltteo,
tho senate Initiated Lieutenant Gov
ernor Howard Into the mysteries of
lawmaking and listened to Ex-Lieutenant
Governor Tom Majors tell of
the olden days In law making.
In tho selection of house commit
tees thero was little dissension In tho
democratic caucus. That body met
and put tho seal of approval on tho
activities of tho committco on com
mittees. It took now ground In barring
tho memgers of tho commltteo on
committees from membership on the
sifting committee, tho body which
takes charge of the general fllo at
tho fag end of sessions. This Is
done for the purpose of kcoplng con
trol of lawmaking from one commit'
teo or one set of men, and to give
now lawmakers and those old law
makers who have participated hoavlly
in tho early session something to do
in tho windup.
Richmond of Dougins landed tho
cities and towns chairmanship. Keo
gan of Omaha, who was Blatcd for
tho place, was deposed by his col
leagues. - Ollls or Valley captured
tho headship of tho education com
mittee while Regan of Platto gotB
tho railroads commltteo.
Trumble of Sherman will preside
over tho affairs of the corporations
committee.
Names a Bank Examiner
Governor Neville has appointed one
state bank oxumlner and two inspec
tors in tho state fire insurance com
missioner's ofllco. He has named
Charles White of Sutherland ns a
bank examiner. No vacancy in "the
list of nino state -bank examiners has
been announced, but It is supposed
that tho appointment of Mr. White
moans that the governor will consider
all of tho examlnerships vacant and
will proceed to reappoint or to namo
new examiners. Tho bonds' and com
missions of all examiners soon expire.
A short time before the end of Gov
ernor Morehead's term, S. M. Hall was
appointed examiner to take tho place
of E. N. Van Homo, who. had resigned
to go into tho banking business. Tho
othor eight examiners at the present
time aro S. M. Patterson, M. C. Wilde,
T. R. Riley, -E. E. Bennett, S. A. Lapp,
A. D. Touzalin, John Boatsman"and J.
H. Donnelly.
The women suffragists of Nebraska
will adc tho state legislature to give
them limited suffrago at tho present
session. An effort has been mado in
advance to ascertain the opinions of
the senators and representatives on
what is known as "presidential suf
frage," which means that tho once
weaker sex will bo given the right to
vote for all officers not named in tho
state constitution.
This bars their voting for governor
And Btate officers and judges of courts,
but opens the gates to their casting of
ballots for presidont and vice presi
dent, congressmen and municipal offi
cers.
Tho women who have been interest
ing themselves In tho matter feel very
much encouraged over tho attitude of
the legislators, although opposition
has boen encountered in both bodies.
May Limit Druggists 8ales
While no official action has yet been
taken by the committee of lawyers
that has been engaged in drafting tho
Nobraska dry federation prohibition
law, a practical agreement has boen
reached whoreby tho bill will bo
changed to conform to the wishes of
the druggists, and that it will shoulder
upon them the task of supplying tho
needs of the communities in the mat
tr of alcohol. In other words, their
sales will be limited to alcohol, and all
beer, wines and brandy will bo cut
out.
This agreement was reached in a
meeting; with the officers of tho state
pharmaceutical association.
Proposes New Game Laws
Superintendent W. J. O'Brien of tho
state fisheries has filed a report with
tho chief gamo warden In which ho
recommends the following changes In
the game laws:
Open season on black bass from
April 1 to Juno 1, insto'ad of April 1 to
November 16. Fix size limit at which
channel cat, croppio and striped perch
may bo legally taken. Prohibit setn
ing of minnows for bait purposes ox-
cept in running streams, and impose a
Hevero penalty for taking or destroy
ing lmmaturo fish.
Mursohel Takes Charge
Otto Murschol is at his new office
with the stato pure food commission,
where ho is the commissioner. Food
Commissioner Clarence E. Harman Is
sued a final statemont and retired. To
replace G. C. Turnlpsocd, the sccro
tary, who will become deputy county
clerk, Governor Neville has appointed
T. V. Thomas of Seward. Only one
chango is announced on tho staff of
Inspectors. To roplaco one who has
resigned, tho governor has appointed
O. IT. Nichols of Fairfield, who will be
in charge of tho dairy department.
DOM
HASTINGS MAN CHOSEN
John M. Teellng Elected to Carry
Votes to Washington.
John M. Teellng was chosen by Ne
braska's eight presidential electors to
carry their votes to Washington, D. C,
and cast them for Woodrow Wilson
for president and Thomas R. Marshall
for vico president. Tho selection camo
after what Is said to have been tho
longest period of balloting over In
dulged In by Nebraska electors. On
tho sixty-sixth ballot, after fivo hours
of almost continuous voting, Mr. Too-
99
GEORGE W. POTTS """"
Of Pawnee county, by acclamation
elected to succeed himself as chief
clerk of the house of representa
tives, state legislature.
ling "rocolved five of the eight votes
cast and was declared elected.
During tho first twenty-two ballots
Mr. Teellng alternated with Felix Gal
lagher of Rosalie In claiming tho
honor of being high man. During
most of that time one would poll three
votes and the other two, with tho
othor throo votes scattered among
the six other electors. On the twenty-
third ballot Mr. Teellng assumed tho
lead, and from then on to tho. Blxty-
sixth ho was never headed.
Henry Richmond Buys a Chair
Representative Henrv Richmond of
Douglas county is tho Doasessor of a
fine, leather-upholBtered oak swlvol
chair, which 13 conspicuous in tho
house chamber on account of Its su
perior appearance to the other furni
ture. Ho bought it himself and paid
$13 of his own money for it. Tho chair
has Mr. Richmond's namo painted on
the back.
"I had an nttack Of lunihnen rli?M
after coming to Lincoln and I couldn't
alt with comfort in the hard wooden
chair," explained Mr. Richmond. "So
I got an upholstered one. That's all
thero IB to it. I presumo thero will bo
no objection so long as I am paying
for it myself."
Results of Compensation-Act
The SUm Of $76.14?, wns tho linlm fnr
Industrial injuries in Nebraska under
the workmen's compensation act In tho
first eleven months of 1910, according
to the annual renort of r.nimr
missloner Coffey. Tho amount in 1915
6 A t Ann m
was me total number of re
ports filed with tho labor commission
er Was in 1S1R. rnmnn,l .olll.
4,082 in 1915. Thero was settlement
or six ratal cases in 1915, averaging
$1,041.46 for each case. Sixtonn fntnii.
ties in 1916 averaged $1,221.31 each.
Rural Life Conference
At a meeting of religious - interests
at tho university farm recently It was
decided that tho next annual rural llfo
conferenco should bo held thero Juno
4 to 15 Inclusive. This date was se
looted because It covers a nerlod dnr.
Ing which commencement exercises
win bo neld by educational institutions
and because many folks Interested in
the conference como to Lincoln for
commencement addresses.
J. F. Webster of St. Paul, now state
printer, performed his first official
act Friday morning. Ho signed the
namo of tho governor. Neville, and his
own, to tho first now voucher under
tho present administration, to roach
Stato Auditor Pool. It was for sta
tlonory from a Lincoln printing com
pany.
Wrestling, basketball and Indoor
track, with about 400 Cornhuskeru par
ticipating will bo tho sports schedule
at the university until the spring
months. Basketball will keep about
200 men busy. Tho varsity season
will commenco next week when the
Nebraska team will invade Iowa, play
Ing the small colloges there. Tho con
ference season is slated to start at
the end of tho month, with the Kansas
Agglos as Nebraska's opponents. Tho
latter school Is angry because Nebras
ka would not schedule a football game
at the end of tho 1917 season.
Over Half Million In Warrants
Warrants Issued in the office of
State Auditor W, II. Smith, for tho
month of December, totalled $626,
719.90 over a half a million dollars-
according to his monthly report Just
mado public. Of this sum $250,825.75
was from the general fund, in 2,389
warrants. Tho largest other item was
$85,1G5.53 from the normal school
fund. The sum of $76,784,79 wont to
tne university tunci, ?3u,2U7.U9 to unl
vcrslty cash, and $30,443.02 to special
university building.
CONDENSED NEWS
OF INTEREST TO ALL.
DATES FOR COMING EVENTS.
Jan. 24-25 Nebraska Lcaguo of Muni.
legalities convention nt Hastings.
Feb. 7-8-9 Nebraska Retail Lumber
Dealors' Association Convention a
Omaha.
Fobruary 15 Stato Volloyball Con
test at York,
Fobruary 20-21 Nobraska Clothlora
Association Meeting at Omalin.
Fob. 20 to March 3 Omaha Automo
bile Show.
March 5 to 10 First Annual Auto
Show at Lincoln.
March C to 10 Mid-West Cement
Show and Convention at Omaha.
It Was decided by tho commltteo In
chargo of tiio national swino show,
which Is to bo held in Omaha October
3 to 10, to glvo $10,000 In ensh prizes
this year. This will bo divided be
tween tho Chostcr Whites, Durocs,
Borkshircs, Poland-Chlnaa and Hamp
sliiroe. P. F. Poteraon, president of tho U
P. Steam Baking company, at Omaha,
declared tho war has caused mon
than 1,500 bakerlcB throughout the
United States to suspend business,
and ho estimated that fully as many
more aro on tho vorgo of bankruptcy
now.
Tho Dodgo county board of supervis
ors cut tho total estimates for tho ex-
penso ot running tho business of tho
county for tho coming year $26,000 as
compared with last year's figures. Tho
decrcaso Is in the general brldgo anr
drainage funds. Tho total estimate Is
$145,000.
A teacher-parents' club has been
organized at Noligh. Tho purposo o'
tho club Is to attain closor co-opor-atlon
between paronts and toachers.
which is pxpectcd to materially aid
tho pupils in every lino of study.
Word has been received at Beatrice
from Llano Grande, Tex., to tho effect
that tho Fifth Nobraska regiment,
now doing duty on the border, had
been quarantined for diphtheria at
camp headquarters.
Fremont citizens aro agitating the
question of a new union depot fo.r the
city. Efforts will bo made to Induce
the Union Pacific to spend a part of
the 1917 budget In Improving its sys
tem and property in Fremont. s
Nearly twice as many miles of road
woro graded in Lancaster county last
year than during tho previous twelve
months. The total waa 412, while dur
ing tho year 1915 it was only 270.
Over a million and a half dollars in
sales was mado by tho Dempster Mill
company of Boatrlco during 191G,
moro thnn $100,000 above tho previous
year.
An embargo on freight shlpmonts
over the Union Pacific .lines which
has tied up more than 500 cars in the
Omaha and Council Bluffs yards slnco
Dccomber 26, has been lifted.
Wolves havo been doing consider
able damage In Gage county and the
farmers aro making plans to hold a
big circle hunt. Many chickens and
pigs havo boon killed by the wolves
Tho Dcshlor Coffee Mills company
has been organized at Dcshlor with a
capital stock of $100,000. A two-story
building to houso tho concern 1b to
bo constructed.
Bonds to tho sum of $25,000 will
probably bo voted upon by tho people
of Fremont at tho spring election for
tho purposo of building a now auditor
ium.
Lincoln is Boon to havo a. new man
ufacturlng concern. Gooch Food Prod
ucts company has filed articles of in
corporation, with a capital stock of
$300,000.
At a primary to select a popular
candldato for postmaster at Peters
burg Emll H. Mack got 222; John B
Cameron, 155, and Gcorgo Probst, 81
Richardson county, after being un
dor tho township form' ot government
for thirty years, 1b now back to tho
old system of commissioner form.
Two hundred and Boventy-ono mar
riage licenses were granted In Adams
county during 1916 as compared with
245 tho previous year.
Eleven thousand dollars was tho
price paid for 82 acres of land in Fil
moro county recently.
Tho old Peter Jansen ranch of 640
acres near Jansen, was sold recently
for $86,000.
Two Wolbach women woro ordorcd
by Judgo Woodrough of Grand Island
to pay to the United States funds
loaned them shortly after the begin
nlng of tho European war. Tho la
dies in question wero In Germany
when aided by tho government.
Mrs. Myrtlo McClellen and James
Emklno wero lined Jointly tho sum of
$2,325.20 by District Judge Grimes at
North Platto for the violation of Ne
braska liquor laws. Tills is said to bo
tho heaviest-fine over administered In
Lincoln county for such an offence.
General Joseph R. Webster, attor
ney general of Nobraska In pioneer
days, and former resident ot Lincoln
died In Washington, D, C, a few days
ago. Gen. Webster had n wide ac
qualntanco throughout tho state.
Jerry Kean, n farmer living south
wont of Stella, has lost nlno head of
horses recently, death being due, it Is
thought, to somo form of acuto pols
onlng.
Charles W. Kaloy, a well known clt
li.en of Red Cloud, prominent In pollt
leal clrclcfl and wOrld-wlde traveler,
died In Los Angeles, Cal.
Through a co-operntlvo plan, m-n I
hkuu uy miss usuicr wnrnur, oowmu
J - i . I .r " .l I
county agent, tho members of tho
Seward County HotnchMnkora' asso
ciation realized 30 per cent moro than
regular market price for dressed poul
try during tho Christmas trado.
Names of purchasers wore secured by
Miss Warnor in Omaha, Lincoln and
othor largo towns in tho stato and th
produco waa Bent direct to tho con.
sumor by parcel post, C. O. D. from a
convenient marketing placo in tho
county. Plans aro under way for a
series of poultry meetings through
out tho county In tho near future.
Tho official figures Just compiled by
tho several livo stock markets of tho
country for tho year 1916 Bhow that
Omaha la unquestionably tho second
market In tho country. Chicago la
still nt tho head of tho list. It is con
tended from thno to tlmo In Kansas
City that tho market thero is tho sec
ond largest in tho country. Tho fig
ures show that In 1916 Omaha receiv
ed 7,722,032 head of stock and Kansns
City received 7,067,575. Theso figures
"how that Omaha received 654,457
head of stock moro than tho contend
er for second placo. Chicago stands
firmly In first placo with 10,729,048.
It has bcon definitely decided that
tho 1917 National Swino Show will bo
hold nt Omaha, tho dates being Octo
ber 3 to 10. Tho show will again bo
staged In tho big barn at tho South
Omaha stock yards. A now tcaturo
will bo added to tho show this year.
Thero will bo night exhibitions. This
was ono of tho fow defects of lnBt
year's show.
Four hundred and fifty farmers and
business men of Gago county havo
lodged a protest .with tho County
Board of Superlvsors against paying
tho salary of tho farm demonstrator.
Nearly as many favor tho county pay.
Ing tho demonstrator nnd January 23
has been Bot as tho date for hearing
boV sides of tho case.
Falls City A. O. U. Vv. niembo
aro greatly agitated over tho in
crease In rates voted at tho grand
lodge mooting at Omaha. Many ol
ho older mon will bo compelled to
drop thoir membership nnd many of
ho younger mon will drop out
through sympnthy for tho older men,
Tho Fremont Milling plant Is work
ing on a 5,000-barrel order of flout
that will bo shipped to Chicago for uso
In making unleavened broad. It will
require over thrco wccJis, with the
lnnt running night and day, to com
plete tho order. Tho broad is caton
by Jewish pcoplo during tho feast of
ho paoBover.
Tho farmers of Dodgo county plan
on doing considornblo ditching tho
coming season. Two now ditching
machines costing $2,000 and $2,300
each, havo been purchased, ono by
Lewis Bros., tho othor by Loo Morley.
Both parties havo largo contracts for
work, beginning in tb. spring.
Tho Hastings Chamber of Com
merce hns advised Stato Senator Wal
ter E. Hager that Hastings will glvo
twenty acres of well located ground
for .a building site for a now stato
eapitol on tho condition that tho cap
ital of Nebraska Bhall bo moved from
Lincoln to Hastings.
Val Peters, publisher of tho Omaha
Trlbuno, has purchasod the Platto
River Zoltung, tho only German nowa
papor in Dodgo county. Tho papot
was . published at Fremont and was
established In 1885. Mr. Petors will
consolidate tho Zeltung with his
Omaha Journal.
Tho cost of running Lancaster
county for 1917 will bo $74,500 higher
than last year, according to tho ostl
niato adopted by tho county commis
sioners providing for expenditures of
$400,000. Tho 1916 budget waa
$380,000.
A campaign has been launched to
Increaso tho Hastings colloge endow
ment fund to $500,000.
Tho Nobraska grand lodgo of tho
Anclont Order of -United Workmen
adopted tho national fraternal con
gress schedulo of rates, which will
mean a general increaso on all mem
bers, at a meeting In Omaha, "The
now rates will bo oven higher than
thoso Imposed in 1915, which wore
found Inadoquato. Provision has
been made for a reduction from
$2,000 to a $1,500 policy.
Seventy-eight head of cattle wore
sold for an avcrago of $775 a head
at tho Mouscl Brothers salo near
Cambridge.
Coal at cost Is being sold to the
peoplo of Falls City by city authori
ties. The new Masonic building at Al
liance is nearing completion. Alllanco
Masons declare they will havo ono of
tho finest lodgo buildings in western
Nebraska when this work is finished,
Tho structure represents an outlay ol
$30,000.
According to figures compiled by
n Lincoln newspaper the Capital City's
valuation has doubled In the last
twelvQ ycarH. In the year 1905 tho
total valuation was $38,600,000; In
tho year Just closed It Jumped to
$70,000,000.
Frank A. Anderson,, grand mastor
workman, Iibb appointed R. O. Man
noil, cashier of the Merchants' Na
tional bank of Nobraska City, grand
treasurer of tho A. O. U. W. of Ne
braska to fill the vacancy caused by
tho death of E. L. Dodder of Omaha,
Tho mortgage record for tho past
year In Gage county shows that a to
tal of 314 farm mortgages woro fllod
aggregating $995,250.09, and 343 re
leased, aggregating $895,614,37.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm, Young, of Brock,
rocontly colobrated thoir sixty-first
wedding Anniversary.
I PORK" BILL
0PP0NENT8 OF PUBLIC BUILD.
ING MEA8URE SAY MANY PROJ.
ECTS ARE NEEDLE8S.
Congress Wants to Make Big Appro
prlatlons but Has Trouble Getting
Its Courage Screwed Up to the
Sticking Point
By GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington. Congress dares ono
dny nnd does not daro tho next. Tho
majority gets Its courage screwed up
apparently to tho sticking point and
then something comes to make it re
cedo rapidly. Congress wants to pass
the omnibus buildings bill while tho
president, It is said, does not want It
to pass, uitd one day It makes up Its
.mind to pass It und the next day It
changes its mind.
Yenrs ago the nnmo "pork" was giv
en to each of two measures which
como yearly beforo congress, the pub
lic buildings bill nnd tho rivers nnd
hurhors hill. It Is needless, of course,
to say that many of tho buildings for
whoso erection provisions havo been
made, nml many of tho rivers und har
bors for whoso Improvement money
.has been voted, havo heen necessary
for tho good of the country.
Tho charge, however, from both
Democrats nml Republicans all over
the United States Is that proper dis
crimination is not made by congress
between tho good and bad propositions
contained In these measures. Tho
friends of such legislation ulwuya
spring to Its 'defense. Tho row has
been going on for. years.
It hns been pretty well understood
this year Unit President Wilson does
not want his party In congress to pass
the public buildings bill as It Is nt pres
ent written. It calls for saS.OOO.OOO
for the erection of federal buildings In
different parts of the country. The
necessity of economy Is urged by somo
members of- both parties In houso und
senate as n reason for withholding con
sideration from the bill as It has been
presented. Its proponents declare that
every Item In tho bill la Justifiable.
Tho strugglo Is on. If tho bill passes
it Is said that the president stands
ready to veto It, but this, of course, Is
a matter for future consideration.
417 Projects In Bill.
Tho total number of projects pro
vldcd for In the measure Is 417 with
authorizations amounting to $!i3,7U4,
700. Public buildings and their con
structlon are under tho control of the
treasury department, tho secretary of
which In his estimates asks for au
thorizations of money for building pur
poses. In tho present public building
bill the names of 01 towns and vil
lages nppour of which the treasury do
partmeiit mado no mention In its re
port. In other words, congress, acting
on Its own behalf, has gono far beyond
tho estimates submitted by Secretary
McAdoo.
Tho officials of tho government this
yenr hnvo said that nearly one-fourth
of tho entiro building appropriation
Is needless, unwise and extravagant
On ,tho other hand, tho members of
congress who dcslro that theso build
lugs shall bo erected say that it is due
to tho pcoplo of tho smaller towns In
tho country that Undo Sam should be
represented throughout the land by
proper buildings and by adequate facll
Itlcs for nil his purposes nnd that If
the building Is too big tho needs of tho
plnccs will grow to meet It. Tho bnsls
of tho argument really Is, however,
that as all the pcoplo aro taxed for nil
tho federal buildings that tho smaller
places should be given recognition und
that Undo Sam loses nothing by keep
Ing his ncphnws and nieces satisfied
Want Parks Made Accessible.
A conferenco has Just closed in
Washington which brought together a
surpassingly Interesting group of men
nnd women. It was tho National Parks
conference.
Thero aro many congresses or con
ferenccs, call them what you will, In
Washington every year, but perhaps
mora thnti nil tho others thero at
taches to tho National Parks Confer
ence whnt may bo culled tho higher
human Interest. The object of this
conference Is to Influcnco public opln
Ion In favor of national pnrks, nnd to
urgo tho necessary legislation to mnlco
tho parks nccesslblo to tho people of
tho country, to maintain them In
all their original beauty nnd gran
dour and to endeavor to find ways
nnd means to securo nn "ceo
nomlc hospitality" within their limits
for Americans who nre not blessed
with great riches. In other words, tho
effort is to mako tho national parks
truly national playgrounds.
Let us tnko ono of tho meetings of
this nnd enter the doors. It Is even
lug nnd on tho walls of tho great hull
In tho National Museum aro hanging
tho wonderful pictures painted by
American artists nnd setting forth tho
glories of color, of sky, mountain, treo
nnd valley of tho national parks of
America, Tho most nmous of our ar
tists hero are represented.
Gathered to look at the pictures nnd
to listen to tho addresses from sclen
tfsts, educators nnd nature lovers on
tho value of tho parks to tho peoplo,
aro men nnd women whose names aro
known In scientific, nrt nnd educn
tlonal circles generally throughout tho
world. In addition hero nro men In
forested In the outdoor life, In tho
preservntlon of tho big game, of birds,
nnd of tho fish of tho country in order
that tho peoplo may benefit economic
ally nnd that tho wild llfo may bo nro
served within tho limits of Its natural
ranges.
Hero Is Chnrlns D. Wnlcott, secre
tary of Uio Smithsonian Institution,
ono of tho best-known geologists of
tho world, nnd n scholar of high stand
ing in other branches of tho sciences.
When ho wns n boy Chnrles D. Wnl
cott used to tnko n llttlo hammer nnd
wnndor through tho gorges nnd ravines
of tho foothills of tho Adirondack In
Central Now York, chipping oft sped
mens of rock to ndd to the llttlo cabi
net which ho kept In his homo. Ho
wns n boy enthusiast, nnd his enthus
iasm lasting, ho persevered In his stu
dies nnd his writings nnd finally ho
became ono of tho world's noted sci
entists. Hero also Is Dr. T. S. Palmer In
chargo of tho work of gamo preserva
tion In tho biological survey. Doctor
Palmer perhaps moro than any other
man ts responsible for the legislation
looking to tho federal protection of
migratory gamo birds. He knows nil
about wild nntmnls' sanctuaries nnd
nbout tho continued prevnlenco hero
nnd there of tho various species.
Here Is Knos Mills who lives either
In or nt tho edgo of tho Rocky Mountain
Nntlonnl park In Colorado. Ills writ
ings aro known throughout tho land.
Hero Is Mrs. John Dickinson Sher
man, conservation chairman of tho
General Federation of Women's clubs,
n grcnt organization of women which
Is working for the establishment of
national parks and for their mainte
nance forever for tho pcoplo of tho
country.
Hero Is Stephen T. Mather stnndlng
by tho side of Secretary of tho Interior
Franklin K. Lane who Is his linincdlnto
chief. Ever slnco he camo Into ofllco
Mr. Mather hns given his cntlro time
nnd energy to tho development of tho
parks and to tho furtherance of plnns
to mako them nccesslblo to the pcoplo.
Hero Is Orvillo Wright, tho nvlator,
who Is to talk on air routes to tho na
tional parks, and hero nro dozens of
others, nil kcenly Interested In tho
grent works of nature..
Tho men nnd women who nro gath
ered at this National Parks Confer
enco nro tho men nnd voracn who do
things In this world.
Gossip Busy Ovcr,"Leak."
A leak ordinarily Is understood to bo
a small thing, but the recent lenk In
this capital city actually Inundated tho
town with excitement.
Tho chargo that somebody In nd-
vanco of tho president's peace noto told
stock speculators that It was to be
expected, has been exploited protty
thoroughly in tho press. Washington
is n gossipy place, nnd within 21 hours
stories wero nflont Hint this man or
that man, tho names being given, was
responsible for giving nwny tho admin
istration's secrets and for making some
millions in Wall street for one set of
speculators aud losing thorn for an
other. In tho sennto of tho United States
tho chairman of tho commltteo on for
eign relations said flatly that ho 'be
lieved that tho leak hud como from the
stato department nnd ho Intimated that
ho thought It camo from employees
holding high und confidential positions.
This statement of Senator Stono sot
tho gosslos' tongues wngglng once
more, but It relieved tho anxieties of
certain Innocent persons not In the
stnto department whom scandal-loving
Washington hnd charged by word of
mouth from ono person to another
with being responsible for tho betrayal
of state sccrots. ,
It Is criminal for ono charged with
news gathering to Jump nt conclusions
In this town. Men gossip nnd women
gossip, and you can hear anything that
you want to or do not want to nbout
this man or that man, and oven nbout
this woman or that woman, nnd the
moro prominent In official or social life
tho person Is tho more certain It Is
that things that ought not to be said
will bo said.
Gossips Busy Over Leak.
Tnko tho lenk case. Ono heard at
every street corner nnd In every hotel
cprrldor In tho city of Washington that
u certain man of high official position,
whoso name was given, hnd met anoth
er man whoso namo wns given, at a
certain plnco and at n certain time,
ono located definitely, nnd tho othor
given to tho minute, nud had tipped
htm tho pcaco noto sccrot.
A llttlo Inquiry showed that tho offi
cial of the government hnd not met the
man nnd hnd not been nt tho plnco
mentioned at any tlmo, let nlono nt the
hour set for tho meeting when u trust
was said to havo been betrayed.
Tho plan for tho writing of tho pence
noto wns In President Wilson's mind
for thrco weeks. Ho said so at tho
tlmo that thero wns an Intimation ho
had put It out suddenly In order to
hnvo it appear colncldentnlly or almost
colucldcntnlly with tho German noto
suggesting that peuco might bo hnd ou
certain terms. When n stnto paper is
being prcpnred tho stato department
and tho Whlto Houso arc, of, course, In
communication ono with another and
of tho very necessities in tho case nt
least half a dozen nnd sometimes a
dozen men know something ubout tho
matter. Thero nro records to bo con
sulted, precedents to bo studied and
then, of course, thero Is tho writing nnd
tho typewriting, all of which Involves
tho Inclusion In tho "secret clrclo" of
employees.
It seems to bo generally ndmltted
that there was u leak somowhero nlong
tho plpo lino of Information. Thero
have been leaks beforo In the history of
tho United Stntes government Cer
tain parts of tho presidents' messages
huvo been known In places whore thoy
ought not to bo known prior to the
dato of release, A foreshadowing of
whnt tho president was going to say
In his mcssago on somo mutter of mo
ment has affected stocks In Wsti street