NOIITH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
PANAMA CANAL
SHOWS PROFIT
Closes the Best Year, Financially,
in Its Six Years of
Operation.
Judge Landis Dictator of Baseball
MARKED GROWTH IN TRAFFIC
General Harding, Governor r Canal,
In Report Predicts Revenue of
Over $5,000,000 Annually
Soon,
Washington. The Pnnnmn cnnnl
tins closed the best year, financially,
In ItH six years of operation, with nn
excess of $2,387,500 In revenue over
the expense of operation nnd muln
tenniicc. Hrlg. Gen. Chester Harding, gover
nor of the Panama canal, predicted
In IiIh annual report to the secretary
of war, that within n reasonable peri
od of normal world condition, tho
canal will earn nn actual prollt on Its
cost, which has been $300,050,000, ex
clusive of expenditures for Its mili
tary nnd ynval defense. In the mean
time, the general added, the canal Is
performing nn Important commercial
service by stimulating American trade
with the west coast of South America
nnd the Orient. More than 25 per
cent of the cargo handled through
the canal since Its opening was In
transit between the United States un,d
South Amerlcu, and 14 per cent wan
botween the Atlantic const of. the Uni
ted States and the Orient.
Traffic Has Increased.
Within the six years of operation,
General Harding's report said, there
hits been a marked increase In trnfllc
through the cnnnl notwithstanding the
fact that tho World war Interfered
with tho normal development of ocean
going commerce. After the entry of
MILLION A YEAR
CLASS LOST 74
Internal Revenue Statistics,
However, Show Decrease In
Taxable Incomes.
MERA6E TAX PAID S254.8S
Personal Returns Filed During 1918
Numbered 4,425,144, and Tax, Both
Normal and Surtax, Was
$1,127,721,035.
Washington, D. O. Despite tho loss
of 74 members of tho country's million-a-yenr
Income dues, the taxublo In
come of tho United States Increased
In 1018 by ovor $2,272,000,000, as coin
pared with 1017, according to tho In
come statistics Issued by the bureau
o.f'lntornnl revenue.
Income reported for 1018 amounted
to $15,024,030,350, against about $13,
700,000,000 In 1017, though 141 persons
tiled returns for Incomes of $1,000,000
or over In 1017 and only 07 In 1018.
Average Tax Paid $254.05.
Personal returns filed during 1018
numbered 4,420,114 nnd tho tax, both
normal and surtax, amounted to
$1,127,721,835, tho average tax forench
individual being $254.85. As compared
with 1017 a growth of 052,234 was
Angry Farmer Hanged J
Balky Horse; Fined $25 ,
As a punishment for balking,
t Edward Ilyrne, u farmer of J
J Crutn Elbow, N. Y., tied one end p
t of a ropo around the neck of
ono of his horses, throw tho t
t ropo over a tree limb and fast- J
' ened the other end to the bridle
t of nnother horse, which became J
frightened nnd pulled so bard
thnt It strangled Its mato to J
J death, Members of the S. P. t
0. A. Investigated and Byrno,
J pleading guilty, wus fined $25. t
4
TEDDY BEAR SAVES CHILD
Clasped In Her Arms, Toy Shields
Body From Wheel of
Automobile,
Defiance. A fuzzy, brown Teddy
benr which sho held clasped In her
nrniB, probably assisted In saving tho
life of the four-year-old daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Alvert Degler. As tho
father backed his automobile out of
the garage ono of tho rear wheolB
passed over tho body of tho llttlo girl.
Sho was still holding the Teddy benr
In her arniH when picked up. The
wheel of tho car nlso passed over the
toy bear, which shielded the child's
body, indications are that the girl
will recover.
Take the 8afes With Them.
Lafayette, Ind. Thore'B a new out
door sport In Indiana, It consents of
stealing safes and hauling them uwny
from the More, to bo opened at leis
ure. A lot of yeggs have becomo ex
ports. Kdwnrd Spunglcr of West
fionora found his safe In n field, ufter
It hud been rifled of $250. '
Kpderal Judge K. M. Landis bus accepted the position of chairman of tpo
board or control of organized buHoball, but will remain on the bench. Ills pay
for tho new work will bo $12,500 a year. He Is here shown signing tho agree
ment with the magnates.
the United States Into the war there
was n decrease In commercial tralllc,
due to the diversion of certain lines
of ships to the transatlantic service,
but this was more than offset by tho
Increase In trpflic growing out of the
war, chiefly on account of the de
velopment of the nitrate trudo with
tho Pacific coast of South America.
I niuittiuulnrr Mwt ittiiminf if mnncv iV
pended by the United States on the
cnnnl, Governor Harding snld:
"In the year 2,745 vessels passed
through the canal, of which 2,478 were
commercial transits. Tolls and other
revenues amounted to $8,035,871, while
current expenses of operation nnd
mnlntennnce totaled to $0,548,272. The
excess of revenue this year reduced
shown In the number of returns tiled.
The Increase In the total tax was
$434,228,881.
Returns for Incomes of $500,000 to
$1,000,000 were filed by 178 persons,
while 1,510.038 persons filed returns
for Incomes from $1,000 to $2,000. In
comes from $2,000 to $3,000 were
shown on 1,400,878 returns, and there
were 010,005 returns on $3,000 to
$4,000 n year Incomes.
For Incomes of $5,000 to $10,000,
810,350 returned nnd from Incomes of
$10,000 to $15,000 there were 00.002
returns. More than 30,000 persons
tuado returns on Incomes from $15,000
to $20,000, nnd 10,000 on Incomes from
$20,000 to $25,000, while 0,000 persons
reported Income of from $50,000 to
$100,000 and 2,358 mnde returns for
Incomes between $100,000 and $150,-
000.
Those Paylnp the Most.
Tho largest tnx, amounting to $147,
428,055, was collected on Incomes from
$50,000 to $100,000, with $142,448,070
collected on Incomes from $10,000 to
$25,000 coming next. Incomes between
$1,000 and $2,000 pnld $20,481,000.
The number of wives filing separate
returns from their husbnnds was 35,-
042, the Income represented being
$333,218,740.
Of the Industrial groups from which
Income was derived agricultural nnd
related Industries led, with 372,330 re
turns, reporting a total net Income of
$1,122,532,103. ,
Income derived from Investments
for the yenr was $4,847,014,X)00. Hcnts
and royalties paid $075,070,000; inter
est on bonds, notes, etc, Including fidu
ciaries and foreign sources, $1,403,
485,001; and dividends, $2,408,740,211.
Pays for Slow Time.
Montgomery, Ala., Tho Louisville
& Nashville railroad must pay Mrs.
Kllen Carey of Decatur, Ala., $500, be
cause the clock In tho railroad station
at Decatur was slow. Sho was ac
companying the body of a son, and
missed her train becnuso tho clock
was four minutes behind time. Sho
sued for $3,000. The court figured
that her anxiety wus worth $500.
WHEN MADRID IS GAY
Presence of King in Town Causo
of Wonderful Spectacle.
Brilliant Dally Display In the Palace
Yard as the Guard Is
Changed.
Madrid. Moro color Is to bo seen ,
In the palaco yard of Madrid when j
King Alfonso Is In residence than
lb to be found In nny other part of
Spnln. Tho mllltnry spectnele nlono
Is brilliant, with tho striking uniforms
of red ami blue hussars, the dark blue
of the artillerymen and the red trou
sers and blue tunics of the Infantry
as tho old nnd new guards face each
other at 10 o'clock, with the Hags un
furled In the center and the two regl
mentnl bands drawn up In circles play
ing martini airs.
Tho customary brilliant sunshine
mnkes the fixed' bayonets and un
Bhcuthcd swords flush In the air us the
to $2,231,001 the excess of expense
nnd maintenance over revenues for
the six years the canal has been In
operation,"
At the rate of revenue this year It
is expected that by June 30, 1021, tho
collections for tolls nnd other cnnnl
revenues will exceed by $1,000,000 or
niore the total current expenses of
operation and maintenance from the
opening to thnt date, after which, the
canal authorities argue, there should
be nn e'-ess of $5,000,000 or more
each yeat
Auxiliary Services Utilized.
The auxiliary services of the canal
have been largely utilized and ure
of great value in carrying out tho
policy of making It attractive In' all
of the Incidental services that are
considered by shipping Interests In
routing their vessels, General Hard
ing said, adding thnt It has not been
the purpose to make larger profits on
these activities, but rather to regulate
the charges so, as safely to cover tho
cost. From these miscellaneous serv
ices the receipts for the yenr were:
Coal. $0,032,578;' water, $55,412; oil,
groceries and miscellaneous supplies,
$1,274,500, and mechnntcal repairs to
ships, $3,803,033.
BOY, 12, STARTLES SINGERS
Another Prodigy Reaches Highest Note
Ever. Reached by the Hu
man Voice.
New York. Among boy prodigies
Edward Itochlc Hnrdy, 12-year-old
Columbln freshman, mny boast the
mastery of ' n dozen Innguages, nnd
Samuel Rzeschewskl, 0-year-old Pol
ish chess wizard, recently checkmated
nineteen. West Point strategists In a
row but neither of them can sing.
Robert Murray, 12, of Tacotna,
Wash., can. Recently before n
group of famous Metropolitan stars.
Including Mine. Frances Alda, who
"discovered" the youth last summer,
Murray not only renched w.lth ease
tho high notes in arias of Galll-Curcl
and Tetrnzzinl fame, but, to tho as
tonishment of his bearers, he trans
posed those high notes to a higher
key and breathed them with equal
facility anil resounnce. The singers
who heard the performance asserted
that this was the highest note ever
renched by the human voice.
Lightkeeper 72 Hours
Alone With Dead Wife
Midland, Ont. Held to his
post by tho menacing storm
which raged on I.nke Huron,
though nearly prostrated by the
death of his wife, for 22 yours
his solo companion, Alfred II.
Grlfllths, keeper of tho light
house on "Giant's Tomb," stood
solltury vigil over his lights and
his dead for threo days and
nights.
After the storm subsided, he
summoned help from the main
land, 12 miles away.
various units carry out the smnrt mill,
tary exercises.
Thousands of clvlllnns, mostly visi
tors to Madrid, gather around the pre
cincts of the palace to wntch the suee-
tacle. Numbers of them are from tho
Spanish provinces, and their bright
shnwls nnd scarves mixed with tho
more prosaic dross of the Madrllenlnns
form u lit setting to the bright pic
ture.
Kurt her details are added by tho
Itinerant venders of peanuts and hot
butter rolls and other delicacies loved
by the children, who under the eye
of their nursemaids In their pictur
esque costumes of varied hues run
hither and thither.
Sometimes the king himself comes
out on the balcony to salute his guard
and then all Is hushed while ho faces
the regimental flags, and after bow
ing his head rulses his hand to hit)
kopl.
The picture Is on view for about
uu hour every uuuning.
ADVANTAGES OF MOTOR TRUCK
Save Much Time In Hauling Materials
to and From Farm Big Draw
back Is Poor Roads.
According to nn Investigation Into
the worth and service of motor trucks
on eastern arms, specialists In the
United States Department of Agricul
ture find that motor trucks, us com
pared to horses nnd wagons, Inst year
saved from one-half to two-thirds of
the time required for hauling mate
rials to and from the farms. This In
formation was gleaned from study of
reports from 753 fnrms, and they
showed further that trucks ranging In
size from one-half ton to flvo tons
were In use, with nbout half of them
of the one ton size.
An Interesting fact obtained from a
study of these reports is that about
one-fourth of those reporting hnve
changed their markets for at least a
part of their produce. Instead of
patronizing their old markets at an
average distance of seven miles from
home, they go to better markets lo
cated at an average dlstunce of 20
miles away. During the yenr these
trucks traveled an average of 3,820
miles at costs ranging from eight
cents .a ton tuilo for the one-half ton
trucks to 20 cents a ton mile for the
two ton size.
Tho average cost of huullng crops,
with the driver's time valued at 50
cents nn hour nmounted to 50 cents a
ton mile with half ton trucks, 34 cents
for throe-fourths ton trucks and de
creasing to 18 centn a ton mile for the
two ton kind. Along with these costs,
four-fifths of those reporting stntqd
thnt their trucks decreased their ex
pense for hired help, this decrease
averaging $324 n year.
The prlncipnl disadvantage of the
motortruck, according to tills Investi
gation, was poor roads. It Is stated
thnt there are nbout eight weeks dtir-
Mud, Snow, Etc., Hold Motor Trucks
Back.
ing the year when the ronds are In
such condition, because of mud, snow,
etc., thnt motor trucks ennnot be
used, as the roads over which three
fourths of the trucks had to travel
were unpuved dirt roads. But In spite
of bnd roads the nverage life of the
trucks was placed at GVa to 7 years,
and the Inrgost single Item of expense
In connection with their operation was
that of depreclatl6n.
Most of tho owners of the one-hnlf
nnd three-fourths ton trucks prefer
pneumatic tires, the owners of ono
ton are nbout half divided between
pneumatic and solid tires., while those
owning Inrger trucks were favorable
to the solid tires.
CHIEF BENEFITS BY FARMER
Lower Cost of Transportation, Wltl
Better Markets and Higher
Prices for Products.
Perhaps one of the chief benefits
which will be derived by the farmer
from the construction of good ronds
through his particular district Is that
of an lncrensed production coupled
with a better market and higher price
for his goods nnd n lower cost of
transportation. All of these things go
hand In hnnd with the construction
of good ronds and all of them hnve
sound economic rensons nt their base,
GOOD ROADS HELP CHILDREN
Larger Percentage of Students 'Attend
Sohools Regularly Whero High
ways Are Improved.
Whlio It Is true that various factors
contribute to Increase or reduce the
attendance nt schools in given sections
of the country, It Is worthy of com
ment that In the stntes having n high
percentage of Improved roads a much
Inrger percentage of rural students
enrolled regularly attend the schools
than In the states having n smnll per
centage of Improved ronds.
Missouri Organizing.
Many of the county farm Imreouo
In Missouri are finding that the effec
tiveness of their organizations lt In
creased by forming "farm bureau cen
ters" or community clubs.
Good Scratching Material.
Lonves are cheap In the fall and
mnko splendid scratching material for
bedding tho poultry house floor.
Purebred Sire Is Best.
The purebred sire Is better than the
trade.
Supreme Court May
WASHINGTON. In n far-reaching
decision vitally affecting railroad
rate control In the several states, the
Interstate commerce commission hns
held thut Now York state passenger,
fares are discriminatory because they
are lower than Interstate fares and
ordering the Institution of the higher
Itilerstnte rates.
The decision, the most vital since
the celebrated Shreveport rate case
as affecting railroad control by the In
terstate commerce commission, means
a 20 per cent Increnso In all passen
ger fares In New York state, as well
us increases In bnggage chlirgcs, milk
nnd crenm rates and sUcptng car
fares. Action upon commutation fares
was postponed pending further In
quiry.
Orders entered by the Interstate
commerce commission overrule the
public service commission of New
Eight Years of a
CLOSE analysis of the results of the
recent senatorial election dis
closes the fact that the Republicans
hnve clinched their hold upon the sen
ate for at least eight years, according
to party experts. It Is doubtful wheth
er even In 12 years the Democrats can
win n sufllclent number of scats from
the Republicans to give them n ma
jority, unless there should be n com
plete landslide in stntes now solidly
Republican.
This Is due to the geographical ar
rangement of tho senators In the or
der In which they retire; Those who
retire In 1023 nnd 1025 happen to be
from states so situated that all the
Republicans who come up for re-eloc-tlon
are practically certain to suc
ceed themselves, It Is claimed, while
the retiring Democrats are from
states In which the election of Repub
licans to succeed Democrats Is not un
likely.
In the 1023-1024 elections the Re
publicans have a better chance than
(he Democrats to hold nil the seats
they now have and perhaps make fur
thelr gains.
The big shakeup, If It comes nt all.
will be In the 1020 election, when 25
Republicans nnd seven Democrats, win
ners In this year's election, must fight
again for their seats.
The parties are evenly divided ns
to numbers In the '32 senators whose
terms will be filled In the 1022 election.
New Kind of Corner
PLANS for n gigantic combine to
control the domestic and export
business In wheat, tentatively formu
lated by the committee of 17, appoint
ed by the national farm bureau's
federation, at n recent meeting
In Chlcngo, will tnke the form of
a co-operative association similar to
the Citrus Fruit Growers' association
of California. Unofficially, the fed
eral trade commission hns been ad
vising the committee of 17 to organ
ize tho new wheat trust.
In broad outline, the plan Is to form
a huge combine In which the Individ
ual farmers, or their various organiza
tions, shall be the shareholders. The
laws of Cullfornln are said to be par
ticularly favorable to such an organ
ization, and a committee hns been sent
there to study the sltuntlon. The
Horsefly Jars Soko's
SOKO soaked em. When nn off-season
horsefly lit on the nose of
Soko, educated chimpanzee In the
Washington zoo, he forgot his eight
years' training In purlor manners and
reverted to type.
Soko was enjoying n sumptuous Sun
day dinner when the horsefly In
truded, whereupon Soko henved his
water glass, knives nnd forks nt his
man wnlter, and smashed his chair
and table Into kindling ns a little fur
ther evldenco of dlsplcnsure.
When Soko arrived at his present
homo bis keeper started In to bring
him up In a gentlemanly manner. He
was carefully tutored In table eti
quette and high-class deportment gen
erally. Soko was nn npt pupil.
It was scarcely any time until bo
learned how to function nt tho dinner
tnble as gracefully and nonchalantly
ns the leading Beau Hrummcl nt an
afternoon ten.
Tucking his napkin In his shirt
front, ho would Intelligently gnze at
Have the Last Word'
York, which refused to approve or put
Into effect the higher fares, and over
ride the New York stnto law which
limits passenger fares to three cents.
Commissioner Eastman, In a long
dissenting opinion, set forth tho view
thnt tho interstate commerce commis
sion had stepped beyond the bounds
of Its powers and limitations In "the
majority opinion. He brought out
sharply the Issue of state rights In
volved In the question of state con
trol over Interstate commerce.
It Is probable that the case will bo
carriet" before the Supreme court for
decision, as all of the stato utility and.
public service commissions Joined wlthi
or stood behind tho New York publlc
servlco commission In fighting the Is
sue of national power or control over
stnte transportation affairs.
When the Interstate commerce com
mission ordered a 40 per cent Incrense
In freight rates and a 20 per cent In
crease on passenger fares last August
all of the state commissions were
asked to make similar Increases. The
publlc service commission of New
York refused to Incrense tho passen
ger fnres, milk rates, sleeping car tolls:
and baggage rates because of a limit
ing stale law nnd alleged fnllure of
the railroads to show necessity. Oth
er states refused to approve some of
the charges.
Republican Senate?
' SENATE
Of the 10, Republicans whose terms,
txplre It Is difficult to figure how a.
single seat can be lost, while the Dem
ocrats will have a hard fight to re
tain the 10 on their side, according to
claims. The 10 Republicans are Colder
New York; Krance, Maryland; Fre
linghuysen. New Jersey; Hale, Maine;
Johnson, California ; Kellogg, Minne
sota ; Knox, Pennsylvania ; LaFollette..
Wisconsin ; Lodge, Massachusetts ; Mc
Cumber, North Dakota; McLean, Con
necticut; New, Indiana; Page, Ver
mont; Polndexter, Washington; Suth
erland, West Virginia, and Townsend,.
Michigan.
It will be observed that with the
possible exceptions of Maryland and:
West Virginia all these senntors whose
terms expire In this yenr are fron
stntes solidly Republican. The elec
tion of Republicans to nt l&ast 14 of
the seats Is therefore claimed with,
confidence.
on the Wheat Crop
wheat combine expects to be ready for
business In time to handle the 1021
crop. The scheme Is to contract with
the farmers, Individually or through
their co-operative elevator companies,
to purchnse their entire output for five
or seven years.
It Is estimated that the new combine
can control 51 per cent of tho wheat in
the first yenr, and subsequently be
able to contract for a larger percent
age each year as farmers find they
can obtnln better prices.
Objection was made at the Chicago
conference thnt such a monopoly
might run counter to the federal anti
trust law. To overcome this objection
the suggestion was put forward that
government should be made an ex-ofll-clo
member of the co-operative asso
ciation as the representative of the
consuming public.
The proponents of that Idea sug
gested that Inasmuch as the federal
trade commission Is to a certain ex
tent the guardian of the code of busl
ness morals crented under tho Clny
ton nnd the trade commission nets,,
the presence of Its representatives on
the board of directors of the combine
would be "Insurance" against prose
cution by the Department of Justice
under the anti-trust laws.
Company Manners
the menu nnd scrawl on elaborate or
der on a pad of paper. The use of
spoons, knives nnd forks seemed sec
ond nature with him. He could ring:
n bell for the waiter with the same,
hauteur as a bluso movie Idol,
But tho conventionalities of civiliza
tion lately novo dlsplensed tho rest
less Soko, nnd after this misbehavior
It has been decided to let him go back
to his every.dny life.
Soko lias as much strength ns two.
husky blacksmiths, and therefore It
was no effort to do a little smnshlng
lit - Ml, iff- v
lib -.vaca re r