'basis without which that civilization
cannot exist. We must show' fore
sight, we must look ahead. For the last
few years, through several agencies,
the government has been endeavoring
to get our people to look ahead and
to substitute a planned and orderly
development of our resources in place
-of a haphazard striving for immediate
profit.
Our great river systems should be de- ;
: v el oped as national water highways; :
: the Mississippi, with its tributaries, :
: standing first in importance, and the :
: Columbia second, although there are ;
: many others of importance on the Pa- :
: cific, the Atlantic? and the gulf slopes. ;
: The national government should under- :
: take this work, and I hope a beginning :
: will be made in the present congress; :
: and the greatest of all our rivers, the ;
: Mississippi, should receive especial at- :
: tention. :
From the great lakes to the mouth of
the Mississippi there should be a deep
water way. with deep waterways leading
from it to the east and the west. Such a
waterway would practically mean the ex
tension of our coast line Into the very
heart of our country. The government
dams should be used to produce hundreds
of thousands of horsepower as an inci
dent to improving navigation; for the an
nual value of the unused water pow’er of
the United States perhaps exceeds the an
nual value of the products of all our
mines. As an incident to creating the deep
waterway down the Mississippi, the gov
ernment should build along its whole
lower length levees which taken together
with the control of the headwaters, will
at once and forever put a complete stop
to all threat of floods in the immensely
fertile Delta region. I have appointed an
inland waterways commission to study
and outline a comprehensive scheme of
development along all the lines indicated.
Later I 6hall lay its report before the
congress.
Irrigation should be far more extensively
developed than at present, not only in the
states of the great plains and the Rocky
mountains, but in many others, as, for
Instance, in large portions of the south
Atlantic and gulf states, where it should
go hand in hand with the reclamation of
uwamp land.
Public Lands.
•signed to meet the needs of the fertile and
well-watered regions of the middle west
has largely broken down when applied to
the dryer regions of the great plains, the
mountains, and much of the Paciiie slope,
where a farm of 160 acres is inadequate
for self-support. In these regions the sys
tem lent itself to fraud, and much land
passed out of the hands of the govern
ment without passing into the hands of
the home-maker.
Some such legislation as that proposed
Is essential In order to preserve the great
stretches of public grazing land which
are unlit for cultivation under present
methods and are valuable only for the
forage which they supply. These
stretches amount In all to some 300,000,<HX)
acres., and are open to the free grazing of
•cattle, sheep, horses and goats, without
restriction. Such a system, or rather
such lack of system, moans that the
range is not so much used as wasted by
abuse. As the west settles the range be
comes more and more over-grazed. Much
of it can not be used to advantage unless
it is fenced, for fencing is the only way
by which to keep in check the owners of
nomad flocks which roam hither and
thither utterly destroying the pastures
and leaving a waste behind so that their
presence is incompatible with the pres
ence of home-makers. The existing
fences are al! illegal.
: The unlawful fencing of public lands :
: for private grazing must be stopped but :
: the necessity which occasioned It must :
: be provided for. The federal govern- :
: ment should have control of the :
: range, whether by permit or lease, as :
: local necessities may determine. Such ;
: control could secure the great benefit :
: of legitimate fencing, while at the :
: same time securing and promoting the :
: settlement of the country. In some :
: places It may be that the tracts of :
: range adjacent to the homesteads of :
: actual settlers should be allotted to :
: them severally or in common for the :
: summer grazing of their stock. Else- :
: where it may be thai a lease system :
; would serve the purpose ;the leases to :
: be temporary and subject to the righes :
: of settlement, and the amount charged :
: being large enough merely to permit :
: of the efficient and beneficial control :
: of the range by the government, and :
: of the payment to the county of the :
: equivalent of what it would otherwise :
: receive in iaxf:s. :
The destruction of the public range will
continue until some such laws as these
are enacted. Fully to prevent the fraud
in the public lands which, through the
Joint action 01 tho interior department
and Che department of justice, we have
been endeavoring to prevent, there must
be further legislation, and especially a
sufficient appropriation to permit the de
partment of the interior to examine cer
tain classes of entries on the ground be
fore they pass into private ownership.
I orests.
We have made a beginning in
sorest preservation, but it is only
a beginning. At present lumbering
Is the fourth greatest Industry
made a beginning in loresi preservation,
but it is only a beginning. At present
lumbering is tire fourth greatest industry
in the United Starres; and yet, so rapid
has been the rate of exhaustion of tim
ber in the UnlAxl States lr\ the past, and
so rapidly is the remainder being ex
hausted. that the country Is unquestion
ably on the verge of a limber famine
which will t»e felt in every household In
the land. There has already been a rise
in the price of lumber, but there is cer
tain to be a more rapid and Heavier rise
in the future.
; The present annual consumption of :
; lumber is certainly three times as great :
; as the annual growth, and if the con ;
; suinpt^n and growth continue un- :
: changed, practically all our lumber will :
: be exhausted in another generation. :
; while long before the limit tu com- .
; \4ete exhaustion is reached the grow- :
; lug scarcity will make itself felt in :
; many blighting ways upon our national :
; welfare. :
About LX) per cent, of out* forested terri
tory is now tetsorved in national forests,
but these do not include the most valuable
timber lands, and rn any event tlie pro
portion Is too small to expect that the
reserves can accomplish more than a miti
gation of the trouble which is ahead tor
the nation. Far more drastic action is
needed. Forestw oan be lumbered so as
to give n the public the full use of their
mercantile timber without the slightest
detriment to the forest, any more than it
is a detriment to a farm to furnish a har
vest so that there is no parallel between
forests and mines, which can only be com
pletely used by exhaustion. There are
persons who find it to their immense pe
cuniary benefit to destroy the forests by
lumbering. They are to be blamed for
thus sacrificing tiic future of the nation as
a whole to their own self-interest of the
moment; but heavier Maine attaches to
the people at largo for permitting such
action, whether In th- \Vn»io mountains,
in the .southern Alleghenies, or in the
Rockies and Sierras.
lanif on Wood Pulp.
: There should b<» no tariff on any for- ;
: cst product grown lr. this country; and, :
: in especial, (hero should be no tariff :
: on wood puip; uue notice of the change ;
; being of course given to those engaged :
; in the business so as to enable them to :
; adjust themselves to the new condl- :
: lions. The ivpeai of the duty on wood ;
: pulp should if possible be accompanied ;
. by an agreement with Canada that :
: there ahaU be no export duty on Can- :
: ludlaii pulp wood
in my judgment rht- government should
have the right to keep the tee of the coal,
oil, oiid gas ticids in Its own possession
and to lease the lights to develop them
under proper refutations; or else, if the
congress wilt not adopt (his method, the
coal deposits sfunlkt »■* sold under limita
tions, 10 coautervo thorn as public utilities,
the- rlgnt to mint1 coal being separated
from the title to tfc».aol!. The regulations
should permit coal tend* :o be worked
in MifficUMU Quantify by :!,« several cor
poration*.
The Panama Canal.
Work on the Panama canal is proceed
ing in a highly satisfactory manner.
In March the total excavation in the
Culebra cut, where effort was chiefly con
centrated, was 815,270 cubic yards. In
April this was Increased to 879,527 cublo
yards. There was a considerable decrease
In the output for May and June owing
partly to the advent of the rainy season
and partly to temporary trouble with the
steam shovel men over the question of
wrages. The trouble was settled satis
factorily to alt parties and in July the to
tal excavation advanced materially and
in August the grand total from all points
j in the canal prism by steam shovels and
dredges exceeded all previous United
States records, reaching 1,274,404 cubic
j yards. In September this record was
eclipsed and a total of 1,517,412 cubic
i yards was removed. Of this amount 1,481.
307 cubic yards were from the canal prism
and 36,106 cubic yards were from acces
sory works. These results were achieved
i in the rainy season with a rainfall in Au
| gust of 11.89 inches and In September of
11.65 inches. Finally, In October, the rec
ord was again eclipsed, the total exoa
! ration being 1,868,729 cubic yards; a truly
I extraordinary record, especially in view
of the heavy rainfall, which wras 17.1
Inches.
It is the unanimous opinion of the pres
ent commission that the work can be done
better, more cheaply, and more quickly by
the government than by private contract
ors.
The chief engineer and all his profes
sional associates are firmly convinced that
the eighty-five feet level lock canal which
they are constructing is the best that
could be desired. Some of them had
doubts on this point when they went to
the isthmus. As the plans have developed
under their direction their doubts have
been dispelled. While they may decide
upon changes in detail as construction ad
vances they are in hearty accord In ap
proving the general plan. They believe
that it provides a canal not only adequate
to all demands that will be made upon it,
but superior In every way to a sea level
canal. .1 concur in this belief.
I commend to the favorable consideration
of tiie congress a postal savings bank
system, as recommended by the postmas
ter general. The primary object is to en
courage among our people economy and
thrift and by the use of postal savings
banks to give them an opportunity to
husband their resources, particularly
those who have not the facilities at hand
lor depositing their money in savings
banks. Viewed, however, trom the expe
rience of the past few weeks, It is evident
that the advantages of such an institution
are still more far-reaching. Timid depos
itors have withdrawn their savings lor
the time being from national banks, trust
companies, and savings banks; individuals
have hoarded their cash and the working
men their earnings; all of which money
has been withheld and kept in hiding or in
the safe deposit box, to the detriment of
prosperity. Through the agency of the
postal savings banks such money would
be restored to the channels of trade, to
the mutual benerit of capital and labor.
1 further commend to the congress the
consideration of the postmaster general’s
recommendation for an extension of the
parcel post, especially on the rural routes.
There are now 38,215 rural routes, serving
nearly 15,000,000 people who do not have
the advantages of the inhabitants of cities
in obtaining their supplies. These recom
mendations have been drawn up to benetit
the farmer and the country storekeeper;
otherwise, I should not favor them, for I
believe that It is good policy for our gov
ernment to do everything possible to aid
the small town and the country district.
It is desirable that the country merchant
should not be crushed out.
It would be a most desirable thing to
put the fourth-class postmasters in the
classined service.
Bureau of Mines.
I again recommend that the rights of
citizenship be conferred upon the people
of Porto Kieo.
A bureau of mines should be created
under the control and direction of the
secretary of the interior; the bureau to
have power to collect statistics and make
investigations in all matters pertaining to
mining, and particularly to the accidents
and dangers of the industry.
Legislation should be enacted at the
present session of the congress for the
thirteenth census.
Appropriations on Campaigns.
Under our form of government voting is
not merely a right, but a duty, and, more
over, a fundamental and necessary duty
if a man is to be a good citizen. It is well
to provide that corporations shall not con
tribute to presidential or national cam
paigns, and furthermore to provide for
the publication of both contributions and
expenditures. There is, however, always
danger in laws of this kind, which from
their very nature are difficult of enforce
ment; the danger being lest they be
obeyed only by the honest, and disobeyed
by the unscrupulous, so as to act only as
a penalty upon honest men. Moreover, no
such law would hamper an unscrupulous
man of unlimited means from buying ms
own way into office. There is a very rad
ical measure which would, I believe, work
a substantial improvement in our system
; of conducting a campaign, although 1 am
i well aware that It will take some time for
people so to familiarize themselves with
such a proposal as to be willing to con
| sider its adoption.
: The need for collecting large cam :
: paign funds would vanish if congress :
: provided an appropriation for the :
: proper and legitimate expenses of each :
: of the great national parties, an appro- :
: priation ample enough to meet the :
; necessity for thorough organization :
: and machinery, which requires a large :
: expenditure ol money. Then the stipu- ;
; lation should be made that no party ;
: receiving campaign funds from the :
: treasury should accept more than a :
: lixed amount from any individual sub- :
: scrlber or donor; and the necessary :
: publicity for receipts and expenditures :
: could without difficulty be provided. :
There should be a national gallery of art
established In the capital city of this
country. This is Important not merely
to the*artistic, but to the material, wel
fare of the country. So far from tnere
being a tariff on works ot' art brought into
the country, their importation should be
encouraged In every way.
Bars Importing of Undesirable Birds.
It has Inaugurated a system of inspec
tion at the principal ports of entry on noth
Atlantic and lacinc coasts by means ol
wnicit the introduction of noxious mam
mals and birds is prevented, thus Keeping
out the mongoose and certain birds winch
are as much to be dreaded as the previous
ly introduced iiaignsh sparrow and the
house rats and mice.
1 recommend to congress that this bu
reau, whose usefulness is seriously handi
capped by lack of funds, be gianted an
appropriation in some degree commensur
ate with the importance of the work it Is
doing.
I strongly recommend a simple
amendment to the ocean mail act of
i6i)l which shall authorize mo postmaster
general in his discretion to enter into con
tracts for the transportation of mails to
the republics of booth America, to Asia,
the .Philippines, and Australia at a rale
not to exceed $4 a mile lor steamships oi
sixteen knots speed or upwards, subject
to the restrictions and obligations of the
act of 1$S1.
The Army.
Not only there is not now. out there
| never has been, any other nation in the
world so wholly free from the evus of
militarism as Is ours.
But again and again In the past our
I little regular army has rendered service
literally vital to the country, and it may
at any time have to do so in tiie tuture.
Its standard or efficiency and instruction
is higher now than ever m the past. Bui
it is too small. There are not enough uiti
cers, and it is impossible to secure enough
emlsted men. We should mam tain m
peace a fairly complete skeleton of a large
army.
The medtcal corps should be much larger
than the needs of our regular army in
war. Unless ample provision Is now made
by congress to put the inedicai corps where
it should be put disaster in :he next war
is inevitable, and the responSib.ilty will
not lie with those then in charge of the
war department, but with those who now
decline to make the necessary provision.
The rate of pay for the officers should
be greatly Increased; there is no higher
type of eiclzen than the American regular
officer, aM he should have a fair reward
tor his admirable work. There should be
a relatively even greater Increase in the
pay for the enlisted men. In especial pro
vision should be made for establishing
grades equivalent to those of warrant offi
cers In the navy which should be open to
the enlisted men who serve sufficiently
long and who do their work well.
Among the officers there should be se
vere examinations to weed out the unfit
up to the grade of major.
Practice marches and field maneu
vers of the last two or three years
have been Invaluable to the army. They
should be continued and extended. A rigid
and not a perfunctory examination of
physical capacity has been provided for
the higher grade officers. This will work
well.
Perhaps the most Important of all legis
lation needed for the benefit of the army
is a law to equalize and increase the pay
of officers and enlisted men of the army,
navy, marine corps, and revenue cutter
1 service.
To build one battleship of the best and
most advanced type a year would barely
keep our fleet up to its present force. This
is not enough. In my judgment, we should
this year provide for four battleships. But
it is Idle to build battleships unless in ad
dition to providing the men. and the
means for thorough training, we provide
the auxiliaries for them, unless we provide
docks, the coaling stations, the collier**
and supply ships that they need. We are
extremely deficient in coalin'* stations and
docks on the Pacific, and this deficiency
should not longer oe permitted to exist.
Plenty of torpedo boats and destroyers
should be built. Both on the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts, fortifications of the
best type should be provided for all our
greatest harbors.
The battle fleet 1b about starting
by the Straits of Magellan to visit the
Pacific coast. Sixteen oat ties hips arc go
ing under the command of Read Admiral
Evans, while eight armored cruisers and
two other battleships will meet him at
San Francisco, whither certain torpedo
destroyer are also going. No fleet of
such size has ever made such a voyage,
and it will be of very great educational
use to all engaged in it. The only way
by which to teach officers and men how
to handle the fleet so as to meet every
possible strain and emergency in time of
war is to have them practice under simi
lar conditions in time of peace. More
over, the only way to find out our actual
needs is to perform in time of peace
whatever maneuvers might bo necessary
In time of war.
i no Japanese Exposition.
An invitation hus been extended by Ja
pan to the government and people of the
United States to participate in a great
national exposition to be held at Toklo
from April 1 to October 31, 1912, and in
which the principal countries of the
world arc to he invited to take part. This
is un occasion of especial Interest to all
the nations of the world, and peculiarly
so to us; for it Is the first Instance ill
which such a great national exposition
lias been held by a great power dwelling
on the Pacific; and all the nations of
I Europe and America will, I trust, join in
helping lo success this iirst great expo
sition ever held by a great nation of
Asia.
1 heartily recommend such legislation
as will provide in generous fashion for
the representation of this government
and its people in the proposed exposi
tion.
The adoption of a new tariff by Ger
many, accompanied by conventions for re
ciprocal tariff concessions between that
country, and most of the other countries
of continental Europe, led the German
government to give the notice necessary
to terminate the reciprocal commercial
I agreement witli this country proclaimed
July 13, 1900. Tile notice was to take effect
on the 1st of March, 1906, and in default
of some other arrangements this would
have left the exports from the United
States to Germany subject to the general
German tariff duties, from 26 to 60 per
cent, higher than the conventional duties
imposed upon the goods of most of our
competitors for German trade.
A further temporary commercial agree
ment was entered Into by the two coun
tries, pursuant to which, In the exercise
of the authortty conferred upon the presi
dent by the third section of tile tariff act
of July 24, 1697, I extended the reduced
tariff rates provided for in that section to
champagne and ail other sparkling wines,
and pursuant to which the German con
ventional or minimum tariff rates were
extended to about 96Vi per cent, of all the
exports from the United States to Ger
many. This agreement Is to remain In
force until the 30th of June, 190S, and until
six months after notice by either party
to terminate It.
The agreement and the report of the
commission on which it is based will be
laid before the congress for Its informa
tion.
Tills careful examination into the tariff
relations between the United States and
Germany involved an inquiry into certain
of our methods of administration which
had been the cause of much complaint on
the part of German exporters. In this in
quiry I became satisfied that certain vi
cious and unjustifiable practices had
grown up in our customs administration,
notably the practice of determining values
of Imports upon detective reports never
disclosed to the persons whose interests
were affected. The use of detectives,
though often necessary, tends towards
abuse, and should be carefully guarded
Under our practice as I found it to exist
in this case, the abuse had become gross
and discreditable. Under It, Instead of
seeking information as to the market
value of merchandise from the well-known
and respected members of the commercial
community In the country of Its produc
tion, secret statements were obtained from
informers and discharged employes and
business rivals, and upon this kind of
secret evidence fhe values of Imported
goods were frequently raised and heavy
penalties were frequently Imposed upon
importers who were never permitted to
know what the evidence was and who
never had an opportunity to meet It. It is
quite probable that this system tended
towards ail increase of the duties col
lected upon imported goods, but I conceive
it to be a violation of law lo exact
more duties than the law provides Just
as it is a violation to admit goods'upon
the payment of less than the lega' rate
of duty.
governing this branch of the cus
toms service to be modified so that val
ues are determined upon a hearing in
which all the parties interested have nn
opportunity to be heard and to know tho
evidence against them. Moreover our
treasury agents are accredited to the
government of the country In which they
seek information, and in Germany receive
the assistance of the quasi-official cham
bers of commerce In determining the act
ual market value of goods, in accordance
with what I am advised to be the true
construction of the law.
These changes of regulations were
adapted to cite removal of such manifest
abuses that 1 have not felt that they
ought to be confined to our relations with
Germany; and I have extended their op
eration to all other countries which have
expressed a. desire to enter into similar
administrative relations.
£ ask for authority to reform the. agree
ment with China under which the indem
nity of 1900 was lixed, by remit ting and
canceling the obligation of China for the
payment of all mat part of tlte stipulated
indemnity which is In ext ess of the sunt
of $11,090,492.99, and interest at 4 per
cent.
Mexico and Central America.
On the courteous Invitation of the presi
dent of Mexico, the secretary of state vis
ited that country In September and Octo
ber and v.areceived everywhere with the
greatest kindness und hospitality.
He carr.ed from tho government of the
United States to our southern neighbor
a message of respect and good will and of
desire for better acquaintance and lucre as
mg friendship. The response from the
government und the people of Mexico
was hearty and sincere. .No pains were
spared to manifest the must friendly at
titude and feeling toward the United
States.
In view nf the close neighborhood of
the two countries the relations widt h ex
1st between Mexico and the United States
are just cause tor gratllication.
One of the results of the Tan American
conference at Rto Janeiro In the summer
of 1909 has been a great Increase In the
activity and usefulness of the Interna
tional Hureau of American Republics.
1 recommend that the contribution of
this government to the expenses of the
bureau l>e made commensurate with Its
increased work.
Theodore Tfooeevelt.
The White House. Lieccinbtr S, 1907.
A Fluctuating Market.
"How's your temperature, old man?”
asked the stockbroker's partner.
"Fins for active '■peculation,” an
swered the Invalid. "It aunt to 104
Ava times Snatordirj. f.uTa lime drop
ping bark So ptuV
REPORT ON MINOR
CROPS OF NEBRASKA
Lincoln, Neb.. Dec. 4.--The spelt*
crop la lighter this year than last. So
declares Labor Commissioner Ryder in
a report.
The production this year was 1,
375,748 bushels, while last year more
than 2.000,000 bushels were produced.
Sheridan county, with 121.041 bushels,
was the leading county. Scotts Bluffs
and Holt counties came next.
The Nebraska farmers raised 235.
12S tons of Hungarian and millet and
103.339 tons of sorghum and cane. The,
number of tons or sugar beets pro
duced was 30.609. The production of
kaffir corn amounted to 18.020 tons.
Red Willow county was the leading
county in the production of sugar,
beets. 5.790 tons being grown. Hall,
county came next with 5,378 tons.
Dodge county and Madison county,
where formerly were raised the thou
sands of lens consumed in the Ames
and Norfolk sugar factories, raised lit
tle or no sugar beets. Dodge county is
credited with seventy-two tons, while
Madison county has hut eight tons
credited to It.
The western part of the state is now
the great sugar beet producing por
tion.
COMPETITION BRINGS
“OWL” CAR SERVICE
LmqVn. Neb.. Dec. 4.—Two traction
concerns are now diligently wooing the
Lincoln public. It is all because the
supreme court has outlined an opinion
declaring that the people must vote on
all extensions and that blanket street
railway franchises do not exist.
Moses L. Scudder, president of the
Lincoln Traction company, 1b a New
Yorker. From the beginning he has
exhibited contempt for Lincoln and
Lincoln enterprises. Extensions, in
particular, he abhorred. This attitude
fed to the organization of the Citizens’
Street Railway company. During the
las* summer the council persistently
I refused to allow Scudder’s line to be
I extended, while the Citizens' got what
ever the managers asked for.
Now the concerns, if the decision of
the supreme court is sustained, must
win each side track and spur at a pop
ular election. The Citizens’ have of
fered to allow seven tickets for 25
cents, while the Traction managers
have put on “owl” service, allowed six
tickets for a quarter and established
adequate service on a number of hlth*
erto neglected lines.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
CERTIFIED TO ERROR
Omaha, Neb., Dec. 4.—George Wash
ington may never have told an inten
tional lie, but papers which have just
come to light in the Omaha public
library show that the "Father of His
Country” certified to the correctness of
an account In which tl.ere was an er
ror of $10. The account is vouched for
in General Washington's own hand
, w riting.
The book in which the error occurs is
the last ledger of the Washington es
tate. This was purchased many years
ago by an Omaha citizen and presented
to the public library.
| Under a glass case the book reposed
1 open, so that the signature of Wash
ington could be seen by the curious.
For probably twenty-five years this
sage has been open to the public gaze.
,.ast week E. F. Service, an expert ac
countant of Omaha, happened to look
over the old account and his trained eye
quickly noted that the books did not
balance—that a balance had been
forced by making a false footing.
And so George Washington, at this
late date, stands convicted of subscrib
ing to a false account,
ELEVEN MINERS
PERISH, 40 HELD
Drytown, Cal., Dec. 4.—With smoke
pouring from the shaft of the Fremont
mine, hope for the eleven miners, who
were entombed Saturday has virtually
been abandoned, and it is believed all
of them have perished.
Two Score Captive.
Pittsburg, Dec. 4.—The exact num
ber of men entombed in the Naomi
mine of the United Coal company near
Fayette City, Pa., or their condition is
not yet known. Forty are said to have
been caught by an explosion last night,
but so far only one has escaped. This
man is a foreigner, who reached the
surface through an air shaft and
dropped dead almost immediately as g
result of inhaling the gas fumes.
FORCED HIM TO ROB
- AT POINT OF GUN
Des Moines, la., Dee. 4.—Elmer John
son, arrested along with a gang of In
dustrial school graduates for the burg
lary of three sub-postofflee stations, ,
pleaded guilty In federal court this
morning.
He made the amazing statement that
Janies Hook, leader of the gang, point
ed a revolver at his head and forced
him to rob the south Des Molne3 sub
station
The gang has secured several hun
dred dollars in stamps and cash. John
son said Hook •> gunIzed the gang be
fon they were paroled from the Eldort
reform school.
ASKS RECEIVER FOR
INSURANCE COMPANY
Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 4.—Attorney Gen
eral Thompson today prepared a peti
tion asking for a receiver for the Na
tional Mutual Fire Insurance company,
of Omaha. The attorney general alleges
that the liabilities of the compujiy art
$254,000 and assets *117,000.
POPULIST NATIONAL
CONVENTION, APRIL 2
Joliet. III., Dec. 4.—Chairman James
II. Ferrlss, of the populist national
committee. Issued a call today for the
national convention to be held In St.
Louis, April 2, to nominate candidate*
for president and vice president.
HAU’S SENTENCE OF
DEATH IS COMMUTED
Karlsruhe, Dec. 4.—The death sen
tence upon Karl Hau, ex-professor in
George Washington university, for the
murder of his mother-in-law, has been
commuted to life imprisonment.
WRECK KILLS THREE.
Baltimore, Dec. 4.—In a wreck ou the
Baltimore and Ohio at Shenandoah
Junction this morning three passengers
killed and a dozen injured.
SUPREME COURT TO
. DECIDE THURSTON
COUNTY ELECTION
Hiram Chase, Indian County
Attorney, Counted Out on
Technicality.
Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 8.—Hiram Chase,
who wasn't elected county attorney of
Thurston county, has appealed to the
supreme court. He says he was counted
] out of the office on a technicality. The
| lower court threw out the vote oast In
! Omaha precinct, carried by Chase by
a good majority, on the ground that the
I polling place had been moved three
miles without notice to all of the vot
ers. This left Chase beaten by thir
teen votes.
Chase is an Indian, educated In a
ifovernmont school and later a graduate
of a law school. He has served one
Yerm and Is a capable attorney.
EXCITING HUNT FOR
BOLD HORSE THIEVES
Norfolk. Neb., Dec. 3.—Horse
thieves stole a team of horses and a set
' of harness from the barn of Carl
Praeuner and a top buggy from the
i farmyard of Conrad Volk, both Madl
I son county farmers living about six
miles south of Battle Creek.
The horse stealing represented the
first loss to be sustained by a member
of the North Nebraska Live Stock Pro
tective association, Mr. Praeuner, the
owner, being a member of the anti
horse their association. Once discov
ered, the anti-horse thief fighters were
quick to get on the track of the thieves.
I The horse grabbers first visited the
I farm of Carl Praeuner six miles south
of Battle Creek. There they secured a
bay team of horses, eight years old and
weighing 2,700 pounds, and a set of
Concord harness. Leaving the Praeun
er place for a neighboring farm a top
buggy was taken from Conrad Volk.
The anti-horse thief association at
once offered a reward of 3100 for thei
capture and conviction of the thief and'
the return of the team.
Thursday a posse left Battle Creek to
run down the thieves, under the lead
ership of George W. Losey, of Battle
Creek, chief captain of the north Ne
braska association.
A message Friday morning stated
that the pursuing party had followed
the horse thieves through Elgin and
Petersburg, where It was thought they
were only about ten miles behind. At
Petersburg Losey and tils men changed
horses and with fresh mounts started
on anew with the expectation of cap
turing the thieves before the day Is
over. A number of Petersburg horse
men joined the searching party at that
place to assist In the capture.
FATALLY SHOT IN 8TRUQGLE
^ FOR POSSESSION OF GUN
Wayne, Neb., Dec. 3.—Henry, the
14-year-old son of Carl Carlson, who
resides five miles northwest of Wayne,
died suddenly from the shock of a gun- I
shot wound last evening at the hospital
of Dr. R. Naffzieger, In this city, where
he had been taken to undergo the am
putation of his leg. Deceased and hie
older brother were tussellng over the
possession of a gun Thanksgiving even
ing. The weapon was accidentally dis
charged, the leg of the boy being ter
| ribly mutilated above the knee by the
shot.
4 4
4 TROUBLE GALORE 4
4 FOR DIXON AUTOISTS. 4
4 4
4 Dixon, Neb., Dec. 3.—Dixon’s 4 j
4 two resident autoists are hav- 4
4 Ing more trouble than a police- 4
4 man. Hugh Gibson attempted to 4
4 do a delivery business between 4
4 here and Concord and was told 4
4 by a Concord liveryman If he 4
4 ’’didn’t cut It out" he would "put 4
4 a head on him.” Gibson had him 4
4 put under bonds to keep the 4
4 peace. 4
4 W. P. Truax. the other one, 4
4 has been sued for damages by a 4
4 farmer for scaring the latter’s 4
4 team into a ditch. 4
4 4
4443i3i»34 444444 *444444444
INDIANS RECEIVE MONEY
FOR THE ROSEBUD LANDS
Valentine, Neb., Dec. 3.—Thirty
eight thousand sliver dollars, weighing
2.300 pounds, left Valentine yesterday
In charge of a squad of fourteen mount
ed police, for the Indians at the Rose
bud agency. The money is the first
installment of the 3110,000 which will
recompense the Indians for land sur
rendered by them In the Bonesteel
tract. Every adult and child on the
reservation will receive 330. The re
I malnder of the money must be sent to
I the agency before January 1.
rt I KtU MAN tLUrbS
WITH EMPLOYER’S GIRL
Lindsay, Neb., Dec. 3.—Peter Barger
and Miss Borer are supposed to have
eloped, the couple having disappeared
at the same time and no one know
ing which way they went. Barger was
working until about a month ago for
Pete Borer, the girl’s father, and tha
girl had been working for Theo. Wltner
near Cornlea, from which place they
left.
The girl Is not quite 18 and the father |
Is on her trail looking for her. but has
not yet been able to trace her.
4444-444444-44444444444-44444
4- 4
4 NOVEL DAMAGE 4
4- SUIT FOR $5,000 4
4 4
4 Wayne, Neb., Dec. 3.—A 4
4 novel damage suit will be tried 4
4 In the next term of district 4
4 court here. 4
4 Johannus Hansen alleges that 4
4 Lars Larson has injured his 4
4 good name to the extent of $5,000 4
4 by making the statement In the 4
4 presence of neighbors that he 4
4 (Hansen) had "killed my ducks." 4
4 Both are well to do farmers. 4
4 4
4444-44-44-4444-44-444-44444444-4
\TTEMPTED TO WRECK
TRAIN; FOUND GUILTY
West Point. Neb., Dec. 3.—In district
court the case of the rate vs. Mike
(Hickey, charged with piling ties and
.other obstructions on the track of the
»'hlcago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and
| maha railway, rear Bancroft, which
were struck by a morning train on
f .ay 25. but were discovered In time to
i irevent a serious accident, the defend
j .nt was found guilty by a Jury In just
eight minutes.
DETECTIVE READS
WIFE’S NOTICE OF
DIVORCE IN PAPER
Two Hours Before Nebraskai»
Had Kissed His Wife Good
bye at Their Home.
Lincoln, Neb., Dec. 2.—Detective
A Bentley, connected with Just
Bacon's court, was bending over
desk this morning Intent upon
work. The Justice was reading the pan
per. Suddenly halting, he tossed tb*|
paper over to Bentley, remarking:
"There's something that will prob-|
ably Interest you.” j
It did. It was a notice to the effect
that Mrs. Bentley had filed a suit for
divorce, alleging cruelty. Bentley was
a much surprised man. Not two houra
before he had kissed his wife goodby at
their home, and she had never com
municated to him the fact that she had -
applied for a divorce.
Investigation disclosed that the peti
tion had been filed the day previous.'
Bentley and his wife had been hav-i
Ing a tiff for several weeks. Last even
ing he met her on the street, and sh*>
asked him to take her to supper. He
did so, and she went back home with
him. Now he Is mad about It and saya
he will fight the case, and see that
she does not get the alimony he thinks
she wants. The couple were married
two years ago, within a few weeks aft
er the sudden death of Bentley’s second
wife.
SHUMWAY FOUND GUILTY
OF MURDERING WOMAN,
Beatrice, Neb., Dec. 2.—The Jury)
which heard the cose against R. Meade!
Shumway, charged with the murder ofj
Mrs. Sarah Martin on the afternoon,
of September 3, Thanksgiving after-!
noon found the defendant guilty, and!
recommended that the court sentence;
Shumway to hang. The verdict wasi
reached after the Jury had been out,
fourteen hours, some difficulty being)
experienced in arriving at a recommen
dation for sentence.
The crime for which Shumway was)
convicted was one of the most atrocious,
ever perpetrated In this section. Mrs.
Martin was the wife of Shumway’s em->
ployer, who was left alone with the!
man while her husband was at a pri-i
mary election. The husband discovered,!
the mutilated body of his wife on hisi
return to the farm. Shumway wasl
missing, together with about J200 in)
cash. A chase lasting a week failed to,
secure the capture of the accused mur-j
derer, but after all hope of catching)
him had been abandoned he was Anally
captured in Missouri.
SHOOTS WIFE BECAUSE
TURKEY WA8 NOT READY;
Omaha, Neb., Dec. 2.—Angered be-j
cause his wife had no Thanksgiving,
dinner prepared for him when he camel
home in the middle of the afternoon*
E. E. Morrow pulled out a revolver,
Ared three times at Mrs. Morrow, set
Are to the house, fought the Aremen
when they attempted to enter tho
house, and was only overpowered when
a hose was turned on him. Morrow fas
in Jail and will have to face a charge
of shooting with Intent to kill. Mrs.
Morrow Is in the Omaha general hos
pital suffering from two severe bullet
wounds. The physicians say she wilt
recover if blood poisoning does not
set in.
FIND MILLIONAIRE
DEAD IN HOTEL ROOM
Omaha, Neb., Dec. 2.—George F.
Forter, millionaire attorney and theater
man of Minneapolis, was found dead in'
his room at the Paxton hotel this,
morning. Heart disease is asserted ts
be the cause of death.
SHUMWAY SENTENCED
TO BE HANGED, MARCH IS
Beatrice. Neb.. Dec. 2.—Judge KeUI
gar this afternoon sentenced R. Meade
Shumway, convicted of the murder of
Mrs. Jacob Martin to be hanged Marc*
13. ___ ._
BOYS DIG IIP $40,000
WITH SEERESS’ AID
fold of Hidden Silver Buried in
Lot Devastated by San
Francisco Fire.
San Francisco, Dec. 2.—Acting upon
the knowledge imparted to them by a
si eress. two small boys—Lee Thomas
and John Freitas—Journeyed from their
home yesterday to a lot a short dis
tance away and dug for wealth sup
posed to be there.
After digging and scraping away the
debris left by the fire of 1906 the lads
came upon heaps of burled silver. In
ecstacies over their lucky find, the
youngsters parked as much as they
could and carried it to their homes,
making many trips and finding In all,
as much as *40,000. The news spread:
quickly and by the time darkness had,
fallen not a space was vacant on this
-ntlre lot. Thl3 unusual sight attracted!
the attention of the police, who in are
resting twenty-four men for trespass-!
ing obtained about *2,000 In coin.
The seeress who told the boys the
secret of the hidden money Is Mrs.,
Mary Murdock, who lives in the base
ment of the home of Freitas. The lads
' at some time had done the Murdock
woman a kindly service, and in pay
ment for this she gave them the knowl
edge of the hiding place.
The house which stood upon the lot
belonged to a Mrs. Leorf Chappelle. who
died a few weeks before the great fire.
An old woman, whose identity is not
known, took charge of the place after
Mrs. i 'happelle's death, and the silver
Is believed to have been her hoardings.
She perished in the house at the tim«
of the fire.
MISS SHONTS TO LIVE
HALF THE TIME IN PARIS
AND HALF IN NEW YORK
Havre, Dec. 2.—Due de Chatlines,
whose engagement to Miss Theodors
Shoots was recently announced, ar
rived yesterday on the Loralne. The
due. who is In good health and excel
lent spirits, said that after hte mar
riage he will live six month* in Parte
sod six In New T«rk.