Prairieland Talk . . .
Courtroom Needed Good Airing
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS
LINCOLN—The village of Stuart now lets the
lpght shine in dark places. It is something like
46 years ago Stuart was supplying considerable
activity at the countyseat by
keeping the mills of the gods
grinding and the legal talent oc
cupied.
One event of note in county
court was that of a weather-tan
' ned amazon and her belligerent
son charged with taking shots
at the woman’s divorced hus
band. It developed into a torrid
display of a hell of a home life
with unprintable language jarr
ing the walls of the courtroom
until the county judge put the Saumlers
taboo on such proceedings. Upon
arriving at his office the following morning, Judge
Malone opened doors and windows to “let the
fresh air blow the stink out.’’
Judge Harrington of the district court that
same day allowed a woman from Stuart to add
the names of additional defendants to her pe
tition for damages because of the death of her
husband via the booze route. But Stuart has con
tributed in full measure to Holt county’s disting
uished group of citizens. There was the pictur
esque John Wertz, editor of the Ledger. The last
time I saw John the front of what had once been
a white shirt bore evidence of having not been
to the washtub for many weeks. John’s talents
were not of the Beau Brummell type but when
you read his Ledger you sat up and took notice.
Rosa Hudspeth, poetess, author and editor, lent
additional literary flavor to The Ledger and
feminine charm to the community. The late Wm.
Krotter and the Coats put Stuart in the forefront
commercially.
One of the charming sections of Holt county
is Green Valley, robed in verdant splendor in
summer, lying at the doorstep of Stuart and
spreading its inviting loveliness across southwest
Holt.
• • •
Juvenile delinquency began a long time ago.
Cain started it by clubbing his brother. Kids
have been at it ever since but not many go that
far into "delinquency." It was in 1907 an O'Neill
father and mother enlisted Sheriff Hall to re
cover possession of their daughter who got as
far as Norfolk with another girl in a little in
nocent maidenly adventure. But still another
O'Neill couple about that time had their young
girl taken to a slate institution for girls. Can't
mention the boys—too many of them!
* * *
Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and
cauldron bubble. Fillet of a fenny snake in the
cauldron boil and bake; eye of newt and toe of
frog, adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting, lizard’s
leg and owlet’s wing, for a charm of powerful
trouble like a hell-broth boil and bubble. Re
member when they had a witch over in Boyd
county? Not the standard hag riding a broom
stick that haunted moonlit glens. Not that kind
for Boyd county. They had a charming young
Miss who bewitched a young gent who had asked
her for a dance at a community social function
in the early days of the settlement near Spencer.
The young fellow was making out gorgeously
with his lady when suddenly one leg was caught
dangling in the air and he was “bewitched.” But
. after a spell of alternate laughing and crying
while he sat on the sidelines he tried it again
and the “witch” got him the second time. Events
in days to follow were such it came to the atten
tion of the officials and to break the spell the
young man left the county—so the story went,
but there was a suspicion that this was an in
vention of fellows at Butte as a slam at Spencer.
* * »
Thanks to Lee Downey out at Denver, I start
the new year with another Burlington railroad
calendar to keep me straight as to dates another
year. This year’s number is crpwned with a scen
ery in colors through which palacial Burlington
passenger trains are passing that gives a fellow
an urge to take a trip.
, Busy men in O’Neill allot a portion of their
time to leadership in church work. Archie Bowen
and Neil Dawes are active in the affairs of the
Methodist group, as Oscar Snyder, E. H. Benedict
and Jim Harnish were in an earlier generation;
while Jim Riggs, G. M. Cleveland and Dr. A. H.
Corbett were filling like responsibilities in Pres
byterian church activities, and J. B. Ryan saw to
it that Rev. M. F. Cassidy of St. Patrick’s church
had a good team and buggy to take him to the
homes of his church members living at a distance.
‘The sisters in the various church groups sway
the spiritual forces and men not to feel ashamed
of themselves come forward with a helping hand.
The church group with which Prairieland Talk
er affiliates hung $700 in little bags on a Christ
mas tree to be sent abroad for missions and once
a month chips in 20 thousand for general
church activities. Americans think a lot of their
churches.
• * •
Today, new year's day, January 1. is when
we start out highly resolving to make some
changes in the daily program of life. The custom
harks back to the ancient Persians, who started
the year by giving an egg to someone, the egg
being a thing that would hatch signified new
life. The Romans turned to Janus, their god of
gales and doors. This god had been made b y
Roman craftsmen in the business of making
such things with two faces, one looking forward,
the other to the rear, so the devotees sized up
their record of the past year and then looked
ahead determined on improvement. Not a bad
idea.
* * m
There may be some out at Blackbird and
nearby points in northeast Holt who will re
member Reverend Kuntz who in the late 1890’s
was pastor of the Methodist groups out that way.
During his ministry in that part of the vineyard
his home was at Blackbird but the circuit of his
labors took in Minneola, Paddock and other
points. He is now retired and living in a home
that is presided over by a couple who specialize
in the care of old men, located a few blocks from
where Prairieland Talker makes his home. I
recently had a visit with Mr. Kuntz and he recalls
with pleasure his sojourn in Holt county. Most
everybody does whose memories of home are
anchored on Holt county sod.
* * *
From out of the clouds of tragedy and despair
in that unhappy land comes the story of kindly
minisfery on the part of United Nations military
authorized work of feeding, clothing and giving
shelter not alone to South Korean orphans but
also to those taken from the enemy zone. Many
North Korean adults are being humanized due
to the Christian kindness shown by our American
Air Force and the work of army chaplains. Bread
instead of bullets, beds and home and shelter and
the warmth of human fellowship for the masses,
chains and dungegons for the warlords who close
their hearts and minds to all that civilized man
has wrought out upon the anvil of time.
* * •
$1,288,971—it was in 24-point black type stat
ing the value of grain and hay produced in Holt
county the season of 1906. Prices for these pro
ducts then were a fraction of what the same is
today but the overall profit was little or no dif
ferent. If you get a big price for a bale of hay you
pay a big price for a pair of boots.
* * *
A heartless father got away from court
with a $25 fine for burning the hands and oth
erwise cruelly treating his little son. A trapper
was soaked $250 for trapping muskrats out of
season. A water rat worth more than a little
child?
* * *
The Historical society museum in the state
house is a constant source of interest to visitors
both locally and abroad. The November record of
visitors who signed the register showed a total of
2,463. Of these there were 27 from foreign lands.
Not all visitors register.
Editorial .
Time Will Measure Harry
We have become a government by press |
agent—where the mimeograph output is the first
line of defense.
Public opinion molding is one thing but pre
paring to shape the course of history at taxpay
er’s expense is something quite different.
President Truman has an all consuming passion
to be remembered as one of America’s “all time
great” presidents that he isn’t going to wait for
the history books to be written. He has ordered
chiefs of department, agencies, bureaus and de
partments, to prepare detailed accounts of the
Truman administration achievements.
All this at taxpayer’s expense and on tax- j
payer’s time.
Many taxpayers will dislike having to pay
the bill for the president’s frantic desire to be
recognized as “great.” We think the passing of
years will give the proper evaluation to his
place in the pageant of America—not the bally
hoo of some bureaucratic publicity effort.
Come next . Tuesday—January 20_the re
tiring president will board a train in the nation’s
capitol and head for Independence, Mo. We don’t '
kno v what the future will hold in store for Mr.
Trumen. but it’s our guess he will live comfort
ably the remainder of his days on substantial sav
ings he has accumulated while in the white house.
We doubt very much of the business com
munity will welcome him in the manner it did
Ex-President Hoover.
With the redoubtable Terry Carpenter in
the unicam this winter there promises to be
some lively moments to jar an otherwise calm
legislative session. Senator Carpenter threatens
to stir up the animals around the university
campus and the highbrows have warning to be
on their guard lest the witches get them if they
don't watch out.
Deep Freeze Surgery
Recently, doctors at the University of Minne
sota performed an intricate heart operation by
“deep-freezing” the patient and temporarily
stopping the flow of blood. The flow was stopped
q for five and a half minutes, long enough for the
surgeons to sew up a hole in the patient’s i'eart.
Afterwards, one of the doctors predicted that
refrigeration might be the answer to the “search
for a method to work inside a bloodless heart.”
Another said he believed the operation was “the
first time refrigeration had been used to perform
cardiac surgery.”
Dr. Lloyd Lewis, 36, who was in charge of
the operation, also believes the operation may
open a new avenue to heart surgery—which has
long been one of the most difficult of all oper
ations.
Welcome, Bob Crosby
This week Nebraska receives a new gover
nor—Robert Crosby. And Washington dispatches
are speculating that the retiring governor, Val
Peterson, will become U.S. ambassador to India.
We believe Bob Crosby to be a solid, successful
young lawyer who will give the state a good
administration.
Telling the Difference
A Frontier reader sends in the following pol
itical definitions:
A recession is a period in which you tighten
your belt.
In a depression, you have no belt to tighten.
When you have no pants to hold up, that’s a
panic.
Snake river ranchers in Cherry county are
making a big fuss over a proposed irrigation canal
incorporated in plans for development of the
Niobrara river basin. Some 51 signors represent
ownership of some 31 thousand acres of land
along the proposed 52^mile canal route. These
ranchers represent the principal opposition to the
overall basin development. The canal can be
likened to a railroad or new highway. If it’s
soundly engineered and will be economically suc
cessful for most of the people it should go through.
Every man and woman has to settle the
problems of life for himself or herself. No one
else can do the job.
How many new year’s resolutions have you
broken by now?
Editorial & Business Offices: 122 South Fourth St.
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Established in 1880—Published Each Thursday
.—----- --
Entered at the postoffice in O’Neill, Holt county,
Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under the
Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This news
paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa
tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit
Bureau of Circulations.
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska $2.50 per
year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per
year; abroad, rates provided on request. All
subscriptions are strictly paid-in-advance.
[ State Capitol News ...
Stormy Session for Unicameral Seen;
Highways, Diversion, Schools in Spotlight
LINCOLN — The 65th session*
of the Nebraska legislature con
vened here this week beset by
some of the thorniest problems
to face 43 men in the state’s
history.
In addition to the ardous task
of finding solutions to the pro
blems, the lawmakers were in
volved in spirited contests for
the speakership, for committee
chairmanships and for commit
tee assignments. In every session
there are perhaps half a dozen
men eyeing the governor’s chair
two or three terms hence—men
whose political ambitions have a
strong influence on their legisla
tive performance.
With all these factors for fric
tion, it looked, as Lt.-Gov. Char
les Warner banged his gavel to
begin the long grind, that it’s
going to be quite a session.
* • *
Highways—
Always high on anybody’s list
| of legislative problems is the
road situtation. As this legisla
ture settles down to work after
its opening ceremonies, it will be
offered a bill by Sen. Karl Vogel
of Omaha proposing the re-enact
ment of the penny-a-gallon gas
tax increase and the higher reg
istration fees (a $3 boost for
most cars) which were passed by
the 1949 session but erased in the
1950 referendum.
Vogel was chairman of a leg
islative council committee which
studied highway finance. His
bill is a result of that group’s
recommendation.
Another measure will be Sen.
Howard Britt’s proposal of a
ton-mile tax coupled with a sug
gestion that the counties get a
penny less of the present nickel
a-gallon gas tax and the state
get a penny more.
Ofificials here at the capitol
estimate that the additional cent
of gas tax would produce $4,600,
OlO next year. Upping the regis
tration fees you pay for your li
censes should bring in $1,700,000
more.
Britt’s ton-mile tax on trucks
would yield about $3,500,000 a
year.
Tied in with any new highway
revenue measure will be a de
mand from many senators, back
ed by the same farm, petroleum
and truck groups which sponsor
ed the 1950 referendum, for a
state highway commission to
map general policy for the high
way department.
Some of the 1951 session’s bit
terest personality clashes came
between those factions sponsor
ing a highway commission and
those wanting to re-enact the gas
tax increase. Th(?ir squabbling
among themselves led to the de
feat of both measures.
* * *
Schools—
There appears to be a growing
sentiment among the men who
write Nebraska’s laws to “do
something this session” about
the state’s complex school prob
lems.
There are seeveral aspects to
the problem: state aid to poor
districts, redistricting, teacher
certification standards and the
teacher retirement system.
The first two are inter-related.
Robert B. Crosby, who becomes
governor on Thursday of this
week, is expected to tell the leg
: islators that Nebraska doesn’t
need to extend state aid to
school districts; it needs to eli
minate districts.
The present “voluntary” re
districting law was passed four
years ago and contains no pen
alties for failure to consolidate
and no inducement to consoli
date.
Nebraska has more school
districts than any other state in
the union and more than 1,700
of them are now contracting
with neighboring districts.
The Nebraska State Education
association, in a dogged, never
sav-die manner, will go before
this legislature, as it has the
last several, to urge state aid
and it will suggest that a state
income tax be adopted to fi
nance the program. In the past
two sessions, a $12 million-a
vear proposal died • in commit
tee.
Just as Nebraska has the high
est number of districts, so it has
the lowest teacher certification
standards. Nowhere else can a
girl go right from her high
school classroom to a teaching
job. The legislature will be ask
ed to make at least a year of col
lege the minimum.
And a legislative council
committee will recomend thjat
the first step be taken this year
toward putting the teacher’s re
tirement fund on a sound actu
arial basis. This is expected to
cost between $1 and $2 million
a year for the next several years.
Taxation—
The sales tax fight will be
slugged out again this year. Sen
Dwight Burney 0f Hartington’
the principal sponsor of a two
per cent sales tax in the 1949
and 1951 sessions, will try again
on the strength of a proposal by
a legislative council committee
this legislature put on the
1954 ballot a constitutional
amendment which would take
the state out of the property tax
field, thus forcing some other
method of raising revenue to
support state government.
Sen. Charles Tvrdik of Oma
ha, an arch-foe of a sales tax
will lead the opposition.
Meanwhile, Sen. Terry Car
penter of Scottsbluff reportedly
is readying a bill to provide for
a sales tax with the income en
ing for roads.
Another problem will be to
find an acceptable way to im
plement the constitutional
amendment adopted last Novem
ber when the legislature was
authorized to adopt a new meth
od for taxing motor vehicles'
Most likely solution will be to
I
retain the present formula but
to collect the tax at the same
time the motorist obtains his
license. ,
• * *
Diversion —
One of the most heated battles
is expected to be waged over the
question of water diversion.
Sen. Richard Marvel of Hast
ings has said he doesn’t want to
start a Pier 6 brawl with his
proposal that the state law pro
hibiting the diversion of water
from one valley to another be re
pealed but young Sen. Joe Martin
of Grand Island says he’s pre
pared to fight diversion every
step of the way.
Last-minute attempts are un
derway to iron out the differ
ences between residents of the
Tri-County area south of the
Platte and those of the Mid
state area in Hall, Buffalo and
Merrick counties in order to
avoid the classic struggle which
marked the 1947 session.
* • *
Miscellany —
Those are some of the prob
lems, but by no means all. There
is likely to be some extensive de
bate over the appropriations bill,
the prime reason, after all, for a
legislative session.
School land problems will
come in for a big share of the
discussions. Freshman Sen. Mon
roe Bixler of Harrison will offer
a bill to keep the income from
school lands in the counties
where the lands are located. A
legislative council committee
headed by Sen. Robert McNutt
of Lincoln has several sugges
tions for strenghthening the op
eration of the board of educa
tional lands and funds.
Governor Crosby will propose
a series of bills to reorganize and
streamline state government.
In addition, the legislators will
find themselves squeezed between
demands for economy on one
hand and demands for new gov
ernmental services on the other;
and sometimes the same persons
will be pressuring from both
sides.
And finally, this new 1953 leg
islature will have to concern it
self with such important matters
of state as whether to accept a
25-room southeast Lincoln home
as a gift for governor’s mansion,
whether to appropriate money so
the murals may be placed in the
multimillion dollar capitol which
isn’t “finished” without them and
—problem of problems—what to
do about the controversial eight
foot statue of William Jennings
Bryan at the north entrance to
the statehouse.
Ewing News
Mr. and Mrs. Ebben Grafft and
I Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Spangler
i and children drove to Fullerton
to spend new year’s day at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Had
field. Mr. Hadfield is a brother
of Mrs. Grafft’s and Mrs. Had
field is a sister of Mr. Grafft’s.
Six o’clock dinner guests ot the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur
Spangler and family on Friday,
December 26 were his mother,
Mrs. Ruth Spangler, and sons,
Rudy and Andy, of Ewing, and
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Coons and fam
ily of Beemer.
Mr. and Mrs. Ebben Grafft en
tertained their daughter and son
in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur
Spangler, on Christmas day.
Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Wagoner
returned to Hastings on Monday,
December 29, ofter spending the
holiday weekend with her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. N. A. Berg
strom.
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Lar
sen returned home on Friday
from Meadow Grove where they
had been guests at the home of
Mrs. Larsen’s niece, Mrs. Her
man Hasenpflug, and family
since January l.
Six o’clock dinner guests at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. R.
Harris on new year’s day were
Leonard Hill, James Wilson, and
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wilson.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Olson
spent new year’s day with their
son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and
Mrs. Merwin Olson and family
near Clearwater.
Miss Alta Lou Miller was a 6
o’clock dinner guest at the home
of Mrs. Edna Lofquest on Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. William Lofquest
and family spent new year’s day
with his mother, Mrs. Edna Lof
quest in Ewing.
Mrs. Edna Lofquest and Mrs.
Ernest Norwood attended the
new year’s eve services held at
the Wes^ yan Methodist church
at O’Neill.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lofquest
and family of Wisner were guests
at the home of his mother, Mrs.
Edna Lofquest, on Friday, De
cember 26.
Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Gibson
and family had as their guests
Monday evening Mrs. Conrad
Cleveland and son, Galen, of Ne
ligh.
Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Gibson
and family were guests at the
country home of their son-in
law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs.
Wayne Fry, and daughters.
Dinner guests at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Everett Ruby were
their son and daughter-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. James Ruby and
children, of Norman, Okla., Mr.
and Mrs. William Spence and
son, Lyle, the Misses Hazel Ruby
I-—
and Elsie Chace, Mr. and Mrs.
Joe Beelaert and children of
Page.
Mr. and Mrs. James Ruby and
children attended a reunion of
the Casper Larson family held
at the parental home on new
year’s day.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Myers of
Clearwater were dinner guests at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. George
Jefferies on Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. George Jefferies,
and Mrs. Arthur Funk accom
panied Mrs. Wilma Daniels to
O’Neill Tuesday, December 30,
where they transacted business.
Miss Minnie Neiderheider spent
Friday with her sister, Mrs. Wil
liam Wulf.
Phones 316 and 304
DR. H L. BENNETT
VETERINARIAN
— O'NEILL —
The Friends of St. Marys
ARE HOLDING A FOOD SALE
• • • 3t • • •
Shelhamer’s Super Food Market
• • • OH • m 0
Saturday, January 10th
o
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Here you see pictured the Golden Anniversary
Ro ADM ASTER — engineered, styled, powered and
bodied to be fully worthy of its paragon role in this
fiftieth year of Buick building.
A quick listing of simple facts will reveal just cause for
celebration.
Bit has the world's newest V8 engine. Vertical
valves; 12-volt electrical system; 180 pounds lighter;
entire engine is so compact, a new, more maneuver
able chassis has been built around it.
if It has 188 Fireball horsepower. A new Buick
record; engine horsepower per pound increased 40%.
if It has a compression ratio of 8.5 to 1. Highest
compression on the American scene today; bettered
fuel economy.
if It has a dynamic-flow muffler. For the first time in
Eautomotive history, a muffler with zero power loss.
It has a new Twin-Turbine Dynaflow Drive. Now
adds far swifter, quieter, more efficient getaway to
infinite smoothness at all speed ranges.
if It has new braking power. Most powerful braking
action of any Buick in fifty years; plus the new ease
of Power Brakes, optional at extra cost.
if It has a still finer ride. The softest,
steadiest, most buoyantly level ride that
Buick's advanced engineering has
yet produced.
It has, also, wondrous handling ease, with Power Steer
ing as standard equipment. It has superb comfort. It
has sumptuous fabrics and tailoring. And its acoustics
are so thoroughly mastered that it may well be one of
the world’s most quiet cars.
But no listing of facts can do true justice to this phe
nomenal automobile, or to its brilliant brothers, the
1953 Supers and Specials.
And no words can really tell you the beauty you see,
the comfort you feel, the.excitement you experience —
when you look at and drive any one of these big, beauti
ful, bounteous Buicks for 1953.
Will you come in and see for yourself that these are,
in simple truth, Buick’s greatest cars in five brilliant
decades?
E<iuipment, accessories, trim and models are subject to change without notice.
CELL US”
O’NEILL
i
