Prairieland Talk . . .
God Save the Party Bosses
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS
LINCOLN — I think Senator Lee of Dodge
county was right in his proposal to kill the bill
by Carpenter and others to wipe out conventions.
Only I would go farther—wipe out the primary
and give us the convention plan of selecting can
didates.
The primary, an alleged setup for an expres
* sion by the people, is a builder of factions that
in turn develops spite work and
militates not for but against the
* • success of political parties. The
convention has a grassroots
background, first the precinct,
then the county, followed by the
district and state conventions,
and that the primary gives us
any more capable citizens to fill
offices is so much bunk.
Conventions, and I have sat
in a few, scrutinize closely those
proposed as candidates. That the
conventions are controlled by Romaine
“party bosses” is waved as a Saunders
red flag by the primary promoters.
God save the party bosses—if it were not
for the citizens who take an interest in the pol
itical principals of government wholly unqual
ified and often dishonest men would be elect
ed to run things, quite possible and not un
known since Nebraska went to the primary
system.
As a means, too, of popular expression, it is
a joke. Many precincts in the state show scarcely
10 percent of the vote cast at primary elections.
It is also capable of being used by one political
group to defeat another by promoting the nom
ination of a candidate that could not be elected
at the general election.
But no doubt the primary is here to stay
for this generation and sentiment is developing
to extend the idea to include the selection of
presidential candidates, which .will provide the
opportunity for each of the 48 states to put for
ward a man of destiny, their favorite son.
But woe worth the day that saw the passing
of those political love feasts in the upper room
of O’Neill’s first courthouse that stood on the hill.
* * *
Closing the home at Milford for unwed moth
ers is a legislative worry. That the public should
provide a home for girls who depart from the
path of virute is at least debatable. The trade
school at the same place is not important. Trades
are not acquired in schools. To learn a trade you
begin at the bottom, take the kicks and knocks
and bumps along the way, and if you have what
it takes after five or six years you are a qualified
journeyman printer, plumber, brickmason or
whatever you have set out to do. The member of
the legislature from over at Hartington is ob
sessed of the sales tax idea and comes up for the
third time with his proposal. Yesterday daugh
ter-in-law laid down $20 for a few days’ supply
of groceries. She sets a table for four children
and three adults. In addition to that it took $42
for electric, gas and telephone bills. Last month
it was taxes on the family home, the family car,
the family beds and tables. Next it is income tax.
If the sales tax meant the elimination of some
other tax it might have an appeal, but it simply
means another tax. I have been in several states
where they have the sales tax; there it is the
public headache. If members of the legislature
who think up new ways to tax the public will
scout up ways to eliminate some items of expense
they will make a hit with Nebraska patriots.
* * *
One church group made up a cargo and sent
to the needy of wartom Korea which included
300 sacks of beans, 10 drums of shortening, 335
cartons of dried eggs, 400 wooden boxes of raisins,
120 boxes of prunes, 15 cases of powdered whole
milk and 157 packages of assorted food stuffs.
* * *
While the legislature has been deluged
with bills proposing changes and new laws we
feel Nebraskans will survive.
F /litnnal
*> Facing now the sunset, me s ultimate, ner
careworn face reflects for a moment the glow of
what her spiritual eye has seen out in the depths
of eternity, and then is clouded by memory’s
shadow. She tells her story. As a young girl she
would go behind the house that stood as the hum
ble home of the hard pressed family there to cry
as children went by on their way to school, a
school not for her as she was kept at home to help
do the work of the home. She had not the chance
in her young life to acquire even the simple be
ginnings of education and so could neither read
nor write. To escape the drudgery of childhood
and early maidenhood she left home and was
married at the age of 15. She left one life of toil
to take on another, instead of the dream of end
less romance came the reality of life’s storms
and struggles with an unsympathetic mate. Again
the shadow lifts as memories of life’s early strug
gles fade and that careworn face is lighted by
spiritual visions. And so out of the despair of
earlier years life’s sunset is made radiant through
spiritual birth.
• • •
After 13 years being bedfast, the oldest wom
an in Butler county is dead at 104 years of age.
. . . $8,868,000,000 of government bonds fall due
this month. The treasury department, to encour
age holders not to demand the cash, is said to
be offering new series of bonds at a higher rate
of interest. I wonder if Howard Berry down there
in Swan precinct is still calling on patriots to
buy government bonds. . . Mr. Truman is still at
it, referring to his congressional critics as “pin
heads.” The “pin heads” still function as public
officials while Mr. Truman is now in the ranks
of the has beens. . . I don’t know that he ever
had a case in the supreme court in Washington,
but it looks good to Nebraskans who know him
to see Lee Rankin pictured before Chief Justice
Vinson taking the oath of office as assistant at
torney - general. . . Are these dances and other
functions advertised as benefit affairs just that
or for the fun of it?
* * *
Judicial functionaries have a way of pro
nouncing sentence on a convicted felon charged
with several unlawful acts, so much for each
count in the indictment, these to run "concur
rently"—in other words, six months in jail for
each of six points on which the accused is
found guilty just means six months incarcera
tion. A break for the poor cuss so convicted.
* ~ * *
The initial step in beating back on the polit
ical trail in Nebraska, as Bernard Boyle, nation
al democratic committeeman put it, will begin at
.he Jacksonian day dinner this year in Omaha
which comes up in April. The name Roosevelt is
sacred with them and Franklin D,. jr., will be the
chief speaker. Mrs. Edwards of the national com
mittee will be one of the speakers. . . Whatever
is to be gained by such things came to Stuart
yesterday when a grassland and livestock pro
gram was given, featuring speakers from the
state ag college. . . U.S. Senator Griswold has
been made chairman of the veterans’ subcom
mittee of the senate which handles all legislation
pertaining to veteran groups. . . . 96,000 U.S. cit
izens met their death by accident in 1952, if all
were accounted for. . . The president’s “state of
the union” negelected to mention that Brer
Groundhog thinks there will be six weeks of it
yet.
* • •
Presbyterians should feel a bit “puffed up”
over the addition to their church rolls of Presi
dent and Mrs. Eisenhower who became members
of the National Presbyterian church in Washing
ton at the service held Sunday, February 1. But
numerically a somewhat lesser church group, the
Seventh Day Adventists, had handed to them in
addition to a normal growth a $10,000,000 lumber
business in the state of Oregon. Another church
group down here in the capital city and identified
with one of the largest in the country starts the
month with a “look at marriage.” Maybe this is
something designed to steer young couples clear
of the divorce court. Broken Bow Methodists ded
icated their new $125,000 church building Febru
ary 1.
Let’s Keep Nebraska Tech
k
The Nebraska unicameral legislature soon
will consider a proposal authored by State Sen
ator Syass of Omaha to close Nebraska Tech—
the rightful title for a state institution better
known as the Milford trade school.
Thr state’s new governor, Robert Crosby, has
recommended to the solons the permanent shut
down of the small Seward county institution and
The Frontier’s Romaine Saunders (in a para
graph above) takes a healthy swat at the institu
tion, saying “it isn’t important and trades aren’t
learned in school.” Mr. Saunders adheres to the
fine, traditional theory that trades are mastered
by starting at the bottom and working up.
Actually, the 220-thousar.d-dollars needed to
operate the school for two years is a relatively
small item in the state’s educational budget, and
economy-minded officials might well take a sec
ond-look at some of the other institutions and
agencies and easily account for as much savings.
Unfortunately, Nebraska Tech has not
been operating to capacity and the relatively
small enrollment and interest in the school
makes it an easy mark for zealots seeking to
cut expenditures.
We hold that 110-thousand-dollars a year,
more-or-Iess, won’t rock the great Nebraska ship
and that figure is something less than a drop
in-the-bucket compared to the multimillion-dol
lar requirements of the University of Nebraska,
college of agriculture, college of medicine, state
teachers’ colleges, etc., not to mention all the oth
er state spending.
Nebraska Tech teaches masonry, carpentry,
mechanics, jewelry repairing, radio repairing,
shoe repairing, etc., to mention only a few of the
trades.
Nebraska taxpayers spend thousands of dol
lars in educating a doctor or a lawyer or a com
merce graduate, yet there are those who would
neutralize the only school in the state (outside
Omaha’s own Omaha Tech) where a young man
can learn a trade under modern conditions in a
. mechanized age.
On the merit of the trade school we disagree
with Brother Saunders.
Most formal education is purely academic
and Milford provides for fledgling tradesmen
exactly what the college of medicine does for
young medical students.
We know of an example where an O’Neill
man went to Milford, learned a trade and today
is a successful businessman and member of the
city council. We know of an instance in Bassett
• where a man held a bachelor’s degree from one
of the state colleges, couldn’t adjust himself in
the profession for which he had been trained. He
went to Milford, learned a trade, and now is a
valuable member of his community as a trades
man.
Not all men are cut out to be of the white
collared variety nor do all young men nowadays
O
Q
have four years to spend in college acquiring an
education, not to mention the cash outlay that a
college degree represents.
Someone has suggested that powerful trade
unions in Omaha and Lincoln are most interested
in eliminating Nebraska Tech. This sounds like
a logical Explanation. Milford turns out trades
men—unfinished, of course—in 18 to 24 months.
Unions require twice that much time spent as an
apprentice and one still isn’t a polished trades
man.
The trade school has a definite role in Ne
braska life and, we think, except for lush years
and frequent wars, the enrollment figures might
be different. The tougher the times the more need
for Milford.
We say: Keep Nebraska Tech.
President Eisenhower’s recent state of the
nation address has been widely and justifiably
praised. It has been said that each cabinet offi
cer had a hand in its preparation and Ike per
sonally did the final draft. What we liked best
was Ike’s friendly deference to congress as a co
equal branch of government, and his bold ap
proach to the Far Eastern problems—his decision
to free Chiang’s troops for attacks on the China
mainland.
Apparently open season is at hand for the
seasonal run of farm auctions. It’s strictly a bus
iness matter for the fellow offering his personal
property, usually an important milestone in the
lives of members of his family. Neighbors, how
even, tend to make it a social event, mixing bus
iness with pleasure. And why not?
St. Anthony’s 35-bed hospital has been op
erating less than five months and is taxed to
[ near capacity. One wonders how many people
needing hospitalization in days gone by never
received it
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.
When You Ac Were Young. . .
Captured Robber
Whisked to Pen
Mechanics in Secret
Meeting
50 Years Ago
M. F. Due disposed of his
jewelry stock to F. B. Cole and
son who will operate the store
. . . The saloon keepers presented
a petition to the city council for
a refund of the license for the
last quarter of the fiscal year.
Business in their line has not
been good the past two or three
months. A motion was made
that one-half of the license be
thrown off. It was defeated and
the entire matter was laid on the
table. . . The mechanics of this
city assembled in secret conclave
and organized a mechanics union
for all skilled laborers in the city.
Laws were established. Nine
hours shall constitute a day and
members will not work longer
without charging overtime. The
following officers were elected: R.
T. Williams, master mechanic;
George W. Trigg, senior mechan
ic; M. F. Kirwin, draftsman; A.
J. Roberts, paymaster; James
Davidson, James Davis, Ray
Townsend, L. D. Bender and An
drew Schmidt compose the exe
cutive board. . . A sheet and pil
lowsiip dance was held at the
opera house. . . Emil Sniggs
moved his blacksmith and wagon
shop to his newly erected build
ing south of the postoffice. . .
The donation by O'Neill citizens
to the Finland famine fund
amounts to over $25. . . Mr. and
Mrs. T. F. Birmingham celebrated
their 16th wedding anniversary.
20 Years Ago
The robber of the Chambers
bank was taken to the state pen
itentiary 72 hours after the rob
bery. He was sentenced to 15
years imprisonment by Judge
Dickson. . . Word was received
from Norfolk that there is a milk
war there. Milk was selling at
one cent per quart. . . Frozen
water pipes have caused damage
in several homes. The Martin
Cronin house blew up breaking
windows and destroying the
stove. The cause was due to the
frozen pipes; also the home of
Tom Hanneberry blew up and
broke several windows. . . O. F.
Lindberg sold his farm near
Meek to move to Page and oper
ate Lindy’s oil stationed which he
and his brother, H. L. Lindberg
of O’Neill, own. . . “Sound Your
Horn” was presented at the KC
opera house by local talent un
der the direction of Mrs. F. J.
Kubitschek. . . The St. Mary’s
Cardinals defeated the public
high school Eagles with a score
of 18-2. The alumni game of the
two schools resulted in a 13-13 tie
... A new low temperature has
hit in the state. It was 41 degrees
below zero at Verdigre.
10 Years Ago
Drs. Brown and French have
purchased the residence of Ar
thur M. King on West Douglas
street and they expect to have
it fitted for an office and move
there by March 1, 1943. .. . Jack
Harty, who has been attending
Loyola university, Chicago, 111.,
returned home Tuesday to visit
dis parents while awaiting his
call for the army. . . Bill O’Con
nell returned to Washington, D.
C., after visiting his parents, Dr.
and Mrs. O’Connell, for the past
month. . . The public is warned
to be very careful not to give any
information of value as the names
of ships that troops leave on and
when they leave as it may be
aiding the enemy. . . The war ra
tioning board has placed a ra
tioning on all shoes made in
whole or part of leather Or rub
ber goods. Shoes not rationed
are waterproof rubber footwear
and soft and hard-soled house
slippers. Beginning February 9
all shoe dealers must collect
stamps for each pair of shoes
sold. . . Eli Hershiser owns a deck
of playing cards 50 years old. . .
The O’Neill schools collected 225
books for the “Victory Book
Drive” . . . Lt. Robert Biglin and
Miss Patricia Kelly of San Fran
cisco, Calif., were married Feb
ruary 2. . . If mint officials have
their way, a new 3-cent coin of
zinc-coated steel will replace the
copper pennies. The present pen
ny contains 95 percent copper
and copper is a vital material of
war production. If the new
coin arrangement passes, minting
of it will begin the first of the
month.
One Year Ago
Herbert Kaiser succeeds D. D.
DeBolt as part-owner and man
ager of the William Krotter Co.,
here. . . The O’Neill polio fund
has reached the $1,715 mark. . .
The Wesleyan Methodist mission
ary society met and made and
rolled bandages to be sent to the
foreign fields. . . Mr. and Mrs.
Sylvester Zakrzewski were sur
prised on their 37th wedding an
niversary. . . Mrs. Belle Summers
celebrated her 92nd birthday an
niversary. . . Miss Mary Lois Kel
ly was capped February 3 at St.
Catherine’s school of nursing. . .
A daughter, Pamela, was born
February 10 to Mr. and Mrs. Don
Petersen. . . William Benjamin
Martin, 60, died suddenly follow
ing a heart attack. .. Mr. and Mrs.
Joseph Mlinar of Atkinson cele
brated their 54th wedding anni
versary. . . William W. Griffin
was elected president of the Fif
teenth judicial district bar asso
ciation; John Cassel of Ains
worth, vice-president, and Nor
man Gonderinger, secretary
treasurer. . . Charles (“Casey”)
Jones, a Consumers Public Power
district employee, was mysteri
ously bruised andinjured between
3 and 7 a.m. on January 24. He
was taken to an Omaha hospital
by ambulance. . . A marriage li
cense was granted to Bob Protty
and Miss Lavonne Riley, both of
O’Neill, on February 13.
Wilbur Bennett
Named President—
EWING—At a recent meeting
of the newly-organized chapter
of the United Presbyterian Men’s
club, the following officers were
elected: Wrilbur Bennett, presi
dent; Adolph Bartak, vice-presi
dent; Wayne Shrader, second
vice-president; Leo Miller, sec
retary; Willie Shrader, treasurer.
The purpose of the men’s club
is to promote Christian action
by a better understanding of the
meaning of Christianty and by
being a channel through which
men may put their faith to work
in the community.
Rev. W. J. Bomer is pastor of
the United Presbyterian church.
Feted on Anniversary—
Casey Tomlinson, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Dick Tomlinson, was
honored on his third birthday
anniversary Thursday evening,
February 5, by members of his
family and members of the
Charles Boyle family. The eve
ning was spent playing games
and a lunch was served by Mrs.
Tomlinson. He received many
gifts.
Card Party at
Underwood Home—
Twenty-five guests were pres
ent at a card party held in the
heme of Mr. and Mrs. John Un
derwood on Sunday evening.
Among the out-of-town visitors
present were Mr. and Mrs. Hen
ry Van Ert of Clearwater, Mr.
and Mrs. Sylvester Beck, Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Beck of Creigh
ton, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Perego
way, Mr. and Mrs. Bill O’Con
nor of Atkinson, Mr. and Mrs.
Gene McDermott and Pat Galla
gher of O’Neill.
--
Phones 316 and 304
DR. H. L. BENNETT
VETERINARIAN
— O'NEILL —
« s
——. — -f
.. '
/ It'll make you *.
1 1urn Your head! /
MILLER THEATRE
— Atkinson, Nebr. —
FrL-Sal. Febr. 13-14
Suru-Mon.-Tues. Febr. 15-18-17
Dr. Fisher, Dentist
In the Bishop Block—Norfolk
Office Phone: 610
Res. Phone: 2842
ELKHORN FLOWER SHOP
x
405 E. DOUGLAS ST.
O’NEILL, NEBR.
; Night Phone 530W Day Phone 579
We Telegraph Flowers
Flowers For All Occasions
11 f
-, ,_, r, nn.,.-rT^Tr-f-n--r-i--r-r-r
1 NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
HEREFORD ASSOCIATION
1 SPRING
BULL SALE
I 2x
I Bassett, Nebraska
* ♦♦
I SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21
n
i| SHOW AT 10 A.M. — SALE AT 1:30 P.M.
:1 Dr. C. A. Watson, Mitchell, Nebraska, Judge »;
! i ♦♦
It Happened In NEBRASKA—
I1 62 HEREFORD BULLS 62 I
All Animals Offered for Sale Will Be T.B. and Bangs Tested j:
1.1ST OF CONSIGNORS 8
Floyd Arrowsmith, Bassett; Harry J. Brown, Bassett; Albert §
Carson, Redbird; Eldon Cozad, Wood Lake; J. Hall Dillon, H
Long Pine; Chas. Dorsey & Sons, Newport; Joe J. Jelinek & S
■^ons, Walnut; Charles J. Johnson, Rose; Stanley Larson, H
Bassett; Ernest Larson, Springview; Berlin Mitchell, Stuart’; 8
Chas. H. Morton, Duff; Bernard C. Phifer, Long Pine; Ralph g
L. Prill & Sons, Page; Red Cedar Ranch, Bassett; S. R. Rob- g
ertson, O’Neill; George Smith, Bassett; Dale Steele, Bassett; 8
F. E. Titus & Sons, Springview; Floyd Tucker & Sons, Rose; g
H. A. Van Horn & Sons, Page; Artice N. Wentworth, Spring- g
view; F. E. Wentworth, Springview; Lou F. Wewel, Newport; g
Leland G. Wilson, Wood Lake; Henry Wood, Ewing.
FOR CATALOG, WRITE
Tug Phillips, Sales Manager
BASSETT, NEBRASKA
8
HARRY J. BROWN. BASSETT. Presidenl H
B. T. BUELL. ROSE, Vice-President
CHARLES CORKLE, Auctioneer g
Usual Field Men Will Be Present
—^ ~ •
— r~m V— , - —_lit turn \ ivim .
XHIS was once described as a familiar sight on the midwest prai
ries . . . when the railway station was “too poor to put up a post
to hold the mail bag.” Frequently, it was said, a member of the
postmaster’s family would hold up the mail bag for the approach
ing train to pick up. Imagine trying this stunt with today’s fast
streamliners!
t NEBRASKA DIVISION
Also streamlined is today s tavern opera
tion in Nebraska, which has reached a new United States
high. An educational program by the brew- Brewer
ing industry keeps tavernmen continually Foundation
aware of their responsibilities to their com
_ 710 First Nafl Bank Bldg , Lincoln
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^ t .
