The Plattsmouth - Journal
C2i Published Seral-Weekli it Plattsmouth, Nebraska CUD
R. A. BATES, Publisher.
Entered at the PostotTice at Plattsmouth, Nebraska, as second-class
matter.
fl.50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
The Journal is a home paper, pub
lished for home people and for the
teneBt of home Institutions.
:o:
Those Mexican rebels are making
to many demands that they must be
lieve great reforms come In bunches,
like bananas.
-:o:
A few hundred death anion; the
troop, owing to climatic conditions
along the Mxlcan border, this sura
nr, will serve to mark the value of
mobilization.
:o:
That Plattsmouth Is becoming a
grt Saturday town for business the
immense crowd of farmers In town
lat Saturday was another Indication
of this fact.
:o:
Only nine more days and the legis
lature will have to do bushiest with
out pay. Hut the member will In
cline to be homeward bound when
Tay stop.
:o:
Mayor Sattler has performed his
duties so efficiently and acceptably
to the taxpayers of Plattsmouth that
the people. Irrespective of party, are
praising him highly for his present
administration.
:o:
The city election U not liable to
be as "warm" as a few people would
like to see It. The voters will support
those candidates whom they think
are bent fitted for positions, and are
not going to let their prjudices get
the better of good, sound Judgment.
:o:
The legislature will give the people
a non-partisan judiciary law, but It Is
ytiry likely that the present Intensely
partisan supreme court will again de
clare the. law unconstitutional. If
such a law Is constitutional In Il
linois, Indiana and many other states,
w hy should it not be count it mloiial In
Nebraska? Answer quickly, will
you?
:o:
When big business has accomplish--A
Its object In i owing the revolution
UIb and bringing the I Max govern
ment to terms satisfactory to conces-
fttonaries and bondholders It Is the
simplest thing In the world to ex
change polite diplomatic notes and
my, "See, we told you so. This is
nothing but a little hobby horse
fame of war, after all, to give our
oldlers practice."
:o:
The president, In his speed) at the
Kouthern congress, let It be under
vtood that any monkeying with the
acred Payno-Aldrlch wool and cotton
fchedules by the extra session would
net the veto axe Into action. Thin Is
distinctively Taftlan, a swing from
one end of the arc to the other; to
day for lower duties and tomorrow
for the plunderbund tariff.
:o:
When you patronize the Journal
you know you are supporting a paper
that has been for "PlattHinouth first,
last and all the time." The Journal
is owned by the publisher, and he
has depended solely upon the busi
ness men and citizens of 1'lattsmouth
In general for Its support. The
citizens have appreciated our efforts
to give them a good dally and we
trust (hey will continue to do so.
:o: 1
The consistency of Mr. Rheehan,
the Tammany candidate who Is hold
Ing up the election of a United States
senator In New York on the ground
that be Is the "regular" nominee of
the caucus, Is about as clear and pel
lucid as the bottom on an oil tank.
Sheehan bolted llryan and the Chi
ko platform In 1806. Now he ful
minates against the New York demo
crats who have sufficient Independ
ence to stand aloof from the dicta
lions of Doss Murphy. Personal In
tereFf, as well as pollticH. Is potent In
pointing the direction of the weather
ne of logic.
:o:
wnams" pension law.
Kansas City Is progressive. It Is
more so than many of the rural com
munities or smaller cities and towus
that surround It. Not only is It pro
gressive commercially, but In govern
mental ahalrs and In its sociological
adjustment.
Why it Is so far in advance of other
dties In the latter resect Is not
easily guessed unices It be attributed
to the progresslveness of its most in
fluential newspapers.
Following the Juvenile court re
form down there, they have gone a
step farther in the salvation of the
outh that spring from unfortunate
families. Through the efforts of
Judge Porterfleld of the Juvenile
court, they have secured the enact
ment by the legislature of a measure
known as the widows' pension law,
under which the Juvenile court Is era
powered to pay the widowed mother
of a young family enough to enable
her to stay at home and look after
the children.
The law Is foundod upon the con
viction that If a widow Is In straiten
ed circumstances is thus empowered
to remain at home to bear more
sturdily the mother's than the
father's part, she will be better able
to exert the motherly Influence over
the children which keeps them from
the commission of crime.
This Is a reversal somewhat of the
course of procedure upon which the
Juvenile court was originally found
ed, as under that procedure the court
could not assume control of a child
until it had transgressed, or was
about to transgress, some law.' Now
It can get busy earlier and piovlde
conditions In the midst of which the
child Is not so apt to become a public
menace Lincoln Star.
:o: .
THE LEGISLATURE IHES WELL
The Initiative and referendum
amendment that has passed the Ne
braska legislature Is perhaps not the
best that could have been framed.
Hut It represents, the World-Herald
bellet es, a distinct Improvement and
advance over any Initiative and
referendum system that has yet been
adopted by any American state.
The Nebraska system of direct
legislation will differ from that of
Oklahoma on the one hand because
uManoma is more conservative; from
that of Oregon on the other hand be
cause Oregon Is more radical. And
the Nebraska system will be better
than either because Oklahoma Is per
haps too conservative, while Oregon
Is too radical.
Oklahoma's extreme conversntlsm
Is represented In the requirement!
that a majority of all the votes cast
In an election Is necessary to adopt
a law or a constitutional amendment
through' direct legislation. While
this requirement Is thoroughly and
fundamentally democratic, asserting
only the old doctrine that majorities
Hhall rule It is llkelv at tln.es tn
work a hardship In the enactment of
progressive laws, by counting all
those careless and Indifferent citizens
who do not vote on It as being
against the law. Nebraska In this re
spect Improves upon Oklahoma by al
lowing a majority of those voting on
the question to pass It. provided that
mnlorlty Is 35 per cent of the total
vote cast in the election. As to an-
...I . .. . . .
inner important provision, Nebraska
follows the rule laid down by Okla
homa which makes a distinction be
tween the enactments of laws and the
amendment of the constitution. Uoth
states require a 50 per cent larger
lM'tltlon to propose an amendment to
the constitution than to propose a
law.
Nebraska improves on the radical
ism of Oregon by requiring a 10 per
tent ins-teal of an 8 per cent in
itiative petition; by requiring a 10
per cent Instead of a 3 per cent
referendum petition; by requiring a
15 per cent instead of an 8 per cent
constitutional amendment petition,
and by providing that no law shall be
adopted unless it polls 35 per cent of
the whole vote, whereas Oregon al
lows a mere majority of those voting
on the law to pass it, no matter how
small that vote may be.
In still another sense is Nebraska
more conservative man uregon.
Oregon gives its citizens almost com
plete direct control of the public
purse, whereas Nebraska forbids the
people to resort to the referendum
against the regular appropriation
bills for the support of the state gov
ernment and Institutions.
The Nebraska legislature has done
well. It has been assailed by
salumny, by narrow and Jaundiced
criticism, by extremists from either
side of this great question. In spite
of It all the members have gone calm
ly and sanely ahead, drafting a law
which will come more and more, as
time goe by, to tower above any
similar law enacted by. another state
It is a law that win come nearer
than any yet devised to serving the
purpose of the theory of direct legis
lation; to-wlt, to let the people rule;
to give them the full power of in
itiative or veto on imKrtant matters
that concern a large proportion of the
voting population; and at the same
time to put a wise restrain on the lr
responsible use of this mighty
weapon by Inconsequent and fad-rid
den minorities.
The World-Herald hopes that the
constitutional amendment as thus
agreed on will be adopted by the peo
ple of Nebraska. And furthermore,
it sincerely hopes and believes that,
once the power of direct legislation Is
placed in the hands of the people,
they will very seldom have to use It.
Representative government, under
American Ideals, Is the best govern
ment. Direct leglsaltlon. direct gov
ernment, becomes necessary only
when representative government
fails; when It breaks down; when It
rises In rebellion against the people
And such a failure Is a calamity, we
are convinced, that will very seldom
occur once the lawmakers know that
the supreme lawmaking power Is In
the hands of the people themselves.
That Is the reason the World-Herald
has favored the Initiative and
referendum World-Herald.
:o:
railroads seem to want to be the sole
custodian of the interests, while the
public bolls the bag.
:o:
The Journal started out about five
years ago to give the people of
Plattsmouth the best daily paper ever
printed in this city, and we are still
furnishing it to them.
:o:
Chicago how has three members of
President Taft's cabinet. And what
is equally Important, Seattle has
none. Seattle is isaiunger s nome.
:o:
One main objection to woman suf
frage Is that when the mistress and
the cook both have a ballot there will
be nobody to get dinner on election
day.
:o:
It Is an dd saying that some men
grow under responsibilities; others
merely swell. See if you can pick the
swelled one3 on the streets of Platts
mouth.
:o:
It is believed now that the Iowa
legislature will elect a successor to
the late Senator Dolllver before It
adjourns. Hut how about the sen-
aiorship In New York?
:o:
Mayor Jackson of Nebraska City
has issued a proclamation designing
Monday, March 27, as "Cleaning Up
Day." Why not have such a day in
Plattsmouth?
:o:
It is said Taft Is engaged in writing
his message to the special session of
congress. It Is a safe bet that he will
not require 46,000 words to advise
congress what to do with the Can
adlan reciprocity treaty.
:o:
The south Is now claiming Gov
ernor Ward row Wilson of New Jersey
as Its very own son, and Is booming
blm for president. The south has not
had a candidate since the war.
:o:
Eat, Is the dell a nee that Dr. Wtley
the food expert, hurls at the food fad
dlsts, the no-breakfast cranks and
sawdust food apostolate. C-ood advice
A well nourished body Is the best
fortress against the onslaught of dis
ease. ,. i
:o:
He sure and do your Easter Khop
plng early.
:o:
The army Is playing war while Mr.
Taft is playing golf.
:o:
Champ Clark refuses to wear either
a crown or gum shoes.
:o:
Congressman Hobson ought to be
In high feather these days.
:o:
When the Hon. T. R. contemplates
the spectacular war spasm of the
present administration he must turn
green with envy.
:o:
What a great boom for the mov
ing picture shows! Just imagine all
the latest war views that will be seen
now for a nickel!
:o:
O. C. Morton, one of the managers
of the Dally News, has been nomin
ated for mayor of Nebraska City on
the citizens' ticket.
:o:
If the primary law Is to be amend
ed, or an entire new law passed, for
the Lord's sake give us something
better than the present law.
:o; '
Governor Woodrow Wilson Is liv
ing evidence of the error of the as
sertion that a prophet Is not without
honor save In his own land.
A Host on physician advocates a
month's vacation annually as a health
measure. lie evidently never was in
side a real live newspaper office.
:o:
Judge l.ovett. president of the liar
limiin lines, says the Interest of the
railroads and the people are one.
Very true. The trouble Is that the
A pargrapher suggests that a few-
words shculd be added to the base
ball language this year. What Is
really needed Is a lexicon and an off!
clal Interpreter of the Jargon of the
dlamon. Perhaps Volapul; or Espe
anto might be suubstltuted for relief.
:o: '.
Senator Banning, while In the city
yesterday, said he thought the lcgl
lature would adopt the commission
plan of government without a doubt
and that the bill would be changed
so as to allow cities of 4,000 to tak
advantage of the plan If they so de
sired.
tioni, nor primarily the prevention of i
the volation of laws of neutrality, not J
any particular reverence for the gov
ernment of President Diaz, but the
safeguarding of the Investments of
the Morgan-Guggenheim bunch of
l.nanciera and their alleys which is
t'ue real moving principle In the un-
ecessary spectacular extravaganza of
mobilizing a third of the standing
rmy. a large proportion of national
uard officers, and two squadrons of
the navy along Mexican territory.
The mailed fist of the government
f the United States is being employ
ed to protect the financial interests of
P. Morgan & Co. and others, in ut
ter disregard of the principles of In
ternational law. The Morgan house
nd Its string of European affiliated
rnis are members of a syndicate
which conducted the refunding of a
arge blocK of Mexican bonds in
Europe last July, and now the Ameri
can government, with paternalistic
solicitude, comes to the front with
measures of extreme coercion to pro
tect the money crowd.
Dollar diplomacy and "big bust
ness" are In the saddle, and using the
war powers of the government to
keep themselves safe. Thus we are
witnessing a practical declaration of
war against a friendly republic, an
unwarranted usurpation of executive
power In bringing It about, and the
employment of the troops of a coun
try which wrested Its freedom from
British despotism against the efforts
for emancipation of men In a neigh
boring republic who, for aught so far
explained, may be struggling for as
great political Ideals as did our peo
ple in revolutionary days.
The most charitable view, so far as
the president Is concerned, Is that he
has been fooled Into this Inconsider
ate and wasteful mobilization of
American arms and has unconscious
ly played Into the hands of the men
and combinations of men who
maneuver politics and politicians for
exclusive selfish Interest. However
good his intentions, he will have to
s'and for the consequences and the
public reproach for his blunder. The
subject will form one for lively and
Interesting discuslson In the next
congress.
:o:- '-
wealth of Mexico belongs to the peo
ple ct Mexico would be a very revolu- .
tionary theory in Mexico. Captal,
Wall street and others, hold vast con
cession In Mexico which would not
fvtand the test of common law in Mex
ico or anywhere else, and, therefore,
capital is for preserving the present
order of things in Mexico. Moreover,
capital apparently has not the slight
est doubt that the present order of
things will be preserved in Mexico.
"The facts certainly will have to be
mentioned, with or without malice.
that a brother of the president of the
United States has large ranching and
other interests in Texas and Mexico;
that another brother of the President
of the United Statec is of counsel for
Speyer & Co., who are the bankers
lu Wall street having perhaps the
hrgest direct interest In Mexican af
fairs as they are; that John Hayes
Hammond, who is In high esteem
with the administration, and Is going
to represent the United States gov
ernment as special ambassador to
England on the occasion of the coro
nation, Is one of the most prominent
representatives of Wall street capital
invested In Mexican mining, It could
be easily believed that the adminis
tration, though acting with the high
est sincerity, has been greatly influ
enced by men and advisors who have
enormous selfish interests In Mexico,
and who are much more anxious that
the Diaz regime be preserved than
interested in the purely abstract
truth that if a majority of the peo
ple of Mexico are dissatisfied with
the present Mexican government they
ought to be able to set up a new one,
without moral or military Inter
ference from this side of the border."
-:o:-
In Australia they have, a milking
machine that will milk a hundred
cows In two hours. Former Repub
lican National Chairman Corttdyou
has an appliance which, when at
tached to corporations, has the
Australian machine looking like an
old horse car.
-:o:-
The Bryan birthday banquet Tues
day night was the largest one of Us
character ever held In Lincoln, and
there has been some very large ban
quets held In the capital city,. Cass
county was remarkably well rep
resented, as she usually Is on such
occasions.
:o:-
There Is some democratic opposl
tlon to Fitzgerald of New York, who
Is In line for chairman of the house
committee on appropriations. Fitz
gerald will be remembered as the
Tammany congressman who went to
. i . ...
jpeaKer cannon b rescue at the time
of the fight on the house rules.
:o:
A I (MY AX ASSET OF FINANCIERS
Indications multiply that the Unit
ed States army and navy Is bein
used as an asset by the captains of
Industry and great financial Interests
offices of Wall street. New York.
The fact Is developing that It Is no
il. e support of the Monroe doctrine
fwhtch In truth Is not at all called
Into operation by the existing condl
WALL STREET'S INTEREST.
John Parr, special Wall street cor
respondent of the Minneapolis Jour
nal, gives this interesting sidelight on
Mexican affairs:
"It must have been noticed with
more or less surprise by the outside
observer that the recent startling and
not wholly accountable events con
nected with the troubled state of
things In Mexico occasioned Wall
street no real uneasiness. True, rep
resentatives of banking houses hav
ing large Interests In Mexico went to
and fro darkly, and Intimated to the
press that they were as much In the
dark as the public about the meaning
of the administration's military ac
tivities, but the securities which stand
for the Interests of these banking In
terests in Mexico were affected not at
all. There are many such securities !
the most prominent being those of
National Railways of Mexico, which
are heavily owned by Wall street cap
ital; Southern Pacific, which has a
very large stake In the Mexican game,
with Its costly extension down the
west coast and other projects: the
American Smelting and Refining com
pany, whose Interests In Mexican
mining are very large, and the Inter
continental Rubber company, with its
large and valuable rubber conces
sions. None of these securities has
declined at all. This may be ascribed
partly to the general Insensibility of
the stock market to adverse news, but
not wholly. One must wonder If the
bankers have been so much In the
dark as they have professed to be,
and whether they have not under
stood all the time that they could
trust the government to uphold Diaz.
"Those who have the least knowl
edge of the ways of capital In Mexi
co must know that for years Diaz
and his associates have parceled out
the wealth of Mexico to private capi
tal, as If such wealth were their pii-
Mtlc property, to do with as they
lif-iil. and that cspltnl In return has
HM!e Diaz and his associates excevd-
l.uiv rich. The theory that the
"I bring greetings and friendship
from the Japanese people to the
American people," said Y. Bryan
Yamashita at the Bryan dinner.
"Baron Shibusawa, who is the most
influential man in Japan, told me
when I left Japan to answer that un
kind war talk." That doesn't sound
as if the Japanese are trying to get a
foothold In Mexico Lincoln Star.
:o:
A great many people do not seem
to understand the commission form
of government. One citizen remark
ed the other day that it would be
a hard matter to get rid of it when
once adopted. A city can try It, and
If It proves not as represented, It will
be a very easy matter to get rid of
It, and If It Is what other cities that
have tried It claim for It, the people
will not care to get rid of it. So thero
you are. What is best for the city is
what Is good for all citizens.
:o: .
Both parties have been trying to
play politics In the present session of
the legislature. The republicans,
however, principally endeavoring to
keep the democrats from carrying out
their platform pledges, but they are
not liable to "pull the wool over the
eyes" of enough democrats to accom
plish anything In that line .
:o:
Now conies the explanation that
the standpat and lame duck senators
voted to allow Lorlmer to Retain his
seat, not because they thought he was
entitled to It, but because they
couldn't break themselves of the
habit of "rebuking Roosevelt."
:o: .
It Is quite possible that Lorlmer
did not personally pay a cent for his
seat. But the lumber trust, or some
one else, did. It Is a transparent way
to escape personal responsibility for
bribery. Lorlmer Is a "hired man."
:o: .
"San Francisco has had Its first
snow In fifteen years," says a dis
patch. But no wonder It snowed out
there, since Abe Rufe has been sent
to the penitentiary at last.
For Sale.
R. C and S. C. R. I. Red Cockerels.
$1.00 each. Eggs, per setting, 75
cents; $4.00 per 100. Inquire of
Mrs. C. E. Schwab, Murray, Neb.
Phone 3H Murray.
2-16-2mos-vp
TRUSSES
I t.4 'Ihtonly targical hou in lh
I y Vt hrt a'.l fining it don
i... .... i . u
of irwc In th Vst
THE W. C. CLEVELAND DRUQ CO.
CM Ait A, KikkAkKA