PLATT8KT0UTH SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL.
THURSDAY. JAHUARY 22, 1tH-
PAGE .
Cbc plattsmouth "journal
Published S e m l-W eekly at Plattsmouth. Nebr.
Entered at the I'ostofHce at riattamouth, Nebraska, as second-class mall matter.
R. A. BATES, Publisher
Subscription Price: S1.50 Per Year In Advance
A NEW DILEMMA.
Success of Panclio Villa in
driving Huerta's troops out of
tlieir last stronghold in the state
of Chihuahua, and, with few ex
ceptions, destroying the federal
power in all the northern states
of Mexico, brings the cloud of a
new and threatening dilemma
along our southern border. This
dilemma is the attitude the Unit
ed States would be compelled to
assume should Villa capture
Mexico City and set up a govern
ment there far worse than tho!, of
lluerta, against whom we have so
strongly set our face for moral
reasons. The contemplation of
Villa as a substitute for Hueria
would indeed create a dilemma,
et, as things go in Mexico, ihat
is what would follow the capture
of the capital by the army of
which Villa is the supreme com
mander, not so by choice of cowi
pelent authority, but by reason
of his own power and military
capacity. No one who is at all
familiar with the Mexican char
acter and Mexican politics for a
moment believes that Villa would
forego the power he would then
possess to make himself dictator
or president, in favor of Carrana
or any other of the revolutionary
leaders. Age-long traditions
would not be so violated.
Stronger than custom :n the
matter is the character of I be
man himself. At this lime last
year he was a simple outlaw and
bad been so for a long lime, lie
gathered more of the riffrail" of
the country about him and took
up the cause, of the revolutionists,
ar.d by reason of superior ca
pacity quickly rose to be the head
of the revolutionary army. This
was not done because of any
passion for constitutional or
democratic government, but to
promote his own ambition for
power. All of his life he has been
opposed to government that in
terfered with his individual
operations and ambitions. He is
not now going to show respect
for a government by the people
under constitutional forms, save
as it is represented by himself,
with absolute and dictatorial
power in excess of any that has
been exercised by lluerta.
. We cannot anticipate with any
pleasure or approval the bloody
excesses to which he would be
likely to go under such circum
stances. Wo may understand
something of what they would be
from the course he has pursued
up to the present time. Having
waited watchfully until lluerta
was eliminated by thes institu
tion of Villa, how much more
watchful waiting could we en
dure, and tiow much could we
congratulate either ourselves or
Mexico upon the result of our
policy of condemnation of lluerta
and practically paralyzing his
power to restore order, without
regard for what might come af
ter? Villa begins, to look very
much like a Frankenstein of. our
own making:.
:o:
The following section from an
editorial in the Lincoln Star will
meet the approval of every true
democrat in Nebiaska: "It was
llichard L. Metcalfe who dis
covered one of President Wil
son's books in reference to the
necessity of rewarding party
workers' with patronage if that
parly's principles are to be ex
pected to prevail." Some demo
cratic congressmen will be sorry
before the election next fall that
they did not appropriate this sen
tence to their own use. It is very
true and will be forever demo
cratic. ;
There has been such a thing
in history as a man without a
country, but Mexico appears to
be a country without a man.
:o:
President Wilson will surely
point the way to handle tho trust
problem. And his way will be
the right way. Don't forget that.
:o:
The marriage of a son of the
House of Straus to a daughter of
the House of Guggenheim in
dicates a progressive-republican
merger.
:o:
Ilarly announcements of those
who intend to run for office next
fall may be the means of keeping
some who would like to run, out
of the race.
:o:
The anti-suffrage women will
stand by congressmen who voted
against equal franchise. And
these women are in the majority
throughout the country.
:o:
William Alien White, the bull
moose leader in Kansas, says the
Hop of Senator Brislow is "the
saddest tragedy in Kansas poli
tics." Why so much grief?
:o: :
We don't propose to make any
Hjsitive predictions regarding
the weather until after the sec
ond day of February, then we
will have the groundhog, who is
the infallable prophet.
:o:
liven the strike-breaker has his
troubles. Government investiga
tion disclosed that some of the
workers imported into Michigan
to break the strike of. the copper!
miners were kept Iron) leaving
by armed men.
:o:
Plattsmouth has over 5,000
population and is entitled to free
mail delivery if we want it. Then
why not make a move in that di
rection? If we have a city, let us
have it in the fullest sense of the.
term. Blair, with but little more
than half as many people as we
have, has free mail delivery, and
while we are up-to-date in many
ways, let us have free mail de
livery. .
:o:
The Ford motor company
propose dividing $10,000,000 an
nually, as a melon represent
ing a part of its dividends,
among its 22,000 employes. They
will also pay all employes $5.00
per day wage, and work only
eight hours a day. That is what
reports say, but here is ventur
ing the assertion that they never
will do any such thing.
:o:
Omaha is now having some
grief through the commission
form of government. Commis
sioner Ryder, at. the head of the
police department, is ready to
step down arid out, and hand over
the position to someone else. And
this is just a beginning of the
trouble. Soon a demand will be
made upon the head of another
department. Oh, yes, the com
mission form of government is a
success in your mind, only.
:o:
Some of the opinions of At
torney General Martin show
weakness. Especially in that
when he says railroads do not
need the. consent of the railway
commission to change the time in
running trains. We suppose the
patrons of the railroads are up
against it, according lo the
opinion of this "Bright Light!"
This paper said when Martin Hrst
ran for attorney general that he
wasn't big enough for the office,
and we have never changed our
opinion,
MR. ROCKEFELLER'S LOGIC.
Mr. John D. Rockefeller being
asked if rich men should regard
their wealth as trust 'funds for
mankind, he answered: . "How
else can. he regard it? Heaven
pity the rich man who does not
so regard it. For that man and
his children there is no peace
That answer is, in a sense, a
challenge to the contention, often
levelled at the Rockefellers and
Carnegie multimilliondom, that
legislation should intake impos
sible the" unequal divisions
which can make a very few men
benefactors of millions of aimon-
ers. it runs directly counter to
Bernard Shaw's recent silly pro
nouncement that- absolutely
equality of income is the only
solution for social unrest.
The impression that Mr.
Rockefeller thinks that the new
age of steam, electricity and a
multitude of new mechanical de
vices for an. infinite increase of
product and of wealth, is for the
making of a small class of rich
men of an extraordinary endow
ment, who will use their wealth
as a trust for the benefit of man
kind, grows by further reading of
lis talk. His thought that high
y organized corporation man
agement is needod to get the
most for the people out of the
new facilities is unassailable in
reason. Equally unassailable is
lis conclusion as to the income
tax that "When a man has ac
cumulated a sum of money, with
in the law, the government has
no right to share in its earn
ings." It is in the short phrase
within the law" that his argu
ment becomes tho most defective.
This he himself practically ad
mits, after extolling the superior
cfliciency and economy of cor
poration management, in saying:
'There has been this substantial
basis for popular suspicion, to
wit: There have been ill-managed
and immorally managed
corporations. But it is poor
logic to find against the whole
idea of corporations because of
these few failures."
That statement blinks the
plain, fact that merely a "few
failures" could not have turned
into revolt the loyalty of a peo
ple once so generous in corpora-
lion subsidies and subventions.
The evil is greater than Mr.
Rockefeller is willing to admit.
And1 his own logic is at fault in
assuming, or seeming to assume,
that remedies may be- found
without a uniformity of law. He
pleads that they are not all bad
eggs in the. scramble. Certainly
not. Everybody knows it. Fut
this is another case where the
unscrambling of eggs is not at
all easy.
:o:-
General
marching
New York
fragettes.
sore feet.
Rosalia Jones is
through the state of
with a lot of suf
Most of them have
It only shows how
foolish women try to get into the
limelight and, with an itch for
nolority, undertake stunts for no
other object in view than the
advertising it brings. What pos
sible good can it do the suf
fragette question to tramp
through the ice and snow and
ruin their health does not appear.
Some sympathizers got out auto
mobiles and tried to induce these
wretched creatures to ride, but
no, they must walk, arid so they
plowed along over the snowy
roads in inclement weather in
order to carry a petition to Albany
which, for all the good it will do,
they might just as well have mail
ed. History is full of these
absured acts. People fancy that
in some way if they mortify the
llesh they win the favor of heaven,
and so they llagelate themselves,
starve themselves, do all sorts of
absurd and idiotic stunts, with an
idea that they will thereby be
come moral heroes. Butler took
off this sort of martyr when he
described Hudibras as "a "'man
who thought he was seeking the
Lord when he was only hunting
for a corskscrew."
And then, too, it would be
quite a relief to pick up a paper
without having an admonition to
"shop early" staring one in the
face.
:o:
Gage county has employed its
farm demonstrator for another
year. The taxpayers down there
seem to be well satisfied with the
experiment. Why not try tho ex
periment in Cags county? What
proves " good for other counties
would most certainly, prove a
good investment for Cass county
:o:
A California undertaker was
frightened the other day when
the supposed corpse of a man he
was starting to embalm awoke
and turned over. If half the
stories they tell about the heal
ing properties of climate are
true, such a scene ought not to
frighten undertakers, because
they arc supposed to be used to
such things.
:o:
Advance estimates of the
profits from the parcel post for
the year 11)13 as given out at
Washington, place the aggregate
amount at $30,000,000, which is
just double the estimates made
by the postollicc department at
the time the system was install
ed. If the claims of the railways
for compensation for the extra
weight now being carried free
were adjusted, the net profits
ikely would shrink to about $20,-
000,000, which is still a hand
some sum. The total income
from the service for the current
year is estimated al $80,000,000.
It is an excellent showing.
:o:
Judge AVray, who is posing as
the probable candidate for the;
dlice of governor on the bull
moose ticket, wants to abolish
the collections of personal taxes
ecause a man who recently died
in York county was found to
possess more property than what
ie had been " paying taxes on.
Thej jiwlge 'cvintly forgets that
this condition will be found in all
walks of life and if the same rule
were to be applied to fellows who
lave sat on the bench as actually
lonest, a negative echo would re
sound through the country that
would be heard to its outmost
imits. Law never yet made
honest men, but a wholesome
ear of it may make a few of
them behave themselves.
:o :
Governor John H. Morehead is
a self-made man, and his career
since landing in Nebraska thirty
or forty years ago, fully demon
strates that he is practically a
lusiness man of great ability.
Ie has made every dollar he pos
sesses by beginning at the low
est round of the ladder, and by
lis untiring energy and enter
prise, connected with his natural
ability, he has ascended to the
front rank of the well known men
of ability in Nebraska. Be be
gan as a young man by teaching
school, then farming, and from
that into general merchandise,
and so on until he landed in the
governor s omce, where 'lie nas
further demonstrated to the en
tire satisfaction of his friends
lis eminent business qualities.
Governor Morehead is just such
a man as would reflect credit up
on the people of the First con
gressional district as their rep
resentative in Washington.
:o:
Wood row Wilson is making
one of the greatest presidents of
which this great country of ours
ias ever boasted, ami is carrying
out the parly pledges to the let
ter. And 'we should not lose
sight of the fact, however, that
ie has received I ho loyal support
of congress, many of whom "were
on the job" before President
Wilson was even thought of as
a candidate for governor of New
Jersey. While that is all very
true we must all admit that he
possesses a faculty of staying
right with a job until he finishes
it up in good shape, which cannot
be said truthfully of many of his
predecessor.
AN UNFORTUNATE PROPHET.
The fifth of the minor pro
phets in the English version of
the scriptures was the most un
fortunate of the lot. We know
not why it is, but Jonah has at
tracted more popular attention
than any other of the old lesla
ment worthies. Although his
name has become a synonym for
hoodoo, implying an undereur
rent of belief in the most strik
ing part of his story, no fish
story from the beginning of linn
has caused such controversy. At
one time there seemed to bt
disposition to hang all the law
and the prophets on the litera
truth of the story of the whale, or
the "'great fish the Lord pre
pared." But of late years there
has been a tendency among liber
al theologians wfio still profess
orthodoxy to throw Jonah over
board again, probably out of fear
that he might cause a wreck of
the theological craft. In their
view I lie book of Jonan was a
mere allegory, written to prove
Yaweh's interest in heathens and
he possibility of their salvation.
Against this view the literalists
urge the fact that it was a real
city whose destruction was pre
vented by his belated preaching
that the city from which he took
passage was a real city and that
ie was bound for another. The
fact that Jesus twice alluded to
Jonah, once declaring that. Nine
veh had repented at Jonah's
preaching and again comparing
his own approaching burial to
Jonah's sojourn In the whale,
made much of. The advocates of
the allegory theory insist that
Jesus merely made use of a pop
ular story, even as a modern
preacher might refer to a novel.
Whether his hearers looked upon
the story as true or as an alle
gory niiyht elTect this explana
tion, although ITiere are some
rationalists who declare that
Jesus did not attempt to remove
a current belie? In demoniacal
possession, although he knew it
was erroneous. The Jonah myth
was harmless compared to such
belief. Others assert Ihat the
comparison of the burial of Jesus
to Jonah's experience must be an
interpolation, since Jesus diii not
remain in the tomb three days
and three nights.
Jonah was exceedingly cast
down when Nineveh was saved.
He felt that his reputation as a
prophet was ruined. He went out
to the east side of town and sat
down in the shadow of a booth to
see what should nappen and he
complained bitterly to the Lord.
The beautiful lesson of the
withered gourd vine may have
impressed him, although even to
this day a prophet f dire dis
aster sometimes seems more
concerned about the fulfillment
of his predictions than about the
weal of the community. But
little did he dream that posterity
would ignore the Nineveh in
cident entirely and attack his
veracity on a different score. No
question arose at the lime as to
the truth of his story of the
whale and he did not fortify it
even with the testimony of Eski
mos. He lived in an unskeptical
age and it was well for his peace
of mind that his prophetic ken
did not embrace all the future.
:o :
A prominent republican paper
says: "The democratic admin
istration is entitled to great
credit for this magnificent
weather." Of course this is a
piece of sarcasim. Bui, then, if
the republicans claimed credit
for all the good crops, weather
and the like for prosperity, with
plenty of "hot air" thrown in,
why shouldn't the democrats be
entitled lo the same?
:o:
Tho telegraphers on the Frisco
railroad worked a strike, but the
company suddenly put in tele
phones and removed all the tele
graph instruments, and the poor
telegraphers are now wondering
what is going to hit taeni next.
The writer had the pleasure of
atteililincr werviro.j nt Ilin fothn-"
ist church Sunday and listening The Wall street alarmist, hav
to a most excellent sermon from been basing their prediction up
Rev. Druliner, the pastor. It was on the falling' off of orders for
the first time we have had an op-
portunity to hear him. There wai
a large attendance, and his ser
mon was one that had consider-
able effect upon his auditors.
Brother Druliner is a fine orator.
and it was quite a treat to us to
hear him. It matters not whether
you are a Methodist, Presby
terian, Christian or a member of
any church, it does one good to
hear a sermon delivered bv
pastor who has the proper d
livery, and it would be well for
those Who love to hear a ironrf
sermon, properly deliered. In d
as we iliij, o and hear him. It
will do you good.
:o:
nil -
J ne ngures or the enormous
business transacted in this coun
try last year are a complete
epulation of the
charge of
business depression; but, never
theless, the politicians, with their
own selfish ends o subserve, are
busy wilh their calamity bowl.
ing.
:o :
The citiens of Plattsmouth
who favor free mail deliery to
their homes should wake up and
i
iemand this right, which should
lave been theirs years ago. Agit
ate the proposition with your
neighbor, and whereer there are
two or three gathered together.
alk about it. Eery progressive
ilizen should favor it.
:o:
It depends a great deal upon I
the action of the leaders of b.Uiri,, i.. i...,.,.. ,.. .,.,,..
success of the democrats at the
we some democrats who will re-
fuse to concede there are two I
my belter than we do about the
matter. But we do know this I
mucn, thai I lore are more in-1
lependent democrats in Nebraska
ight now than over has been
known, and those who have the J
eins in their hands will have to
Mill them just right to keep a
ot of fellows who hae generally
vole,! Hot .l..m..f rnHi. lieV:. iti
the straight and narrow path.
nd it is just as well to Ihink
ibout such mailers right now,
md keep on their thinking caps
for several months in the future.
A word to the wise is always in
order.
:o:
Our obi friei d Bow I by, of lb
:rete Democrat, is a man after
peak his sentiments without
ear or favor. Here is one of hiliUai -unirj
atesl, and cuts to the quick,
which he no doubt intended that
it should: "We believe there are
some republican papers so mean
that they would cause the over
throw of business, the stoppage
of all manufactories, closing of
mines ami iuriiace ami no-
. a .... I A I.
'stablishment of free soup
ounters in every town in Hie
United states, if by so doing, they
ould restore to power the cor-
upt old party, which has fosler-
d every combine, trust and stock
rambling exchange the last ..
ears. They gloat oer the fail-
ure or a naiiK or nusuiess imuse,
the walkout of employees in fac-
ories, tne reiluciion m price oi
properly or any other change
that might have a tendency to
ause dissatisfaction among the
people, and try to mislead them
y falsely declaring ihat sueh
hanges are solely due to Un
democratic administration. That
s one kind of polities, fitted only
or skunks."
:o:
When a majority of the wom
n of the country, or of any slate,
hall have declared lhr.l hey
vant the po.ver and the re-
ponsibility of the franchise,
it it..
.iany men win very maiei nni
modify their opinions in .he
matter, and be ready to Tnt
ulTrage for the unit :iaiioti or
tate evidencing the demand.
DISTRUST DISAPPEARING.
steel, but the la?l market report
shows that the Steel corporation
will show an increase in iiufilb J
tonnage in January, for th first
time since December, Th-
company repons au .o
I . I r m in
the volume of orders since me
first of January. Several of th
trunk I in' are still actively
negotiating for their railroad re
quirements this year, which, if
all placed, will mean abut 3"".
ooo tons. Steel price are firm.
"t foiil I per Ion lo ?i-.-r
ton aboe the low reported n lh
last three month.
Mr. B.-al, the superintendent .if
the Ilinois steel plant, wlnrli i
the largest steel plant in the
world, sajs: "Practically all th-
men laid otf la-t month will !
'' v,ini" " w
I ... . i. . r i . . t ..
have some large orders in and
by February practically every de
partment will be running again.
The Wall street effort to pro
duce distrust seem to have been
abandoned. The lark return
from the nop which the people
are ready to expend made i? a
dinicull matte- and leide h.f.
the outcome of the curreiiey
measure seem in ie perferuv
atifactory to them.
In reply to the republican
croakers in Mo hou of rep
resentative, who haw been in
tu b a dismal state of mind. .Mr.
I Ilderwood said: "Before I lie
election next fall there will ! an
i n.l i t r i a 1 awakening that will
ing broker who cry diater in
... .:.. WI,. ,i..rif. ...
I - - a I p lle
All this would perhaps haw
h.,.,.n t.ianu,.,, if lIirr,. h .,. a
i..;i.,r.. ..f i n i. . i
Ii i . . , in. I I 'I . Alt.t. ' " j .1
'lave oro.Inee.l ,l,,lr.. :..! .1
LuM ,,aw.a ,, ,,,.,. a,riJ,te,l to
the democratic ndmiiii-tr.il i.u. It
cannot be too often state! that
uceesful agriculture i Mi"
basis of all prosperity.- t, I J-
j, .raj,j
:o:-
uil.erian.I,
of .V!"n,
I . . . ...
" mail.V Iriemls
in Nebraska
ar pusnmg rum r..r the
lnioeralir nomination for gov.
crnor. He i a g.o. man. and
ha he qualities to make an aide
I governor.
;o:
It is to hope, tti.i. thr
syndicate that leased f.c.n large?
warehouse jn New York f-.r
MrinK beef from Argentine irt
took the precaution ,, ;,r,j n.lt
I i
""" oniroi uie peef supply n
1.1. A - .
:o:
11 ,s ieuee.i pv n,,. world
'p"t forecasters that Od. R,
''It will ho.) out boiger than any
oilier prngre.jf ari,j nil n W1pj
refuse lo make any overture for
straight republican support prir
to I'JIO.
:r:-
Following anti-cikarette legis
lation by the ,-,y council of
Moutrie, ;a.. an ablation for an
ordinance a-'am-t hikh lo-eU and
corsets ha begun, candidate f,.r
appointment a inspector bein
especially active. AIa the way
with the American pe..pe ,.
extreme follow another.
o:
Oovernor Morehea, ha ab..ut
made up hi mind to run f.,r con
gress. If he nominate. and
elected the i v ,tf Fir,t
district will know they have a
man in Washington represent
them.
:o:
There is of
cash in U. I'n it e. I State, or
35.lt ror every man. woman and
rlild in it. If everybody ha k t
theirs, we wish they would rir?
across with our.
:o:
The jotmsr teacher who can
g't "next to" th.. boy ,n the,r
-port a weji a? ,h,r Work jn thJ
school room will prove H great
succes ju the pe,a?0gical world.
