MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1V1T.
lAGE 4.
TLATTSMOUTH SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL,
. . "
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Cbc plattsmoutb journal
PCBU8HEO SKMI-WEEKLT AT PLATTSMOtTH, NEBRASKA.
Emtrd at Postofflce at Plattsmouth, Neb., as second-claes mall matter.
R. A. BATES, Publisher
initCKIPTIOIf PRICE I U PER YEAR IN ADTANCB
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THOUGHT FOR TODAY.
V- He is no wise man who will J
J quit a certainty for an uncer- J
tainty. Samuel Johnson. J
-:o:
Maich is here, sure enough.
But defer garden making for a
month.
-:o:
Nebraska was fifty years old yes
terday. -:o:-
Look out for breakers when the
rivers break.
That the republicans are playing
politics in congress, there is no doubt.
:o:
Just because George Washington
used a hatchet is no excuse for others
to use a hammer.
-:o:-
When you play your trump card,
don't knock on the table with your
fist. That does no good.
:o:-
Louisville has energy and willing
ness to celebrate the event, but Flatts
mouth, the oldest town in the county,
seems to have no inclination to do so.
And why?
:o:
It's "be damned if you do and be
damned if you don't" with the editor.
You get it in the neck if you tell the
truth, and then you get it in the neck
if you don't. So the editor gets it
both going and coming.
-:o:
Charters were granted this week in
Lincoln to twelve new banks. If this
wholesale manner of granting char
ters to banks keeps up, Nebraska
will have more banks than any state
in the union, double its population.
:o:
A one-body legislature won't do in
this day ami age. And the introducer
of such a bill knows it. Why not cut
down the representation in both house
and senate to one-half of what it is?
It seems to us that is the proper think
to do.
:o:
Senate File No. 47 would be a good
bill to kill. It is the product of special
interests. A mint of money is being
used to crystalize sentiment against
municipal ownership of light and
water plants. It is a nation-wide
movement. Tekaham Herald.
-:o:
Sometimes there comes a day when
everything seems to go .wrong, when
there seems no joy in life. Take a
moment to think. Lift yourself out of
the clouds. Do not give way to dis
couragement. Cease to look through
blue glasses. The sun always shines
again after the worst of storms. There
is nothing so bad that it might not be
worse. Look for your consolations
There are some if you search for
them.
-:o:
Dorothy Dix says liquor is no more
dangerous a temptation to a boy, to
send him the down road than dress,
spangles and finery is to a girl. Fact
is. the finery and spangles of the girls
and young women has a very strong
tendency to put both boys and girls
hell bent. Women, wine and song are
the three great allurements to the
downward way.
:o:-
Therc is too much discussion of the
war situation among our own people
for the benefit of the community. We
j, ever did believe in a censorship in
this country, but we believe it a way
to cut out all the reports that come
itcross the water, or even in this coun
try, which are lies from beginning to
end. There is Tio need in sending out
sensational reports simply to excite
the people. Neitlur ! you, dear
V
reader.
ll
Hit and run will soon be in order.
-:o:
What will the Anti-Saloon league
do now?
-:o:-
The March winds are on the way.
Look out for them.
-:o:-
Most good people know they are
good that is the trouble.
-:o:-
When you get so you live only to
eat, you don't amount to much.
-rot-
When the people get onto a bluffer
they find him one of the biggest cow
ards in the community, and ever after
he is easily cowed.
:o:
You will not pass through this
world but once. Any good thing you
can do, or any kindness that you can
show to any fellow being, do it now,
do not defer or neglect it, for you will
not pass this way again. Remember
that.
-:o:
Washington friends of Senator Nor
ris say that he has about decided to
enter the practice of law in New
York at the close of his term instead
of becoming a candidate for re-elec
tion. If this proves to be a correct
hunch it will enable Nebraska re
publicans to breathe a very large sigh
of relief. Kearney Hub.
-:o:-
FIFTY YEARS YOUNG.
Tomorrow ;11 Nebraskans who en
tertain a becoming spirit of pride in
their young state will be mindful of
the fact that it is the fiftieth annivers
ary of its birth, and will be eongratu-
luting it and themselves upon the high
station the commonwealth has attained
in its comparatively brief career.
To some the anniversary will carry
a larger and deeper interest than to
the commonalty. To such it will as
sume more of a personal than a his
torical interest, for they were partici
pants in the events that led to the ad
mission of the state, and they have
seen it grow from its swaddling gar
ment? to iLs present proud estate, and
have aided in its sustenance and
achievements.
In many of the towns and communi
ties to which the state has given being
the anniversary will be accorded for
mal celebration, exercises of appropri
ate character being held as parts of a
program extending over the period be
tween the last Ak-Sar-Ben pageant
and the one planned for next June at
the university.
Nebraska was born under several
handicaps. It had been a part of
Louisiana, "and later a part of Mis
souri. Although not to blame for that
fact, the remembrance is not one to
excite exultation. It was born of the
travial growing out of the acute agita
tion of the slavery question. Twice
was the act of congress admitting it
denied the endorsement of the presi
dent, and only after such an act was
passed over his second veto did the
state come into being, on March 1.
18G7.
When the state was born it was lit
tle better than the Indian country
Even since its elevation to statehood
it has been troubled by disturbances
arising from the conflict for domain
between savagery and civilization.
It would be useless to attempt here
a recital of what the Nebraska of to
day has to show for its half-century
of being. It would require volumes to
enumerate all of its elements of proud
statehood. Every citizen, no matter of
how recent enlistment as such, knows
of them in general terms. Every citi
zen is proud of them. Many will be
found striving tomorrow to recount
them pridefully, if not boastfully.
It is probably enough for the pur
poses of this mention to challenge at
tention to the significance of tomorrow
to every Ntbraskau. The Nebraokans
will do the rest. Lincoln Star.
- " " ' ' " ' " M "
Season hint 6pring; is near.
:o:
The fellow you call a bad egg is
entirely too fresh.
:o:
The- world is largely what its peo
ple make it.
:o:
You have to treat good roads good
to keep them good.
:o:
No man ever does everything he
wants to. That s one thing sure.
:o:
Those who have had to move the
past week have found the roads
good.
:o:
It is a true saying that half the
world doesn't care how the other half
lives.
:o:
The world is largely what the people
make it, but you can't make them be
lieve it.
: :o:
Love causes more joy and more un-
happiness than anything else in the
world.
:o:
Small cities are more prosperous if
there is a good spirit between the
merchants.
:o:
This is the time of the year when
everybody feels like watching the ad
vent of spring.
:o:
There are many things worse than a
well conducted pool hall, and nothing
said about them. '
:o:
There are many would-be reformers
in the present legislature, ineir
places are on the farm.
:o:
The war excitement and the legis
lature combined is liable to drive some
people in Nebraska insane.
:o:
The thought of early spring house-
cleaning makes the most of us think
of taking a short vacation.
:o:
A minister whose mind dwells much
on current topics, announces his text
as front the "Overt Acts of the Apos
tles."
:o:
Farmers have begun to inquire
about seed corn, which they should
have selected from their own crop
last fall.
:o:
The United States of Europe has
been predicted more tjmes than one.
But in our opinion it will be a long
time coming.
:o:
Charley Bryan has announced that
he will not be a candidate for mayor
again. Maybe he views "the hand
writing on the wall!"
:o:
The people of America will stand
by the president, notwithstanding
the work of the pacifists, headed by
W. J. Bryan, to intimidate President
Wilson.
:o:
The unfortunate tragedy which
caused" the death of Frank Brinkman.
removes from our midst a citizen who
was universally liked by everyone who
knew him. He was, in the true sense,
a friend to everybody.
:o:-
This is the season of year when
farmers are looking for relp on the
farms. The man who wants work
these days can find it. The. trouble
is that so many men arc seeking work
and all the time praying they won't
find it.
:o:
By the way, if the formula must be
printed upon all packages containing
patent medicines and toilet prepara
tions, what is the matter with compel
ling physicians to write all prescrip
tions in plain English?
x :o: .
Congressman Sloan voted against
the bone dry bill on the ground
that "in the prohibition campaign in
Nebraska last fall every speech pro-,
ceeded on the -theory that it was to
banish the saloon "out not to prevent
individuals obtaining a reasonable
amount from outside the state for
private use." JThjs is exactly the
fact, but the prohibition issue' has
been given a new angle by this
action of congress and it is now
pretty safe to assume that the legis
lature will follow suit with an ab
solutely hard and fast prohibition
statute. Kearney Hub.
THE ATTITUDE OF AMERICA
Public opinion will deal tolerantly
with men who by reason of a great
loss, with its attendant - grief and
anguish, permit themselves to berate
and insult their own country.
When the . Locania was sunk, un
warned, by a German submarine, there
perished the mother and sister of Aus
tin Y.'Hoy, an American citizen re
siding and doing business in London.
It is easy to understand the great
temptation that impelled him to ad
dress the president in these words:
"If my country stultifies my manhood
and my nation's by remaining passive
under outrages I shall seek a man's
chance under another flag." We can
understand, too, how a nephov and
consin in New York might permit
himself to telegraph the president and
other officials taunting them with lack
of leadership, charging them with
talking and doing nothing, scoffing at
their'windy words" and saying: "The
United States, by reason of its cow
ardly acquiscence in the killing of its
citizens in Mexico and on the high
seas, has without question last the re
spect of nations." ,
Such messages, sent under the trag
ic circumstances, may be understood
and forgiven. But they will not suf
fice to swerve the American people
from their attitude of support for an
administration that has been slow and
reluctant to enter the awful war that
is rending civilization to pieces. These
men who now are assailing it with
violent words might have served their
country better and their loved ones
better had they exerted themselves to
keep their women folks from traveling
through the war zone on a belligerent
vessel with munitions of war in its
hold.
That the one great nation that has
maintained itself at peace in spite of
grievous hardship and repeated indig
nities and wrongs should be forced in
to the war would be the supreme ca
lamity. To avert and avoid it Presi
dent Wilson has sacrificed and suf
fercd much, not hesitating to risk hia
own personal popularity in the cause
of peace. He has exhibited that moral
courage which is nobler than any mere
physical courage. Realizing all that
our entry into the war might mean
he has been willing to pay a great
price to escape it. And the people of
this republic, spite of jingo press and
the many earnest proponents of war.
have been with him. Even today,
when he is more violently assailed
than ever before, and when congress
is abused like a pickpocket for not
plunging the country headforemost
into tle pit without pausing to stop,
look and listen, the great body of the
people are still praying, not for war
but for continued peace. And they
are looking to Woodrow Wilson with
:r deeper confidence and affection than
ever before, not because they think he
is eager to lead them into a righteous
war, but because they believe he is
still trying with all his might to spare
them from the call to pass under the
iron rod of Mars.
Such is the attitude of the United
States of America. There undoubted
ly arc those who deprecate it, and are
"ashamed" of it, and who are tempted;
like Austin Hoy, to "seek a man's
chances under another flag." Many,
indeed have attested that they have
the courage of their convictions by do
ing just that. It is said that more
than 50,000 citizens of the United
Sfates are fighting with the Foreign
Legion and with the Canadians in
France. But whatever'the immediate
future may have in store, time, we
think, and the impartial verdict of
history, will vindicate the efforts of
Woodrow Wilson for peace and the in
tense desire of the American people
to remain at peace.
That, notwithstanding all the elForts
that have been made to avert it, and
the indignities that have been endured
with nothing more than a protest, war
is a,t once menacingand beckoning us,
is unquestionable. There are many
things that may be done to avert war.
The United States has tried and U
still trying them. But not all things
can be done. There comes times it
may be such a time is very near at
hand for the United States when war
cannot honorably be avoided. If that
day comes to us, those who arc now
spending so much of their time being
ashamed of their own country and en
vying the people of other countries
whom war is scourging first and then
devouring, will have their ample op-
portunity to be proud of America. The
same sentiment that backs President
Wilson in peace would back him in a
just and unavoidable war. ' The phy
sical courage that then would be dis
played would shine with an added lus
ter because of the moral courage that
preceded it. Americans are not cow
ards. They are not lacking in pa
triotism or devotion or the will to suf
fer greatly for a great couse. Those
who might be enemies and think oth
erwise are dwelling in a fool's para
dise. As for those who are themselves
Americans and who dare think that
cither cowardice or lack of patriotism
is what has kept us out of war thus
far, they stand convinced by the
thought of being themselves lacking
both in patriotism and intelligence.
World-Herald.
:o:-
UNIVKKSAL MILITARY TRAINING
Much interest is being centered up
on the new Chamberlain bill, which
porvides for universal military train
ing. The bill provides that all able
bodied male inhabitants of the Unit
ed States between the ages of eight
een and twenty-six years, who have
lived here for a period of one year,
who are citizens of the United
States, or who have declared their
intention to become citizens of this
country, shall be liable to be trained
for a period of six months.
The bill provides for the exemption
of those morally unfit, members of
any well recognized religious set or
organization, at present organized and
existing, whose creed forbids members
to participate in war in any form
w hose religious convictions are against
war or participation therein. Others
exempt from service are those who
have father, mother, -sister or brother
entirely dependent upon their personal
earnings. No substitutes are allowed.
Those who haw served the full six
months will be presented with a ro-.-ette
indicating their contribution to
the country's military service. Those
exempt will be allowed a certificate
showing the reason for their exemp
tion. Such a certificate is ncce'ssary
for the employment of any exempted
person in the civil service of the gov
ernment. Drasticsteps have been proposed
for compelling men to go into train
ing. No firm, corporation or indi
vidual may employ any man over the
age of training except hobe exempt,
unless such training has been under
gone. The citizen reserve army is to be
made up of the young men who have
had the requisite training. All ex
penses of the reserve army as well
as all expenses of the prior training
are to be paid by the government, in
cluding transportation, clothing, sub
sistence and medical attention.
Whether the nation is facing a crisis
at this time or not we can see no good
reason why the bill should not go
through.
The majority of the people of this
country demonstrated that they were
favorable towards preparedness by re
electing President Wilson. The slogan
"He kept us out of war" and Wilson's
preparedness platform were what the
people wanted and their wishes
should be law.
Universal military training is not
only a safeguard of democracy, but it
means the developing of a stronger
and better class of American citizens.
Hastings Tribune.
:o:
They still talk about Villa in Mex
ico, but have failed to see anything
positive that is yet alive in line with
the revolutionists. We have to be
shown thathe is alive.
WILL SERVE LUNCHES.
W. S. Scott of Murray has arranged
to furnish ' lunches at all sales'
throughout the county where it may
be desired, and will see that the needs
of the hungry are looked after prop
erly. Anyone, who is desirous of hav
ing lunch served at any public sale
should call on or address W. S. Scott.
Murray, Neb. tf
THE TAYLOR SCHOOL BILL.
Superintendent W. T. Davis of the
McCook public schools writes the
World-Herald the following letter:
"McCook, March 1. To the Editor
of the World-Herald: If I am reliably
informed, the bill before the state leg
islature, House Roll No. 250 by Tay
lor, provides a tax on all property ol
the state for the purpose of assisting
rural education.
"I believe any community unable
properly to educate its youth should
have state assistance because educa
tion is properly a state function. How
ever, I have before me a directory of a
typical Nebraska county showing that
the tax levied in each rural school dis
trict is hardly a third as many mills
as is now being levied by cities ano
towns.
"Now the query is, why should cities
and towns be excluded from the bene
fits of this general tax and the pro
ceeds thereof be devoted exclusively
to communities now levying barely a
third as much for school purposes a.'
the communities denied the benefit of
this general tax?"
This letter is as full of sound com
mon sense as a nut is of meat. It
suggests, we believe, a proper scheme
of legislation to attain the end that
Mr. Taylor has in mind.
Mr. Taylor's purpose is a proper
one to the extent that it contemplates
state aid for rural communities that
are so undeveloped, and so sparsely
populated that they cannot, by the
levy of any reasonable tax, raise the
requisite revenues to support a schooi
system. Superintendent Davis asserts
as much in saying: "I believe any
community unable properly to educate
its youth should have state assist
ance." But if a rural community fails to
support its schools, not through lack
of means, but through penuriousness,
and unwillingness to levy the same
mill tax that other districts levy, then,
clearly, it is not entitled to have the
more progressive districts taxed for
its special benefit.
Let the Taylor bill be made to pro
vide a general property tax for the
benefit of schools in backward and un
developed rural school districts where
a generous and proper local tax does
not suffice. But do not tax the cities
and towns, that already pay as much
as 2i mills or more on the dollar to
support their own schools, an addi
tional 1 mill to support rural schools
in districts that refuse to taxe them
selves one-half as much.
In Omaha the people pay, by a 25
mill levy and in other ways more than
$7 per capita, to support their public
schools. This means an average tax
for a family of 35. Omaha people
would be willing, the World-Herald
believes, to pay wahtever additional
tax might be necessary to help support
schools out in western Nebraska, in
districts where a few. families cannot
do it for themselves, and where, to the
extent of their ability, they are paing
a proportionate amount with the peo
ple of this city. They would do it out
of patriotism, out of a"h intelligent
understanding of what general educa
tion means to the state. But there is
no city that would not resent the un
fairness of being obliged to support
its own schools, and in addition the
schools of other people who levy only
a third as many mills tax for school
WELCOME NEWS
For Volloivsfono Park Tquriofc!
Commencing this Summer -all tourists transportation ; within" Yellow,
stone Park wtll be .hy . automobile. The White, ten-passenger cars that
were so serviceable durjn.g. 1916 over the. Cody Scenic Road will be used
throughout the Park. - '.
-- Park tickets will' cover a complete five-day tour, in and out .the 'Vme
uateway, or in one gateway and out the other, whether via Cody, fcardincr
oi Ullowstone. All Park -tourists, whether patrons of-the hotels or -til-permanent
camps, will be carried in automobiles. Touring the Yellowstone
Vvonderland by automobile will, indeed, be a combination : of efficiency and
luxury. Nothing in the travel world could be more scenic and satisfying
than touring Yellowstone by automobile in connection with the Cody scenic
route. ' " ' .... .... m
Mmm
Stop.
siirned.
purposes as that city docs. J
The legislature, by dealing with the
question carefully, should be able to
make of Mr. Taylor's bill a law that
will meet a real need without doing
gross injustice to anyone. World-IIcr-
ald. . -
;o:-
THE ALBERT LAW.
An Omaha grand jury, after debat
ing for several weeks, announces that
it favors the repeal of the Albert
law. It is a strange suggestion to
come from constituted and delegated
power, appointed to investigate ru.
mors of crime and the World-Herald is
right in devoting nearly a column tc
a discussion of this rather unheard-of
request. Omaha, it seems, has been
unable to repress the crime which th
Albert law was designed to repress,
although other cities of the state have
had no trouble to speak of in enforc
ing the law to the very letter. The
World-Herald intimates that the en
forcement of the law would have been
easier in Omaha, too, were the polic.
a little more vigilant and ambitious
to do their duty.
There is little liklihood, though,
that the Albert law will be repealed.
In the first place there is no legisla
tor, actual . or potential, who would
dare oDtrage public opinion, for pub
lic opinion is not ruled by the voice
of a Douglas county grand jury, to the
credit of Nebraska. Omaha's task of
how to best settle the oldest trans
gression in the world does not exist ir
most portions of the state, and it
would not be impossible of solution
in the metropolis if there were greatei
efforts to suppress the evil and let
attempt to mitigate it for the sake of
filthy lucre.
Segregation of the social evil merely
increases its danger. Taking if for
granted that in a large center of
population there is likely to be a scat
tering of the seeds of disorder and
vice even with the greatest vigilance?
those who transgress arc outlaws
Segregation adds a glamour of near-,
respectability to the vice and permits
other vices to flourish with it side by
side. White slavery would crow as
never before were the Albert law in
Nebraska repealed. The illicit selling
of liquor would merely make anothci
evil for the authorities to resist even
when there is a show of resistance.
Segregation always provides ample
opportunity for police and municipal
scandals and there is jq end to them.
Murders, robberies and other crimes,
fattening on segregation, always fol
low the maintenance of a "tenderloin."
Chicago, the western metropolis, wa?
nearly the last city of any conse
quence in the country to attempt seg
regation. It was a gigantic failure
and even those who fought for it the
hardest came to admit it in the end.
Omaha can handle the problem suc
cessfully if her municipal authorities
want it handled. If they cannot re
press the evils which they say are
rampant now, what, in the name of
decency, would they do with segrega
tion and all the major and minor
crimes and dismeanors which follow
in its wake. Nebraska City Press.
CASTOR I A
For Infants and Children
In Use For Over 30 Years
Always bears
the
6iff nature of
This early news is given to the public that
has long waited for it. Illustrated publications
will later be fqrnishcd on request by the under-
H. W. CLEMENT. Tlcktt Affn
L. W. WAKgLgY.Qnerf PQMtr f tnt,
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