duties, proper preparation of foods, care of
children these are subjects of vastly more
importance than the discussion of Ibsen, the
modern drama, and other things that the
womanly orator may dig out of the family
encyclopedia.
Senator Norris Brown is not going to
have smooth sailing when he comes up for
re-election. Representative Norris' friends
are inflating a boom for him, and rumor
has it that an occupant of a state office is
also planning to shy his caster into the ring.
In the meanwhile it is generally conceded
that Ashton C. Shallenberger will have a
walk-away for the democratic senatorial
nomination. Will Maupin's Weekly regards
as unfounded the rumor that James C. Dahl
man is likely to announce his candidacy for
the United States senate next year.
Through some blunder or other Uncle
Dan'l Cropsey, editor of a bank in Fairbury
and "angel" for the Fairbury News, received
a little note inviting him to subscribe for
Will Maupin's Weekly. Uncle Dan'l wrote
back a rather sarcastic letter in which he
intimated that he might exchange, but sub
scribe never. Then he confessed that he
had found publishing a newspaper rather
"unprofitable. We greatly fear that one rea
son why Uncle Dan'l finds the newspaper
business unprofitable as compared with his
banking business is that he doesn't take as
much interest in the newspaper business as
he does in the banking business. The more
you study that the clearer the joke becomes.
The other day we heard a Nebraska Na
tional Quard officer condemning Charley
Wooster because Wooster does not believe
in supporting a state militia. The officer
called Brer Wooster a "coward," "a man
afraid of a gun," and several other choice
epithets. 'It reminded us of those enthusi
astic republicans who charged John P. Alt
geld with being a "traitor," not knowing
that AUgeld eniisted in the Union army be
fore he could talk English and served four
years with honor to himself and to his coun
try. Also to those patriots who condemned
E. Benjamin Andrews as a "traitor" and
"copperhead" in 1896 because Dr. Andrews
espoused the cause of bimetalism, forgetful
of the fact that Dr. Andrews was a gallant
soldier for the Union, suffering the loss of
an eye in battle. Brer Wooster, if we mistake
not, wears the little bronze buton of the
G. A. R.
Because Representative Bassett refused to
stand for the gold-bricking of the people
under guise of relocating the capital, Willis
L. Hand of Kearney says "your mistake was
a fatal one." Measured by fleeting pop
ularity, perhaps it was. Measured in the
light of one's duty, performed at the dic
tates of one's own conscience, not. A great
many Buffalo county people who are now
condemning Representative Bassett will
" later be begging him to forget it and help
save them from the consequences of their
own folly.
The school teachers of Nebraska have
themselves to blame, in large measure, for
the low wages paid them. Will Maupin's
Weekly always speaks of teachers' emolu
ments as "wages" for the simple reason
that the emoluments never reach the dignity
of "salaries." A few years ago the teachers
of Lincoln organized on a trades union basis,
but a . little later disbanded at the request of
the Superintendent .of schools. When the
teachers of Chicago started their organiza
tion under the- leadership , of Margaret
Healy, Superintendent Cooley objected and
sought to prevent the organization. Then the
drivers of the school supply wagons, mem
bers of the Teamsters' Union, received more
for, eight hours' work, per, day than the. ward
principals did for their strenuous and diffi
cult work. The teamsters exercised a politi
cal influence through their organization. But
the teachers persisted and insisted.. They
organized and affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor and the Chicago Trades
and Labor Council. Superintendent Cooley
is. down and out, but the Teachers' Federa
tion is still doing business. The Federa
tion has secured the abolition of a lot of
arbitray and . senseless rules, forced a more
equitable system of promotions and secured
a salary increase, of about 20 per cent. The
only organization Nebraska teachers have
is one that makes them easy prey for the
book agents and handy tools with which to
work out the ambitious schemes of a few
leaders. The teachers pf Nebraska the
rank and file should ' think , it oyer !
Judge Alberts of Columbus, now a sena
tor, is an "also mentioned" in the guber
natorial discussion among democrats. While
it is a little early yet to be selecting candi
dates, it is not too early for preliminary
preparations for the inflating of guberna
torial booms, and Judge Alberts has plenty
of friends to attend to that matter for him.
He drafted the bank guarantee law that was
set aside by a federal circuit judge and
afterwards held to be valid by the supreme
court of the United States. He has been a
leader and a wise counsellor in democratic
affairs, and he enjoys a personal popularity
that would give him a big start in the race.
A constitution is always a mighty sacred
instrument in the eyes of people who want
it undisturbed so long as it enables them to
get what they want. As soon as a con
stitutional inhibition hurts them the con
stitution be damned! We are reminded of
this fact by the wonderful concern exhibited
by, some of our friends over what they call
a plan for mending the constitution that is
altogether ,too easy. A constitution that fet
ters the limbs of the people is usually all
right ; a constitution that fetters the limbs of
predatory wealth is usually set aside with
insolence and ease.
The scheme of the Lincoln board of educa
tion to stimulate the habit of saving is a
good one in many respects, but it is lack
ing in at least one detail. It makes no provi
sion for stimulating the habit of industry. It
is easy for the child to beg a penny or a
dime from papa and mamma and then de
posit it, but the matter of earning the penny
or dime is given little or no consideration!
Will Maupin's Weekly suggests to the board
of education the offering of moderate prizes
for the best garden patches, further suggest
ing that the owners of vacant lots in Lincoln
of which there are more than there would
be under an equitable system of taxation,
but which is another story offer rthe use
thereof to young market gardners. A dollar
earned and saved is worth vastly more to
the boy or girl than the dollar "mooched"
from a proud parent and deposited in the
bank. Little importance is attached to
money that is not .earned by diligent and
honest labor.
Both Sides Considered
A Lincoln man has sued for ,a divorce oil
the ground that his .wife is a fiend for pa
tronizing the -picture shows arid cheap
vaudeville stunts, to the neglect of her
household duties. Without knowing a
thing on earth about the family in question
Will Maupin's Weekly ventures the opin
ion that the wife who is sought to be di
vorced, doesn't spend any time around the
pool halls, does not spend ten or fifteen
cents a day for tobacco, does not stand on
tn the corner and spout politics, does, not
try to be a "good fellow" by blowing money
on treats, and does not meet with cronies
.and. relate stories that would make a blush
.come to the cheek of a man only ordinarily
accustomed to worldly . affairs. And Will
Maupin's Weekly ventures the further opin
iion that she like the average housewife,
has to ask hubby for money every time she
needs , a dime or a quarter, and that when
she does ask for a dollar hubby wants to
know what'n thunder she did what the dol
lar he gave her six weeks ago last Saturday.
Mind you, this paper is not discussing any
particular family, but merely cites the di
vorce action in question for the mere pur
poses of a text for a gentle homily.
Rule Seventeen Killed
The excise board has abrogated "rule 17,"
for which there never was any reasonable
ground in the first place. As a method of
catching "bootleggers" it was about as ef
fective as a "want ad" asking the aforesaid
bootleggers to come in and report their
.sales, but in the matter of annoying people
it was a distinct success. One mistake that
a lot of "dry" advocates make is to act on
the assumption that every man who is op
posed to . the open saloon is opposed to the
sale or use of beer and liquors. It is a mis
take usually made by those who believe that
all who do not believe with them on the
liquor question are "brewery hirelings" and
"emissaries of hell."
We A wait an A nswer
The American Protective Tariff League
r-fnaintained and financed by the contribu
tions of tariff beneficiaries, is, of course, op
posed to Canadian reciprocity. Its secre
tary has issued a pamphlet detailing some
reasons why the League is opposed thereto.
One is that "it aims at a reduction of prices
of such necessaries of life as the farmer has
to sell, but provides for no reduction of
prices for the necessaries that the farmer
has to buy."
Will the American Protective Tariff
League endorse a bill which provides for a
reduction of the tariff equally upon what
the farmers has to sell and upon what the
farmers has to buy? We inquire to know,
as our Japanese friends would put it.
Again, has Canadian wheat at the point
of export ever sold for any less than Am
erican wheat at the point of export? Is
the price of Canadian wheat anywhere in
Canada any lower than the price of United
States wheat anywhere in the United States,
freight rates being taken into account. When
we have wheat to sell abroad does the tariff
add anything to the. price the wheat raiser
gets for it? And when we have to buy
wheat because of a crop shortage, if the
tariff does not add to the price the consumer
must pay, of what benefit is the tariff on
wheat ? The average advocate of a high
protective .tariff is so constituted mentally
that .when . he starts out to argue, the ques
tion his logical cow-catcher butts into his
caboose before he reaches the first curve,
