ular government, the other for government
by big business. Owen stands for the rule
of the people; Bailey stands for ruling the
peop'e because they are too ignorant to
rule themselves. Owen is a democrat in
fact. Bailey is a democrat in name only.
"The American Economist" is the sub
sidized organ of the tariff protected inter
ests, ft is maintained and circulated by
money subscribed by the tariff barons. Of
course it is opposed to Canadian recipro
city. It declares that the price of wheat
in Minneapolis is every year about 12c
higher than the price of Canadian wheat at
Winnipeg. Well, what does that prove?
Winnipeg is about 300 miles further than
Minneapolis from a point of export, hene'e
the difference in distance would have some
bearing. Again, the tariff on wheat is 25
cents a bushel. If it is the tariff that does
it. why isn't. United States wheat at Min
neapolis worth 25 cents a bushel more than
Canadian wheat at Winnipeg? The ques
tion is, how much more than Canadian
wheat is United States wheat worth . in
Liverpool ?
The American Magazine indignantly
denies that it has sold out to J. Pierpont
Morgan and 'big business" What is more,
the American Magazine proves its case.
When "big business" is able to smothor
such writers as William Allen White, Peter
Finley Duane, Ray Stannard Baker, Ida
Tarbell, and others of their stamp, iiiis
country will be in a mighty bad way for
sure. To date we have not noted any evi
dences that "big business" has been ahlS
to do it.
and Colorado. He was a railroad builder
of the old school a man who built rail
roads and developed new countries instead
of speculating in railroads and preying up
on communities. He was typical of the
big, broad, generous west.
The west, and especially that "mountain
ous west," has lost heavily by the death of
David H. Moffat of Denver. Moffat was
a builder, not a speculator. He developed
instead of preying upon communities. Dur
ing the panic of 1896 he stood to lose every
thing, but he risked everything in order to
uphold the credit of his city and his state.
Banks tumbled about him in every direc
tion in Denver, but the tumbling was not
a circumstance to what it would have beer
had not Moffat stood staunchly by Denver
The employers' liability bill will not, of
course, pass this legislature. The labor
lobby had little hopes of success, but they
have secured more than ever before they
have secured recognition of the claims of
labor and forced men to recognize and
study this growing question. Never before
has an employers' liability and compensa
tion bill secured even a desultory hearing in
committee. This time the cornmittee list
ened and the labor representatives, made
converts to their cause. The result will be
beneficial, for while no law will be enacted
at this session a commission will be secured
to study and report upon the matter. This
is a long step forward arid well worth the
trifling amount of money it has cost.
EIGHTH VOLUME, FIRST NUMBER
With this issue Will Maupin's Weekly,
born The Wageworker, begins its eighth
volume. The anniversary is celebrated
modestly but none the less joyously. The
seven years have not been all sunshine by
any means, but the average has been more
than satisfactory. Founded as an exponent
o'f organized labor, The Wageworker made
the best fight it could for principles dear to
the heart of its editor and founder. But
experience demonstrated that the labor field
was too restricted to permit of a business
growth absolutely necessary to a continua
tion of the paper under present manage
ment. Hence the change to Will Maupin's
Weekly. The change has wrought no
change in the principles upon which the
paper was founded ; it has merely made
possible a widening of the field of activity.
It is, therefore, of Will Maupin's Weekly
that we would speak.
Will Maupin's Weekly is intended for
men and women who think cheerful
thoughts and indulge in optimistic visions.
It is intended for men and women who
want the truth in cheerful doses, free from
scandal, crime, police court filth, rotten so
ciety drivel and gloomy predictions of
pending disaster. Its gospel is that of good
cheer; its mission to make men and women
happy. .Its creed is sanity and sense, and
its motto is "Smile, the flowers are bloom
ing somewhere all the time."
Will Maupin's Weekly, as long as it re
mains alive and under present management,
is going to devote vastly more time to tell
ing about the virtues of the living than in
expatiating upon the virtues of the de
ceased. It is going to cultivate flowers to
place in the hands of those who are doing
things now, instead of reserving them in
cold storage to spread upon caskets and
coffins and tombs. It is going to speak the,
good words now, "and give the tombstone
makers a monopoly of carving fulsome
epitaphs. It is going to strive to furnish
the spectacles through which even the
blindest may be able to see the silver lin
ing that exists behind every dark cloud. It
is going to boost for Nebraska because, it
believes Nebraska is the best state in the
union, and fuller of golden opportunities
than any other state. It will work harder
to spread a state-wide smile of good cheer
than it would to spread suspicion or breed
discontent.
Will Maupin's Weekly is going to be in
politics without being partisan, arid it is
going to deal with politicians as Nebraska
citizens instead of as saints because they
believe with us or satellites of hell because
they differ from us.
Personally I have assumed a mighty
heavy load in trying to run a big printing
plant, edit such a newspaper as I have in
mind .and start the whole thing from the
ground up without having enough in the
bank to make me round shouldered to carry t
But I have faith to believe that the people
of this splendid state are ready to accord
support to a newspaper that looks on the
bright side of things, despises the "knocker"
and the pessimist and stands ready to boost
for anything or anybody showing evidences
of honest effort at making life better and
more worth living. I have but one worry,
and that is that Nebraskans will not recog
nize what Will Maupin's Weekly is that
is. in sufficient numbers in time to keep
me from putting some of those flowers I
mentioned upon a little news'paper grave.
But here's hoping.
This much I do promise : As long as
Will Maupin's Weekly keeps going it will
be a dose of good cheer to every man and
woman into whose hands it may fall fifty
two doses a year at a fraction less than 2
cents per dose. And that's the cheapest
medicine every sold with an absolute guar
antee that it will cure the worst case of
pessimism, grouch, ingrowing peevishness
or mental dyspepsia.
Will Maupin's Weekly is for men and
women who enjoy life because they believe
it is worth living. It is for men and women
who hate sham and hypocrisy and love
square dealing and honest effort. If all
such become subscribers and they will as
soorf as the matter is properly called to their
attention, the subscription list will look like
a roll call of the very elect.
My bookkeeper is now ready to promptly
receipt for all subscriptions. A dollar a
year. WILL M. MAUPIN.
WHAT THE OFFICE BOY IS THINKING OF THINGS IN GENERAL
De wimmen folks may do a tumble lot
o' talkin' at de sewin' sassiety meetin's, but
at dat it ain't de kind o' talk de men puts
up at deir politickle meetin's.
somethin' erbout sufferin' de little kids t'
come unto Him.
A lot o' men would get furder wit' deir
reforms if dey started dem woikin' at home.
De goil dat's tryin' t' live hones' an' clean
on t'ree bones a week an' boardin' herself
ain't apt t' be scared by no preacher's woids
erbout hell. .
. A lot o' folks fin' it easier t' feel sym
pathy f'r a poor devil dan, t' feel in deir
pockets f'r a bit o' coin t' help him.
If money could buy salvation I reckon
1 erven would be a darned sight lonesomer
dan even it is. '
dishes at de church sociable, but she don't
git near de notus dat de sopraner in de
choir does f'r warblin' at five bones per Sunday.
About de lonesumest feller I know is de
guy wot's afeard t' git out'n sight o' his
money.
De mishunaries sent abroad on de profits
o' de woik o' underpaid goils an' helpless
little kids ain't goin' t' git very fur wid
spreadin' de gospel o' de Man wot said
It's my belief dat if I do de best I kin
I don't need t' worry none because I ain't
doin' as much as some guys t'ink I ought'er
be doin'.
De feller wot's doin' a man's share o
hustlin' ain't got no time t' waste in worry-
in'.
Me mudder genrully washes most o' de
Dere's some pious prayers dat don't git
no higher dan de pay roll o' de goils wot's
sweatin' deir lives away f'r de mean cuss
dat's doin' de prayin.