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About Will Maupin's weekly. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1911-1912 | View Entire Issue (June 2, 1911)
ing. We will have a universal church just as soon as Ave all think alike which will not he until the milleniuni, and then we'll not need it. But the sectarian spirit is rapidly (lying out. A genera tion ago the average adherent of one pe culiar faith would scarcely admit that the adherent of another faith had nny show of salvation. Happily that is practically unknown todaj Perhaps it is well that we have different sects, for it tends to keep them all working, but it would be well if we could abolish about 75 per cent of them. But while prac tically everybody admits the wisdom of abolishing a lot of them, the minute we start the work of elimination trouble be gins. We are reminded of a story, and in the telling thereof Ave shall use de nominational terms merely because it makes the story easier to tell. A couple of Hard Shell Baptists preachers Avent to hear a Campbellite expound the pe culiar tenets of his faith. The speaker used the blackboard and chart, and went at his task hammer and tongs. When he was about two-thirds through AA'ith his sermon one of the old Hard Shells leaned over to the other and whispered: "That felloA- is more'n half right." "He's all right,'' replied the other, "but I'd go to hell before I'd admit it." It is that sort of feeling, inborn and instinc tive, perhaps, that is making the church universal an irri descent dream. Nebraska' statutes forbid the playing of professional baseball, or the indul gence in any other kind of outdoor sports on Memorial day, if aforesaid sports have a financial eoonsideration attached there to. This is all right. But if it is illegal for professional baseball teams to com pete before an audience that pays an ad mission fee, is it not equally illegal for golfers to compete for prizes? And why should those of us who are debarred be cause of financial limitations from mem bership in a society club be denied the privilege of seeing a sporting contest, while those who are able to belong to such clubs are accorded the privilege? Will Maupin's "Weekly is of the opinion that those able to belong to society clubs are just as much in duty bound to ob serve Memorial day as the rest of us and it should be our pleasure as well "as our privilege to observe that one day in the year set apart in honor of the men Avho made" it possible for us to enjoy life in a free republic. A feAv years ago the veterans marched in long lines on Memorial day. Last Monday the lines were short everywhere short because the veterans are rapidly departing this life, and those Avho still linger on the scene of action are not so well able to march as they used to be. But as their ranks grow thinner their comradeship increases. Those old sol diers are bound together by ties that the average man will never be able to under stand. If the editor of Will Maupin's Weekly were permitted to enact a rule to embody in the school rules of every city, he avouUI enact one that would, in time, teach every boy to salute when he passes a grayhaired veteran who wears upon his coat the button or badge of the Grand Army of the Republic. One-fourth of the pumice stone con sumed in the United States is produced in the United States and Nebraska pro duces it. Hoav many people knoAV that Nebraska produces all the native pumice? Funny, isn't it? We haven't any oil aacIIs or coalmines, such as are boasted by many other states, but Ave have pumice mines, and that's something no other state can boast of. Last year Ave pro duced $35,000 worth, and about $200,000 worth AAras imported. In a feAv years we'll be supplying the market. Every day one may learn something neAV about this wonderful young state. WHAT PLACER WOULD DO State Senator Placek of Wahoo, who may be justly considered a gubernatorial aspirant, if not next year then a year or tAvo later, labors under the same old delu sion that others before him have labored under. He says that if elected governor he would, immediately set about saving the state a half million dollars a year. This "economy'' talk has fooled a lot of people, and politicians haA7e kept shouting about it until not only Nebraskans them selves but outsiders as Avell actually be lieve that this is still a grasshopper strick en, drouth-ridden state. The fact of the matter is that Nebraska's greatest need right iioav is not to reduce expenditures, but to see to it that the state gets what it pays for. The state is not spending too much money rather it is not spending enough. But the money it is spending is being AA'asted in many directions. One need not investigate long to ascertain that the state is paying first-class prices for most inferior goods and service. In other words, under the present system the state is deliberately robbed and jobbed on every side. Senator Placek says that if elected governor he would get a check on every state institution and keep a close tab on all expenses and receipts by a sys tematic arranging of detailed reports. Senator Placek thinks he Avould, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't because he could n't. Our long since outworn constitution would not permit it. There are just as many systems of accounting in the state's business as there are accountants. If A'ou reallv want to see a sight calcu la ted to arouse mirth, just attend a meet ing of the 'Board of Purchase and Sup plies and watch the membesr thereof sol emnly buying clothing, foodstuffs, station ery, agricultural implements, etc. Four or five men doing this, not one of them able to tell a jnece of all-Avool goods from the A7eriest shoddy ; not one able to tell the difference in brands of coffee or tea ; not one of them able to grade groceries. Yet these men buy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of such supplies, all by sample, and then never know whether the goods delivered come anvAvhere near be ing up to sample. Why? Because a dozen state institutions under as many managements and using as many different systems of accounting receive and use the goods. The Board of Public Lands and Build ings lets a contract for building a hun dred thousand dollar building for the state. The members of the board- don't know the difference between Portland cement and plaster board, and under our foolish system of "economy" they must trust the overseeing to a cheap politician who is ahvays an easy mark for designing contractors. Senator Placek thinks he would reform all this if he Avere governor. But Iub wouldn't. He would find himself so in fernally busy answering the demands of cheap politicians, attending to multifari ous duties imposed upon him by a consti tution that is utterly inadequate and keep ing peace in his official family he would be 'so busy with all these things that he wouldn't be able to accomplish a single one of the reforms he speaks about. Nebraska is the victim of antiquated methods which it is unable to correct be cause of constitutional limitations. What it ought to have is a neAV constitution, and a constitution that would not only permit but would compel the state to transact its business on an up-to-date business basis. ED HOWE'S GREAT PLAN Ed Howe is planning a stunt that will send his name down- into history as a benefactor of mankind. He is going to organize a fine brass band of forty or fifty people and take it around over the coun try and give free public concerts. He will have a big tent, and will pay all ex penses himself, refusing to charge any ad mission fee. Mr. Howe will allow the band to play nothing but first-class music. That is an idea Avorth while. And if Ed HoAve carries it out he will confer a greater good upon humanity than Car negie confers Avtih his libraries or Rocke feller Avith his gifts to universities. It will delight millions, lift them out of. sordid surroundings and leave them with a brightened outlook. And while Ed Howe is carrying out bis great idea Will Maupin's Weekly will be planning along similar lines. Its editor will organize a male octette, every member an artist, and will follow up HoAve's band concerts wTith a vocal concert in which damphool rag time songs Avill not have place. The pro gram will consist entirely of songs that have been familiar and beloved for from tAventy-five to tAvo hundred years. The first suggestion that an extra be injected which will thrust one of those "moon spoonJune" or "mail baby" monstrosities will be frowned upon so strenuously that it will not be repeated. Hoav would you like to hear a double quartette of trained . male voices singing "Old Kentucky Home," "Sweet and Low," "Suanee River," "Rock of Ages," "Robin Adair,"