TALKING OF MEN AND THINGS
The Lancaster liar Association has
very wisely decided not to make any rec
ommendations for the district judgeship.
Previous action on this matter lias result
ed in no good. The defeated ones were
disgruntled and the sucessful ones were
accused of having "played politics."
There are six announced candidates for
the three positions, the three incumbents,
of course, being candidates. The others
are George A. Adams, P. James Cosgrave
and Samuel J. Tuttle. County Judge Cos
grave is admittedly the "pole horse" in
the race among the three outsiders, al
though Mr. Adams is receiving great en
couragement. So far as Will Maupin's
Weekly has been able to ascertain Mr.
Tuttle is merely a candidate.
A merry fight is on for county treas
urer in Lancaster, with the odds in favor
of Louis Helmer landing the prize. Mr.
Ilelmer was a candidate last year when
William McLaughlin a democrat, wron
out. It is supposed that that on account
of failing health Mr. McLaughlin will not
be a candidate for re-election.
F. Wm. Osthoff, who has been connect
ed with the sheriff's office for some time,
is a candidate for the republican nomina
tion for sheriff. He is making an effect
ive campaign and the fact that he is the
only German-American candidate for the
position is being urged to his advantage.
President Taft took a little trip in the
presidential yacht, the Mayflower, last
week, and has as guests a number of sen
ators, among them our own Senator
Brown. It is broadly hinted that a num
ber of senators who were invited politely
declined on the ground that they could
not absent themselves from officii du
ties. Of course everybody knows that
the invitations were issued in the hope
that social obligations and argument un
der convivial conditions would impel cer
tain senators to "get good" with the pres
ident on some of his plans.
For the life of us we cannot see what
some of our esteemed state exchanges are
roasting Omaha for. It is true that the
habitues of the odoriferous Third Ward
turned in and beat the water bonds, but
the denizens of that district are not the
ones to blame. The blame must rest upon
the careless and negligent voters in the
silk-stocking wards who were so busy
motoring or playing golf or smashing the
tennis ball to vote. We recall that only
a few weeks ago a certain element of Lin
coln voters turned in and defeated the
park extension bonds. It took us of Lin
coln three trials to secure, bonds for a
new high school, and beyond all question
Lincoln needed a modern high school
building worse than any other city of its
size in the United States. This fool
habit of knocking on Omaha ought to be
cut out. In the first place it injures Ne
braska as much as it does Omaha, and in
the second place it is an exhibition of
prejudice or jealousy or both that any
Nebraska newspaperman should be
ashamed to put on.
as they are in finding some way of secur
ing clothing of any color or texture.
GOOD OLD NEBRASKA.
I icas weary ivith dark forebodings.
and weighted with loads of grief;
My spirits were dull and lonely, and
vainly I sought relief.
I suffered from heat oppressive, and
longings seemed all in vain;
The sky was as brass that's molten,
and never a- sign of rain.
I felt in my bones 'twould never
bring end to th awful drouth;
I was blue as indigo bluer and
awfuly down in the mouth:
In fact I croaked like a raven, com
plained till my throat ivas sore
When all of a sudden a stranger
walked in through my office 'door.
"What, ho!" cried the stranger per
son; "why thus do you loud com
plain?"
I said 'twas because the corn crop
was dying for lack of rain.
Then up stood the stranger person
and laughed till his cheeks were
red,
And, spake to me words of comfort
- and these were the words he said:
"Full forty-two years I've been here,
I have farmed here boy and man;
I'we tilled her soil and loved it since
her History first began.
And thus I've discovered, partner,
though toccks we may fairly roast,
It rains like hell in Nebraska- just
when ice are needing it most."
And laughing he turned and left me,
but going he left behind
A feeling of cheer and comfort, an
ease of the heart and mind.
I watched as the stranger person
meandered adown the street,
The echoes of lilting laughter re
. sounding tcith cadence sweet.
And watching, the far horizon grew
black idith a thunder cloud,
The lightnings flashed and shim
mered, the thunders resounded
loud.
And out of the northwest rushing
came old J. Pluv and his host,
And it rained ilke hell in Nebraska,
just wlicn ive tcere needing it
most.
Just now considerable discussion is go
ing on whether white or black clothing
is most comfortable in summer. The av
erage man is not nearly so much interest
ed in color as he is in having something.
They are not so much interested in color
The Harmon press bureau is getting in
its fine work these days. The funny part
of it all is that a lot of republican papers
are allowing themselves to be used. About
twice a week for the last two months Will
Maupin's Weekly has been in receipt of
a little notice to the effect that "owing
to the demand for facts concerning Gov
ernor Harmon" arrangements have been
made to supply them in plate form at no
expense to the publisher. Many demo
cratic editors and a few republican edi
tors have succumbed to the "something
for nothing" speil, and as a result "facts
about Governor Harmon" carefully
compiled with a view to boosting him for
the democratic presidential nomination
are being scattered broadcast. To dato
this little newspaper has been able to pay
for the plates it has used. Furthermore,
when it gets ready to tout some presiden
tial candidate it will do do at its own
expense.
Every day we are compelled through
conscientious scruples to turn down ad
vertising offers that are well calculated
to make us rich. We have upon our desk
at this moment an offer to ship up a $450
piano provided we pay $225 cash and
$225 in advertising "at our own rates."
We have declined for the simple reason
that a better piano may be bought of a
local dealer for $225, and it doesn't have
to be all cash, either. We are also given
the oportunity to acquire an automobile
half cash and half advertising. We
have declined because we can buy as good .
an automobile of a local dealer for the
so-called "half-cash" price offered as by
the foreign dealer. Last week we de
clined to run a four-inch double-column
' eighteen months for $18, waiting for
tb money until the expiration of the con
tract. Will Maupin's Weekly is not over
burdened with advertising. It could carry
more. But whenever you see an adver
tisement herein you may rest assured it
is the advertisement of a reputable deal
er; that it is paying a flat rate and pay
ing it in cash every month, and that the
advertiser is advertising herein because
he believes it pays him, not because he
wants to "help the editor."
A few weeks ago a voucher mysteriously
disapeared from the files of the state de
partment at Washington. It concerned
the expenditure of some money, which
money seems to have been diverted. Later
the voucher showed up, probably because
government sleuths were hot on some
body's trail. Now some correspondence
in the interior department has disap
peared correspondence that threatens to
implicate Brother Charley in some
Alaska graft. It seems that while a great
hue and cry was being made to prevent
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