A VOLUNTARY '--INCREASE- :
Th Lincoln Traction Co. has voluntar
ily increased the pay of the car men in
its service. The minimum now is 20 cents
an hour for new men, with a gradual in
crease to 27 cents, r.n htmiv ' In the last
seven or eight yea is the company has in
creased wages, step by. : step, practically.
Last week Will Yi lupin's AVeekly;
called attention to wliat it believes to
an injustice or two practiced ;iipon the
Traction Co. Here an; a few more facts
worthy of attention: The board of rail
wav commissioners has said that the com
pany is entitled to derive S per cent reve
nue, based upon a physical valuation
made by the board. It also fixes certain
items. For instance, it provided for an
allowance of $18,000 for thw settlement of
damage claims. Last year this item cost
the company $23,000. The board allows
$81,000 for depreciation and repairs. Last
year this item amounted to. $113,000. This
compelled the company to 'take $37,000
from the earnings over and above what
was allowed by the railway commission
ers. As a result, instead of paying 8 per
cent on the phj'sical valuation the com
pany could pay but 5 1-2 per cent, or one
half per cent less than the prevailing rate
for money on security that gives a basis
for fear. Last week the company suf
fered a fire loss of $25,000. Deducting the
insurance leaves the company with a loss
of approximately $10,000, which must be
made good from a depreciation fund al
ready too low by one-third. There is not
a mechanical plant of any size in the coun
try that allows less than 5 per cent for
depreciation. The physical valuation of ;
the Traction Co. is $2,200,000. Allowing
5 per cent for depreciation a ridiculous
ly small sum in the case of a transpor
tation company means a total deprecia
tion of $110,000. This is $29,000 less than
allowed by the railway commissioners.
As before stated, Will Maupin's Week
ly holds no brief for the defenses of . the
Lincoln Traction Co. It lias had its dif
ference with the corporation and lias not"
minced its words of condemnation when
it believed condemnation was deserved.
Hut while we believe the company is not
doing all that it might to improve the
service, it also believes that under pres
ent conditions the company is utterly un
able to give the people the service they
are entitled- to, no matter how hard the
company may try. Some months ago
this paper suggested a plan looking to
wards a better understanding between
the Traction Co. and the public. . It re
news that suggestion now. , -
Let representatives be selected by va
rious organizations of the city, the Com
mercial Club, the Central Labor Union,
the Real Estate Exchange, the Retail
Grocers' and other bodies, these represen
tatives to make an exhaustive examina
tion into the facts, free from prejudice
or bias. Let, both the Traction Co. and
protesting citizens have full say before
this committee, then, let the committee
make its findings of fact, With that be
fore ; 'lis' may "we '"not hope' to "arrive at an
intelligent and workable conclusion?
Conditions are such as to imperatively
demand a speedy solution of the traction
problems of this municipality. -J 1
THINK THIS OVER. -
-. Any reason why Nebraska; money
should be sent outside the stale, for goods;
that could be manufactured within the
state?
Any reason why Nebraska housewives
should buy flour milled in other states
when, flour ground in-Nebraska mills is
as good or better, not forgetting that the
outside mills buy Nebraska wheat in or
der to grade up their, flour? ;
Why ship the hides taken from Ne- :
braska steers to .Massachusetts to be
tanned and made into shoes, then buy the
shoes back to the amount of millions of
dollars a year? Why not tan the leather
and makes the shoes in . Nebraska, thus .
employing thousands of Nebraskans who
will build happy homes and make .the
.state richer and greater?
; If it's made in Nebraska why not give
it the preference, price and quality being
equal? And we'll back the Nebraska
made goods against the same kind of
goods manufactured anj-where else on
earth, r -
The Good Uook says something to the
effect that the nian who fails to take care
of his own household is worse than a
sheep killing dog. We haven't got the
exact words, but we have given the senti
ment." Nebraska is a great household,
and we are all members thereof. It is
our bounden duty as Nebraskans tp stand .
by one another. The time has come to
make the label, "Made in Nebraska," not
only a guarantee of quality but a sign by
which Nebraskans may prosper and make
the state grow richer and greater.
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
The enterprising gentlemen who have
made the Knights of Ak-Sar-IJen organi
zation famous the world over, and at the
same time made the names of Omaha and
Nebraska equally famous, have hit upon
the best plan of all. It is : announced '.
that one parade will be devoted to the
manufacturers of Nebraska, in which
parade they make make display of the
goods : manufactured in Nebraska shops
and mills.
That ought to be, " and doubtless will
be, the biggest attraction of the forth
coming Ak-Sar-I?en festivities. If every
thing manufactured in Nebraska is repre
sented properly in that parade it will be
so long passing the "given post" that the
spectator who sees it all should take a
lunch along. Such a parade will be an
eye-opener to the average Nebraskan who
has so long been saying that "Nebraska
is purely an agricultural state." It will
show the world that Nebraska is making
marvelous strides in the development of
manufacturing even lnpre, , marvelous
tfcan r her. development " of agriculture,
which is already a world marvel. It will
show that Nebraska is making everything
that man. wears and eats, most of the
things that he uses in his business, and
many of the things catalogued as luxu
ries. We are making automobiles and
atomizers, brooms, baskets, butter,
brooms and bacon; cereal products, candy,
and cars ; dental supplies, doors, dusters,
dressers and divans; engines steam and
electric electrical supplies and en
velopes; fire escapes, flour and foundry
goods; garments, gloves, gas machines
and garden tools ; harness, hats and hard
ware novelties; incubators, ice and ice
machines ; jellies, jewelry and "jumpers" ;
kalsomine and knit goods; leather goods,
loose leaf ledgers, lighting rods and li
quors; machinery, marble goods, mat
tresses and mineral waters; neckwear
and novelties of all kinds; overalls and
optical goods; pickles, paints, paper and
patent medicines ; quinine preserves out
of real quinces; rugs, roofing and rub
ber stamps ; stoves, tags and tools ; under
wear and umbrellas ; valises and vinegar ;
whisky, washing machines, wagons, whips
and wire goods ; excellent ice cream by
the train load ; yacht engines and yeast
and zweibach.
We are employing more people off the
farms than are engaged in farming, and
the wage earners of Nebraska, apart from
farm labor, are drawing upwards of $32,
000,000 a year. Our manufacturers total
in value upwards of $200,000,000 a year,
and the volume is increasing at a greater
ratio than any other state can truthfully
boast. Uncle Sam's figures show that
a dollar invested in manufacturing in Ne
braska brings better returns than a dol
lar similarly invested in any other state
west of the Allegeny mountains.
That "manufacturers' parade" during
the Ak-Sar-Ben festivities ought to be
made the greatest thing ever pulled off
by that wonderful organization of enter
prising Nebraska boosters. It should be
witnessed by a half -million Nebraskans
who ?a re in. need of enlightenment as to
the wonderful growth of Nebraska. And
the Nebraska manufacturer who does not
- take advantage of this great opportunity
is indeed shortsighted.
ALBERT J. CORNISH.
Judge Cornish of the district court is a
candidate for re-nomination, subject to
. the republican primaries. We speak by
the card when we say that were it pos
sible to vote in any old column Judge
Cornish would get practically all the
votes cast at the primary. A republican
by affiliation, J udge Cornish is above par
tisanship all the time. He is a student
of affairs as well as of the law. He keeps
in close touch with currents events, .
therefore keeps in close touch with the
people. His record upon the bench is an
enviable one, and his rank in judicial cir
cles is an earnest of his ability and in
. tegrity. There should not be any. oppo
' sition to the re-nomination amL re-elecV