1
CURT COMMENT ON CURRENT TOPICS
It is easy to advance a scoie of argu
ments in favor of the election of Judge
Dean to the supreme bench. The best
argument, however, is the splendid rec
ord he made during: the brief time he was
permitted to serve as a memler of the su
preme court. Short as his term was, he
demonstrates his ability us a jurist and
his absolute fairness. The conditions
which surrounded Judge Dean's apjioint
ment to the bench by Governor Sheldon
were such as to demand that in all justice
and fairness he le given a full term, not
because he affiliates with the democratic
party, but because there is a suspicion
that unfairness was exercised in the mat
ter of making the appointments when
provision was made for increasing the
number of supreme court judges. Justice
to Judge Dean, coupled with his splendid
ability and his gHHl record on the su
preme bench, would seem to demand that
he be given a full term by the suffrages
of the justice loving people of Nebraska.
coin News says: "In furtherance of a
plan mysteriously pushed through the
legislature last winter the Jioanl of pub
lic lands and buildings met this foreman
and decided to oiTer 11,000 for ten acres
of land adjoining the state school for the
deaf at Omaha." This is so unfair as to
merit rebuke. There was no mystery
about that piece of legislation. It was
freely and fully discussed in open ss
sion. It was shown lieyond peradventnre
that the school needed the extra land,
that it was a good bargain at the price,
and that its purchase would materially
benefit the school. There was no secret
or underhanded work about the passage
of the bill. There was no opjiosition to
the purchase of additional land, the only
disagreeinent being as to the amount
that should be purchased and the price
that should be paid.
We frankly confess that we did not at
first warm up to the candidacy of of Mr.
Ilarman for railway commissioner. Hut
having watched with considerable care
his actions while under fire we have come
to admire his poise, and after investigat
ing to the best of our ability every charge
brought against him we are led to state
that they seemingly have no foundation
in fact. About the worst thing we have
heard against him is that he is distantly
related to Edson Kich, general attorney
for the Union Pacific. We say "the
worst thing" in the Pickwickian sense,
for a long acquaintance with Mr. liich
convinces us that Rich is a mighty fine
gentleman who would scorn to ask a man
to commit a wrongful act. Yet we have
Ihhmi asked to condemn Ilarman liecause
he is Rich's cousin. We opine that poli
tics have descended to a pretty low level
when a man of integrity is denounced br
cause he happens to be related to a cor
poration attorney. Mr. Ilarman stands
so well, in his own community that the
evidences are all to the effect that he is
a pretty safe man to tie to. Having
weighed the matter fully, and wholly
without partisan bins, we have arrived at
the conclusion that Clarence" E. Ilarman
is the best man standing as a candidate
for the office of railway commissioner.
Hence Will Maupin's Weekly declares it
self to lie unreservedly for Ilarman.
As a general proposition a republican
nomination for county oilice in Lancaster
is equivalent to eelclion, hence we are
not worrying a little bit --about (Jus
livers chances, lint we would like to see
livers vote- practically unanimous so
nearly unanimous that the opposition
would lie listed as "scattering." It is go
ing to be such a pleasure to vote for the
Havclock lisan thai we will regret it is il
legal to "repeat."
Speaking of the "cinch" republican
nominees usually have in Lancaster re
minds t's of the republican in Mississippi
who secured the nomination for sheriff
of his county. When the count was iu:ide
he was credited with two votes and they
arrested him for "repeating."
Those who have not committed them
selves lieyond recourse to this or that
presidential aspirant, but have tried to
keep tab on public sentiment as it devel
oped, will pretty generally concede that
your Uncle Champ dark of Missouri is
steadily growing in strength and favor.
Clark needs no introduction to the voters
of this republic. He added to aii already
enviable standing by his record as speak
er during the extra session. He has made
no entangling alliances, and he has kept
his democracy on straight during all the
years when "democracy" took some
mighty devious turns. IJeing a native
born Missourian the editor of Will Man
pi if s Weekly would naturally be tickled
to see a Missourian nominated for presi
dent. And being a westerner heart and
soul he would doubly rejoice to see a
westerner elected president. And we
opine, without prejudice or bias, that
Champ Clark could make a far better
race against Mr. Taft than either Har
mon or Wilson. If so be LaFollette is
nominated by the republicans ami Clark
by the democrats, this editor will feel
safe in going fishing on election day, prti-vi-ung
the fish are biting.
You don't have to eat the worm in the
coi ; And just because business happens
to be a bit dull just now yon don't need
to ni'll your face down long enough to cut
o-its tint of a churn and talk in such lngn
Vions tones that the verv dogs howl in
sympathy. There is a gmnl deal of psy
chology in this matter of "business de
pression." Just as you can think your
self sick, so can. you think yourself into
a "blue funk" over the business situation.
Cheer up! Don't squeeze the Goddess of
Lilierty on the dollar until she screams
for help, but pass her along with a smile
and a word of cheer. Eat all the apple
that is good and drop the wormy core. A
doughnut is none the worse liecause it has
a hole in the middle. And the holes in
SSwiss cheese don't cost a cent. IJrace up
and smile, even if it hurts vour face.
Far be it from ns to cavil at any ar
rangements made for President faffs
visit to Lincoln. L5ut will some one kind
ly tell us why the president is billed to
speak at the Auditorium, where thou
sands will be unable to hear him, instead
of on the state house grounds where
everybody will have a chance? The
chances are a thousand to one that he
weather will lie ideal for an out-door
meeting, for Nebraska autumn weather
is provedbially ideal. If by any chance
the day is bad, then an Auditorinm meet
ing could lie arranged for at an hour's
notice. As one of the hoi polloi t he
common herd without a "pull" to get a
reserve seat on the stage, and physically
unfit to get into a jam at the entrance
we insist upon a change to the ojieii air
meeting.
lieferiing to the prospective purchase
of ten acres of land for the use of the In
stitute for the Deaf at Omaha, the Lin-
The supreme court has dcided that a
man appointed to office may le removed
by the same power that appointed him.
We have an almighty small opinion of a
man who, appointed to office, will appeal
to the courts in order to hold on after the
appointing power has asked him to step
down and out. And, too, we have al
mighty little use for any man who, a;
pointed to office as a partisan, will seek
reappointment at the hands of a governor
of opposite political faith. We favor the
civil service, and insist that Nebraska
will not get the liest service from her
servants until it is the law, but until it is
the law and lived up to we are going to
advocate the old Jacksonian theory that
"to the victor lielongs the spoils. If an
appointed officer declines to step down
when requested so to do by the man v.hi
appointed him, we urge the application
of the boot, physically as well as figuratively.