MEN AND MATTERS
Porter Mortensen's death will be
deeply regretted by thousands of men
in Nebraska. He was of that type of
man who do real things. He was not
an exploiter of the labor of others,
but a worker himself. He came to
Nebraska a poor foreigner, unlearned
in American ways and ignorant of the
language. He became a pioneer set
tler in a . section of the state then
-plassed as "desert." He lived to see
it a fruitful garden, and in its develop
ment he played a man's part. Quiet,
unassuming, Peter Mortensen im
pressed men with his bigness of mind
and heart. His integrity was never
questioned, and men trusted him to the
limit a trust that was never betrayed.
Nebraska can ill afford to lose such
men. Her greatest need is to raise
more men like him.
The man who defined language as a
method of concealing our thoughts was
a wise gazabo indeed. The more one
studies Mr. Roosevelt's explanations
of his announcement the more one is
impressed with the truth of the definition.
That Lawrence, Mass., strike is a
history maker. In numbers it is not
to be compared with other strikes of
recent history, but in its far-reaching
influence it is the greatest in two dec
ades, if not the greatest in American
history. Here is one thing to con
sider. It is a strike of men and women
employed in an industry that is ac
corded the highest measure of tariff
, protection of all the protected indus
tries. It develops that it is also a
strike of the poorest paid workers in
any skilled industry. It is also shown
that the methods used to keep the em
ployes subdued have no parallel for
brutality and disregard of humanity,
even in darkest Russia. The story of
those poor, ignorant, deluded import
ed foreign workers is destined to work
a revolution in the industrial world.
Will Maupin's "Weekly is of the opin
ion that the great issue for the Ameri
can people to' solve" is not that of the
currency, nor that of the tariff, but
that of taxation. One need but con
verse with men upon the streets to as
certain that the land value tax idea
is growing by leaps and bounds. It is
a smoldering flame, soon to burst into
a huge conflagration. Men are think
ing about it today as never before
and one has but to think about it and
study it to become a convert to the
theory. Men are beginning to realize
the injustice of taking for community
purposes a portion of the product of in
dividual effort, leaving untouched the
product of community effort. They are
beginning to realize the foolishness of
taxing enterprise and thrift and put
ting a premium upon speculation and
monopoly. They are beginning to real
ize these things for the reason that
conditions are forcing them to think.
One think is sure, Mr. Rosevelt's
candidacy has had the effect of gal
vanizing into life the Taft machine.
President Taft is about the poorest pol
itician that ever occupied the presi
dential chair. For more than two
years it was taken for granted by the
president, and by his underlings that
he would be re-nominated without op
position. Suddenly that dream was
shattered. Now the "Taft machine"
i. at work, manipulated by Congress
man McKinley, himself one of the
wealthiest men in America and a poli
tician of far more than average abili
ty. From now on the scrap between
Boosevelt and Taft will be far prettier
than the scrap in the democratic ranks
between the supporters of Harmon
and the supporters of Wilson. So far
as the republicans are concerned it is
either Taft or Roosevelt. After that the
deluge. In the democratic ranks a
more cheerful situation prevails. There
is Champ Clark ready to step in the
moment either the Wilson or the Har
mon forces break.
About the most cheerful feature of
the outlook is the wheat prospects
The recent heavy snows have increased
the surety of a bumper wheat crop Of
course the crop is not yet harvested
but it has been a long time since the
outlook has been better in the second
week of March.
We don't care a rap what the motive
was of the city men who worked up
the "good seed corn" propaganda. Of
course they had an ulterior motive.
But the fact remains that whatever
the motive their propaganda aroused
thousands of farmers to the serious
ness of the situation, and that means
millions of dollars to Nebraska.
About a year ago the railroad 'em
ployes of Alliance, Nebr., organized a
co-operative company and put in a
stock of goods. They started out with
fair prospects, but after a year it was
discovered that it was not a paying
investment. The affairs of the con
cern are to be wound up and the com
pany dissolved. Yet the fault was not
with the plan, but with the manage
ment. The co-operative system is
bound to come in this republic, just
as it came in Great Britain, where hun
dreds of millions are invested in simi
lar . enterprises. The co-operative so
cieties of Great' Britain are the result
of a beginning .made by a little hand
ful of Toad Lane weavers a half-century
ago. They started out with
a cash capital of thirty shillings less
than $6. From that small beginning
has grown the immense co-operative
business of that country.. Perhaps we
Americans are too impatient, and not
willing to start unless we can start
full grown.
A new Nebraska industry, and one
that starts out with every prospect of
success is an evaporated milk factory.
It will be operated at Papillion by the
Waterloo Creamery Co. of Omaha. Few
have any idea of the vast amount of
condensed milk sold, even in Nebras
ka. It is one of the big industries of
the country, and the wonder is that
such an industry was not started long
ago in a state that ranks as high as
Nebraska in the dairy world.
Penn Fodrea has been elected secre
tary of the Nebraska Federation of
Retail Dealers, and the federation
could not have found a better man for
the position. If Fodrea doesn't make
the federation a rousing success it will
be because it is made up of a lot of
men so everlastingly dead that Gabriel
will have to toot three times to turn
'em over.
The gentlemen in charge of the
Bryan birthday banquet in Lincoln on
March 19 are profiting by experience.
They are not going to have a toast list
as long as the Mosiac law, nor are
they going to take any chances of hav
ing a bombshell dropped in the middle
of the table. Mr. Bryan will be the
only Nebraskan who speaks on that oc
casion. All the candidates will have
to do is to sit at the tables and. look
as wise as possible.
Word comes that ex-Governor Has
kell will contest with Senator Gore
for the toga in Oklahoma. The queer
part of it is that there seems to be
a chance for the Haskell machine to
win out. The moment Oklahoma swaps
a Gore for a Haskell we are going to
strike Oklahoma from our visiting list.
The Rosewater-Howell scrap for the
position of republican national commit
teeman from Nebraska has not yet
reached the open letter stage, but we
have hopes. We would like mighty
well to own a few shares of stock in
a fountain pen factory.
Marse Henri Watterson is adding
considerably to the gaiety of nations
these days. Given a stub pencil, a
gallon jug: filled with Kentucky's best
and an excuse for a grouch, and Marse
Henri can produce more genuine
amusement in political circles than a
couple of cats can noise on a summer
night when the windows are all open.
If Joebailey of Texas, Senator Joe
bailey, we mean, is a democrat, then
we've forgotten what the word "dem
ocrat" means. If there is anything in
the way of special privilege that Joe
bailey fails to uphold; if there is
IN THE CLOAKROOM
Special Sale of Spring and Summer Weight Suits and Coats
About 35 Summer Weight Suits in serges and worsted, gray, tan and green shades;
jackets are 24 and 26 inches long, full satin and messaline lined; plain tailored, finished off
with buttons. Skirts are in panel front and back design, with few pleats at bottom to
insure more fullness; these suits are regular $19.50, $22.50, $25.00 and $27.50 values
on sale at One-Half Price. (Small charge for alterations, j ' ' -
Cut Prices on Spring Coats
About 18 Woolen Mixtures in gray and tan, and navy serges, sizes 14 to 40, 52 and
54 inches long, regular $15.00 and $17.50 values, on sale at $8.75 and $7.5.
Fine quality striped mannish cloth with large sailor collar and deep cuffs, of contrast
ing color, made in the new loose pattern. Splendid coats at $12.50, special price $9.95.
Rain Coats and Capes
Entire line, regular $5.95 up to $14.50 values, choice at One-Half Price.
All that is left in Winter Coats, $14.50 to $19.50 values ...Will go at $5.00
Winter Suits, $19.50 to $25.00 values . Will g0 at $9.75
DRIFOOT OIL
It will water
proof your
shoes. Can 25c
AND
917-921 Q. OPPOSITE POST OFEJCB
RUBBERS
Every pair guar
anteed. Men's 85c
Women's 65c pr
Boys' and girls
special 49c
from having their way; if there is
anything that will keep the people
anything- calculated to make it easier
for the few and harder for the many
that this Joebailey person does not
uphold and advocate, we have yet to
locate it. Texas, usually so progres
sive and so enlightened, and always
' so democratic, seems a long time awak
ening to a realizing sense of the Joe
bailey myth.
March 5 the Wilson democrats of
Nebraska met and framed up their
schemes." The Harmon democrats have
already met and loaded their big guns.
Now, just as soon as Arthur Mullen
gets his Clark forces together and or
ganized well see more democratic fur
flying than has been seen since the
good old days when the silver demo
crats organized and deftly sheared
the old crowd.
If all the money Nebraskans send
out of the state for fire and life in
surance should be invested with Ne
braska companies, it would mean
keeping millions of dollars at home,
circulating in local channels of trade,
providing. funds for development, add
ing to the growth and prosperity of
our own cities and towns and strength
ening home institutions already strong
enough to be absolutely safe yet not
big enough to dominate the financial
world. Just why so many Nebraskans
should send abroad for insurance that
could be as cheaply bought at home, to
say nothing of the advantage of keep
ing the money close to hand, is one of
the many mysteries confronting those of
many mysteries confronting those of
us who are laying awake nights trying
to boost Nebraska.
FRUIT CULTURE IN NEBRASKA.
Time and time again this newspaper
has called attention to the fact that
Nebraska offers superior inducements
to those who want to engage in the
business of fruit raising. As an apple
country southeastern Nebraska is su
perior to the boasted apple country
of Washington and Oregon. No finer
orchards exist anywhere than those in
Richardson, Nemaha, Pwanee, Johnson,
Otoe and Cass counties. No better
lands for orcharding exist anywhere
in this republic than those of eastern
Nebraska. And they do not require
irrigation and they may be had with
out the enormous . premiums paid to
smooth agents for the much touted
fruit lands of the northwest.
In a bullein just issued the state
labor commissioner has set out a list
of facts in connection with the produc
tion of fruit in Nebraska. The asser
tion, made on the reports of fruit
growers in southeastern Nebraska, is to
the effect that an orchard there will
net $250 per acre each year after the
trees reach a bearing stage.
Some of the most interesting figures
given in the bulletin are as follows:
"A total of 3,345,124 trees in Ne
braska last year produced 9,935,889
bushels, Which, at $1 a bushel would
mean a total of $9,935,889. The num
ber of trees were reported from as
sessors' reports and the yields from
crop estimates and the value from cur
rent market reports.
"J. D. Maxcey of Peru sold $225
worth of strawberries from one-third
of an acre.
"John Furnas of Brownville made
on strawberries a net profit of $700 per
acre:-''' ;' ': -
"William Bollstorff of Peru sold
$300 worth of blackberries off of one
half acre.
"John Meek, of Peru reports $125
average per acre off of grapes for the
past ten years.
"H. R. Howe's fifty acre apple or
chard at Auburn netted him $7,000 as
his share.
"H. C. Smith at Barada, Richardson
county, a sixty-five ' acre orchard net
ted $7,500 profit as his share last year.
This orchard was handled in a scien
tific manner, being sprayed six times,
the result being that the fruit was
clean, uniform, smooth and of good
of BeA J
finesaps,f
size. The varieies consisted
Davis. .TnTifltVinTi fimin a-nA "xrin-
and the entire crop found ready mar-
Ket. .
"The cost of orchard land on an
average in Nebraska is $125 per acre,
price of trees $10 per acre, planting
$5 per acre, making a total of approx
imately $140 per acre, including land
and orchard crops planted. Small
fruits may be raised between the rows
for the first six years, thereby paying
all expenses of cultivation, taxes, in
terest, etc., hence when the orchard
comes to maturity its cost per acre is
approximately $140. Can you beat
" Apples'now take fourth' place
Nebraska's crop production, having
surpassed barley, rye and potatoes.
"The cherry crop for 1911 'was esti
mated at 12,286,551 quarts, valued at
$860,058. -
"Grapes, strawberries, - peaches,
plums, blackberries and other small
fruits were estimated at $500
0,000."
Mr. Christopher Greunther of Colum
bus assures us that hereafter those
who endeavor to quote . from history
will make sure to keep their dates
unmixed.
Unload Sells out His
Furnishing Goods
To the Public
Our lease is about to expire in our present location and
being unable to get a renewal, we have purchased the lease
and stock of Men's Furnishings and Hats of Unland & Co.,
in the Little Block. In order to get the location we had to
buy the stock which we don't want, can't use and won't
have. We are therefore going to sell
This $15,000 Worth of Furnishings
and Hats
Not with the idea of making a profit on it We must get rid
of it and all we ask is our money back. The stock is one of
the cleanest in Lincoln, almost every dollar of it being New
Spring Goods. To close this out at the regular retail price
will take too long we wouldn't try it. We are satisfied to
get cost out of it, and will give you an opportunity to buy
furnishings at wholesale prices. Come early to 1042 O St.
The WhitebreastCo.
em i
itf
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