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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 1900)
FORAGING ON THE STAFF ft - Bold Raids Being Made on State Funds by Fusion Officials. ARE PAID FOR SERVICES NEVER RENDERED How High Up Officials Have Promoted Treasury Raids— Fresh Bread for Officials and Stale Bread for Inmates. i t BEATRICE, Neb., Aug. 6— Last week’s report concerning the manage ment of the State Institution for Fee ble Minded youth at this place only gave a brief recital of the facts. There are other facts relative to if hitherto unpublished which are wor thy of the closest consideration by everybody. FORAGING ON THE STATE. Not content with placing an army of incompetents on the payroll, there is positive evidence that, not only have favorites been permitted to furnish their relatives with bed and board, but they have been permitted to draw money from the public treasury for services never rendered. In this con nction the name of Judge Sullivan again appears, and that, too, in con nection with a very questionable transaction. The facts are these: On the 8th day of August, 1899. Miss Keat ing voluntarily tendered her resigna tion as matron to Superintendent I>ang. On that day she gave up her keys, moved all of her effects and left the institute. She notified the superin tendent that she had resigned. The salary of the matron la $66.66 per month, and a voucher for $17.25, the amount due for eight days’ service, was made out, and Miss Keating signed It. This voucher recited the fact that it was “in payment in full for all serv ices rendered the state.” It was sent to the Board of Public Lands and Buildings for approval. But it was never approved; it was abstracted by somebody and made away with. He also informed the governor that he did not believe Miss Keating would do such a thing. ‘ Well,” said the governor, "Just send her a voucher made out for the full amount and see what she will do.” Again Superin tendent Lang informed him he would do nothing of the kind. "I will sign the voucher on the back in blank,” said the superintendent, "and I will leave the matter of making the fraud ulent claim to Miss Keating.” Super intendent Lang did this very thing, and lie also at the same time, on learn ing that Judge Sullivan was mixed up in the matter, sent the following let ter to Judge Sullivan: "BKATIMCK, Neb., Oct. 7. 1W. “Hon. J. J. Sullivan: •'.My Dear Sir—I learned from some sources that you-arc not satisfied with the disposition of Miss Abigail Keating. Your letter of Inquiry to me a short time ago was courteously and kindly answered. 1 stated to you the facts—that Miss Keat ing resigned her position and turned over c her keys of this Institution on the 8th •lay of August, 1s;i9, and that she moved all of her belongings then from this Insti tution, and has acted In no way since: that she then notified employes of this In stitution that she had resigned, that I did not dismiss her, and that at that time It was made public in Beatrice that that was the case. I made out said vouchers for the time served and sent them to the secretary of state. Believing that she Is acting under your advice I say to you that I am much surprised at the stand you take In this matter. That she has been used kindly and was advised rightly cannot be denied, that she resigned the sth day of August. 1899, can tie supported by the affidavit of the employes of this Institution and the press of Beatrice, and that she never returned to this in stitution. 1 am dealing In this matter for the state of Nebraska as 1 would with Individuals, and I am sorry to think that we have any man or w oman In our ranks that would demand of me. who has loyal ly supported your honor, or ask any par ty to make any affidavit of service under such circumstances. I have forwarded her a blank for record for her to till out which I presume she will, acting under your advice. 1 have the triplicate vouch or signed and receipted by her without any erasures, and If such clerical era sures appear on the original voucher as Is often the case, I never had any Inten tion of filling out vouchers for any more than time served. I often make the er ror In tilling out for full month when part Is only served, so the original voucher _ corrected shows exactly what amount was m due for time served. I think our party * and state officials have treated you very kindly, and hope that you appreciate the kindness fnllv. Yours truly. ' BKNJAMIN I\ I. A NO. M. D. “Superintendent of Institute far Feeble Minded Youth." At the same time he mailed a vouch er signed in blank to Miss Keating, appended to which was the following caustic letter: Hr.ATRK K, Nob.. Oct. 17. IW. “Miss Abigail Keating: •'As 1 understand there has been some talk as to the amount line you front this Institute, I have sent out voucher* for you to till out for time served at th's In stitution ami on duty. Vou will till out the same and swear to them. 1 trust that you will observe that It Is to be a matter of record, and also, that the man ner III which you left the Institution Is known to each anil all. In my dealing with the state of Nebraska 1 observe the same rule that I would In dealing with Individual*. That you resigned sour p.>. citloii lore the Mh day of August, I*'1!', arid turned over the keys of your volun tary US't. goes Without dispute. I regie! very much that any |» i son of our parts or of the stale of Nebraska would ask me t > do an m l of record that I do not deem prudent. I slymd the Voucher only on the back, evpecting you to till out for tint a sorted louts t .sped full} , IIKNJAMIN ►' i.AMI M I* ' ttupeflnt" ltd* III." One week afterward* Superintendent Idiug received the full. wipg reply from Judge Sullivan, written from t'n lunibua. Neb . on a letterhe.nl of the supreme court; ><t ntt:.m: cui'Hi »»r NKMtAffKA. "t'uU'ilHi l». Met u iw •pr M I' tatII* Ileal Kir Your favor of recent .late re ceived My sows of tti-. matter about wbl.lt you write nt* are the*. II a Keating was tut iron of the Institution daring August die was ready and wIP tag to do tbs w.-rh Inch1 hi t • the puei tion sad was therefore, t ratty and im.r. ally ant it l> d to to en« ths salary lie gftti ng that t am obliged In differ with regard to the Jwattwe of Mf claim I r< Ylisa Keating signed the V.tu. h r for the full month swore tu it, and re* turned II In Mup-rtnleadent lalttg Id he (or a aid'd to tin. In Sdp tint.! I cat |,ana refused tu have an* thing Is •to with II aad mat It ls»eh to her Hh* I he a seat It t«l Idaerda, hut there M<td hava h**n dull# a wraagle over It aa It ««i awt allow d until CM*, her Jwth aad wa* a»t pa d ua'tl N *• weaker |7th its# Voucher M t- t * Appended to the voucher 13 a letter from Governor Poynter to Auditor Cornell under date of November -3, in which the governor says: "So far as I am Informed Miss Keating was matron at Beatrice and entitled to her full salary until September 1. Evi dently a mistake has been made In allow ing Miss Keating's voucher for salary from August 1st to August 3th. and then afterwards allowing h. r a full month for August. She should be allowed for her full month for August, but not double allowance for part of the month." It would appear front this that the first voucher for $17.75 had been al lowed before the scheme was concocted to draw pay for the full month. If this was done, however, the records full to disclose it. It navj's somewhat of Milikin’s “corn meal ’ and it is p );* sible that It is a problem of that char acter. Neither Is this the only instance wherein the state treasury has been looted by salary gratis of this nature. Under the superintendency of l)r. Sprague, who preceded Dr. Lang, a henchman of the fuslonista, one C. W. Phelps, was steward. Do was of a charitable turn of mind, especially In dealing with himself. The first thing he did was to gather remnants of a large family around him at the Insti tute and feed them at the expense of the state. At times, th * Phelps fam ily was well represented at the festal board. The number is variously esti mated at from five to thirteen, the records of the Institute being in such shape that nothing d( finite can he learned as to the number of people outside tiie inmates living there at the expense of the state. True to tra dition, Phelps became obstreperous, re fused to obey the superintendent, and, after a period of mon li*, during which time lie kept the institution in turmoil, he abdicated. He was a hold over from the Holcomb administration, and his only recommendation was that lie needed the position to support his family. Diiuruy auer roynier enierea upon the discharge of his duties Dr. Sprague went to him and laid the Phelps case In ills hands. Poynter told him he had no interest in Phelps any more titan in thousands of ether men, and that if Phelps was a disturbing charac ter he should he summarily dismissed. Relying on this, Dr. Sprague gave Phelps thirty days notice to quit the institution. Phelps paid no attention to the notice. The first notice was given March 1st. On the last dav of March, seeing that Phelps had taken no action towards moving his effects, Dr. Sprague gave him a written no tice announcing his d smlstal. This notice Phelps took to tin governor, and, though having authorized Dr. Sprague to remove Phe'ps, Governor Poynter, for some unknown reason, turned a complete somersault, and In stead of upholding the superintendent, told Phelps to return to the institu tion and stay there. He was relieved of his duties on the last day of March, but stayed at the in tltute witli his family until June Vdh, at whieli time both he and Dr. Sprague reti ed. Hav ing nothing hut spare t me en his hands, Phelps turned his attention to creating discord, going among the em ployes and telling them that they might with impunity disobey the or ders of the superintendent, that he had a “pull" with Governor Poynter and would back them up. When the change came and Phelps had to go per fect bedlam re'giud. However, since April 1st, Phelps’ salary had been held up. He had performed no services and was entitled to no pay. Rut he got his pay, and. like the Keating case, it was through the instrumentality of Governor Poynter. Dr. Sprague resist eu payment or tn > claim, protested tnat Phelps had not worked at the insti tute and was therefore not entitled to draw any pay, and. on learning that Governor Poynter was aiding Phelps in his effort to get the money, filed with the auditor a sworn statement (Sep tember 18th> to th-> effect that hp discharged Phelps April 1st, and that from that date until June 15th Phelps was neither steward nor employed In ariy capacity at the institute. That lie <Sprague) did not withdraw any re quest on the governor for the dis charge of Phelps, nor consent to his remaining. That he made no request on the governor to dlscharg* him for he discharged himself, at under the law as Interpreted by Holcomb and the State Beard, be had a light and the authority to do. In th ■ ftee of this. Governor Poynter wrote the following Utter to Auditor C’o"ne!l. being care ful however, nrt to make inth to It: "I hereby certify ttint Mr f*. W Phelps wim *t.»..nl ,>f t!i» tcstltutr st lliiilrb" unlit June 11. l*sn prior to that itnn- Hr ttpragiie, the mil* rtnleii'ii nt requested Hu- removal of Ij ■« front the steward ship. t ut sut.-. 'tu. ntly withdrew the re .|tie*it and agreed with me that Mr PH apt alu'it... I.e retained, mel he w a* re* l.itin | iiuill Jun. . "W A I'otNTKII Onirrsur" Here It Is. one ul under oath declares that Phelps was discharged April 1st and another "rertili* s'* that he was hoi The one Who Ittide the oath was al the Institute and In i Ittri* of It. and certainly might to speak ad tindl) The other waa at the ripttol it |Jncoin f.rty tulles away, and hid no w.«y of knowing the facta other thin hy He »r*»tr There I* a g'artng IsruuUliiry in th-- statementa of the two no it Sprague sat* under rath that Phelps did not rform the an |r*t for which he wtatw! pay that he never consented to Phelps rent lin ing and that ha never re, ailed ku re guest for r*m*,ial Poynter "terrifies" that he did At no rate poynter and Phelps ear rled the day a a-I Phelps In s-ldl'i.n to living with several of his fan.tty at 'h* Imtitule and t, jpg i ’tuns for near it three to -r > > »a t siliw- I «-it i I f li the full *oisfv f tints f. sa V*» o*» |t |t|f| i Ol’TRAGE ON TAXPAYERS. Perhaps one of the most shameful outrages that has been perpetrated on the taxpayers of the state bj- the fu sion regency is the maintenance of tho name of Mrs. Thomas upon the pay roll of the state. Mrs. Thomas /itw her name on the pay roll because, and only because, she is the mother of State Oil Inspector Sprecher. who Is reputed to be Governor Poynter's most trusted orderly. She is a woman who has crossed the meridian of life, be in? about GO years of age. She has held the position of matron, first at Lincoln, th**u at Norfolk, and was from Norfolk transferred to Beatrice. At Beatrice she stubbornly refused to perform any of the duties incident to the position, and the duties of ma tron are being performed by the wife of the superintendent, who draws a salary of $25 per month. Thus, two persons are on the pay roll for the same office, and the state pays $!il.G6 per month, simply that the mother of a leading fusion politician may have her name on the pay roll and live in luxury. Tho wife of the superintend ent is not envious of her position and, according to her own words, she is "forced to do the work in order to prevent disease, sickness and death among the inmates as a result of filth and unclean!iness, as Matron Thomas refuses to perform the duties." Ever since she has been at the institute) at Beatrice she has. with her lS-yeir old daughter, lived luxuriantly In apartments at the institute, drawn a salary of $Gt!.0G per month and refused to perform the duties of matron. Only a few weeks ago Superinten dent Lang resolved to submit to the indignities no longer and summarily dismissed* for insubordination Matron Thomas, Miss Mutz, Miss Candee, Miss Brady, Miss Spauoglc and Mist Larson. All provisions, or nearly so, are sup plied by contracts, and the rule is to award contracts to the lowest bidder. The evil of this is, that the contracts are let in omnibus form, and, as usual ly results, the state pays more for an article by contract than it could buy it for in the open market. By conspir ing witli the steward a contractor can reap a rich harvest, and to all outside appearances it would be legitimate. STALE BREAD FOR INMATES. Considerable feeling ’’as been aroused over the reported fact that Contractor Wolf, who furnished bread, to the institute for the second quarter of the present year, delivered two kinds—fresh bread for the officials and employes and stale bread for the inmates. When asked what became of his stale bread Mr. Wolf, without re alizing perhaps the force or signifi cance of the statement, renlled: "I sell it to the institute.” “Do you sell two grade* of bread to the institute ” "Well, some oi It Is better than the other. The old man (meaning his de livery clerk) takes out some fresh bread every morning, but I don’t know whether he leaves any at the institute or not.. What I send out there for the institute is the unsold bread 1 get re turned from the grocery stores." “Do you ever take stale bread back from the grocery stores?” "Yes.” "What do you do with it?” "I sell it to the institute.” "Do you take back any stal' bread from the institute?” "No.” Other bakers are required to sell their stale bread, and do it every lay, for five cents a barrel, it is used for food for hogs anil horses. Not so vith Contractor Wolf. He sold his to the state for $2.40 per hundred pounds. When asked about it Superintendent Lang persisted in a flat denial and de clared that, so far as hp knew, there was not a word of truth in it. He said that he and his wife used the same quality of bread supplied to the in mates. The bread received was re ceived by the steward and not by Su perintendent I,ung and Superintendent Lang would therefore know little or nothing about the quality of the ma terial delivered. However, the author ity for the statement that stale bread waa delivered is Contractor Wolf, the man who delivered the goods. A DEPLORABLE SPECTACLE. To close the chapter, which is but a partial recitation of the facts, it is enough to say that the Beatrice Insti tute of itself presents a hitter arraign ment of the fusion party. It is not a pleasant subject for contemplation that this institute, designed to care for al most helpless and defenseless people, should be converted into a political mad-house and maintained as a resort for broken-down politicians and party henchmen. It is bad enough that the state should be required to support an army of political parasites without having the treasury exposed to the rapacity and perfidy of this same ele ment. It is no doubt true that could the records speak they would disclose some startling facts. One instance is recited where a young lady, who was an ottb ial at the instililte and who Is now an oftli Ini at another Institute, disposed of about $.'ii) worth of brushes manufactured by the Inmates and made no report of It. nor has she ever paid over the money to the state This Is only one Instance of dishonesty; there are said to be tnuuy others. Oilil l*»nti«ylvunlit l.i«, Hy a pwullar arranimtsaat of th* ivniuivlvanln nlnrtlnn law vote* are nut ran vaaaetl fur the rami Mate for whom they are raal. but for the tlrket or tl< het* upon whlth hu name ap pi-ar* Thua In the rl« tlua of t’hr»ter irkntrr ta a at rout republican mun ty amt *ontalna the town of t h**m**r With It* lar** ahipyant*l, both par a*r«»e.l last >.«r upon loarph Hemphill fur (omniou pUaa )ml«a. ThU ta th« way the uffl* U1 ranvaaa waa iloUrnl Joaeph Hemphill. re publican, a 142 rule*. Joaeph Hemp hill. ilrHI- , rat, 4.311 Vote*. Jiwpll Htntphlll, fuwion 141! »o»r« J...ph Itemphlll, a««it?*-iiaa Jtl mi.* Them tilt no oiher > tmlM.ti* la lh* i*l«l I li«>! I I I I » •»«. In it«n l»«*« i rmmty California. ra n ntly them at Hu treat n* of 131 ;«an Aoauailn*. thuf of th« i| u a tribe of Ip tun# M* p «> mi > | Hta letba nt*r luo year*. m<l In all that Hnu had a««tf h«w laiapwliao 44 hy aJtha*«a fo» at fa than on* day at a lint TBANS-PACIFICTRADE i _ HAS INCREASED FOURFOLD WITHIN SEVEN YEARS. | _ Importune* of Mnnlla m a Dlutrlbutln? Market for China mill .Iipun— llawntl ■ ml Australia Mow l ar^e llujen of A merlcuu Prodnro. The market which the people of the United States will he able to make in the Philippines, while amounting to many millions of dollars, is, however, a small item compared to that which opens to them through the possession of the Philippines as an entre port for the distribution of American goods in the Orient. Grouped around Manila as a point of distribution lies the most densely populated part of the world. More than 80,000,000 of people form the population of Japan, Asiatic Russia, China, French Cochin China, Slam, [ British India, Australasia, the Dutch East Indies, etc., all of which are nearer to Manila, as a point Of distribution, than any other great commercial center, while such cities as Canton. Shanghai and others are as noar Manila as Havana is to the city of New York. The commerce of this section, of which Manila may be made a great commercial center, now amounts to more than $2,000,000,000 per annum, and its annual purchases $1,200,000,000 per annum, or an average of $100,000, 000 a month. Practically all this vast sum which it sends to other parts of tho world is expended for the class of goods for which the people of the United States are now seeking a mar ket. Cotton and cotton goods, bread stuffs, provisions, dairy products, manufactures of Iron, steel and wooJ, the products of the farm and factory, are demanded by tho people of that part of tho world. In most cases the apparent disposi tion is for these countries to purchase from the people of the United States rather than from any other section or people. China, which in 1880 took only 2.6 per cent of her Imports from the United States, In 1898 took 8.2 per cent of her imports from this country. Japan, which In 1893 took only 6.8 per cent of her Imports from the United States, took 14.4 per cent of her im ports from this country In 1898. Our exports to China, which in the fiscal year 1893 were but $8,900,467, were in 1899 $14,493,440. Our exports to Japan, which in 1893 were $3,195,494, were $17,264,688 in 1899, and in the fiscal year of 1900 reached $25,000,000. To British Australasia our exports, which in 1894 were $8,131,939, were in 1899 $19,777,129, and reached $25,000, 000 in 1900. To the Hawaiian Islands our exports in 1893 were $2,827,663, and in 1899 $9,305,470, while those of the fiscal year 1900 were $14,000,000 To the Philippines our exports in 1897 were less than $100,000, and in the year 1900 exceeded $2,000,000. Taking Asia as a whole, our exports, which in 1893 were but $16,222,854, were in 1899 $48,360,161, and in 1900 amounted to $65,000,000, or four times those of 1893. To Oceania our exports, which in 1893 were $11,199,477, were In 1900 In excess of $40,000,000. Thus our ex portations to Asia and Oceania, which In 1893 were $27,000,000, were in 1900 upward of $100,000,060, or four times those of seven years ago. That such fields still remain open to us in the Orient is, however, shown by the following table, prepared by the Treasury Bureau of Statistics from the latest available data, showing the val ue of the Imports and exports of the Orient and the share of the United States therein: British East In dies .$ British Australa sia . China . Japan . Straits Settle ments . Dutch East In dies . Russia, Asiatic ,, Slum . 1'hlllpnlne Islands Hawaiian Islands. Mauritius . Persia . Ceylon . llormkonK . French East In dies . Korea . Imports. 221,552,305 277.879.000 Hti.U77.0O0 138.751.000 109.955.000 GO,458,000 21.579.000 19,384,009 11.300.000 7.165.000 15.010.000 25.476.000 20.722.000 20,000,000 790,695 8.036.000 Exports. 4 365,217,000 278,708.000 110,849,060 82.877.000 97.322.000 R0,801,0u0 29,456,00(1 26.280.000 16.560.000 15,436,'Ml 16.652.000 15.054.000 14.641.000 10,000,00o 3.068.000 2.482.000 Total Asia and Oceania ..$1,114,087,000 $1,163,193,U00 BENEFIT OF COLONIES Their Idnunfnliil anti I Imtui l.tl Uslutlnn t-» Mother (oiinlrlne. An official publication of the bureau of statistics. Issued some months ago. shows that the «ohmic.*, protectorates, and dependencies of the world number 136. They occupy two-ftfths of the land surface of the globe, and their popula tion is one-third of the entire |w*op!e of the earth Their total Imports av erage 11.5hO.bOrt.uoy worth of good* an nually. and of this vast sum more than 40 per cent Is purchased from the mot tor country. Of their exports, whl h considerably exceed Imports. to per cent go to the mother country, l<arge sum* are aunuall) expended in the construe non of roads, carats, rail ways. telegraphs, postal service schools, etc , but In m<>«t eases the present annual expenditures are pr.r uuci ti by local «>r are repre sented by U» ul obligations The revsnu-# of th* British col rules In IV'if were ffS3.o»ai m»m* and their ex penditures |?l* hn»«o« While the pub lic d- >i In the more important and a<* live of there communities) aggregate# a large elm It ia represented by can nig. rail*#)a. p tb: h iks»s har butt loigstlea, and other public int prov-m-nts lutea l-d •** stimulate com itrei and pfodut Ikon ta* railroad* In si * > a In th* lift .»b , aim* aggreg t.iag M.<hm mi lea. nnd la In no laatan e assumed by or a charge up >n vha mother country V tint 134 < uhmtsn. pr >t« tarn ten, *n pendencies and "spheres of influence," which make up the total list, two-flfths belong to Groat Britain, their urea (including the native feudatory states of India) being considerably more than one-half the grand total of colonial population. France is next in order in number, area and population of col onies, though the area controlled by France Is about one-third that of Great Britain, and the population of her col onies less than one-sixth of those of Great Britain. Commerce between the successful colonics and their mother countries is in nearly all cases placed on practically the same basis as that with other countries, goods from home countries receiving in the vast major ity of cases no advantages over those from other countries in import duties, and other exactions of this character. We have given to Porto Rico and Hawaii vastly better treatment than is usual with colonies since we make the ratio of duty on commerce between Porto Rico and the United States but 15 per cent of that with other coun tries, and even that but temporary; while in the case of Hawaii, which voluntarily asked admission, we have continued and enlarged the freedom of interchange which already existed un der reciprocity. THE WAR WITH SPAIN. lit UfKlDiUiig ami Kndlng: from Our l>l|>!oiuatto Nlandpoint. The instructions given to Minister Woodford for his guidance at Madrid directed him to Impress upon the gov ernment of Spain the sincere wish of the United States to lend its aid in se curing a peace honorable alike to Spain and the people of Cuba. A new admin istration In the Spanish government encouraged the hope that a change of policy might be adopted which would result In the pacification of Cuba, but this hope was doomed to disappoint ment. After long and patient negotia tion in the interest of peace, to the evils which had so long pressed upon this country in consequence of the in surrection, was added a series of inci dents that rendered necessary, on April 21, 1898, an armed Intervention to terminate the humiliation imposed by the condition of affairs. The brief and brilliant period of war with Spain was followed by preliminaries of peace, signed on August 12, providing for the relinquishment of sovereignty over Cuba, the cession of Porto Rico and other Islands belonging to Spain in the West Indies, together with an island in the Uadrones, to be selected by the United States, and the occupation of territory in the city and vicinity of Manila, pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which should deter mine the control, disposition, and gov ernment of the Philippines. When the commissioners of the United States, sent to Paris to nego tiate a treaty of peace with the repre sentatives of Spain, confronted the problem of settlement, it became evi dent that the interests of the popula tion of the Philippine Islands,the peace of the world, and the consistent com pletion of the task of the pacification undertaken by the government alike demanded a cession of the entire Phil ippine archipelago to the United States. At the same time justice to a foreign foe and the magnanimous spirit of the American people seemed to require a recognition of the actual expenditures of Spain in the internal Improvement of the islands, and the sum of $20,000, 000 was agreed upon as a suitable com pensation for the transfer of this great archipelago, whose extensive public lands, estimated at one-half the whole area of the Islands, rich In min eral wealth and forests of valuable timber, will prove abundantly sufficient to Justify this expenditure and to pro vide resources for a future govern ment. Our Moll* on 111* Ocean. One of the favorite claims put forth by American free traders who oppose legislation for the upbuilding of our shipping In the foreign trade Is the one which pretends that the subsidies paid by Oreat Britain Is merely for the carriage of mails, and they endeavor to create the impression that it is a purely business transaction, having no regard for the Interests of the British ships thus subsidized. But the fallacy of this claim is apparent when we find an eminent Briton, a member of I'ar llament, and famous for his agitation In favor of reduced charges for mall transportation—J Hennlker 1 teuton— make the following quotation In u let ter to the British Postmaster Gen eral a few years ago. Said Mr. Heat on : "When, however, I Introduced a resolution on the subject on March 3D last, Mr H H. Fowler, then Horstary to the Treasury, stated that ulready, even at the present high charges, there la a lues of lltt.000 a year, or il.oot) a day. on the foreign and colonial ser vice of the British poMoRra." The difference M*mi» th* subsidy paying British nation and our own la that the former In*** about li.MM.OOO on the transaction, while the t'ntt*d State*, on the other hand, earna ..booi |j te>«* mio a year net over n> peases, fur the carriage of Ita foreign mall* The passage of the ship sub sidy bill now pending la t'ongrees. however, wilt effect a needed reform lu the .. ig of Intel «n in ' • • 1 at th» same time build up oor ship ping trade to Its old lime presort neat*. r»»c. as* pea»e«>«»«. The iimporta aad esporta of |S*rtu glia fw the mow in of \|<t>, Ismd. Were m k at.out Its per < eut greater thru for the corresponding month of the gear itw ihu i* the patting sa l du treat to which ths thui'**rwlb' plat form said the K*pubtb'aae ha t 'toomod ihe lolasd RURAL FREE DELI1*SRY. Boar This Brpuhllean Polio/ Wu Ka> tended. Rural free delivery of mall la ths offspring: of the McKinley administra tion of the postofflee department. Ita development from the Insignificant be ginning of 4-1 routes and an appropria tion of $40,000 for the fiscal year which closed in 1807 to its present magnificent proportions, with the rural routes num bered by the thousands and an appro priation of $1,750,000 voted for lta further extension during the present fiscal year, has all been brought about by the McKinley government. A movement to broaden the free de livery of the mails was started by Postmaster General Wanamaker, under the Republican administration of Gen. Harrison. It took the form of vlllago free delivery, and was more an exten sion of city delivery to smaller com munities than a free delivery to farm ers. But, limited as was its scope and successful though it was In increasing postal receipts and postal facilities, It encountered Democratic opposition; and when Mr. Cleveland came In, his postmaster general, fearing Its effect in popularising Republican principles and disseminating Republican literature,or dered It dropped. It was a Republican administration that conceived and executed the Idea of brightening the home of the farmer, educating his children, Increaaing tho value of his land, compelling the Im provement of the roads, and bringing him new* of tho market* and of the weather, ao as to secure him a better price for bla crops by delivering his daily mail to him on his farm. Every Democratic house of representatives since tho Idea was first broached of currying the mails to the rural dis tricts hus declared against it. The Forty-third Congress, with a Democrat from North Carolina as chairman of the committee on postoffh es and post roads, proclaimed the plan impossible and turned It down. Postmaster Gen eral lllssell. Postmaster General Wil son, and First Assistant Postmaster General Jones, in the Cleveland admin istration, all took up the cry of ex travagance and impossibility of execu tion. Consequently, little or nothing was done to give the farmers access to the mails till Cleveland went out of office. When First Assistant Postmaster General Perry S. Heath took up the rural service under the direction of the president and the postmaster gen eral, In March, 1897, It was languishing to the point of extinguishment, and in a few months more would have been starved to death, like Mr. Wanamaker'g village delivery. The official roports of tho post office department record that It was almost with surprise that Presi dent McKinley and those to whom he Intrusted the administration of postal affairs learned that there was such a thing as an experimental rural free-de livery mail service In progress. They at once grasped Its possibilities and advocated Its immediate develop ment, and a Republican congress gen erously seconded their efforts. Under their vivifying touch It has grown un til there Is now not a state In the union that has not felt the civilising and edu cational influence of rural free mail delivery, and not one that does not de sire a further expansion of the service. On the 1st of June, 1900, there were 1,200 rural services in actual operation and 2,000 applications for an extension of the system In process of establish ment by special agents detailed for that purpose. The appropriations for the rural free delivery service have been Increased from $50,000, In the fiscal year 1897-98, to $150,000 In 1898-99; then to $450,000 in 1899-1900, and lastly to $1,750,000 for the present fiscal year, 1900-1901. Three years' experience has shown that In well-selected rural districts the mails can be distributed to the domi ciles of the addressees or In boxes placed within reasonable distance of the farmer's home, at some cross-road or other convenient spot, at a cost per piece not exceeding that of the free delivery in many of the cities of the United States. In the vast majority of communities where it has been tested the rural free delivery service has ob tained so strong a hold that public sentiment would not permit Its discon tinuance. It has been a revolution, and revolutions do not move back ward. It costs very little more than the old colonial style of postal service which it supersedes, and It invariably brings a large and compensating increase In the amount of postal receipts turned into the treasury. Hut even if it does coat more than the obsolete old plan, are not the farmers entitled to some of the benefits of the government which they help so liberally to support by their taxation? The country can well afford to continue and extend a system which make* better cltlietis and hap pier homes and contributes largely to the mental, moral and material ad vancement o? the plain people. H ura I fr*» delivery of tuall has come to stay, and the ItepuhlU-an adminis tration, which brought it Into being, will stay with It Skwoi XtbnO»'« Nebraska h**g» sold tu Omaha. M j list, at $4 M per heal wore than on ihi- tn'we dale four year* yet ths World Herald. Mr llryaa'e p<-raoual organ whbh la published In Omaha, asserted very vigorously during th« l*<M campaign that the prt-eu of no farm jtndtt, it i**uld advance without the fee# an I unlimited com is of all* i rev. It* tat4 M«f>tilill» «• T%* atate of H **«th liak >• la ml lag arrungesnsuts lu uafettg-w llsug kg Severnbar.
