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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 1901)
*•••••••••••••••••••••••••• « • J HOPE I'NfJlENCUAHI E. * :...; And yet, when all Is thought and said. The heart still overrules the head; Stilt what we hope, we must believe. And what Is given ws receive. Must still believe, for still we hops That, In the world of larger scope. What here Is faithfully begun Will be completed, not undone. My child, we still must think, when we That ampler life together see. Some true result will yet appear Of what we are, together here. —Arthur Hugh Clough. Bachelor Brown’s Dilemma. nY WILL S. GIDLEY. <Copyright. 1»00, by Daily Story Pub. Co.) Bartholomew Brown, or Bachelor Brown as the neighbors called him, was In a quandary. His Aunt Abbie, who for twenty years had kept house for him, had left in a fit of anger a week before, declaring that she would never come back, and Brown knew only too well that she Would keep her word. That was one of the family •characteristics of the Urowns—they always kept their word. Aunt Abbie was a Brown. At the moment upon which our story opens Bachelor Brown wa3 ruefully contemplating a loaf of bread which even Mr. Brown was willing to admit was not an improvement on that which Aunt Abbie used to make. He was wondering whether it was best to get it patented as a new style of paving block or to chop it up with a hatchet and attempt to eat it. He had made the bread himself. “Looks as if I missed it somehow on that baking. I s’pose I could eat it if I tried hard, but a fellow might as well starve to death as die of indigestion. Guess I’ll have to fall back on baker's bread for the present. About as soon eat a basswood chip. “Mighty sorry Aunt Abbie got her back up and lit out—or no, I ain’t either. I’m glad of it! She has bossed me around about long enough. I’ve been my own master for a few days, and I rather like it—that is, I would if it wasn’t for the trouble of cooking. Wish I had a Chinaman to do that for me—and speaking of a Chinaman reminds me that Aunt Abbie went off without ironing my shins. That’s an other delightful job I’ve got on my hands. Guess I’ll go ahead and do the Ironing now, and then perhaps I will be hungry enough to eat this bread." Mr. Brown procured a couple of flat irons from the closet and placed them on the stove. Fifteen minutes later he took one of them in his left hand, held it in front of him, carefully poised in the air with the bottom tilt ed upward. Then moistening his right /ore-finger ho gently touched tho hot iron with it just as Aunt Abbie used to do; but instead of instantly with drawing the finger he clumsily pressed it against the sizzling metal until it scorched his flesh. With a howl of agony he dropped the flat-iron—an eight-pounder at that—on his foot. This was the first time in years that Bartholomew Brown had done any swearing, but he went at it like an old - hand. A tin-pedd'sr is not easily frightened as a rule, but one happened along while Brown was in the midst of his eruption, climbed down from his cart and approached the kitchen door. He got about half way up the walk—and then he stopped and lis tened. Just a mompnt; and then he turned pale, and whirling on his heels went flying back down the walk. At every farm-house he visited dur ing the remainder of the day the ped dler told a thrilling tale of his narrow escape from an encounter with *'a raging maniac in a big, white house, a ways back.” Meantime Bachelor Brown, all un conscious that his fame was being her alded abroad in the land, had cooled down somewhat, had tied his burnt finger up in a greased rag, and was making another heroic attempt at ironing. There came a ring at the doorbell. “Great Peters!” he groaned. “Wonder who that can be at the door? Bet its a book-agent, and like as not she has heard me tearing around here and swearing. Well, if she has I hope it "Look* as If I missed It somehow on that baking." •will scare her away. * • • Needn't mind about pulling that bell out by th: roots, madame; I'll be there about as soon as you want to see me.” And growling like a bear Brown ■went tramping heavily through the hallway to the front door, which he violently flung open. “G’way!” he shouted, waving his hand at the rather young and pleasant faced lady before him, exactly as ir he were trying to shoo a hen off the stoop. “G’way! Don’t want any or your books! Wouldn’t read 'em if you’d give ’em to me!” But instead of doing as requested, <he lady calmly held her ground. “Why, good afternoon, Mr. Brown," fthe said in a musical, well-modulated rvolce. "You seem excited. Don’t you know me? I am the Widow Perkins, from The Corners, and I am helping raise the money for a new carpet for the vestry of our church. What shall I put you down for, and can I see your aunt, or will you subscribe for both?” “Why—er—excuse me, Mrs. Per kins,” stammered Bachelor Brown, in confusion. "I—you can put me down for six yards, and—and I hope you won’t say anything about the way I treated you when you called. You see, I took you for a book-agent, and Pro sort of upset anyhow Just now. 1 don’t suppose you’ve heard about It yet, but Aunt Abbie has got her dan der up and cleared out for good, and Pve had to do my own housework this week. Sweet time Pve had of it, too. An ostrich couldn't eat the bread I baked; and Pve Just about crippled myself trying to Iron a shirt, not to mention breaking out a couple of win dows and nearly killing the cat. Er— didn’t hear me before you rung the bell, did you?” ”1 heard someone talking and I sup posed you had been buying a parrot. Some of them use shocking language, you know. And so it was you all the time, was it? Poor man! Really, Mr. Brown. I feel sorry for you, and if you will permit me to do so I will be glad to come in and straighten up the housework.” “But I am afraid it Is going to take you away from your work, Mrs. Per kins.” “Not at all, I am at liberty the rest of the afternoon, and it will be a real “G’way! Don’t want any of your books!” housekeeper. Perhaps you might find pleasure to me to do what I can to assist you. That Is what we are placed In the world for—to help each other.” “Is it?” said Brown, innocently, as he led the way to the kitchen. "Guess Aunt Abbie hadn’t heard about that or she wouldn’t have flopped off the hook and deserted me the way she did.” “Dear! dear! what a time you must have had of it,” exclaimed Mrs. Per kins; as she surveyed the wreck Brown had made, "and all over the ironing of a shirt! Now if you will bring in the other iron and put it on the stove then sit down and watch me ?,11 show you how easy it is to do it.” When the shirt had been duly ironed and the charming widow turned to him with a graceful bow and said: "There, sir; now do you think you will know how to go at it the next time you have a job of this kind?” He admiringly ex claimed: "Say, you beat Aunt Abbie clear out of sight ironing shirts. I never saw anything done up quite as slick as that; and by gum, it was just as good as a panorama to sit here and watch you! Never worked in a laundry, did you ?” "No, but I pride myself on being a first-class housekeeper, and ironing shirts to my mind is one of the es sentials of good housekeeping.” “Well, if you understand housekeep ing all through as well as you do ironing shirts you certainly must be a wonder. Aunt Abbie couldn't hold a candle to you. Maybe you can tell me what ails this bread I made yes terday,” and Brown produced the loaf and thumped on it to show its inde structible firmness. No, laughed the widow, "I haven’t got time to analyze that bread, but I will make a nice batch of cream biscuits for you—the kind Mr. Perkins always liked—and I guess Pd better bake a couple of pies, too, while I am about it. Don't you think so, Mr. Brown?” “Yes, if you wish, but I don’t know how I am ever going to pay you for your kindness, Mrs. Perkins. And to think that I came near driving you away for a book-agent. Let me see; what is it the Bible says about enter taining angels unawares?” “Pshaw, now, what nonsense you talk. Instead of dreaming about an gels you’d better be hunting up a one over at The Corner. You’d better drive over there and see about it wliilo I am busy with the baking.” Brown stepped over closer to the widow, who was rolling up her sleeves In readiness for the flour-tub, and looked at her steadily until finally she became aware of his gaze and lifted her eyes. , “Well," she said, smilingly, “aren’t you going on to hunt up a housekeep er?” “No, l think not,” was the quiet re ply; “I’ve got one ulready that suits me pretty well, and a wife in the bar gain—that is, of course, if you are will ing.” Half an hour later, when the matter had been arranged to the entire satis faction of the two persons chiefly con cerned, the radiant and blushing bride to-be suddenly bethought herself of her baking! “See here, Bartholomew, how do you suppose I am going to make any pies or biscuits if you go on this way all the refit of the afternoon? You’ll bo hungry for something more substan tial than kisses when supper time comes.” PROTECTION DID IT. UNPER ST A CENTURY'S PROG RESS IS MADE. Aa lidnatrUl Review hf the Amerl* can Kconomlat—Home Manafarture* and American Ealtor the Chief Cause of Oar National Oreatueee. The American Economist of recent date contains an industrial review of the nineteenth century which discloses our most remarkable growth and de velopment in all fields of endeavor. The writer very fully shows that our prosperity has been so identified with protection as to make the former In every Instance the sequence of the lat ter. The tariff laws of the century are given in full and their effects upon our commerce and trade are succinctly stated. The article is accompanied by a table giving by decades our progress in wealth, commerce and principal lines of industry. Wonderful Wealth Gain. This table shows that in wealth wo have Increased from $900,000,000 in 1800 to $100,000,000,000 in 1900; that our foreign commerce in 1800 was $162,244,548, and in 1900 was $2,244, 424,266; that our exports of $70,971, 780 In 1800 had increased to $1,294, 483,082 In 1900; that our products or manufacture, which were perhaps $20, 000,000 In value in 1800, were valued at about $15,000,000,000 in 1900; that our 900 post offices of 1800 numbered 76, 350 in 1900; that our textile products of a few thousands in value in 1800 were valued at considerably over $1, 000,000,000 in 1900; that our iron and steel manufactures of $14,364,526 in value In 1810 were valued at over $1, 000,000,000 in 1900; that our railroad mileage of 23 miles in 1830 had in creased to 196,410 in 1900—In shirt, that from an insignificant group of 5, 000,000 of people in 1800 we have be come in 1900 a nation of more than 76,000,000, with greater wealth, with greater output in all fields of produc tion, with greater credit than any other nation on earth. Dae to Protection. The review of the century not only shows that our periods of prosperity have been during the years when a protective tariff has been In force, but that the creation of our important in dustries dates from the year when an adequate duty was laid on the product of those industries. Two or three Il lustrations will suffice. In 1870 only 30,000 tons of steel rails were made in the United States, and these sold at $100 per ton in gold. In 1900 we were making over 2,000,000 ton3 a year at a price of $24 a ton, and the price has been as low as $17 a ton. We were making but a few thousand kegs of wire nails in 1883, when the duty wTas Increased from one to four cents per pound. In 1888 the output was 1,000, '100 kegs and in 1900 over 8,000,000 kegs, ■vhile the price has been reduced from 8 cents per pound to 2 cents per pound. March of I’rogreii. We made no tin plate in 1890, when for the first time a duty was laid by the McKinley law. In 1900 we made over 400,000 tons, and can not only supply the home market but are now exporting it. Hundreds of other prod ucts owe their development to protec tion. On the other hand, when duties have been lowered or removed the con sequences have been serious and most disastrous. The blow to all our indus tries, and especially to wool and wool lens, by the Wilson-Gorman law is only too fresh in the min^ls of all. The tariff of 1883 was a severe blow to our wool Industry, while the low tariffs of 1846 and 1875 threw the country into a panic and bankruptcy, as did the tariff of 1833. Principle Da* Predominated. But protection has predominated, es pecially since the civil war, and it is during this last thirty-five years that our great progress has been made. Our iron and steel manufactures, our tex tile products, our farm products, our exports and many other commercial and financial totals are now measured by billions instead of the millions or thousands of the early part of the cen tury. The writer concludes his review as follows: Tribute to High Tariff. “What greater tribute to an economic principle; what greater vindication of a national system of legislation; what greater proof of the wisdom of a pro tective tariff could there be than the results of the nineteenth century In the United States? We have victorious ly waged two great foreign wars. We have waged one of the greatest civil wars ever known to mankind. We have freed millions of slaves. We have welcomed to our free institutions 20.000. 000 of foreigners. We have sold abroad over 133,000,000,000 worth or our products of agriculture and manu facture. We have accumulated over 1100.000. 000.000 of wealth. I Greitnt of Nation*. “From an almost insignificant re public we have grown to be the great est nation on earth in wealth, in pro duction and consumption. We have become the most powerful in diplomacy and war. We feed much of the world beside ourselves, and our manufactures go to every corner of the earth. At I the end of the nineteenth century and i the beginning of the twentieth we are recognized as the financial center of the globe, and all nations look to us for money. We are Increasing our nation al credit by over half a billion of dol lars a year. We are paying higher wages and living better than any other people. The luxuries of other lands are our necessaries. Our national treas l nry is overflowing; our banks, both na tional and savings, are swelled almost to their limit. Envy of Other station*. “And for all this maniflcent accomp lishment, for all this grand achieve ment, for all this most enviable posi tion and attainment, who will ques tion that besides our own exertions of mind and body we are Indebted solely to Providence and protections? With resources unlimited, with wealth un bounded, with credit unequaled, with honor unsullied, we stand on the thres hold of a new century and wonder what it will bring." WACES AND COST OF LIVINO. In a communication sent some weeks since to the state department by the United States consul at Lyons the ques tion of wages in France and in the United States is touched upon and some comparison is made between the prices of necessities of life in the two coun tries. The statements made and the facts presented are most enlightening. "While wages are much lower here than in the United States," says the consul, "the cost of living is higher, if the quality and quantity of food be considered." And then he proceeds to give specific facts. According to his figures, ordinary white sugar costa from li to 11V& cents per pound in France, good coffee from 60 to 90 cents per pound, while fish ranges from 20 to 60 cents per pound, and so on. The luxuries which are enjoyed by tho rich alone, such as the finer silks, vel vets, broadcloths and clothing made to order, cost from 25 to 50 per cent less In France than in the United States. Here are a few definite statements from one who is in a position to know tho facts which are worthy of the at tention of those free traders who try to bolster up their rotten theory by claiming that, though our protective traiff keeps wages high, the high wages are more than neutralized by the high er cost of living in this country. Their claim has a plausible look at first glance, but the facts don’t bear it out. Of especial importance are the above quoted facts to American workingmen, who, above all others, profit from the system of high wages and cheap living which prevails in this country and the continuance of which is dependent on their votes. THEY BEGIN TO SEE IT. The London “Iron and Coal Trades Review” sayB that when the iron and steel industries of the United Kingdom begin to give way, as they are doing at present, it is not unreasonable to as sume that the whole industrial fabric is more or less on the eve of a serious change. This, it says, appears to be the general expectation in Great Brit ain at the present time. When an American writer a couple of years ago directed attention to the imminence of an industrial change such as that now generally expected, the Ixindon “Spec tator” and other British free trade journals pooh-poohed the suggestion. They were unable to perceive what this trade journal clearly sees, that the iron and steel Industries "are the basis of all the other mechanical in dustries—of shipping, general engin eering, foundry operations and a thou sand minor industries that may be named.” When a basic industry is in jeopardy all those resting upon it are sure to suffer, a fact which the opti mistic Free Traders will be sure to ap preciate before long, although they are unable to do so now.—San Francisco Chronicle. STRENGTH OF A POLICY. "Not since December, 1872,” says the Boston Herald, "has Congress met with the Republican party lodged so nearly upon the very apex of power as it is today. All on account of the stupidity of its adversaries.” The Herald is in large measure right, for, after all, it Is stupidity, rather than lack of patriotism which prompts the course of the majority of those who would adopt a policy which would be fatal to American progress and pros perity. As for the leaders, they are stupid, too, as well as selfish and un patriotic. Otherwise they would not sneer at the full dinner pail or accuse the workingman of being all stomach because he takes thought of the com fort and welfare of his family. The success of the Republican party has been due in part, as is evident, to the stupidity of its opponents in fighting against the policies which have brought prosperity to the people of the whole country and have set the United States many laps further on in its progress toward being the greatest of the world’s nations, but in part only. Primarily, present Republican success is due to the soundness and wisdom of the policy of the Republican party in protecting, everywhere and always, American interests, and in seeing to i* that the American people rather than the people of other lauds should be the country’s first care. Inadvertently, Mr. Bryan has ac knowledged his appreciation of the presence of prosperity. When, save in a time of unprecedented prosper ity, would a man wholly inexperienced in the publishing business venture to start a paper?—Albany Journal. Mr. Bryan insists that "the election was not necessarily conclusive on any question.’' It would greatly conduce to Mr. Bryan’s happiness and peace of mind if he knew a knockout blow when he got one.—Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Democracy having failed in an ear nest attempt to edit Mr. Bryan, Mr. Bryan will try his hand at editing Democracy.—New York Press. State Capital Observations. Expressions Emulative for the Good of Republican Supremacy. LINCOLN. Jan. 28. Another week has gone by, and sMll there is no selection made for senator by the legislature. Practically all of the political seers have reached the conclusion that a long fight is on, with the chances in favor of ending in a deadlock. Many of the uninterested do not look for Thompson’s men to desert him, be cause he is backed by the strongest organization In Nebraska. More than that, he is a man of iron determina tion. His candidacy two years ago, which everybody admits was weaker than it is this year, prolonged the tight for weeks, and it is expected he will not give in until he is elected or all hope is gone. Every day efforts have been made to get signers to a republican caucus, but each day a failure was reported. The candidates evidently believe their chances are best without a caucus. Late in the week Representative Whit mo: e sought to work up a caucus, the call for which read as follows. "We, the undetsigned republican members of the Nebraska state legis lature, hereby obligate ourselves to enter into and abide by a republican senatorial caucus to be he'.d on the call of the speaker of the house on reason able notice and as soon as may be af ter this agreement is made effective. 1 •:1s agreement is based on the fol 1 iwM-g terms ai.u cond loot pro c dent, to-wit: "First—This agreement shall be ef fective upon its receiving the signa tures of sixty-seven republican mem bers of the legislature. "Second—Fifty votes shall be re quired to nominate any candidate for the United States senate or to adopt any additional rule for the caucus. "Third—All nominations shall bo made by viva voca vote on roll call. "Fourth—No nomination for United States senator shall be effective until two candidates shall have been duly nominated on the same roll call. “Fifth—Only republicans of unques tioned loyalty shall be eligible to nom ination for United States senator at said caucus." Just what luck Mr. Whitmore will have is not known at this time, but. sentiment is against a cacus yet, and he will probably also fail. The senatorial fight is getting hot ter as the days go by, and from every appearance it is a healthy thing and may last longer than some expect, while it may be closed up with a snap that will take the breath away. That the fusionists are watching the con test with increasing interest is mani fest on all sides from the discussions in the lobbies and corridors. Their concern is chiefly as to its effect on the future politics in the state, as htey see in the choice of men by the republi cans obnoxious to the rank and file a great chance for political capital to assist them back into power. One republican senator suggests a general caucus, first on the North Platte or long term candidate, all re publicans to unite in the selection. Af ter the North Platte man has been chosen, he would caucus on the South Platte or short term senatorship and when both have been determined upon would have them elected by the joint session under the present rules. The suggestion is meeting with some fav or, but no steps have thus far been taken to formulate an agreement or secure a caucus to carry out the idea. Friends of Rosewater contend that if Thompson is sincerely in favor of a north and south Platte nomination, he might show it by nominating the oth er fellow first and then taking the chances on his own case. The county treasurers’ association met !ast week at the Lindell hotel to consider matters of deep interest to them. The sessions of the legislature are viewed by them with great inter est. They are now trying to secure some legislation that will relieve the treasurers of the western portion of the state. In many of the counties the treasurers feel they are insufficiently remunerated. Especially is this true in those counties under township or ganization where township collectors gather in (axes and turn them over to the treasurers, absorbing many of the fees It id believed that the main op position of the treasures this session will be directed against the township organization. It was agreed at the meeting that a bill shall be drafted embodying this change. As far as Lancaster county goes, the bill will have no effect. The reduction In the county population has, how ever, effected the number of clerks al lowed the treasurer here and to obvi ate this difficulty H. R. No. 2 has been drawn up. It reduces the population limit to permit the same conditions ex isting now to continue. County Treas urer McLaughlin says that it will be impossible to get along and keep up the work in the office with less than the immber of clerks he has now which is exactly the same as was employed by his predecessor. He and Lancaster men generally are taking a keen inter est in the measure. Both houses of the legislature de cided to hold a session Saturday last. It was the first Saturday session of the term. Usually the members desire to go home on Saturday to devote one day to their private affairs. Some times one house desires to remain in session and the other does not. .While the senatorial contest is on It is not I deemed best to do tnis for fear some question might arise as to whether the legislature had complied with the United States statute requiring at least one ballot each legislative day on United States senator. The friends of the senatorial candi dates do not wish to take any chances. A considerable amount of seasoning was injected into the senatorial fight last Friday morning during the pro ceedings of the joint session and dur ing the afternoon session of the house. A resolution was proposed in the joint session by Wilkinson of Cass author izing the appointment of a committee to investigate whether the railroads were using free transportation to in fluence the vote on United States sen ator. This was ruled out of order by Lieutenant Governor Savage on the theory that were such a committee ap pointed it could receive no authority to enforce its orders from the joint contention. As soon as the house convened in the afternoon Mr. Wilkinson intro duced virtually the same resolution, but providing for a committee of five to act with a like committee from the senate and Investigate this same ques tion. An amendment was also passed, proposed by McCarthy of Dixon coun ty, enlarging the power of the com mittee to investigate all charges of corruption. Including promises of political appointments, in connection with the senatorial fight. Under the wording of the resolution with all amendments taken into consideration, the house committee when appointed by Speaker Sears, must act with a like committee from the senate and must report to the joint convention. The provision naming the joint con vention as the body to which the com mittee is to report, was made by er ror. It resulted through the passage of an amendment prepared by Taylor of Custer in the joint session of the morning when the original motion was not entertained. Mr. Taylor intro duced this same motion in the house without making any chango and as a result the committee was instructed to report to the joint convention. The result of the entire action will depend on the complexion of the com mittee appointed, on the action of the senate in appointing a committee to act with the house committee and on the attitude of the joint convention in regard to the entire matter. If the speaker appoints a committee, a ma jority of whom are oposed to go.ug ahead and who desire to block the in vestigation, or if the senate by its ac tion desires to block further action by not appointing a committee, nothing may result of the matter. Otherwise the committee to be named will be del egated with oper to make a thorough and searching investigation of wide extent connected with the senatorial contest. The following invitation has been extended to the legislature by the re gents and the chancellor of the univer sity: “Members of the legislature have a standing and most cordial invi tation to visit and inspect at their con venience the grounds, farm, shops, li brary, gymnasium, museums, labora tories and recitation rooms of the uni versity, to acquaint themselves with the condition and needs of the univer sity and with its work as it goes on daily and hourly. Visitors calling at the chancellor’s office will be supplied with competent guides and will be made welcome wherever they go.” The house committee on university and normal schools held a meeting late in the week and uecided to recommend for passage the bill appropriating $75. 500 for a new liurary and gymnasium building at the Peru normal. Dr. Clark, principal of the Peru normal, was present and resisted any attempt on the part of the members to tie up the appropriation bill with the bills creating new normal schools. He said he was in favor of new schools, but he did not want to see the appropria tion bill held back. The university and normal school committee agreed at a recent meeting that there should be three new normal schools and three bills were recom mended to be placed on general tile. The bills are house roll No. 70 which provides for the purchase of the old Western Normal building at Lincoln; house roll No. 121, establishing a school at Central City, and house roll No. 37, by Broderick, which provides for a commission to select a site. The first shipment in bond, from the port of Lincoln, was last week by ex press to Paris. Twenty-eight pictures and frames from the art exhibition valued at $4,000, packed in four pack ages, were prepared for shipment in the baggage room at the union station. They were shipped to “A. Guinehard. 76 rue Blanche, Paris. France.” Deputy George Bartlett and Express Agent Nash spent an hour or mofe at the depot preparing the packages for ship ment. Secretary of State Porter retired from office the first of the year with nearly $1,000 of money which he took in violation of the constitution. This money was received by him contrary to the constitution as a member of the state marks and brands commit tee. Whether an action will be brought to recover this money from Mr. Por ter is not known. He could probably escape as did Eugene Moore. Col. Julius N. Kilian of Columbus, commanding the First regiment, Ne braska national guard, has been ap pointed by Governor Dietrich as ad jutant general of the Nebraska na tional guard. Adjutant General Bar ry, who now holds the office, has served six years. Colonel Kilian was formerly captain of company K of Columbus, but while in the service in the Philippines was promoted to ma jor. Many flags were lowered in Lin coln tb respect to the dead queen of the British empire, and expressions of regret were heard on every side.