IThe Omaha Bee M O R N I N G—E V E N I N G—S U N D A Y THE BEE 1PUBLIShTnG CO Pub7i»h7r N. B. UPDIKE. President BALLARI) DUNN. JOY M. H ACKLER, Editor in Chief Business Manager member of the associated press Ths A ost: A little bird sat on the limb of a tree Saying "Get it, go get It, go get It!'1 A* cheerful a bird as a birdie could be, With his; "Get it. go get it, go get It"’ Ills manner was glad ami bis notes clear and Arm, Ami be said: "In the world there is many a worm, But don't fuss and complain and don't wiggle and squirm, Just get It, go get It, go get It!” “In the world,” said Ihe bird, "there Is much that Is glad If you'll get It. go get it, go get it. And If in the search you find something that's sad, Forget it, forget it, forget it! The world will be sad and the day will be blue If you trait for Its blessings to come right to you, So If you want joy there is one thing to do, Just get it, go get It, go get it! "Don’t think fate is bitter—If you want your share, Just get it, go get it, go get it. The cham e is right good it is just over there, So get it, go get It, go get it. I Just want to say that the chances are slim To get what you wish if you stay on a limb. You have to keep moving to keep in the swim, So get it, go get it, go get it.” My thanks, T.lttle Birdie, for all that you say, For your "Get it, go get it, go get it.” I know there is gladness and joy by the way, So I’ll get*it, go get it, go get it! There's a whole lot ofitruth in the song that you slug, There's a lot of good sense In the message you bring, And I won't sit and wait for that slow-coming thing, liut I'll get it. go get it, go get it! Those who have heard the song which Francis Wilson used to sing, of the bird on the limb, will now the tune to which these lines have been writ •n. It’s worth cutting out and pasting in your hats. FROM OUT THE PAST. A few days ago the nation celebrated the anni versary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. It seems a far ;ry back to 1809, the year of his birth; even a far •ry back to that day 60 years ago when the great peart of the Emancipator was stilled. The world has gone forward with such rapid . . :...a are prone Co forget. It is not, after 1, so very long ago when Abraham Lincoln bore the tremendous load of the nation upon his stooped houlders. Only a few weeks ago Mrs. Hannibal Hamlin ■ widow of the vice president under Lin coln’s 1.® t administration, passed on to her final re ward. In the luster shpd by the name and fame of Lincoln Americans are prone to forget the real worth of Hannibal Hamlin. Next to Lincoln he was undoubtedly the ablest statesman of that terrible period of internecine strife. It was Hamlin who urged Lincoln to draft the Emancipation Proclama tion, against the advice of his cabinet members. Lin cold did not hesitate to voice his disapproval when nis party’s leaders decided to drop Hamlin and nomi nate Johnson for vice president in 1864. Robert Todd Lincoln, son of the martyred presi dent, still lives to link the present generation with ♦he time when his father took on the greatest burden ♦ver borne by mortal man. In strict retirement he • pends his declining years among his beloved books. History has been made rapidly during the last half century, but it is well to pause now and then and recall to mind that tlypse old days are not, after all, so very far in the past. BUILD ROADS FOR NEBRASKA. A regrettable state of affairs has developed ab F.incoln, one that is jeopardizing the entire road sit uation for Nebraska. The revenue coanmitt.ee of the house is deadlocked on the question of how the pro posed tax on gasoline shall he distributed. Between 84,000,000 and $6,000,000 of federal aid is available to Nebraska if conditions prescribed by the gowern nent are complied with. Unless these conditions are met, the aid will be withdrawn. One of the conditions is that the money be ex pended in the construction of roads that will become part of a comprehensive system, serviceable to the general public. Not to be confined to the uses of a 'omparatively few residents in separated localities. It ia this that is causing the deadlock. Advocates of lit county or district plan road construction insist >n splitting the money to be derived from a tax on zasoline. Half shall go to the county and half to reneral road building fund. This division will aid he individual counties, but will defeat the purpose pf a general good road program. It is obvious that if Nebraska ever ia to have a •omplete system of good roads, a start must be nade somewhere. One part of the state must wait vhile another is being served, with the sssurance hat in time all will be taken care of. If all coun ies were like Douglas, we would have hard-surfaced ■oads running all over tha state now. If all were ike some other counties, we will never get good •oads. What has aroused the greatest opposition is he'very thing that is most essential. That is that runk highways, main lines, be first provided. After hese are ready for service, then the work of con lecting them up with local roads will ba in ordar. I « ’• The Good Roads association, which has been pro moting the program, denies that it favors any par ticular highway. It has no preference, and will leave the decision to the governor, who will be at the head of the road building work. More than that, the association has approved in full the plan presented by Governor McMullen. This contemplated no direct levy for the road building fund. Just the license tax and the gasoline tax. It had been thought the license tax could be greatly reduced, but developments indicate this will have to be abandoned. County boards will not be prohibited from bid ding on work, so that the practice of the past in this regard will continue. We believe the best service the revenue committee can do is to report out a gaso line tax measure which will turn the revenue into the general road fund. In that way we will ii^ time get Nebraska out of the mud. FORD AND THE FINANCIERS. Every now and then Henry Ford pulls another one on the financiers. The Wall Street brethren have become accustomed to the great industrialist's odd ways, yet they hold a passing interest in his per formances. His last one is in line with several others. Needing money for the extension of his railroad a matter of twenty miles between two of his big shops, he applied for and received permission to sell bonds to the amount of $1,181,000. Did these go on the open market? Did Wall Street, or any other street get a chance to set u valuation on Ford securities? Not that anybody could notice. Henry offered the bonds to Mr. Ford, and Mr. Ford said, “Absolutely, Henry.” That is, the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton railroad sold $1,181,000 of its extension bonds to the Henry Ford Motor company. Thus Mr. Ford gets the money he needs to build new track. Also, Mr. Ford gets what he considers a good investment for the surplus funds of his motor company. He charges himself 5 per cent interest for using his own money, but he keeps his books in good shape. The Federal Trade commission, the I. C. C. and *he Internal Revenue bureau all are interested in Mr. Ford’s transactions, but not nearly so much so as are the bankers and brokers. These would like to get in on some of those little deals, but the thrifty Henry saves the commissions and goes right on doing business in his own way. The world has only one Henry Ford. Maybe one at a time is enough. THE FAMILY SUCCESSION. Elderly men will remember the time when the “Bayard succession” in Delaware was a general topic of discussion every time a senatorial campaign came around in the Blue Hen state. Nowadays the fam ily succession shows signs of becoming the usual thing. Ma Ferguson became governor of Texas after Pa Ferguson had been discredited. Mrs. Ross suc ceeded her distinguished husband as governor of Wyoming, and now Mrs. Julius Kahn of California succeeds her deceased husband as a representative in congress. Admitting that in each of the three instances the very best successor* possible were chosen, would it not be well to hesitate a moment and ask, “Whither are we drifting?” Is there not a possibility that this sort of thing can be carried too far? Is there not danger that we will allow sentiment to overrule common sense now and then? • Kings and queens rule by right of succession. Do we want to establish a precedent that will result in a family succession of office-holders? A Michigan bride of a day overhauled her truant husband in Offiaha. The interesting part of it is she had known him a week when they were wedded. Sounds like another argument for the Nebraska 10 day law. An appropriation has been made to repair the roof of the White House. The fact that president Coolidge occupies the mansion is sufficient proof that there is nothing out of the ordinary in the base ment. When Henry Ford gets through collecting junk in the east, he might find some waiting for him out this way. The Frank Harrison La Follefte machine, for example. The McClintock fortune in Chicago is bringing out a fine crop of heirs, most of whom would have let the matter pass had the millions not put in ap pearance. * The senate may growl and complain about a lot of presidential appointments, but it will be noted ihat the senate confirms the appointments, just the same. It will be generally admitted that the stage has fallen pretty low when the New York police ban a play as being a little too raw for public consumption. The Nebraska vehicle law is undergoing s com plete overhauling. Pretty soon pedestrians will have to carry license number* and display tail lights. Seems there still is plenty to say on both sides of the wet or dry question. Rather, they keep on say ing the same old things over and over. Ice in the Platte ha* a playful habit of showing up the weakness of cheap bridges, yet folks keep right on building them. Anybody who doubts the popularity of the auto should try to get into the show. Fra«er’s prescription for Omaha Is easy to take and will do us all good. No dosed season on speeders. Just closed Jail doors. Homespun Verse By Omaha's Own Poet— Robert Worthington Davie ----— TODAY. Today, the castles which I built In flighty, carefree youth. In ruin* lie, and I’m concerned wf!th life's more strln rent truth: My dreams reach upward to the skies, my heart la In tha bower— But I am thinking of the price of cheese and flawn and flour. Today, the rose red visions through which Love wag shown to me In that, exalted aeon of the eplendld Used to he— Have vanished, and I'm burdened wllh the much un welcomed blue*; I'm striving hard to earn enough to buy my children shoes. Today, my dreams of sudden wealth have flowm to re glnns far, And I behold with clearar ayea things as they truly are. Like others, I am plodding down life a rough but pleas ant way, , Too busy to he bothered hv the dreams of Yesterday— But n<]t too busy to derive some comfort from recall, Believing that the dreamy age means something after all f ___—___. I LLXV\a:-^.,r-r, wr- - - 1 - - HI T WE Ml ST HAVE HEEN MISTAKEN— i—rr——-~nr"-vrn ' i ^ 1 i /--- A Letters From Our Readers m All letters must be signed, but name will be withheld upon request. Communications of 200 words and less, will be given preference. k_ J History for the Future. Omaha—To the Kdltor of The Omaha Bee: At first I cheered. An American J-egton official complained of school textbooks on history. They were guilty of misrepresentation, he declared. Coming from such a source It boded 111 for the writing of history that was only ‘‘bunk." Then I gasped—but there It w-aa In black and white for all the world to to lead and be amazed likewise. The complaint was that a certain text book said the Americans did not win a single Important battle In a certain war—I forget which book and which war, but It doesn't matter.^ Several days have passed alnce the publication of the Interview which makes It possible to write calmly. For some time the Idea has been gaining ground that military history Is the smallest part of history aa a whole, and that generals and battles and military movements have been given prominence out of all propor tlon to their historical value. So far as I can see. many writers of school histories have never heard of this Idea, but the situation Is improving, and 1 am convinced the time I* not far distant when It will be consid ered a serious misdemeanor to make nnv but the most rasttal mention In a textbook of anything calculated to glorify war and perpetuate the war spirit. Textbooks of a very near future will not only say little about war and military ‘'accomplishments'' In gen eral, hut they will sav much on sub jects hitherto given scant attention. They will wake up to the fact, for example, that there Is an organized labor movement In America, that It la of early origin and that It haa been of potent Infuence In the making of American history, starting with the original propaganda for a free public school system and continuing down to the present day. It Is quite likely that the true stnrv of the Molly Ma gulres and the llaymarket riot and marlvrdom will he told: strikes will bo seen 1n their larger aspect as forces for democracy and freedom and the emancipated and enlightened historian mav evan he abla to sav something good about Fugene V Debs and dVIlllam 7. Foster. If the complainant In question feels like complaining now, he will be foaming at the mouth long before ha Is ready for the last long rest with his fathers EDMI'NI) R PRI'MPAl OH. ---- Abe Martin |v J “ 'Opt fer makin' a pood quilt pattern now an’ then I can't see nothin' in them crow-words pus sies,” says Gran’maw rash. V e're ferjjotten so soon these days that even th' feller who’s reported dead has a hard time t’ come r>ack. | (Cor-) ngtu. llll i Marriage in Scripture. Hurlev, s. D—To the Editor of The Omaha Jgee: Having read the article in your paper of recent date. In regard* to tlie "Pinto Marriage Plan.’’ I want t4 say: I think it is one of the most nonsensical ideas ever brought before the general pub lic. The idea of a law that would sep arate man and wife is preposterous. Just think of the many homes it would break up, should this bill be come a law. lsn t this supposed to be a free country? Why then should we allow any such bills to be passed? if isn't a question as to haw many children can be brought into the world, but rather how many children can be properly e appearing recently: "Will party who took my pants, kindly re turn keys and check." We trust the gentlemnn advertising bought a two pants suit. WILL M. MAUPIN. -^ When the Lights Go on i in 250,000 Homes Every- night and every day, too, the 125 prop erties of Cities Service Company perform an es sential service — they produce and distirbute electric current, gas, heat, water, gasoline and . lubricating oil, thereby earning the staple prof its which pay the dividends on Cities Service, i securities. Over 160,000 investors, including banks and insurance companies, own the secur ities of the Cities Service Organization. 20,000 new investors were added in 1924. including possibly some of your own friends and neighbors. Many of Omaha’s most conservative investors own the Preferred Stock of Cities Service Company. At the present price the return is over 7%, dividends being mailed to reach our stockholders the 1st of each month. S Securities Department j ^ Henry L. Doherty & Co. 6th and Francis Sts., St. Joseph, Missouri. HENRY L. DOHERTY & CO., 460 Omaha Nat’l Bank Bld(., Omaha—Tel JA-5731. Please send me complete information regarding Cities Service Securities. Name ........ Address ..-.-tv.. .t.. . ... $ City and State ..., * i