FEBRUARY 26, 1901 v
THE NEBRASKA INQEPNEDENT.
13
THE HEW CABINET OFFICER
WHO TAKES CHARGE OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
HAS LONG BEEN IN PUB-
LIC LIFE AND
BRINGS EXPERIENCE TO HIS POST
Geo. B. Cortelyou Has Been Private
Secretary to Two Presidents of
the United States During a
Period of Commercial
Activity.
George B. Cortelyou as secretary of
the department of commerce carries
to the new cabinet position a ripe ex
perience, the fruitage of many years
of public life. The private secretary of
the president is a man of ability, has
opportunities for knowledge of public
affairs afforded in no other position.
Secretary Cortelyou occupied this re
sponsible confidential post during the
administration of President McKinley.
When President Roosevelt came to
the White house he retained him and
promotes him to a cabinet position as
an evidence of. his worth and ability.
THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
has been talked about for many years.
It will now be organized into a branch
of the government. Like the interior
department, it will grow rapidly. New
bureaus will be added from time to
time. Having direct relations with
the business affairs of a progressive
country it must alternately be one of
the great departments. The new cab
inet officer will have no sinecure. The
organization of his office along the
broad lines contemplated by law will
tax the energy and ability of even so
vigorous, experienced and able a man
as George B. Cortelyou.
AN INSURANCE BUREAU
should be one of the subordinate
branches of the new department Here
should be gathered information of
value to insured and insurer alike. Ul
timately no company should be per
mitted to do business in our land ex
cepting under the supervision of the
department of commerce. The gov
ernment should exercise powers sim
ilar to those governing national banks
and state supervision should be aux
iliary only and not supreme. Life and
fire insurance companies are engaged
in interstate business and for the pro
tection of all should be under na
tional control.
THE BANKERS RESERVE LIFE
hopes to see the day when the life in
surance business of our country shall
be conducted under national laws;
when the department of commerce "will
issue the charter under which life
companies shall do business; when
some power of guaranty shall be de
l osited with the national government
for the protection of the insurer. -
B. H. ROBISON, PRESIDENT
of the Bankers Reserve Life Asso
ciation, is very much interested in the
new cabinet position. He believes in
the new secretary and suggests to in
surance men that a common effort be
made to provide for a national bureau
of insurance. No other commercial in
stitution in this country, barring none,
is closer to the people or of greater
economic importance.
THE LEGISLATURE
Cataipa Seedlings and Seeds
2,000,000 Cataipa seedlings. Varie
ties: Bigonioides, Speciosa,sTeas' Hy
brid, Japan, Golden Leaf, and dwarf,
32 to 36 inches high. 1,000 pounds
seeds of same, growth 1902. Write
ROBT. W. FURNAS,
Brownville. Neb.
Good Seed Corn
In looking over seed corn advertise
ments W. W. Van Sant & Sons adver
tisement of special brands of seed
corn stands out . prominently. Mr.
Van Sant is a conscientious grower
and breeder of seed corn. This is his
speciality. He raises his own corn,
sorts it and it is for sale only by w!
W. Van Sant & Sons, Farragut, la.
He puts his experience behind it and
stakes his reputation on its being just
as he represents. If you want a sure
crop anda big crop of corn the coming
season, buy your seed corn of W. W.
Van Sant & Sons. , Mention The Inde
pendent when writing.
Short Paragraphs Relating to th Work of
Kebraika Solons
HOUSE ROLL 344.
This is the long-looked for revenue
measure. It is entitled: "A bill for
an act to provide a system of public
revenue and to repeal articles 1, 2, 3,
4 and 5, and sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11 and 12 of article 7 of chapter
77, compiled statutes of Nebraska for
the year 1901." Introduced by J. A.
Douglas, George L. Loomis, W. T,
Thompson, W. G. Sears, F. A. Swee
zy, C. J. Warner and W. H. Wilson,
special revenue committee.
Those who understood the republi
can platform last year know that if
its revenue plank meant anything, it
meant an increase of taxes on farm
ers, merchants and small property
holders, and little if any change in the
amount to be paid, by the railroads.
Both the populists and democrats
promised higher taxes on the rail
roads because careful study of the
question showed beyond a doubt that
this class of property was not paying
its fair share of. the taxes. But the
result, of the election must be con
strued as an indorsement of the re
publican position and, accordingly, we
could expect, nothing else than that
the new bill will insure heavier taxes
on the farmers t and small property
owners and relatively if not absolute
ly lighter taxe3 on the railroads and
other corporations. .
The bill has not yet come from the
printer; hence, nothing specific will
be attempted in commenting on it this
week. In a general way Newbranch
in the World:lIerald sizes it up as
follows:
"From its . first section to its last
section this bill is a railroad bill. It
is a bill designed to allow railroads to
continue dodging the payment of taxes
at the expense of other property own
ers, whose taxes are increased. It is
a bill designed to take to task all tax
dodgers except railroads and a few
other favored corporations. Its ef
fect will be to levy and collect a large
ly increased tax from 1 farmers, mer
chants and owners of city property,
thereby providing a sufficient revenue
to meet all current expenses and wipe
out the state's floating indebtedness.
But it will not affect the taxes paid
by the railroads, save as it may oper
ate to protect railroads from paying
city taxes. So far as the county and
state tax of railroads is concerned
the bill makes no real change from the
present law, except that it increases
the membership of the state board
which assesses them from three " to
five. And to the extent that five men
may be harder to handle than three
men, the bill may be said to increase
the burdens of the railroads.
"It amply compensates , lor this,
however,- in the safeguards it throws
about railroads to shield them from
paying their share of city -taxes. In
this regard it goes far beyond the
present law and grants to r.iilroads
that are shirking municipal taxation,
and wish, to continue the process, ev
ery immunity and protection that
could be asked."
FUSIONIST POSITION.
Representative Loomis of Dodge was
the caucus nominee for speaker and
thus became floor leader of the house.
His duties as member of the special
revenue committee took up his time
so thoroughly that he had no time to
look after caucus matters, and Mon
day he announced that he is -so thor
oughly tired and disgusted with work
on the revenue bill that he will make
no attempt to fight for it or against it.
It is said that the republicans will
attempt to "railroad" the bill through
by refusing to allow any amendments
to be offered a characteristic repub
lican scheme; and if this is done the
fusionists should be organized and
ready to fight.
So far as state taxation is concerned
an amendment to section 75 of the
present revenue law, removing the ab
surd five-mill limit for state general
fund purposes, would enable the state
board to levy sufficient taxes to meet
state general fund appropriations and
give latitude for equalizing by vary
ing the rate on the different counties
and substantially all the cause for
complaint would be at an end. Al
lowing the county boards to assess
railroad property would give the state
board a more accurate guide as to
how the rate of state levy should be
varied but this cou'd be dispensed
with. A single amendment to a law
which has run the gauntlet of the su
preme court so many times would cer
tainly be safer than rushing through
a mushroom bill, drawn up in star
chamber, and giving no chan.ee for
amendment
ELEVATOR SITES.
The joint railroad committees held
an open session Monday night (17th).
Senator Brady of Boone and Repre
sentative Ramsey of Gage explained
their bills (S. F. 102 and H. R. 70) re
quiring sidetracks to be laid to farm
ers' elevators. R. B. Schneider of Fre
mont, W. H. Ferguson of Hastings,
Mayor Miles of Hastings, T. D. Wor
rall of Lincoln and C. M. McConoughey
of Holdrege, all members of the ele
vator trust, were present, aruging that
the bills be killed in order to prevent
the dear farmers from losing their
money building and operating eleva
tors. Senator Brady's Irish wit helped
him turn a neat joke or two on these
solicitous friends of the farmer.
A STREAK OF ECONOMY.
The senate conference committee re
ported that the senate amendment to
H. R. GO, reducing the appropriation
for incidental expenses from $48,000
to $28,000, had been accepted by the
house.
A BIT OF BALDERDASH.
H. R. 88, by Shelby, to prohibit anl
punish the desecration of the Ameri
can flag by using it for advertising
purposes, was recommended for pass
age. It is a bill recommended by the
national flag association. A speech
favoring the bill was made by Repre
sentative McClay of Lancaster after
which the bill was quickly recom
mended favorably.
A CLOSE SHAVE.
By a vote of 48 to 41 the house der
feated house roll 135, by Tooley of
Custcr providing that one-fourth of
the school apportionment shall be on
the basis of the number of school dis
tricts in each county.
FOR PARTISAN PURPOSES.
In committee of the whole the house
spent much time discussing II. R. 103,
by Jones of Otoe, which provides for
the election of county commissioners
by a vote of the entire county. The
bill was strongly opposed py Loomis
of Dodge, Kennedy of Douglas, Perry
of Furnas, Sweezy of Webster and oth
ers, and seemed doomed to failure.
When this became evident the author
of the bill, with Morsman of Douglas
and Wilson of Pawnee as his lieuten
ants, vigorously cracked the party
lash and demanded that the bill be
enacted in the interests of the re
publican party. "We make no bones
about it," declared Morsman, cynical
ly. "So far as Douglas county Is con
cerned this bill is a party bill. We
want it in order to give the republicans
in Douglas county control of the coun
ty board."
Loomis came back neatly by declar
ing that the fusion county government
of Douglas county and the republican
city government of Omaha haVe been
running along for several years, side
by side. "And I do not believe," said
he, sarcastically, "that the inhabitants
of the county outside of Omaha, ac
customed to democratic rule, are anx
ious to get in under cover and enjoy
the rule of the Omaha machine."
World-Herald. .
. BILLS PASSED.
In the hou se
ll. It. 119, by Gregg, to require coun
ty superintendents to notify school
district officers when report is due,
was read for the third time and passed.
H. R. 88, by Shelby, to prevent and
punishing the desecration of the flag
of the United States by using it for
advertising purposes, or by publicly
mutilating or tramping upon it.
H. R. 16C, by Kittel, repealing the
wolf bounty law.
H. R. 279, transferring money from
the board and clothing fund of the
Norfolk hospital to the funds of the
Lincoln insane hospital passed by a
vote of 70 to 4 with the emergency
clause.
H. R. 175, by Burgess, the bill to
change the means of bidding on coun
ty printing and supplies and letting
contracts for the same, passed by a
vote of 70 to 0.
S. F. 3, by Sheldon of Cass, giving
county boards greater latitude in quar
antine regulations, passed by a vote
of 70 to 0 with an emergency clause.
H. R. 18, by Douglas of Rock, giv
ing a seal to county treasurers, passed
by a vote of 63 to 18.
H. R. 154, by Gregg of Wayne, pro
viding for reports of pupils to county
superintendents and to state superin
tendents, passed without the emerg
ency clause by a vote of 54 to 14.
H. R. 202, by Good, appropriating
$2,800 out of the state library fund
for the library at Peru normal.
H. R. 37, by McClay, providing for
state burial grounds for inmates of
charitable institutions located at Lin
coln. In the senate
S. F. 114, by Senator Hall of Dou
glas, a concurrent resolution calling
for a constitutional convention.
Wm. N. Tarcel, North Platte, Neb.:
Socialism is the coming politics. I
have been an independent and voted
for James B. Weaver the first time he
ran for president; but the pops are
dead for good, so take up the next
best, which is socialism.
A Few Land Bargains
We can save you from $100 to $1,000
cash in the price of afarm or ranch.
If none of the following interest you,
write us just what you want and we
will submit full description and price.
No. 657160 acres unimproved, join
ing the town of Ruelton, Sherman
county, Kansas, for $800.
No. 648 320-acre farm 3 miles from
Ragan, Harlan county; ,new frame
house, barn, etc; 200 acres under cul
tivation; splendid farm land; few such
bargains as this left; price, $7,200.
No.: 643280 acres joining the town
of Shickley, Fillmore county, at $46
per acre; will sell this in smaller
tracts; no better land can be found
In Nebraska.-
No. 641 This is a choice 160 acres
in Custer county at $3,300.
No. 638 240-acre farm in Knox
county at $30 per acre; part time. 1
No. 637 This Is a 160-acre farm un
der irrigation ditch, water right paid
up; unimproved except that It is
fenced; must be sold at once; price,
$3,000.
No. 635240 acres 4 miles from Val
paraiso; splendid improvements and
is on the market. for a short time at
$40 per acre.
No. 634182 acres in Thayer county,
one mile from town of Hubble; this
is a first-class farm and we are au
thorized to sell it for $3,000; part time
if desired. 1 ;
No. 630175 acres, level farm, in
Harlan county, two-story house, good
barn, 15 acres of bearing orchard, 160
acres in cultivation, 50 acres in fall
wheat, near school, 4V& miles from
good town. Price, $4,000. A snap to
be sure. -
No. 628 Unimproved quarter sec
tion in Harlan county for $1,000; half
cash.
No. 617 A highly improved 160
acre farm near Republican City, Har
lan county; best land in the Republi
can valley; price, $6,000, and $4,000
must be cash. This is one of the very
best bargains offered in Nebraska.
No. 599160 acres of tlje best farm
land in Fillmore county, near town,
140 acres in cultivation, 5 acres in
timber; price, $6,500, and only .$2,500
cash required..
No. 572 1,480-acre ranch, all deeded
land; 142 head of cattle; first-class im
provements. Price of everything,
$15,000.
No. 596290 acres, best stock farm
in state of Missouri; price, $50 per
acre.
No. 600 320-acre ranch, highly im
proved, for $3,500.
No. 659 640 acres deeded land, 1,
280 acres leased school land, near
Julesburg, Colo., fairly good improve
ments, for $2,000. Also 75 head of
cattle. Will trade the ranch and cat
tle both for Nebraska farm.
No. 660403 acres deeded land,
good hay land and first-class improve
ments; plenty of free range; deeded
land will cut G0 tons of hay; 1 mile
l.onp river front, good school, close
to town. Price, $2,800.
We have a large list of ranch prop
erty to trade for good farm land.
Many of these include land and stock.
Also an extensive list of farms In all
the best counties of Nebraska. Do not
think of buying till you have investi
gated our bargains.
Nebraska Real Estate and Exchange
Agency
WEBER &FARRIS
138 O Street,
Lincoln, Neb.
SPECIAL MARKET LETTER
FROM NYE & BUCHANAN CO., LIVE
STOCK COMMISSION MER-
CHANTS, SO. OMAHA,
NEB.
Schwartzschild & Sulzberger have
had a buyer here since last week,
which has bren a big help to our cow
market. We sold a load of cows
Thursday at $3.90 and one cow at
$4.30. The steer market is also high
er, but heavy steers show the least
gain. Two days this week bring lib
eral receipts and a steady market,
but Wednesday is weak to 10c lower.
We quote best beef steers $4.40 to
$4.90, jjood $4.00 to $4.40, warmed-up.
$3.50 to $4.00; choice cows and heifers
$3.50 to $4.00, fair to good $2.85 to
$3.40,' canners and cutters $1.50 to
$2.50; choice stockers and feeders
$3.65 to $4.25, fair $3.25 to $3.75;
bulls slow sale at $2.00 to $3.25; veal
$4.00 to $6.50.
Hog receipts liberal and market is
weakening. Range $6.60 to $6.93.
Sheep receipts fair. Market 10c to
15c lower. Killers.
Lambs $5.00-$6.25
Yearlings 5.25- 5.75
Wethers 5.00- 5.25
Ewes 4.00- 4.65