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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1907)
ard county and his books constitute a source of history that will become of incalculable value in future years. In his books and in his newspaper corre spondence he was always aflame with enthusiasm. Ha foresaw the present greatness of Nebraska forty years ago, and predicted it with fine imagination and spirit. He lived a wimple, whole some life and was so much engrossed in rejoicing over the prosperity of the state and the happiness of those about him that he had no time-to accumulate for himself the land and property that he knew would soon become of great value. It is impossible to over estimate the worth of the services rendered by this unquenchable Nebraska optimist. THE GOVERNOR'S ATTlTtDE. Governor Sheldon will-allow the two cent fare bill to become a law without his signature. He was on record in his campaign speeches as favoring a reduction in passenger rates, but re fused to endorse a fiat reduction of two cents a mile for fear the weaker roads would prove it to be unremuner ative. Rather than run the risk of losing the entire law, he was in favor of putting the question in the hands of the state railway commission, which he believed would 'be able to force the main lines at least to grant the re duced rate. When the bill comes from the legislature making the Hat reduc tion, Governor Sheldon remains true to his original position, but cannot dis approve of a measure passed by his party and very generally desired by the public. lie therefore allows it to become a law, but places the responsi bility upon the legislature. . This is one of the few important matters to come before the governor since his inauguration. His manner of dealing ' with it will be no surpise to the Nebraskans who know the man and his character. His determination to be decisive in dealing with corpora tion problems is not in the least weak ened by his desire to be effective and safe. x " DORMANT LAWS. Other nations criticise "Americans for making laws which they never enforce and which are never - meant to . be enforced. A considerable sec tion of the public, less than a ma jority, demands a law on some sub ject. The law is accommodatingly passed to appease them, and then everybody forgets about it. Such a -law is the antl-treating law on the Nebraska statutes, which is violated ten thousand times a day in Nebraska, and for violating which but one man was ever arrested, and he was allowed to escape.' The anti-cigarette law is another example. The tipping law may bo a third. Most such laws can be forgotten, for their violation is not forced upon public attention. But when men not only ignore but expec torate upon a statute the case is dif fer nt :i n rl that is the condition re garding the Lincoln anti-spitting or dinance. This is a law which it would benefit the public health and decency to enforce. While it would be im possible absolutely to prevent the de filing of sidewalks the enforcement of the law whenever possible would have a restraining andn educative effect If a majority of the citizens wish to retain the privilege of spitting on the sidewalks the law should of course be repealed. No better way to ascertain the sentiment on this point could be devised than to try enforcing it THE Ml'TUAL FARCE. Over four hundred thousand votes were cast in the election of trustees for the New York Life Insurance company. Inspectors drawing pay at the rate of $35 a day have been count ing the votes or getting ready to count them since December 18. They now make a preliminary report-show- th o1m4ntatrat.ton ticket to haVC won by about two to one. This elec- PZ9 EAE1TCSS OR ED&SE CCLLARS lit tils Brand on are tbe Best Made Ask tour Dealer to Show Them BEFORE YOU BUY MAAufartartd by HARPHAM BROS. CO. LINCOLN, NED. tion if it lias done nothing else, has shown the futility of hoping to govern a great life insurance company through the policyholders thereof. For the first, and probably for the last time in a generation the policyholders had an organization of their own in this election. Tremendous scandals due to misconduct of the companies by the men who still control them, excited - general interest and made possible an organized contest. - This contest merely proved the hopeless ness of removing from office trustees in possession of all the machinery of the company, its agents, books, the influence wielded by control of so great a mass of policyholders' money. Mutual life insurance on a large scale is a will o' the wisr if this exper ience teaches anything. The only control that seems possiblbe must come through political means, by leg islation and the election of governors who will enforce the laws. 71 LANGUAGE REFORM. Japanese school children of average intelligence require rune years to learn to read. Japanese school children are as intelligent as any school children, but they are hampered , by their Chi nese -system of writing, which requires the memorizing of thousands of forms before one can begin to read. The leaders of Japanese thought declare that this system cannot remain; that it has already held Japan back for centuries, and that it is impossible if the pace set by other civilized nations is to be maintained. Progress has al ready been made in romanizing the Japanese language. A society that might be called the Japanese Spelling reform association is actively pushing the movement. But the alert Japanese are not certain that this is the limit of what is to be gained by simplification of tho means of communication. Al ready for better dealings with other peoples the public schools teach Eng lish and German and French; but the labor of learning four languages is an undeniable handicap. One Hasegawa has lately constructed a bridge from Japanese to Esperanto, the proposed "world" language, which has already made more headway than all the arti ficial languages hitherto proposed have made combined. The first edition of his text book was exhausted in two days, and it is now in the third edi tion. California proposes c disable Japanese from owning land in that state. This bulwark against the com petition of a people so unrestrained by custom as the Japanese prove to be in their search for the best is not alto gether unreasonable in a country not willing to make the spread of effi ciency easier by so much as striking the silent letters out of its language. ENLARGED FEDERAL AID. Congress has taken action looking toward a large increase in the funds set apart for the support of the agri cultural experiment stations in the various states. The acceptance by the conference committee of the endow ment for agricultural colleges indicates that an immediate addition of $5,000 a year will be made to the "Morrill fund," and that the same amount will be added every year for five years. The Adams and Hatch funds amount This will bring the total .of this fund up to $50,000 at the end of five years, to $20,000 more. This means that the federal government will give outright from the national treasury the sum of $70,000 yearly for the support of the agricultural college and experiment station of the university of Nebraska. This is in addition to the large endow ment of public lands given in the orgi nal state university act of more than forty years ago. Now these Morrill, Hatch and Adams funds are given solely for teaching and experimentation. None of the money can be used for buildings or repairs. To secure the advantages of these large grunts the state must provide lands, buildings and equipment to make the best possible use of the funds. A state that does not. desire to co-operate with the Washington au thorities In carrying c,n these experi ment stations and agricultural colleges to the extent of providing a suitable plant for" the wotk vill foe stricken off the appropriation list. Nebraska has provided excellent lxn da at Lincoln and at North Platte for college and nation work. A good start has been made In providing building and equipment, bat It is only a Ktart. It will be necessary to erect at least half a dozen building on the college farm before the state can be unlit to have compiled with the term f the national grant. For tht reason It will not be profitable to allow the present legislative session to pa without making substantial provision fur met'tln the new demand put up on the elate by the enlarged aid soon to come to the unlvervujr from Waah initlon. Revolvers would be W d4ngrrou were U not for the fwt that a per mon f-vHUh enough t carry on Is itpt to bo f xkiUli enough to use It Tne Kind Yoa Hare Always Bought, and which has been in use for over 30 years, has home tho signature of and has been made under his per- y?-f-- sonal supervision since its infancy. fucA44Z 4 Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitationsand Just-as-good" are but Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children Experience against Experiment. What is CASTORIA Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare goric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It Is Pleasant. It . contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and "Wind Colic. It reliexes Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep . Tho Children's Panacea The Mother's Friend. GENUINE CASTORIA '"ALWAYS Bears the Signature of S7 &j&r-7y. footer Tie KM You Have Always Bought In Use For Over 30 Years. - ' ' vms etNTAun eeuMNv, mussav enurr, wtw tone cm. CHEAP POWER. KlnoA onlv a sinerle amendment ap parently of no particular importance was added by the senate to tne ncuse hill to imorove the free alcohol law, the success of the measure now seems assured. By all odds this promises to be the most beneficent act of the pres ent sesnion. and one of the best of any session. After the free alcohol law of the last session was passed it was dis covered that the manufacture of de natured alcohol was by the regulations of that measure left in the hands of distillers laree enough to maintain bonded warehouses. This defeated one nf the rhief obiects honed for from un taxed industrial alcohol, the opportunity of turning the waste products ot jarma and cities into heat and power. Tha new bill permits sealed tanks to serve the Dlace of bonded warehouses, so that small stills can be located on farms and operated at convenience, the denaturing to be done under the eye of a government agent when the sealed receptacle is' full. This admits indus trial alcohol to manufacture under the most favorable conditions possible ex cenf for the Dossibilitv that the wood alcohol manufacturers, whose product is required in the denaturing process, should hold their prices unreasonably high. The bill also permits ether to be made from tax free alcohol. The senate showed an encouraging capac ity to break away from the Aldrich clique of senators in passing the Mil, and particularly In rejecting vho amendment suggested by Mr. Aldrlch's commute, requiring a government storekeeper to be stationed at every point where alcohol Is made. Coincident with the passage of tha improved law comes a bulletin from the department of agriculture discuss ing the probable uRefulneai of alcohol in gas engines for farm use. The experience of tkrmany L drawn upon, as well as Inquiries and tests In this country. This discussion makes it ap pear that denatured alcohol will finally be at least a potential competitor or gasoline for use In gas engines. With proper manipulation alcohol ran bo uwed aurcttSHfalrr In place of uottne In any engine using gasoline. An engine of given slxo can be made to generate greater power when run by alcohol than by gasoline, but a corn ponding Increase in the consumption ot fuel is required The eihaust when alcohol U used I lrN offensive. There, Is less danger of fire, and alcohol should on thl sivount at one supersede gasoline u a fuel far propelling boats. The engine will probably be easier to keep In r1er when alcohol is used. This rrixirt gives alcohol a smUler ooenpax atlve value for power uses than is us nniiv nrfrfiited it. the statement be ing that the small engine used In the experiment required 1.8 times as great n. ivftifrht- nf nlnohnl to nroduce a elVBZl result as was required of gasoline. This . . .1 t s being tne case tne use or ajeonui m 1 1 1 j uvi a m Kin i i ii vi &(M7 vis. o j fnrrpsiner uqa of tma one: ine.s and tho diminishing supply of gasoline calls It STIIIKE A BAUSCK. "Great Hardships for Bankers and Editors" is the title of an article in the Northwestern Banker of Des MotneR, the substance of which is graphically portrayed in this table: THEN. Railroad fare ....$0.00 Pullman ., 2.00 Cigars, etc 103 Dining car LOO Tips .60 Total 4.6 Round trip 9.00 NOW. Railroad fare $10.50 Pullman to first station 25 Pillow 26 Meals -M8 Cigars .10 Tips 00 Total Round trip 22.20 iHvwwns k To offset which should be suggested the following for some five hundred unprivileged persons for every banker or editor or politician: NOW. Railroad fare $10.80 Round trip it00 SOON. Railroad fare (at 2 cents a mile).. ..$100 Round trip 100 One banker, dr $ 100 Five hundml common folks, cr. $7.00 each; total W Trices broke with violence In the later dealings In the stock market today," said yesterday's New York financial renorts. Anti-railroad legis lation Is not mentioned among the rauxcft. although the stocks of certain railway systems were prominent ta the slump. Investors seem rather more afraid of Itarrlman playing horse with railroad stocks than of a public put ting a curb on railroad rates. If people were hung for kicking, the average traveling man would be kept digging the rope. HAIQ 0AL8AC1 I