12
MARCH 28, 1907.
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
I NATIONAL
Under the recent act of congress mak
ing appropriations for the postal ser
vice for the ensuing fiscal year, the
postmaster general may fix - the sal
aries of carriers in the rural delivery
service at a rate not exceeding $900 per
annum after July 1, 1907. The highest
rate now paid under existing law is
$720 a year. The readjustment of sal
aries under the new law has not been
fully determined, but it is proposed to
allow the maximum rate $900 to all
carriers on routes twenty-four or more
miles in length as shown by the records
of the department. This will give ap
proximately 22,800 or about 60 per cent
of the carriers an advance In silary of
$JS0 per annum.,
A substantial Increase in pay for
other carriers is contemplated, but the
chief beneficiaries of the new law will
"b" those serving the longer routes upon
whom the greater hardships of the ser
vice fall. Carriers on the shorter routes
ranging from twelve to fourteen and
from fourteen to sixteen miles in
length, now receive $504 and $540 -a
year, respectively, being proportionally
better paid than carriers on, routes of
twenty or more miles.
The pay of substitute rural carriers
will .also be Increased in many ..cases.
At present the law provides that sub
stitutes, employed when the .regular
carriers are on vacation shall be paid
at the rate of $600 per annum, regard
less of the rate of pay of the regular
en t riers. The new law provides that
substitute carriers shall receive com
pensation at the. same rate allowed the
regular carriers.
This advance in pay for carriers and
substitutes, It is estimated, will re
sult In no approximate increase of $5,
900,000 in the cost of the rural delivery
service.
The postoflice department Is experi
encing great embarrassment from in
ability to secure twine sufficient to fill
promptly orders Veceived from post
masters. The twine is used In tying let
ters in packages after they are as
sorted by mailing clerks and arrarfged
for dispatoji.
There are requisition on file from
postmasters aggregating 100,000 pounds
of twine, and numerous telegrams and
letters of complaint are received daily
because these are not filled immedi
ately. ........
The contractor has in hand orders
for upwards of 400,000 pounds of twine,
and promises early shipments to meet
the contingency.
There has been a great increase in
requisitions from postmasters incident
to an apparent unprecedented increase
in mail matter which is being handled
at the principal postofflces throughout
the country. This increase may be fair
ly illustrated by 'reference to reports
received today from Chicago, showing
that the amount of mail which is being
handled during the current quarter of
the fiscal year at that office exceeds by
20 per cent the amount handled during
the same period in 1906,
It is noted in dispatches from Pitts
burg, telling of W. J. Bryants recent
visit vthere, that after a long lecture,
he sat up with Col. James M. Guffey
until 3 o'clock in the morning, despite
the fact that he had to catch an early
train. This is no new experience of Mr.
Eryan. Indeed, it is rather charac
teristic of the man. ' Newspaper men
in Washington who traveled with the
Nebraskan in his campaigns recall his
habits then in respect to sleeping,
which are said to have characterized
his whole public career. Apparently
hp can sleep little or much without
producing noticeable-effect upon his
physical vigor or intellectual alert
ness. While touring the country in
hi:? campaigns for president he is
known to have gone for weeks at a
stretch with loss than six hours sleep
a day. On these trips he delivered
from a half dozen to thirty speeches
a day. between daylight and midnight;
was usually the last occupant of his
var in l ed at night, and almost In
variably the tlrst up in the morning,
looking fresh and virile as though
he had M.-pt all night without hav'ng
performed unusual labors the day be
fore. Tin n, again, it is of record that
Mr. Hrvun once slept twonty-throo
hours wiothout u break. This was
the day after the election of 1900. Ho
went to bed its soon as the returns
that ii I eh t convinced hhn that ho had
again been defeated by McKinley, nnd
Mrs. Uryun wv to It that he was not
disturbed until th signs in his bed
room denoted that ho was awake.
Col. Charle A. Mil wards, wecretary
of tlio democratic cniigrexxloiml cam
paign committee, a few week ag
sent u letter to all thjo democratic
member -f the next contrreHH, sena
tors us Well as representatives, ak
Injf theni to contribute $25 to help de
fray tl expenne of hi ofllco until
I ho opening of the next campaign, to
th end that he might he able to keep
the 1 burning;. The other day
Colonel Edwards received the follow
ing typewritten reply on a postal
card, dated Washington:
"Dear Charlie: I received your let
ter requesting a contribution to as
sist you In procuring the services of
a stenographer for the prosecution of
your 'labor of love.' It is a real pleas
ure to inclose herewith my personal
check for the amount. Allow me to'
indulge in the pleasing hope that this
sh.11 by no means result in 'Love's
Labors Lost.' May I ask that you
mail me a receipt. Your true friend,
"SENATOR E. Z. MARK."
Colonel Edwards is sfill hopefully
looking for the inclosure,
; V
Have you ever heard the reason
why the American government is
called "Uncle Sam?" It was because
one Samuel .Wilson, government in
spector of beef and pork at Troy, N.
Y., in 1812, had a way of marking his
barrels with his own initials and "U.
SV "meaning United States. A Work
man who was something of a wag
saw the letters and facetiously re
marked that he supposed they stood
for "Uncle Sam." The joke was re
told and retold until it became a com
mon saying, and the general govern
ment has been so . nick-named for
nearly a hundred years.
The deficiency appropriation bill of
the . recent congress carried an item
appropriating the sum of $15,000 to
reimburse Reed Smoot for expenses
incurred in the matter of the protest
against his right to retain a seat in
the United States senate.
L. W. THAVIS.
. A Washington special to the World -Herald
says:
"The United States is setting an ex
ample of administrative efficiency 'in
the canal zone that is a perfect won
der to the nations of. tropic America,"
said Congressman E. M. Pollard of
Nebraska, who was in Washington to
day after a trip to the canal zone.
"The success of the government in
establishing sanitary conditions which
have made Panama an attractive place
of residence compared to many cap
itals of the tropical regions of South
America," continued Mr. Pollard, "has
done more to convince the Latin
American peoples of the real desir
ability of the friendship of the United
States than anything else could. The
zone region used to be dreaded as one
of the worst hotbeds of disease in the
tropical world. Today it has the rec
ord of a less death rate than of New
York city, and there has not been a
case of yellow fever since November,
1905. I did not see a mosquito while
I was there. r
"At a reception while we were on
the zone the minister to Peru talked
to me at length about this phase of
American administration. He said the
people of his country were taking the
greatest interest. They wanted to
learn how these North Americans did
It. The next day the minister from
Venezuela talked to me in the same
strain. The authorities of the zone
told me that several South American
governments hade made requests that
the United States permit some of its
experts in this service to accept en
gagements with them for the purpose
of introducing American methods of
sanitation and administration in their
cities. I am assured that so far as
possible this government is going to
comply with such requests. I firmly
believe that nothing we could do
would go farther to cement friendly
relations with the Latin American
peoples. Indeed some of the South
Americans with whom I talked de
clared that the appearance of the
great North American republic as a
tropic power meant a revelation for
the whole tropical world. It meant,
they thought,' the introduction of the
business and governmental methods of
the north in southern cities and-countries
which would mean better living
conditions and in a few years would
do away with the terrors that the
tropics have always had for people
from the temperate climates. With
that would, come a boom In develop
ment of the immense resources of
these countries, a turning of enter
prise and capital to the tropics and
such growth as has never been
thought of.'
"The canal country is in excellent
condition. The labor problem has been
solved by the assurance that Spanish
and Italian labor tUn bo secured in
ample numbers. The engineers declare
they will be able to open the canal In
eight years. There Is no uncertainty
about any engineering proposition.
Foundations for the great locks and
for the (latum dam have been as
sirred. Half the cut at Cul'obra has
been af nsmpllshed ami the building of
the locks is the greatest matter now
before, the engineers."
TOI .VTOI IN 1114 1IOMK.
Hy all odds the most IntereMlmr na
tional feature that Russia allowed me
to see was Count Tolstoi. And yet I
had never rend any f Tolstoi's novel
before meeting him, nnd my notions of
his altruism were vague, Indeed
about what the Idea re of nvplo
who have never bren In Utmsla or ween
Tolstoi, and who, on learn Ins that you
have been there and met him. ask Im
mediately: "Say, on the level, is he a
faker or not?"
Once and for all. so far as my sim.
pie Intercourse with him is concerned,
it may be most boldly declared that
he never was a faker no more of one
when he was sampling all the vices he
could hear of than he is now in urg
ing others not to follow his example
as an explorer of Vicedom.
The man at Yasnaya Polyana, In
1896, was a fairly well preserved old
gentleman, with white beard, sunken
gray eyes, overhanging bushy eye
brows, and a slight stoop in the shoul
ders, wljich were carrying, I think,
pretty close to seventy years of age.
The place looked neglected and un
kempt In many respects, but the two
remaining wings of the old mansion
were roomy and comfortable. Eight
children of the original sixteen were
living at the time of my visit, ranging
in years from thirty and over to four
teen. The countess was the "boss" of
the establishment in and out of the
house. What she said of a morning
constituted the law. for the day, so far
as work was concerned. She had as
sistants and I think a superintendent,
to help her, but she was the final au
thority in matters of management.
The count did riot appear to v take
any active part in the direction of af
fairs. He spent his time writing, rid
ing, walking and visiting '-with the
guesls, of whom there were a goodly
number. At one time he may have
worked in the fields with the peasants,
but in July of 1896 he did not share
any of their toil at least I personally
did not see him at work among them.
What the countess really thought
about the whole business I never
found out. We had one short conver
sation about the count and his work,
during which she delivered herself of
these remarks: "You will hear many
things here that I do not agree with
I believe it is better to be and do than
to preach." I judged from these senti
ments that Tolstoiism as a cult" had
not captured her. But that she
thought much of the count as a man
and husband was evident from her
solicitous care of him. The ' late
Josiah Flynt, hi Success Magazine.
PEARLS FROM THE SULU SEA.
Many and beautiful pearls are found
in the Sulu sea and the possibilities
of that body of water seem unlim
ited. The greatest pearl ever claimed
from the sea in the Sulu archipelago
was recently marketed in Singapore
for 60,000 pesos, . nearly $30,000. It is
the size of a small marble, perfectly
round and of perfect color. The gem
was found by a poor Moro fisherman
and was promptly seized by the sul
tan of Sulu. Then Governor Steever
interfered and took- the part of the
poor fisherman. Under the old Moro
law, in force when the American
troops first took charge of Jolo, - all
pearls of unusual size must be sent
to the sultan, who in return made the
finder a "present." The only alter
native the finder of a large pearl had
was to sell his treasure privately to
the pearl traders.
But to do' so placed the finder's life
in jeopardy, for if the trader could not
buy the gem at his own price he could
report the matter to the sultn, who
had the power to seize the finder and
execute him. Under American rule,
however, this law has been abolished.
The finder of this $30,000 pearl, know
ing this fact when his find was seized
by Uie sultan, .speedily made a trip
to Jolo and reported the matter to
Governor Steever. The matter was
taken to court, and the sultan forced
to give up the pearl. The governor
commissioned the Jolo Trading com
pany to sell th pearl for the finder,
the company receiving 20 per cent for
so doing.
So far as known this pearl is the
largest ever taken from the Sulu sea.
though owing to the secrecy practiced
in selling the gems before American
rule in Sulu there may have been
greater finds. Three years ago a pearl
found somewhere to the south of Jolo
was carried to Batavia, and there sold
to a European buyer for $18,000. Dur
ing the recent fair at Jolo, given by
the government for the purpose of
bringing the Moros together, Captain
Trana of the Jolo Trading company
exhibited a magnificent black pearl
valued at $7,000, a rare gem of un
usual size and beauty.
Fred Whlttemore of Lincoln, former
state bank examiner, was Monday
afternoon appointed receiver of the
Citizens' Bank of Firth. The appoint
ment was made by Judge, Holmes of
tho district court on application of the
state examining board through Attor
ney General Thompson. With the ap
plication of the board for the appoint
ment of n receiver, was filed the report
of Examiner E. 8. Mickey, who was
plarMt in chargo of th affairs of the
bank as soon a the condition exhit
n In the Institution were discovered.
The stale board. In applylnir for the
appointment of a receiver, relates the
history of the bank's troubles no far
n It cwtie Into contact with them, it
dec hires that on March 19, the bank
was Insolvent, and the portion In rturffo
of them, W. J. Crandall, cashier, had
abandoned the bank, which was in an
insolvent condition. While not charg
ing Mr. Crandall with dishonest man
agement of the bank's affairs, both the
board and Mr. Mickey, in his report, do
not attempt to mince matters in detail
ing their discoveries as to the action?
of the cashier and his use of the bank's
funds. One paragraph of the board's
petition reads ras follows:
"Fromf" the examination by E. S.
Mickey it was found that the Citizens
bank is insolvent; that said bank at
the time said W. J. Crandall, cashier,
abandoned it, and previously thereto,
had been conducting its business in an
unsafe and unauthorized manner and
was jeopardizing the interests of the
depositors of the said bank."
GOLD LOSS FROM ABRASION.
Shipped In Form of Coin Depreciat
ion is Serious.
i
"When the banks ship gold across
the Atlantic," said a banker, "they pre
fer to ship it in bars rather than in
coin. It loses less that way."
. "It loses less?" ,
"Yes, sir. If $1,000,000 in gold coin
is shipped across the seas it is only
$999,800 on its arrival. It loses from
twelve to fifteen ounces, about $200,
through abrasion, through knocking
about with the motion of the waves.
The sea makes gold lose weight, you
Nsee, the same as it dose human be
ings. "Gold bars lose less. In fine weather
they will lose only about $100 to each
$1,000,000, In the ugliest weather they
don't lose more than $150, wherevis in
like conditions gold coins have been
known to lose $300. As gold shipments
of $10,000,000 often occur, to make these
shipments in gold bar instead of gold
coin is a saving of $100 or more. K
is odd to think when, you cross in one
of those gold-laden ships that every
wave that hits the boats clips off 10 to
15 cents from Jts golden cargo.
" Why Teetotalers ShoxIdn't Chew.
"You have sworn off drinking during
Lent, eh?" said the skate salesman.
"Yet I see you chewing plug tobacco.
Don't you know that plug tobacco is
full of rum?"
"Nonsense," said the millinery sales
man, with an uncomfortable smile.
"It is the truth. I once worked in a
tobacco factory. I'll tell you how the
average plug tobacco is made.
"The leaves first are bundled up and
steamed. Then they are dried. Then
they are thrown into a vat containing
hot licorice syTup. The heat of the
syrup penetrates every pore of the to
bacco, giving it the sweetness that you
chewers love. .
"The sweetened plugs are now dried,
first in drying rooms, then in the sun.
And finally they are sprinkled with ilquor
some with Jamaica rum, some with
whisky, some with brandy.
"A millinery salesman should never
chew tobacco because the habit is un
tidy. Above all things he should never
chew ft dTiring a Lenten swear off, each
mouthful being the same as a mild
drink." -
Joseph It. Burton, ex-statesman, said
all he wanted to in nla jreat vindication
speech the other night, but not in ex
actly the words be Intended to use. He
had It committed to paper in the first
draft of his intended speech, that the
president was a cross between a turkey
gobbler and a bull dog. Friends pre
vailed upon him to strike out the offen
sive language, which ne reluctantly did,
but the spirit of natred and revenge was
in no way mitigated by the absence of
coarso invective. Burton evidently be
lieves that the president was inspired by
motive of fear and Jealousy to pcreccuta
him for a technical violation -of law in
which the spirit of disobedience was en
tirely lacking. Burton the strong. Bur
ton the valiant, Burton the brave! The
president was sharp enough to see In him
a rival for popular favor and he set
about to shove him onto the siding and
lock the switch. That in Burton's story
for It, and it will bo told and retold
times without number, for the aggrieved
legal adviser for the Rialto don't-get-rleh-too-qulekly
aKree;Uon ' Is about to start
a weekly newspaper through the columns
of which his vindication may be made
perpetual.
FEEL 7EARY
AND ALL RUN DOWN!
Then get a bottle of the Bitters from
your Druggist, Grocer or Oeneral Deal
er and let It clean out all impurities
collected in your system during the
winter months.
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STOMACH BITTERS
Im ii M'lendid Spring madicine. It in
vigorates and renews the entire system
and thus cures General Dsbility, Dya
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and Grippe. We guarantee Its purity.
VEUMNAimCOURSE AT HOWE.
t i f! 11 V' "'' " r" 1 " v "' f
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