THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
APRIL 18, 1907.
Ders of the Lancaster county delega
tion declared that they' would not com
plain if the knife were applied to all
institutions and all localities. But the
discrimination was made, and now
Governor Sheldon is obliged to equalize
matters by vetoing items affecting the
Kearney, Peru, Grand Island, Beatrice
and Omaha institutions. Lancaster
county does not suffer now because
the appropriations had already Deen
reduced by the senate to the lowest
point that could be reached without
entailing serious loss.
When Mr. Bryan and Senator Bev
cridge get around to it they might de
bate the invasion of state rignts in
volved in national automobile regu
lation. The beginning of a propa
ganda for federal control of Interstate
automobile travel indicates that this
will be an issue in congress next win
ter. A bill has already been intro
duced to that effect. The states have
varying speed regulations, and most
of them require the registration of
automobiles. This imposes a Hard
ship, or at least an inconvenience on
automobile tourists of which frequent
complaint is heard.
It now appears that nineteen women
were elected to the Finnish diet, about
one-sixth of the otal number. ThU
was the first " election in which
the women voted on equal terms with
men, and they seem to have employed
their right to the full. In fact 55 per
cent of the total vote was cast by
women. It was a common sight tor
men and their wives to vote together.
No boom in the divorce business U
reported by reason of family friction
arising from the dual political govern
ment in the homes. Nine of the nine
teen women elected are socialists, a
somewhat higher proportion than the
total number of socialists bears to the
entire membership. y
Governor Sheldon has braced a weak
link in the late legislature by vetoing
the $35,000 wolf bounty appropria
tion. No reason why this appropri
ation should be made has ever been
sustained. The nominal, argument has
been that it aims at the reduction of
the coyotes, but proof has been sin
gularly lacking that wolf bounties
have any such effect. It is indeed se
riously questioned whether the opposite
is not true. Probably the real reason
for such appropriations Is a desire to
have the western counties feel that
they are getting their share of the
public funds. It is a laudable practice
to distribute public benefits equitably.
But if the coyote districts have $35,000
coming there ought to be some other
way to spend the money than throw
ing it away.
To Speaker Cannon's suggestion that
the canal will be finished if we have
to cut the cable Congressman j.awuey
adds- a criticism of the engineering ex
perts for representing the canal pro
ject as an almost impossible engineer
ing feat. It is now claimed that pretty
nearly every engineering problem in
the Panama canal has been worked out
somewhere in the United States; for
example there are dams in the United
States sustaining as heavy a body of
water as the Jatun dam is expected to
hold, and there are locks in the Ten
nessee river not greatly inferior to
those required to raise ships from the
sea level to the summit behind the
Gobin dam. Poultney Bigelow remains
about the only "knocker" the canal has
left. The deluge of reports seems in
fact almost too rosy to be true.
For ten weeks there have been re
ports almost daily from the Binger
Hermann trial at Washington. The
evidence described has been of so wide
'a scope as to obscure the charges on
which the ex-congressman, ex-land
commissioner, ex-officeholder of various
sorts for forty years, is being tried.
Hermann's specific offense was the
destruction of thirty-five letter press
books of the records of the general
land office at Washington. It has been
the effort of the prosecution to prove
that this was done in the effort to
cover up his relations with the Oregon
laud grafters, hence the great amoun".
of light on the subject of land graft
that has come out in the course of the
trial. In case of his acquittal in the
present tria'. Hermann will have to
fare four more indictments based on
alleged conspiracy to defraud the gov
ernment in Mud cases.
professor Sollgman of the department
of economics in Columbia university
would eliminate women from the teach
ing Starrs of all schools except In the
primary grades, on the (round that
".tit di-plorablrt tendency towurd fend
nlzatlon H becomlnir tr "renounced
In our public schools." TM declara
tlon has cauf"d an undue amount of
fluttering among the women teachers
of the metropolis and elsewhere. For
the present the professor's remarks are
purely academic. A public that 1
Kroanintf over the expend of tn In
nri.'qu'UHy supported school system
Hill nt pooh appropriate the mney
needed fr the general Introduction of
the m.i.u ullne element. The. laflei are
safv for another gerterutlou at lout.
Without considering the debatable
question of the superiority of men
teachers, the women cannot be replaced
without an economic revolution.
Unlike Nebraskansriowans disagree
in their estimates of the work of their
late legislature. This is partly due to an
earlier disagreement as to what the
legislature ought to do, another point
of difference from Nebraska. It is
partly due, moreover, to the fact that
the legislature did not make the clean
sweep made by the Nebraska lawmak
ers. The Iowans enacted an anti-pass
law that seems to satisfy everybody
but the opponents of any anti-pass law.
As much cannot be said for the direct
primary law. A statewide direct pri
mary is provided, but as in Illinois it
Is arranged to throw the nominations
into a convention whenever no candi
date receives above a given per cent
age of the total vote. This leaves a
fine opening for political manipulation.
It will often be possible where there
Is no candidate with a large lead to
bring out enough local candidates to
throw the choice into a convention.
Ex-Senator Spooner has been a mem
ber and ought to know. He says: 'It
is my conviction that there is not in
the world a legislative body more loyal
to the public interest, more laborious
and painstaking in conserving it or
with higher purpose and better practi
cal ability to legislate wisely and in
the interest of the whole country than
the senate of the United States."
Archibald R. Colquhoun has not been
a sentttor, he is not even an American,
Rnd therefore might be considered a
disinterested judge. In his exhaustive
study of "G-ea'er America" published
three years ago he says: "The senate,
from the point of view of ability, is. a
body of which any country might be
proud; but it is as plutocratic, as much
representative of class interests in its
own way as the British house of lords
is aristocVatic and conservative in an
other. Indeed there aro signs of far
greater sympathy with the masses
about the latter body."
. Commercial concerns floing a large
mail order business, such as publish
ers, are making known their desire for
a substitute for stamps as letter cur
rency. Despite the fact that the gov
ernment tries to discourage the use
of stamps as legal tender, itself refus
ing to redeem them. th volume of
mail transactions carried cn with
stamps as currency is far from small.
A Boston publisher tells of receiving
in one month this year" $4,470.'3 . in
stamps. He could not use them all,
and had to sell the rest to brokers
at a discount. Taking into account the
damaged stamps receied his money
loss was $450. This statement was
made in a petition to congress for
fractional currency to answer the pur
pose for which stamps are now used
as money. To bring back the old
shinplaster" would reduce the post
office money order business, and also,
which would be a still greater evil to
at least one member of congress, would
reduce the express company revenues
from money order business.
Rome months aero Eurone lau&rhed it
self sick over the exploits of a German
hobo who, in a borrowed military uni
frnm. took nossession of a town, ar
rested the mayor and played the gen
eral high jinks wnicn uerman rever
ence for the uniform made possible.
The event was fitly embalmed in
comic opera. This feat would not be
possible in the Untted States, but
cities all over the country have been
raptured in a manner not less ridicul
ous. Pseudo financiers, taking ad
vantage of a general reverence ior ine
trannines of finance, have time with
out number been allowed to dictate to
mayors and aldermen in the nam9 of
high finance matters pertaining to
public service enterprises. In the case
of thft Nebraska Citv eras comDanv the
president, secretary and treasurer
turns out to be a casniess ana wen
high clothesless adventurer, while in
nocent bond holders claim the sack.
Unfortunately the American extrav
aganza does not lend itself well to
comic opera treatment. The results are
anything but funny.
TIio federal grand Jury at Pueblo
recently brought hi a number of Indict
ments against men enraged In fraudu
lent mining enterprises, jnd the move
meets with an encouraging amount of
supj-ort all over Colorado. The amo'inl
of money wasted on worthless min
ing Block every year Is known i he
fabulous, and every dollar lost In thl.
way amounts to un obstacle to the
micccjis ot leRiiini t'.' l-mimi ntrrpr'nc;
that reed capital for develrpment. The
outcome of this nglintlon will probably
bo tin lutclment tf laws In all of th-
mlnln,? rtate making the nale of
wort hie f stoeks n matter of consider
able difficulty. If the money now In
voted In fradulent rtorks could be put
Into legitimate mining development the
wealth of the Hooky Mountain mate
would be Inert t to a fabulous
amount. Theso commonwealth hv
prrhiihly b avn d by thl time that hon
My h more proAulle l' the end than
1h othr thing, ven in the sale of
mining stocks.
If?
QUESTION
f -4:
Please give me the names of cities
that get their water supply from snow
on the mountains, or that have the best
pure, soft water.
Nearly all of the larger cities are
supplied with soft water from rivers,
as St. Louis and Kansas City, from
lakes, as Chicago or Cleveland, or from
drainage of a watershed as New Tork.
Los Angeles gets its water from snow
topped mountains. In all cases the wa
ter is filtered or settled to make It
pure.
Who was the author of the short
poem beginning, "God give us men?"
Please print the poem.
J. G. Holland. The poem:
God, give us men! A time like this de
mands M 14.
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith,
and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not
kill;
Men whom the spoils of office cannot
buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor, men who will
not He; ,
Men who can stand before dema
. gogue,
And damn his treacherous flatteries
without winking!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who live, above
the fog . ,
In public duty, and in private think
ing; . ,
For"fcwhile the rabble, with their thumb-worn-
creeds,
Their large professions and their little
Mingle in selfish strife, , lo! Freedom
weep. ... ,
Wrong rules the. land, and waiting Jus
tice sleeps!
Does a majority of the German peo
ple control the government of Ger
many, or at least the German relch
stag? If not, why?
At the recent elections the majority
members in the rejehstag was elected
by 4,962,000 votes, while the minority
members represent 5,895,000, a majority
of 933,000. This happens because the
cities, which are the strength of the
minority parties, have fewer represen
tatives in proportion to population
than the country districts controlled by
the majority parties. The same situa
tion prevails in some American states,
notably Rhode Island, which is con
trolled by rotten boroughs, districts of
small population in which a majority
of the votes can be bought or other
wise controlled. It sometimes happens,
too, that the president of the United
States does not receive as many votes
as his nearest competitor. This was
the case with Presidents Hayes and
Harrison .
How does the cost of living compare
with a year ago? '
Slightly less, according to the index
numbers. The following is Dun's la-
blC: ' April 1, April 1,
1907. 1906.
Food 151,221 $49,786
Clothing 19.997 39-125
Metals ",372 16,927
Miscellaneous 19,305 20,228
Index number ....$107,895 $106,066
Wrhat is the average number of chil
dren to a family in the United States?
How does this compare with other
countries ?
In the United States the average Is
three. In other countries: Persia !0,
Canada 9, Fcuador 8.1, Madagascar 7.8,
Russia; Finland 7, Italy, Servia, Hun
gary, Central and South America (Col
ombia, Panama, Salvador. Guatemala,
Honduras, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Para
guay, Peru) 6.8 and 6.7, England, Tur
key, Bulgaria, Greece, China, India,
Abyssinia, Mexico 6, Uruguay 6.6, Ru
mania, Holland, Sweden, Ireland,
Uayti and Brazil 5, Germany, Spain,
Scotland, Cuba and the Argentine Re
public 4.6, Denmark, Austria 4, Nor
way, Japan and Corea 3.6, and France
3.
What is the cause of plums puffing
up to large sbta and then drying up on
the troo?
The 'jause Is a fungus disease vari-
nnulv imnun im rilnm norkelfl or nlum
bladders. The botanical name Is ex-
oascun nrunl. It Is treated by spray
tng and destroying effected fruits.
Explain what Is meant by the block
system on railways.
A system of working railway trallc,
accord inc to which the lino is divided
into section?! of a mile or more, with
a signal and telegraphic connection nt
the end of each rectlon; the principle
of the syMem being that no train la
allowed to leave any section till the
next succeeding section 11 entirely
clear, so that between two successive
trains there In preserved not merely
a definite Interval of time, but also n
definite Interval of space. Tha hystem
thus defined ! culled "abolut," In
the o-clled "prmUlv" systsm, a
second tmln In allowed to enter a
section that Is not clear with order
o proceed cautiously.
BOX q
I wish you would send or publish
Bayard Taylor's poem, "The Song of
the Camp."
"Give us a song," the soldiers cried
The outer trenches guarding.
When the heated guns of the camps
allied
Grew weary of bombarding.
The dark Redan in silent scoff,
Lay grim and threatening under;
And the tawny mound of the Malakoff
No longer belched its thunder.
There was a pause. A guardsman said :
"We storm the forts tomorrow;
Sing while we may, another day
Will bring enough of sorrow."
They lay along the battery's eid
Below the smoking cannon;
Brave hearts, from Severn and from
Clyde
And from the banks of Shannon.
They sung of love, and not of fame;
Forgot was Britain's glory;
Each heart recalled a different name,
But all sang "Annie Laurie."
Voice after voice caught up the song
UnfiJ its tender passion
Rose like an anthem, rich and strong
Thelr battle-eve confession.
Dear girl, her name he dared not speak,
But as the song grew louder,
Something upon the soldier's cheek
Washed off the stains f power.
Beyond the darkening ocean burned
The bloody sunset's embers,
While Crimean valleys learned
How English love remembers,
And once again a fire of hell
Rained on the Russian quarters,
With scream of shot and burst of shell,
And bellowing of the mortars.
And Irish Nora's eyes are dim,
For a singer, dumb and gory;
And English Mary mourns for him
.Who sang of Annie Laurie.
Sleep, soldiers! Still In honored rest1 '
Your truth and honor wearing;
The bravest are the tenderest ,
The loving arc the daring.
Please give the date of Arbor day In
the different states.
Colorado April 19
Idaho April 29
Illinois April 26
Iowa April 27
Massachusetts ,, .............. April. .27
Michigan .,,,.,..,,.. April ; 26
Minnesota April 26
Missouri April 6
Montana ., May 14
Nebraska April -22
New York May 3
North Dakota , May 3
Oklahoma April 12
Oregon , April 12
Ohio April 32
Pennsylvania April 19
Rhode Island May 10
South Dakota May 26
Utah April 15
West Virginia r.... April 19
Wisconsin May 10
What is the effect on the teeth or
tobacco chewing?
People do not agree on thts point.
Anything that exercises the teeth
tends in that respect to be good for
them, and so the tobacco chewer may
have an advantage over the non
tobacco chewer, though not over the
gum chewer. On the other hand It is
claimed that tobacco injures the
gums, sometimes causing them to
shrink.
What is the national debt 'of the
United States and of the other great
powers?
The United States bureau of statis
tics gives the debts of twenty-three
nations as follows:
Argentina $ 479,7fi5,265
Austria-Hungary 1,107,404,025
Belgium 541,052,979
Brazil 510.C03.938
Chile ,..! 107.301,151
China 613.140.000
Denmark (:,fi?:!,S4S
Franco Mj6,?5,4G3
Germany and ijerman states., 3, 2!1, 470,400
Great Britain 3,f5,KS6.333
Italy 2,5(,0,60o,iiO
Japan 1,2M),0c0.(joo
Mexico 17ri.P4.".,S:
Netherlands Ki.l'O'il
Norway 7D,37.;i"
Portugal S10.ss;.ruS0
Russia (before the late war).. 3,414,Oi;i,7:U
(Now over four lilllioni.)
Rpnln 2,W1.:!tt.!72
Hweden W.Jca.S.'K
Swltxtrland n.Wi.rW
Turkey 7iTl.?.4"0
KuUe.l Htates 9i.y0lt.fTT
Vneiiiflu W.ft.SlV
Please explain the value of a
shekel?
An official of tho United States
mine once nntwered this question as
follow:
The shekel was originally a weight.
Th first, form In which money was
used by the Jews, and by all ether
nations of which we have any knowl
edge, was the pieces without tiny
regular shp or any marks or a
vices upon them. Proclous metals
passed by weight. Thu It Is raid Of