THIRTEENTH YEAR. MeCOOK, RED WILLOW COUNTY, NEBRASKA. FRIDAY EVENING. AUGUST 17. 1894. NUMBER 13.
A Plea for the High Schools.
University of Nebraska, Executive of
fice. To the president and members of
the Board of Education: Gentlemen; The
repcrt comes to this office that because
of the financial depression and of the
sudden crop failure, you feel the neces
sity of economizing in educational ex
penditures; and that this action is likely
to take the form of reducing the force
of teachers in the high schools—possibly,
in some towns,of cutting off the last year
of the high school.
I have no authority in the premises,
and no warrant for addressing you at
this time except my warm interest in
the system of education which prevails
in this stale and in the young people
who are being prepared under and by
this system for better service to their
fellow men, and hence for lives more
satisfactory to themselves and to those
who so lovingly strive to secure for them
a successful future. To this may be
added, perhaps, the excuse—if excuse be
needed—of the very pleasant personal
and official relations which have sprung
up between the boards in so many towns
and myself, as I have sought to learn of
the higher educational needs and de
mands of the various localities in this
state. This circular, then, is based en
tirely on my earnest desire, as a citizen
of Nebraska, that not one of the chil
dren of this commonwealth shall be
either denied the much coveted training
of the high school, nor delayed in secur
ing this.
For delay is dangerous. Youth comes
but once and passes all too soon. These
young people are now ripe for the train
ing which you have thus far offered
them. Turned from it now, once out in
the world and fairly engaged in the
bread-and-butter struggle, there is little
chance of their ever entering the school
room again. Even should they do so,
much will be lost; continuous work has
such vastly greater force and effect than
this disconnected effort.
Moreover, the very fact of the present
commercial and financial depression
renders their completion of their course
wiser and more imperative than ever
before. Wiser, because to drop them
from the schools just now is in all prob
ability to turn them over to an idle life.
Many are unsuccessful in securing work
at present. To drop a year of the high
school is simply to increase this number.
Now that these older pupils cannot se
cure work, or can secure but small wages,
is the very time when it will cost them
less to abstain from labor and to continue
their schooling. If there was a demand
for them at good wages, there might be
some hesitation about their going on
with their education. There certainly
can be no hesitation in such dull times
as these.
Again, the present condition of affairs
proves only too conclusively the practic
al value of sound educational training.
Not every man who has “graduated”
holds out under the strain better than
those not schooled: but, all other things
being equal, the well-trained man sur
passes the man who has not been trained
—can render better service, and so has
more staying power. \rou have only to
look about you and reflect, to be assured
of the general truthfulness of this prop
osition.
Finally, the amount saved by a slight
reduction in the teaching force, or even
by dropping a year in the high school,
is almost infinitesimal when spread over
the entire tax list and applied to the re
lief of each taxpayer. It is sheer and
wasteful folly to have crippled, curtailed
and inefficient schools at ninety per cent
of the previous tax, when ten percent
more will keep them up to the standard.
I venture to suggest therefore—and I
trust the suggestion will be received in
the same spirit in which it is offered—
that you ponder this matter long and
carefully before you take definite action.
See if there are not other lines of munic
ipal expenditure along which a saving
can be made. If you find that there
must be less revenue to the schools, then
begin at the bottom rather than at the
top. Put the lower grades on half-day
sessions; which is far better than depriv
ing any higher grade of its entire work.
Better still, if the emergency is great,
suspend the first year, or even the first
two years, rather than the last. Wiser
and more truly economic by far, that
the youngsters should have one more
year of free, animal life, than that those
whose education is so well under way
should be turned from the schoolroom
door.
The free public sohool, and especially
the free public high school, is nearer and
nearer to the heart of the American peo
ple every year. It is the inspiration of
the individual pupil, the hope of all
classes, the great levelerof all false stand
ards in social or individual life, the prom
ise of state or national perpetuity, the
one great factor that constantly tends to
insure a pure democracy. I pray you to
be extraordinarily careful to preserve
undiminished its efficiency and its power.
With expressions of highest respect,
believe me to be most cordially yours,
Jambs H. Canbibld.
Lincoln, August, 1894.
The Independent Convention.
The Independent County Convention
assembled at the court house in Indian
ola, last Saturday, as per call. The
meeting was called to order by Chairman
Smith and the call read. S. T. Parsons
of Bartley, was elected temporary chair
man and O. D. Mosher of Indianola, was
elected secretary. The following com
mittee on credentials was appointed: R.
C. Catlett, Ami Teel and M. Reddy.
Committee on permanent organization:
J. H. Bayston, Cal Underwood, H. H.
Pickens, H. Jones and Mr. Remington.
Committee on resolutions: N. Dutcher,
I. Vandervort, S. W. Stilgebouer. A.
Hammond and W. T. Lindsay. Com
mittee on order of business: W. R. Pen
nington, A. J. Foss and I. M. Smith. A
motion prevailed that the opera house
be secured for the afternoon session, as
the court house was entirely too small
for the delegates. J. Fletcher and J. H.
Bayston were appointed a committee to
take up a collection to pay for the hall,
and they succeded in raising fiS.57.
Adjourned till 1:30 p. m.
Meeting called to order by Chairman
Parsons. Report of the committee on
credentials.
The committee on resolutions reported
as follows, and the resolutions were
adopted amidst great enthusiasm:
We, the delegates of the Peoples' Independ
ent party of Red Willow county, in conven
tion assembled, reaffirm the principles of the
Omaha platform of July 4th, 1S92, and adopt
the following principles as the demands of
this convention, and we call upon all citizens
of the county, irrespective ot former party
affiliations, to assist us in the carrying out of
the same by securing at the ballot box the
election of the member of the legislature who
is by this convention placed before the
people for their suffrage.
\V e demand that the law fixing salaries of
the county officers be reduced to a fair com
pensation. Also that all fees accruing in any
county office shall be turned into the county
general fund and all salaries of county officers
be paid out of the general fund.
We demand that general suffrage be ex
tended to the women of our state on an equal
ity with men.
The populists ot Red Willow county are in
close sympathy with the wage workers of the
land and we denounce the combination of
railroad managers and government officials
by which the rights of workingmen are tram
pled upon.
That we heartily endorse the action of our
senator, \V. V. Alien, and of our representa
tives in congress, in their earnest endeavors
to secure legislation in the interest of the
toiling masses.
We recognize the necessity of public em
ployment for tens of thousands of worthy Ne-'
braska citizens who have been brought to
destitution by the crop-destroying drouths,
and we declare they must be saved from
beggary and starvation by setting them at
work upon the public roads, and upon state
surveyed, state-built and state-owned irriga
tion ditches, wherever water supplies can be
utilized, payment for these public services to
be made in county and state warrants, receiv
able for taxes.
For legislation in the interest of the people
of the state and county we demand the initia
tive refereedom system, to be established by
law as soon as possible and to carry out the
reforms demanded by our national, state and
county platforms, we demand the passage of
a bill in the coming legislature for a call tor
a constitutional convention to frame a state
constitution for submission to the people for
their adoption or rejection.
Resolved, That we endorse the actions of
Hon. I. A. Sheridan in the late general as
sembly of the state.
We, the independent party, heartily endorse
the actiou of E. J. Mitchell, editor of the In
dianola Courier, in that he has endorsed the
independent platform and has joined the
party voice and vote, and tendered his paper
as an independent organ to herald the princi
ples of the party to all people.
Therefored, be it
Resolved, That we,the Independent Con
vention of Red Willow county, in session as
sembled, do hereby pledge our hearty support
to the above paper.
Motion made and carried that the
nominations be made by informal ballot.
I. M. Smith and M. Reddy were appoint
ed tellers. Informal ballot for treasurer:
Meserve 122, Fletcher 14, Reddy 1. J. B.
Meserve was nominated by acclamation.
He was called for and coming forward
delivered an address which was received
with much applause.
Informal ballot for attorney: Boyle
126, Dodge ir. C. H. Boyle was nomina
ted for attorney by acclamation and
acknowledged the honor in a few well
chosen remarks.
Informal ballot for representative:
Sheridan 73, Stilgebouer 31, Kinney 14,
Green 12, McBride 2, Rozell 1. First
formal ballot: Sheridan 86, Stilgebouer
42, Kenney 5, Green 2, Hardin 1. The
nomination of I. A. Sheridan was made
unanimous. He thanked the convention
for the honor, pledging himself, if re
elected, to do all in his power to further
the interests of the independent part}-.
Informal ballot for surveyor: Barber
115, Francis 22. Andrew Barber was
declared the candidate by acclamation.
Informal ballot for coroner: Sharp 42,
Rollings 13, Blatt 5, Brown 27, Pickens
4, Everist 13, Korb 6, Tibbett 5, Bishop
I,'Quigley 17. First formal ballot: Brown
S9, Sharp 18, Everist 34. Dr. J. M. Brown
of Bartley, was declared the unanimous
choice of the convention.
Motion carried that the delegates to
the different conventions be nominated
by acclamation.
The following delegates were elected:
STATE CONVENTION.
5. W. Stilgebouer, S. T. Parsons,
W. L. Rollings, A. F. Hardin,
W. M. Rozell, T. K. Quigley.
T. E. Miller, J. Fletcher.
ALTERNATES:
W. T. Lindsay, S. L. Miller.
CONGRESSIONAL CONVENTION.
I. N. Clover, W. A. Minniear,
L. J. Shippe, PatCallan,
Frank Reel, W. T. Lindsay,
W. A. Gold, Ira Miller.
alternates:
O. D. Mosher, N. Dutcher.
SENATORIAL CONVENTION.
M. C. Maxwell, J. FI. Berge,
W. M. Taylor, R. A. Green.
Page T. F'rancis, H. H Pickens,
M. W. Rozell, I.M. Smith,
alternates.
S. R. Smith, Philip Blatt.
I. M. Smith was elected chairman of
| the county central committee.
The following is a list of the precinct
committeemen:
Alliance. M. Reddy; Box Elder, J. S.
Modrell; Coleman, W. M. Rozell; Drift
wood, C. S. Ferris, Fritsch, James Car
michael; Grant, W. A. Gold; Missouri
Ridge, T. E. Miller; Perry, Frank Real;
Tyrone, L. J. Shippe; Indianola, Isaac
Vandervort; Beaver, \V. A. Minniear;
Bondville, J. A. Carter; Danbury, E. B.
Lister; East Valley, I. Fletcher; Gerver,
R. A. Green; Lebanon, E. C. Clark;
North Valley, George E. Culver; Red
Willow, I. J. Miller; Valley Grange, M.
C. Maxwell; Willow Grove, A.W. Utter.
The delegates to the state convention
were instructed for J. H. Bayston for
superintendent of public instruction.
Nominating a candidate for commis
sioner for the second district, consisting
of Alliance, East Valley, Fritsch, Indian
ola, North Valley and Red Willow pre
cincts, was next in order. The informal
ballot was as follows: Young 9, Carmi
chael 18, Fletcher 3, Sibbett 6, Catlett 6,
Colling 6. Formal ballot: Carmichael
26, Sibbett 7, Catlett 5, Colling 3. James
Carmichael of Fritsch precinct, was de
clared duly elected. He was called for
ward and made a speech of acceptance.
The business of the convention being
finished the meeting adjourned.
[ ~
Councilmanic Doings.
The city council was in regular session,
Monday evening.
The following bills were allowed:
McCook Electric Light Co.£132.50
Barnett Lumber Co. 19.76
L. Lowman & Son. .55
J. A. Wilcox & Son. .30
E. J. Wilcox, cash advanced. .65
H. P. Sutton, salary. 25.00
C. E. Pope, salary. 25.00
J. H. Yarger, salary. 25.00
Jacob Steinmetz, salary. 25.00
C. B. Gray, salary. 37-50
E. J. Wilcox, salary. 75-oo
J. E. Kelley, salary. 37-50
J. S. L-eHew, salary. 37-50
Report of L. W. McConnell, druggist,
was placed on file.
Finance committee reported a favora
ble examination of the report of Treas
urer Gray made June 25th.
Report of Treasurer Gray reported to
finance committee.
Adjourned till 9 a. m., Tuesday.
At this session there was a full board
present. The only business transacted
was the passage of an ordinance to create
a board of health and to define its pow'
ers and duties. Adjourned.
C. T. Brewer lost four nice hogs out of
one of his South Omaha shipments, this
week. They were dead when they got to
their destination, and Charley is about
£50 out as a result.
We greatly regret learning that there
is a probability that the Nebraska K. P.
lodges will not go to Washington. So
far they have not been able to secure
satisfactory rates from the railroads.
William Augustine and Miss Carl—
one of the twins—were married in Wau
neta, Tuesday. They returned here on
Wednesday evening.
We are under obligations to the In
dianola Courier for the report of the
independent county convention appear
ing in this issue.
Hon. W. E. Andrews will deliver a
speech at Cambridge, after the senatorial
convention, today. And it will be worth
hearing.
With Providence witholding His smiles
and a democratic administration, surely
we are in hard times.
The A. 0. U. W. have paid the $2,000
insurance carried by the late G. R. Oys
ter. Prompt.
One line of the hose leaked badly at
the fire plug, Tuesday. Gaskets save
force, boys._
You can’t fight fire very satisfactorily
with three-sixteenths.
Tycoon teas are winners. Try them.
35c and 45c per pound at the C. O. D.
grocery store.
Brewer is selling meat cheaper than it
has ever been offered in the history of
McCook.
It’s too hot for politics. So please
excuse for a few weeks.
Brewer sells hams at I2j£c. Best
brands in America.
“Celerade”—a celery nerve tonic at
McConnell's.
PEOPLE YOU KNOW.
Dan Cashes is at Courtland, in Gage
county, now.
Mrs. C. W. Knights is visiting in
Oelwein, Iowa.
Mrs. Will Vetter returned to Has
tings, Saturday morning.
Mrs. Lawson and the children are
visiting Riverton relatives.
Mayor Kelley spent Sunday in the
mountains with the family.
R. O. Phillips was up from Lincoln,
Saturday, on ditch business.
Sidney Dodge’s son left for Hyannis,
Wednesday morning, to cut hay in that
vicinity.
A. R. Cruzen, the Curtis banker who
wants to be secretary of state, was a city
visitor, Monday.
C. T. Beggs spent part of last week
with the family at Stockville, riding
over on his bicycle.
Jesse Ashton is in the city receiving
treatment, and is making his home at
the St. Charles hotel.
Mrs. Crandall departed, last Friday
evening, for Illinois, where she will
make her future home.
P. A.WELLS left for New York, Thurs
day morning, expecting to be absent in
the east about a month.
Dr. Gage was called up to Haigler,
Monday night, to see Mrs. Rice, wife of
the section foreman there.
Col. Harry McClelland of Impe
rial, was the guest of his friend Rector
Frank Durant, F'riday last.
Miss Winnie Davis, “daughter of
the confederacy,” was a passenger on
No. 2, one morning last week.
J. P. Lindsay departed, last night, for
his new home in Tonawanda, New York.
May ample success be his portion.
James Munson, brother of Mrs. H.
P. Sutton, is here on a visit, arriving
from Ainsworth, Monday evening.
Mrs. N. L. Cronkhite spent the
closing days of last week here looking
after her large interests in the city.
Sam Bahner and family departed for
Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania, Saturday last,
where he has secured work at his trade.
E. J. Wilcox went up to Denver,
Wednesday night, and wtll spend the
balance of the week there at the L. A.
W. meeting.
John Hatfield came out from De
catur, Illinois, Saturday evening, to look
after his large and valuable stock and
land interests near here.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Allen arrived
from Denver, Sunday morning. Mr.
Allen is canvalescing nicely, though still
weak from his long illness.
Register Campbell attended the
meeting of the democratic state central
committee in Omaha, first of the week,
returning home Tuesday night.
Mrs. J. P. Lindsay and the children
left for Iowa, Sunday morning, to visit
relatives briefly on their way to their fu
ture home in Tonawanda, New York.
E. R. Curtis’ hand came in contact
with a rope at the fire, Tuesday, and he
carries that member wrapped up very
carefully now, and will till the burn is
better.
C. T. Brewer returned from South
Omaha, Saturday night. He shipped
several bunches of steers to Chicago dur
ing his absence and had a round-up with
the strikers in the yards at South Omaha.
An Untimely End.
The death of George L. Etter, at an
early hour, Wednesday morning, after a
lingering illness, is one of the saddest
visitations of the Grim Destroyer that
McCook has ever received. Clever and
popular, in the prime and flush of young
manhood, George Etter has been cut
down. The deceased has been a resident
of our city for a number of years, and
has acquired a large circle of friends,
who with the family are inexpressibly
shocked at his untimely death.
Private services were conducted at the
Commercial House, over which the de
ceased had presided successfully for
years, at 9:30 o’clock Thursday morning,
by Rev. Frank Durant of the Episcopal
church. Funeral took place immedi
ately afterward, interment being made
in Longview cemetery.
The bereaved mother, sister and broth
ers have the very tenderest sympathy of
this community in this deep and sad
affliction.
A number of beautiful floral offerings
were laid on the casket, tributes from
friends.
There were a number of commercial
men among the pall bearers. The de
ceased was a prime favorite with the
traveling public.
John Etter, a brother from Neosho,
Missouri, arrived on Wednesday night,
to attend the funeral.
Try Meadow Lily at McConnell’s.
It is a question of feed or no feed now.
Red Willow county will have a fair
anyhow. The dates are September 4-7.
For Rent—A new 5-roofti residence
desirably located. See P. A. Wells over
the Citizens bank.
Book-keeping blank books for sale at
this office. Day, cash, journal, ledger,
each at 10c. apiece.
Dr. Z. L. Kay succeeds the late G. R.
Oyster on the board of education. He
will make a good member.
Practical irrigationists will turn their
attention to the question of securing res
ervoirs. They are necessary to a large
success of irrigation in southwestern
Nebraska.
There will be 100,000 Knights of Pyth
ias, more or less, at Washington, August
27th, consequently you should procure
your cards at home. Call at once and
see our samples.
J. W. Dolan, a banker from ludianoia,
and Jacob Pflug, of Exeter, were in Falls
City, Wednesday, looking after feed and
provender for the drouth stricken peo
ple in their country.—Falls City Journal.
Our people should not lose sight of
the windmill and pump as factors in
irrigation. Where used in connection
with storage reservoirs they have proved
successful in irrigating small tracts of
land, from one to ten acres.
Some small boys and a few matches
caused W. H. Brown and C. H. Jacobs
to lose all the small buildings in the
rear of their respective dwellings in the
northwestern part of the city, Tuesday,
shortly after noon. The buildings were
practically destroyed by the time the fire
department arrived. It was a long and
hot run for the boys. But, notwithstand
ing the light water pressure, the fire was
easily confined to the buildings describ
ed. Such pressure would have availed
little had the fire been in a structure of
any considerable size.
Irrigation by means of windmills has
progressed far beyond the experimental
stage at Garden City, Kansas. The farm
ers have found this method of getting
water more satisfactory and certain than
from the river, and new mills and reser
voirs are now going up. The effect can
be seen to be marvelous even from the
car windows as one travels across that
district. East of Garden City the ground
is bare and brown. West of there it is
even more bare and yet browner. In
and around Garden City is a garden,
and windmill irrigation is the thing that
has been mainly instrumental in re
claiming the desert.—State Journal.
Rev. Frank Durant will leave for St.
Paul, Minnesota, early in September, to
resume his theological studies. He
expects to be absent about a year. Rev.
Knox of Broken Bow will supply this
point in the interim, but will make his
headquarters at Arapahoe. Rev. Durant
has made for himself an enviable repu
tation during his residence among us,
by his ability as a pulpit orator and by
his popular personality. He expects to
take up the work here again at the end
of a year, and if fortune and prosperity
should smile on this community during
the coming season, he expects to build a
house of worship for the Episcopal peo
ple in the fall of ‘95. The Tribune
joins his many friends and admirers in
kindliest and most prosperous wishes.
Nebraska Knights Pythias are having
no end of trouble in arranging to attend
the national gathering at Washington,
D. C., which is to occur during the pres
ent month. The trouble all comes from
the refusal of railroads to give rates suit
able to the transportation committee.
It is difficult for committeemen to find
out why a rate lower than one fare can
not be obtained. Such a rate has been
offered, but the time is limited to fifteen
days, which is entirely too short to suit
the Knights. Eastern roads say the
western roads are not willing to give in,
while the officials of western roads lay it
all on the two lines east of Chicago. In
order to settle upon something definite
Grand Chancellor Dilworth went to Chi
cago to consult railway officials. He
was prepared to offer $5,000 for 500 round
trip tickets, but as he has not returned
it is not known whether or not he met
with success.—State Journal.
Try Meadow Lily at McConnell’s.
$4.50 buys a $5.00 coupon at Brewer’s.
Wall Paper 3 cents a roll at L. W.
McConnell’s.
Refrigerators very cheap at S. M.
Cochran & Co.’s.
For cash Brewer sells meat 3c. cheaper
than any market in town.
Go to McConnell for Toilet Soap, Per
fumes and Toilet Articles.
Whole hams I2j£c, Sliced hams 15c.
at the B. & M. meat market.
The Meeker Ditch.
Ye editor and wife took a delightful
drive along the line of the Meeker irri
gation ditch, last Sunday, and to say that
we enjoyed the drive puts it mildly.
The first farm we visited where practical
irrigation was in process was at William
Baldwin’s, and to see those large fields
of potatoes, the vines standing three feet
high, alfalfa ready for the second har
vest, all kinds of vegetables growing
rank and unusually large, convinced us
that plenty of moisture is a safe guaran
tee against hot winds. Farther down
the ditch we visited Galen Baldwin’s
farm. Last fall Mr. Baldwin purchased
twenty acres of laud under the ditch
from his brother William, teu acres of
which was under cultivotion, the bal
ance was broken this season and planted
to sod corn and melons; and such a crop
—a perfect forest. We brought home a
stalk of corn that measured eleven and
one-half feet. He has a half acre planted
to vegetables from which he will realize
enough money' to pay for five acres of
his land. His crop will pay for his land
this season and leave a surplus sufficient
to maintain his family until another crop
can be raised. A person who has read
Col. Wood’s “Sixteen Years in the Fu
ture,” in the Nebraska Farmer, and then
I visits one of our irrigated farms this
year, would not think the colonel’s pic
ture overdrawn or extravagant.—Cul
bertson Sentinel
Talk Irrigation.
Irrigation topics will no doubt be pur
sued with renewed fervor by the people
of Nebraska, following the late period of
drouth and hot winds. Tne chief obsta
cle that stands in the way of a vast and
successful system of irrigation covering
extensive regions seems to be that of a
lack of water supply. It is recognized
that the streams tributary to this region
do not carry a volume of water at all
commensurate with the needs of the
country for irrigation purposes upon a
large scale. Whether or not it would be
practicable to undertake to conserve the
waters of these running streams by the
construction of huge reservoirs along
their courses that could be made to catcli
and retain their surplus waters until
needed for watering the fields during the
cropping season is, in our opinion, one
of the most important features of the ir
rigating problem. During the fall and
winter immense volumes of water are
thus discharged from one water course
to another and carried on to the gulf
without effecting any good, so far as their
presence in the watering of the soil is
concerned. The possible full use of these
waters, it would seem, would go a long
way toward making possible and practi
cable that complete system of irrigation
that as yet only exists in the desires and
hopes of the people. This is a view of
the situation that should command the
attention of legislators, and the newspa
pers of the state can be of great service
in reflecting the course of public opinion
upon this and other kindred matters
Pythian Card3.
.Sir Knight, are you going to the en
campment at Washington, next month!1
If so, you will need some cards. We
have a superb lot of samples on hand.
Call and make your selection early. We
will print them neatly and cheaply, too.
Buy flne beef roasts at Brewer’s at 7c.
cash.
Wall Paper 3 cents a roll at 1. W.
McConnell's.
Cood writing paper ten cents a nuire
I at this office.
“Celerade”—a celery nerve tonic at
McConnell’s.
Buy meat of Brewer and save 4.0 per
cent, of your money.
Patronize the McCook Commission
Co. for flour and feed.
HERE ARE BARGAINS
. AT. . .
THE C. 0. D. STORE.
■
Hastings High Patent Flour . Jr.oo
Fancy Bakers.80
Extra Family.70
4 lbs XXX Soda Crackers.25
3 cans Blue Valley Sugar Corn.25
3 lbs. Ginger Snaps.25
Albs. Rolled Oats.25
Sherman Bros. Best Mocha and Java
Coffee, 2 lbs. for.75
Sun dried Japan Tea that heretofore
sold at 45c, now.35
The 60-cent grade now.45
All other goods in proportion.
r. W. McKENNA,
Proprietor.