Legislature f
X *
End of Session in Sight.
With the end of the ' ses
sion in view the work In both houses
is becoming more and more strenuous ,
addition of two hours a day to the
> * ? th of the sessions is not satisfying
some of the members , who are chafing
under the drag of work and who want
to get back to their offices , stores and
farms , and night sessions to help out
-are being talked of already.
The senate has ten and the house
TJine more days on pay , and unless the
session reaches over the sixty-day
limit during which the members can
draw their per diem the session will
close about March 29 or 30. It has
'been customary in most of the past
sessions to go two or three days be
yond this limit , however , and none
"but the most sanguine of the members
liope to finish the necessary' work of
the session before the first week in
-April. Even then it is probable a
large number of more or less impor
tant bills will have to go by the board.
* * *
Slaximum Kate Bill.
The senate Monday afternoon took
tip for the first time the question of
maximum freight rates when the Aid-
rich bill , S. F. 325 , was discussed in
committee of the whole. Tlie bill pro-
jjvldes for a horizontal cut of 20 per
scent in all freight schedules in force
Jan. 1. The bill allows the railroads
to go before the railway commission
and show that any rate Is non-com
pensatory and permits any shipper to
show that the rate is unjustly high. It
provides a penalty of from $10,000 to
$25,000 for violations.
After a bitter debate in which mem-
"foers charged each other with being
railroad tools the committee of the
whole found itself tied on the bill. Two
votes were taken , both resulting 14 to
14. Five members were absent , and
the opponents of the bill assert they
will win out by a small majority with
si full senate. Thomas and Saunders
of Douglas both voted against the bill
and Buck of Otoe was the only one of
the five fusion members who opposed
it He is being charged by the other
Democrats with repudiating the prom
ises made by the party during the
campaign.
* * *
Primary Bill Passes.
The state-wide primary bill , amend
ed so that any person may vote at any
primary without telling his party af-
rfiliation , passed the house Monday af
ternoon by a vote of 73 to 14 , with
jt3 members absent. Several of those
-\vho voted against the bill explained
their votes , and with the exception ol
one each opposed it because of the
open primary amendment , which was
adopted in 'order to secure the fusion
votes for the measure. After tht
.amendment had been adopted an ef
fort was made by those who opposed ij
to get the amendment reconsidered ,
ut it was unsuccessful , and no furTher -
Ther effort was made to hinder the
progress of the bill in its present form.
It is generally believed , not only by
-those Republicans who favored the
.amendment , but by those who opposed
it , that the senate will eliminate this
feature and it was the belief which led
many of the Republicans to vote for
the bill as it is amended.
* * *
Routine Proceedings of Senate.
The- senate Monday afternoon pass
ed the following bills :
By Randall Providing for the in
corporation of grand and subordinate
lodges of fraternal orders.
By Randall Allowing fraternal orders -
ders to establish and maintain charita-
lile homes.
By Root Requiring private corpo
rations to pay employes twice each
month.
By Phillips Prohibiting judges
from hearing cases in which litigant
or attorney is related to him.
By Byrnes Providing for adoptior
of township organizations by counties
By Randall Providing for the es
tablishment of sewage systems in cities
of the second class and villages.
The senate then went into commit
tee of the whole , with Saunders in the
chair , and acted upon the following
bills :
H. R.379 By Knowles. Drainage
-district bill. For passage.
S. F. 384 By Aldrich. Giving laboi
commissioner power to investigate cor
porations in which public is interested
"For passage.
S. F. 42 By Patrick. Making coun
ty commissioners road commissionen
In their district , except in counties un
der township organization. For pass
age.
age.S. . F. 290 By Thomas. Making sal-
n.ry of clerk of the county court ir
Douglas county $126 a month. Foi
passage. ji , ;
Routine Proceedings of House.
The house spent the entire after
noon Monday on bills on third reading
The following bills were passed :
By joint committee on privileges anc
elections Direct primary bill.
By Gilman of Lancaster Defining 2
" 'reputable dental college" as one in
dorsed by the National Association o ]
pDental Sxaminers or the National As
sociation of Dental Faculties.
By Hart of York ( by request )
Joint resolution giving Ruth Oberg
-the right to sue school district No. 22
of Douglas county for damages because
of injuries , sustained April 22 , 1903.
By Harvey of Douglas To provide
.additional means of revenue for the
jfire and police relief funds of Omaha
By Harrison of Otoe Removing the
$5,000 limitation to the recovery oi
-damages in cases of death.
By Lee of Dougalss Requiring the
-county board to furnish office room
and supplies for the county comptroll
er. *
By Lee of Douglas Making the
county comptroller of Douglas county
-ex-ofiiclo city comptroller of Omaha.
By Lee of Douglas Requiring the
county comptroller to countersign all
county and city warrants.
By Blystone of Lancaster Appro
priating § 50,000 for the erection of an
additional building for men at th
Lincoln hospital for the insane.
By E. W. Brown of Lancaster Call
for a constitutional convention.
By B. W. Brown of Lancaster Pro-
jviding for conveyances of real estate ,
including homesteads , by widow , wife
| or husbasd. By the Joint committee
on privileges and elections. Making
primary day the first day of re istra
tion in cities.
The Lee annexation bill.
0 * C
Terminal Tax Wins.
After defeating a motion by Culdlp <
of Saline to indefinitely postpone th <
senate terminal tax bill , the house
in committee of the viLQ\e Wednesday
afternoon , recommended the measun
for passage. The triumph of tlu
pledge-keeping Republicans and those
fusionists whom the railroads can
not control came after the most stren
uous and bitter fight of the session
The railroads fought inch by inch t <
kill the bill and they demanded tha
their henchmen go to the front foi
them , and they went. They recrultee
a new spokesman in Culdice of Salin <
and in Cone of Saunders , while the olc
guard , reliable and true , Hamer 01
Buffalo , Killen of Gage , Hill of Chase
all stood firm to carry out the order !
of the railroad lobby to kill the bill
Friends of the bill were reinforced bj
Barrett of Buffalo , Hamer's colleague
and by Quackenbush of Nemaha , botl
of whom talked for the bill. Barret
read numerous telegrams from hem <
indorsing his position and urging hin
to stand pat. Hamer didn't read anj
or re eive any , showing how the tw <
men stood with their people. The rail
roads first tried to discuss it in com
mittee of the whole , they tried to ruii
it by amendments , which were killed
then they tried to kill it by havinj
Culdice move to indefinitely postpom
it ; that failed , and then Cone triet
to have the committee merely repor
progress and ha've the whole fight eve
again Friday morning. That failed. I
was a slow , painful , hard fight and al
the tricks of the railroad gang wen
brought to bear to kill the measure
but the tricks were in vain.
The round won by the people Wed
nesday by no means assures the pass
age of the bill and the end of the fight
for Hamer gave it out cold that hi
intended to fight to the last ditch , am
Hamer speaks for the railroads
Friends of the bill believe , however
that many who voted with the railroat
crowd will be for the bill on its fina
passage , because they are beginnin ;
to see that the railroad argument
against the bill will not hold water an <
they will refuse to go back on the !
pledges merely to drag railroad chest
nuts out of the fire.
* * *
Commission and Food Bills Pass.
The senate Wednesday morninj
passed the railway commission bill am
the pure food bill. No votes were cas
against the commission bill , but Latt ;
of Burt voted against the pure fee <
measure. Wednesday afternoon thi
Gibson bill prohibiting brewers fron
owning an interest in a saloon licens
or saloon business and preventini
them from leasing buildings or roo'm
for saloon purposes passed the senate
Ashton , Clarke , Saunders and Thoma
voted against the bill , the former ex
plaining he did so because he believe *
the provision prohibiting the leasini
of saloon buildings by brewers to b
unconstitutional.
* * *
Routine Proceedings of Senate.
The senate Wednesday morninj
passed the following bills :
By Dodge Providing judgments ii
forcible entry and detainer suits shal
become operative even if appeal i
taken.
By Eller Defining embezzlemen
from fraternal societies and providini
a penalty.
By Gilman Providing for a stat
board of optomrey.
By the joint railway committee
The railway commission bill.
By Burns The pure food bill.
The senate then went into commit
tee of the whole and acted on thes
measures :
By Sackett Providing for recipro
cal demurrage and to require railroad
to furnish cars to shippers within ;
reasonable time and to prevent dis
crimination in the furnishing of care
By McKesson Providing elevate
companies shall make a daily repor
of prices to the commissioner of labo
and commerce.
At the afternoon session the follow
ing bills passed :
By Gibson- Prohibiting brewer
from owning or leasing saloons or sa
loon buildings. Ashton , Clarke , Thorn
as and Saunders voting no.
By Burns Lincoln charter amend
ments.
* * *
Routine Proceedings of House.
The following bills were passed b ;
the house Wednesday :
By Quackenbush Reciprocal de
'murrage bill.
To make the state treasurer ex
officio treasurer of the university ani
the custodian of the Hatch , Adams am
Merrill funds.
To provide for the entry of town
sites by the corporate authorities o
incorporated villages or by the count ;
judge.
In the committee of the whole th
house recommended for passage H. B
356 , by Doran , appropriating $50,00
to those school districts which are no
able to hold seven months' school ;
year.
year.H.
H. R. 203 , by Thiessen , of Jeffersoi }
providing for weighing on demand o
live stock , coal , lumber and grair
was amended providing for stat
weighmaster by the governor at point
where 100 cars are to be weighed. Thi
bill was recommended for passage.
In committee of the whole Wednes
day night the house recommended fo
passage the following bills :
Jenison of Clary Appropriatinj
$50,000 for normal training in higl
schools.
By Hamer of Buffalo Appropriat
ing $100,000 for an addition to thi
Kearney normal school.
By the judiciary committee Pro
viding for warehouse receipts.
By Walsh of Douglas Appropriat
ing $75,000 for improvements at tin
state fair grounds. Amended to reac
$50,000.
By Hart of York Providing for thi
consolidation of school districts b }
vote instead of by petition.
By Aldrich Providing salaries fo :
employes of the industrial home a
Milford.
Costly Dictionary Being ; Compiled
On tbe preparation of a new diction-
iry of tbe English language $400OOC
has been spent in Philadelphia and
{ 250,000 more will be necessary before
tt can be delievered entire. The worh
ias been going steadily on for thirteen
rears.
DOVER'S KIDNAPING 'CASE.
Four-Yonr-Old Son off Dr. Mar-
vip. Prolmljly Stolen.
No crime is more despicable than la
kidnaping. It is an offense which preys
upon the hearts as well as upon tbe
. _ _ purses of its vic
tims and those con
victed of practi
cing it should bo
punished most se
verely. Even cold
blooded murder is
tame compared to
the suffering at
tending the steal
ing of a child and
holding it for ran
som. Unfortunate
ly , like the doings
of tbe Black
Hand , the despic
able work of cbild-
stealers is increas
ing.
ing.Tke
Tke latest crime
of kidnaping to
attract attention
Is that perpetrated
at Dover , Del. A
fortnight ago Hor-
HOBACE MABVIK.
the 4-year-old son
of Dr. H. N. Marvin of Dover , disap
peared. For a time it was supposed he
had wandered away and become lost ,
but the conviction was soon forced
upon the distracted family that he had
been kidnaped.
Rewards were offered and detectives
undertook the search for the boy. A
ship captain was arrested on suspicion ,
but he was speedily discharged. Mean
while the State Increased the fervor of
the search by adding to the personal
offers of reward until the sum now
amounts to $27,000 for the recovery of
the boy and the capture of his abduc
tors.
Philadelphia detectives believed the
child had been carried to that city and
they made a careful search of the ne
gro quarters. This belief was based on
the statements of Walter Winner that
he saw such a child on Market street
in charge of two negro women. At that
time he had not read the kidnaping
story , but he was struck by the beauty
of the child and wondered that he
should be in such company.
Then the State authorities received
a demand for pay for returning the
boy. This demand came through a New
York detective agency to whom it waa
mailed from the Canadian border near
Detroit. The name signed to the let
ter is that of a big negro with a bad
reputation in New York. While the
letter may be a fake so much attention
was paid to it that detectives have been
sent to the neighborhood from which it
came.
The disappearance of little Horace
was remarkable. Dr. Marvin with his
family had recently moved upon a farm
which he has purchased from Charles
Goodell. On the day of the disappear
ance Mr. Goodell was drawing away
effects not included in the sale. The
Marvin children and their cousins were
playing hide-and-seek and as Goodell
was driving away a number of them
ran to him and asked if Horace was in
the wagon. Mr. Goodell had seen the
boy sitting atop of a haystack as he
drove by. He told the children so and
they ran back. But they could net-find
the boy and finally gave the alarm.
That was the last seen of the child.
Eels Spawn at Sea.
The fact that biologists have been all
at sea about the whereabouts of the eel
family's breeding comes to light through
the announcement that Danish marine
scientists have just completed investiga
tions showing that the eels of Europe
spawn at a depth of 3,300 feet in the At
lantic ocean to the southwest. Accord
ing to the cabled account , from innumer
able eggs there appear tiny larvss called
leptocephali , which are transparent , jelTy-
like and flat , having something of the
contour of a tailless herring. It is not
known how long the eggs take to de
velop the leptocephali , but the latter oc
cupy six months in transition to the
familiar elvers , which are about 2 inches
long. The elvers then migrate in count
less swarms to the shores of western Eu
rope , traveling in columns sometimes sev
eral yards wijjs and miles long. Nothing
stops their progress. If they encounter
a ship they separate to the right and left
and rejoin in the vessel's wake. They in
vade every river and waterway on the
coasts , ascending steadily landward. They
even ascend small waterfalls , penetrate
streams and wriggle over swamp grounds
'nto ponds and ditches.
Wins Tax Canes.
The United States Supreme Court , in a
decision announced by Justice Holmes ,
rules that the Union Pacific and Burling
ton railroads must pay the tax rate on
their property in the State of Nebraska ,
to tie amount of $3,100,000. This in
cludes the taxes of 1904-05-06 , with pen
alties for non-payment. The railroads
had offered to settle for $2,200,000. The
objection to payment had been made orig
inally on the plea that the equalization
board , acting under the influence of po
litical agitation , had so increased the val
uation of property as to almost double the
aggregation payment of railroads in pre
vious years. It waa charged tiat the
board took into cenaideration interstate
business and property of the railroads lo
cated outsids of the State , but on thess
points the court decided otherwise.
Favor Simplified Spelling : .
On the ground that they deprecate the
hardship and waste entailed upon chil
dren by our illogical spelling and tha
process of its mastery , and because they
appreciate the importance of intelligent
citizenship , and sec how our spelling
handicaps 'foreign-born children in learn
ing our language and in understanding
our institutions , the Teachers' Association
of Illinois has pronounced itself unequiv
ocally in favor of the adoption of the sim
plified spelling board's recommendation * .
THE WO ] AT THE TOMB , '
THE THREE MARTS AT THE TOMB , BY SPANGENBERG.
"In the end of the Sabbath , as it began to dawn toward the first day of
the week came Mary Magdalene and that other Mary ( the mother of James
and Salome ) , "to see the sepulcher. " They went with fragrant spices which
they had prepared for his anointing. And they said among themselves , "Who
shall roll away the door of the sepulcher ? " But when they reached the tomb ,
to their great joy , "they found the stone rolled awaj' . "
And when they entered into the sepulcher they were sorely troubled be
cause their Lord was not there. "And it came to pass , as they were much
perplexed thereabout , behold , two men stood by them in shining garments. "
Then were they filled with fear ; but the angels said to them , "Fear not Ye
seek Jesus which was crucified. Why seek ye the living among the dead ? He
is not here , but is risen. "
It was a joyful message that the angels brought to the women , on that
first Easter morning. St. Matthew tells us that "they departed quickly from
the sepulcher with fear and with great joy ; and did run to bring his disciples
word. " St John gives us the beautiful story of the Master's appearing to
Mary in the garden. At first she did not know him ; but she recognized his
voice when he tenderly called her by name , and quieted her fears , and then
gave her a message to carry to the eleven disciples. "Mary Magdalene came
and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord , and that he had spoken
these things unto her. "
EASTER BELLS.
Ring loud , O bells of Easter ;
Your peals through spaces ring ;
With Joy the fair earth greets you
Through all the notes of spring.
Ring In all peace and gladness ,
Ring out all strife and tears ,
As downward through the ages
You've rung the passing years.
Ring clear , O bells , your message
Throughout all nature thrills ;
It all things living touches ,
As when from Judah's hills
There rose the light triumphant
O'er death and mortal fears ,
And dawned' that flrst great Easter
The Easter of the years.
Ring sweet , O bells , your lesson
Unto each heart to-day ;
That all before the Master
May but life's lilies lay ;
Ring soft ring low ; your chiming
May bridge some past its tears ,
For those , perchance , who mourneth
Some Easter in the years.
Again , O bells of Easter ,
Ring out In thrilling peal.
That we , through all our pulses
The new-born glory feel
God's living , loving presence ,
As each new spring appears
In all that breathes around us ,
Throughout the march of years.
Beatrice Harlowe , In Woman's Home Com
panion.
'
MRS. TOP-KNOT'S
COLORED EGGS.
It was the day before Easter , and a
great noise was heard in the barnyard.
Hens were cackling , roosters crowing ,
guinea fowls chattering , and ducks quack-
hag.
"Quit ! quit ! quit ! " cried the turkey
hen.
"Pot-rack ! pot-rack ! " shrieked ths
guineas.
"Gobble , gobble , gobble ! " cried the
bronze turkey , strutting up and down
with his tail spread out like a fan.
"Cut ! cut ! cut ! " said the tall Buffi
Cochin , "this is the first time I ever
pet eyes on a nest of colored eggs ! May
I ask who laid 'em ? "
"Who ? " asked a Dominick hen , ruf
fling her feathers angrily. "Why , it was
that up-start of a black top-knot , to be
sure ! Who else would be guilty of such
doings ? "
' "As if it wasn't the proper fashion to
Jay snow-white eggs , " grumbled Mother
Cropple-Crown , crossly.
"Or with just a shade of brown , " cor
rected a motherly Plymouth Rock hen ,
wiping her bill on a burdock leaf.
"Pot-rack ! pot-rack ! " chattered the
guineas. "We lay a beautiful speckled
* 'Me , too , " said the turkey hen ; "quit !
quit ! "
"Quack ! quack ! " said the Pekin duck ,
waddling up to take a peep at the eggs.
"I lay a nice , greenish egg , myself. I
wouldn't be caught laying red and yellow
eggs , no ma'am ! "
Just then all the fowls tried to make
themselves heard at once , and raised such
a noise that it awoke Spotty , the fatten
ing pig , who stood up on his hind feet
in the pen and squealed as loud as he
could.
Suddenly a glossy black hen , with a
pert little top-knot , flew over the fence
Into the barnyard , and looked about with
an air of vexation.
Sha looked so offended that all the
fowls fell back a little , except the turkey
gobbler , who bravely stood his ground.
"What are you doing here , crowding
around my nest ? " demanded the top-knot
hen , indignantly.
"Madam , " said the gobbler , with much
flignity , "we are all curious to know "why
yoij lay colored eggs. "
Mrs. Top-Knot bristled up angrily.
"Colored ercs ! " she cackkd shrilly. "I
never laid a colored egg in my life ! "
This statement was greeted with hisses
from the gray goose. Poor Mrs. TopKnot -
Knot was a newcomer at the farm , and
was not at all popular with the other
fowls. The Buffi Cochins disliked her ,
and drove her away from the drinking
trough , the guineas pulled out her feath-
'WHO IAID THAT EGQ ? "
erg whenever they had a chance , and even
the ducks gave her a spiteful peck if they
happened to meet her.
When Mrs. Top-Knot declared that she
had never laid a colored egg in her life ,
the other fowls became clamorous.
"I s'poso you won't deny that this is
your nest ? " sneered Madam Dorking , flap
ping her wings.
"Of course it's my nest , " admitted Mrs.
Top-Knot.
"Then you must have laid the eggs , " re
torted Madam Dorking , t "and seeing ia
believing. A round dozen of 'em there is ,
red and yellow and green and blue ! Not
a white egg amongst 'em ! "
"You must be color blind ! " said Mrs.
Top-Knot. "My eggs ore pure
and nothing else. "
But as she spoke she forced her way
to the snug nest she had carefully hid
den in a crotch o the rail fence , under
a tall mullein stalk , and here she gave oj.
gasp of surprise. The eggs were of varli *
ous coors , sure enough I
"Obo ! color blind , are we ? " said Biddy
Langshan , maliciously.
Cut , cut ! They are not my eggs1 *
cackkd Mrs. TopKnotmeekly. . "Thay
they were all white this morning ! "
"Of course you wouldn't own to it , " $
sneered Madame Dorking , triumphantly. *
But the top-knot hen paid no heed to'
her.
her."I
"I had just feathered my nest , " she-
sighed sorrowfully , "and was going to be
gin sitting to-morrow. "
At this very moment the farmer's ;
wife appeared. She removed the colored )
eggs carefully from the nest , and replac
ed them with fresh white ones which she ,
brought in her apron.
"There , Topsey , you may have your1
eggs again , " she observed smilingly , "and )
you can thank little Rosy for putting thaj
colored ones in your nest. She thought' '
they would hatch out some colored chick
ens. "
Mrs Top-Knot quickly cackled her
thanks , and the other fowls , who wera
ashamed of their ill-behavior , now express
ed their delight at the way affairs had
turned out.
And from that day the new hen -was
not snubbed by the other fowls , and even
the bronze gobbler pronounced her chick
ens as fine a brood as ever was hatched :
on Dickory Dock farm , which was saying ;
a good deal. Helen Whitney Clark in ,
Detroit Free Press.
THE EASTER BONNET.
For Lenten vows , Ste. Marguerite
Hath mortified her soul ;
Her penance now is all complete ,
Behold her aureole.
Changes in Date for Easter.
An industrious collector of statistics
who has been investigating the subject
has gathered some interesting facts re
garding the variable times of this fes
tival. In 1883 and 1894 , he says , Easter
fell on the unusually early date of March
25 , but in the three following centuries
it will occur only eight times on that
day , namely , in the years 1951 , 2035 , .
204G , 2057 , 2103 , 2125 and 2198.
The earliest date on which it can fall
is March 22 , and this only when the-
moon is full on March 21 , which must
be a Saturday. This combination of cir
cumstances is extremely rare ; it occurredj
in 1390 , 1701 and 1817 , and will happen
again in 1990 , 207G and 2144 , while dur
ing the three centuries following this last :
year it is not once destined to fall on.
so early a date.
Going to the other extreme , Easter ,
never comes later than April 25. It Is. .
on record as happening on. this date hi
16GG , 1734 and 18S6 , and in the next1
century will reach it only once in 1948. *
Paschal Candle's Symbolism.
The Paschal candle is the name given
to the light which appears on the gospel
side of the altar during mass and ves
pers from Easter to Whit Sunday. It
symbolizes the rising from the grave of
Christ the "Light of the World. " In the
year 1457 it is recorded that the candle
used at Canterbury was of 300 pounds' '
weight. There is also mentioned as a
matter of history that on one occasion ,
the Paschal caadle in the church at Nor-t
wich , England , was so tall that It hadi
to be lighted through an opening in. the ,
roof over the choir.
The lovely Illy tollcth not ,
And neither does It spin ,
But just at Easter time It costs
An awful lot of tin.
New York World.
AN EASTER BATTLE.