Nebraska
Legislature : >
Tfiv cov Ki SWOKN IN.
ShnMe-nbcr er Now Chief Kxjcutivc of
( Nebraska.
S Ashton C. Shallenberffer , the first
> 5 democratic Ko\vrne r of Nebraska since
the days of .1. K. IJoyd , in J891 , took
tlie oath of office Tliursday afternoon
In the presenceof UK- member of both
houses A thousand spectators wit
nessed the inauguration.
In his mcpwige Shallenberger urges
the passage of a bank deposit guaran
ty act , advises strict economy and asks
for several amendments to the pri
mary election law.
George C. Junkin , a former lowan ,
was reinstalled as secretary of state.
The other ofi'icois are as follows : State
treasurer , L. . Cl. Crian ; state superin
tendent , E. fl. JJishop ; land commis
sioner. C. JJ. ( "miles ; auditor , F. L.
Barton ; attorney general , W. T.
Thompson. W. H. Cowgill. a demo
crat , was instated a.s railway commis
sioner. Lieut. Hopewell was sworn in
to preside over the senate.
Thursday nijjht at the state capitol
Tu lid ing occurred the reception to Gov.
Shallenberj er and the new state of-
lieers in the * house chamber and the
Inaugural ball in the senate. The
functions wore largely attended by so
ciety people ( if the eity and slate. Gov.
Shallenbcrger was attended by his
newly oppointed staff. gorgeous in
their new uniforms , forming a harmo
nious contrast to the handsome gowns
of the ladles.
ATost of the members of the legisla
ture attended.
F. II. Monroe , of "Washington. D.
registered Thursday in the office of
the secretary of state as a lobbyist in
conformity with the anti-lobby law
passed by the last legislature. Mr.
IMonroc is the first man to register un
der the provisions of the law. He rep
resents no privilege seeking corpora
tion , but as secretary of the People's
I'.lue L eague of America he will en
deavor to persuade the members of the
legislature to pass a bill submitting
to the next general election an amend
ment to the constitution providing for
the initiative and referendum.
MKSSAGR OF SJI.VLT/RXBKllGKK.
Hank Deposit Guarantee i < ? Feature o3'
the Document.
Gov. Ashton r. Shallenberger in his
message to the Nebraska legislature
declares that he believes that no newer
or radical legislation is needed at the
present time , but that energy should be
directed toward amending1 , improving
or correcting the existing laws. He
recommends the appointment of a
qualified commission to revise and im
prove the present code of laws , so that
justice may be more easily and rap
idly obtained in the courts of the state.
He admits that the banking laws of
Nebraska might bo improved , and as
serts that it is a reflection upon our
American civilization and business
methods to longer fail to provide nn
insurance guaranty funel ami banking
law which will m ; > ke every dollar de
posited in a Nebraska bank absolutely
sure of .5oing returned to its lawful
owner "Vrhen it shall IP demanded.
"Tnere ? can be no rule of business
olhics , " eleclnros the new governor ,
"which makes it just to secure the
state and nation and deny the same
protection to the individual depositor.
The only question for you to decide ,
it seems to mo , is as to whether or
not the proposed additional guaranty
fund can he credited with the cer
tainty that it will provide absolute
security to the depositor and not place
nn unfair burden and responsibility
upon the banker.
"I believe that the desired security
can be obtained by levying a light tax
upon the capital stock of each bank
transacting business under our laws ,
thus providing a guaranty fund to
pay promptly any possible loss to a
depositor by reason of the failure of a
state bank. The amount of such tax
to be a certain per cent of the average
deposits as shown by the reports of
the department of banking , and pay
ment to be made nt stated periods and
for a fixed amount.
"If one-half of the volume of
money suppr-sod to bo in circulation in
the United States were returned to
the banks it would enormously expand
the business and wealth of the state
and nation and raise the banking pow
er of the Uniloel states until it would
exceed that of the rest of the civilized
world. To bring this great idle fund
into active channels of trade is the
problem for bankers anel legislators
to solve. If loss of bank deposits is
made a thing of the past I believe that
a great step in this direction will have
been accomplished. "
L-ct Bankers Share in Control.
Gov. Shallenbfrgor quotes figures to
show that the percentage of los to
depositors during Into years has been
greatly reduced , and during the eight
years since HW ! his amounted to an
average of about $26,000. He insists
that this percentage of loss can still
be materially reduced. To this end
lie advises that the minimum capital
required for incorporation of a
state bank bo increased to at least
$15,000 : also that bank examinations
be made twicfca year , instead of once ,
as now requirod. Kxaminers.he claims ,
should be assignee ! to a certain terri
tory and thus eventually would be
come familiar with conditions and se
curities in that locality , and would ac
quire the necessary knowledge as to
the worth of the hills receivable of the
banks which tlie-y would examine ,
which is the essential thing in deter
mining the solvency of any banking
corporation.
"Under a guaranty plan which
would make the banks of the state
sustain the losses of the entire sys
tem. " the message reads , "the bankers
should be given a share in the con
trol of the department The present
banking board , which is composed of
three officers elected for an entirely
different purpose , should be abolished
and a non-partisan board established
to be composed e.f three members to
its members to have hael at least five
its members to have had a tleast five
years' practical experience in banking
and at least two of them to be actively
engaged in that business at the lime
of their appointment. A bank com
missioner should be appctat-etil by the
governor with in .ipI--Jval of the
banking board , who .should have had
; r. experience in the banking' business
quivalent to that required by a mem
ber of the board , and h "hould select
j the necessary number of examiners
\\ith the approval of the board of con-
i trol. The banking board should sit in
j session at Lincoln at stated periods
j ami be paid for actual t me in session.
They should have complete control ef
the issuance of charters and the gen
eral administrdation of the banking
laws. It has been urged by critics of
the guaranty of deposits plan that it
would lead to the establishment of too
many banks. This would be a serious
objection if such were the result. It
woulel greatly strengthen our banking
system if the banking board were em
powered to exercise a proper censor
ship over the issuance of bank char
ts rs. A substantial increase in the
amount required as a minimum cap
ital for the establishment of state
banks would have a salutary effect in
keeping the number of banks within a
a satisfactory limit and also provide
greater security to the depositor. "
Jlenv to Provide a Fund.
Jrr regard to the amount of assess
ment to be levied in oreler to provide
an adequate fund for the prompt pay
ment of depositors of insolvent banks ,
Cov. Shallenbcrger suggests that one-
fourth of 1 per cent be levied upon
the deposits as shown at the last state
ment published prior to the com
mencement of the operation of the
law : this assessment to be followed by
additional levies in like amount at pe
riods of six , twelve and eight months
thereafter. After the accumulation of
a guaranty fund equal to 1 per cent
of he average deposits in tJie guaran
teed banks , an annual tax of one-tenth
of 1 per cent should be levied , "be
cause it is necessary uneler a proper
system of insurance that the prosper
ous years should pile up a surplus
fund to provide for the inevitable de
mands of less fortunate times. "
It is suggested that as an additional
i-eeurity against any possible emer
gency such as extraordinary demands
upon the fund , the board should be
empowered to levy an assessment of
not to exceed 2 per cent of the aver
age eleposits in any one year. While
this assessment might never be levied ,
the power to use it would have a sus
taining effect in times of possible pan
ics. Such a system , the governor de-
elares , "would be a rock of refuge for
the banks and for the people in the
Heicest financial storm that may
come. "
The proposed guaranty fund , he
; : ys. should be deposited with the
stat - banks under regulations similar
to our present state depository law or
with such additional security as the
legislature may require. The pro-
iwseel law ought to provide that na
tional banks may avail themselves of
the- advantage and protection of the
guaranty fund under suitable provi-
-ions and satisfactory showing as to
the condition of such banks to the
banking board. It is suggested that
the banking boarel be empowered to
fx the rate of interest to be paid de-
po < itors by banking coi-porations op-
e rating under the guaranty of deposits
iiior. . if this be thought too great
a power ta confer upon them , the rate
should be fixed in the statute by the
' . -ii-inture.
Amend the Kevenue Law.
The new governor advises that tlu
present revenue law be amended in
-o Jar as is necessary to restore to the
people the right to elect the precinct
i--f ssors. and to limit , in part , the ar
bitrary powers which the present la\\
crives to the state board of equalization
aMl assessment , so that the people
shall have restored to them some voice
in determining the amount of taxes
they shall be compelled to pay to sup
port the state government.
It is declared that the railroael
commission should be authorized and
empowered to appraise the physical
value of the public service corpora
tions of the state and to control their
debt making power : and that the leg
islature shoulel provide the means with
which to pay the cost of such ap
praisement. Gov. Shallenberger says
that it is his belief that adequate funds
for this purpose can be provided by
requiring all corpoartions doing busi
ness within the state to pay a small
annual license fee into the state treas
ury , just as a bank or insurance com
pany is now required to do.
Complete local self government un
der charters satisfactory both to the
cities and to the legislature is advo
cated for Omaha and South Omaha.
The present primary law is declared
both unsatisfactory and unfair. A
county primary is suggested , to nomi
nate county officers and delegates tea
a state convention. The state conven
tion to select two or more names to go
upon the primary ballot and to make
the county platform , which ought to
be Issued in advance of the primary
instead of after it.
For Board of Control.
A non-partisan boarel of control , tc
be appointed by the governor , is sug
gested , this board to have the entire
management of the various state insti
tutions ; to be composed of three mem-
bers. and to have at its command a
qualified purchasing or business agent.
The governor urges the abolishment
of the practice e > f maintaining a cash
fund at the various state institutions ,
ami aelvises that this proposed board
of control purchase all supplies for all
the institutions by open competition
among those desiring to sell to the
state. It is adviseel that the clerk of.
the supreme court and other officers
who now receive and retain the fees
paid them by the public be placed up
on a fixed and reasonable salary , and
all fees and moneys recovered by them
he turned into the state or county
treasury.
A suggestion is made that the legis
lature make a proper appropriation to
assist in the worthy and patriotic pur
pose of erecting a suitable monument
in Lincoln to the memory of the mar
tyred president , Abraham Lincoln , for
whom the city was named , this being
the centenary of his birth. Caution
and good judgment are urged in the
matter of all appropriations.
First Foreigner \Vhy do they call thia
the "garden city ? "
Second Foreigner Why ? Look at the
rich , black dirt in the streets ! Chicago
Tribune.
The stopping ei -in oxpre. w train re
quires twice us much power as * tarttoi
it
Sufferers Ask to Be Shot Rather
than Further Endure Horrors
of Ruined Cities.
tEMON RINDS ARE DELICACIES.
Famishing1 Populace in Devastated
Region Fights Desperately for
Pieces of Food of Any Kind.
. A press correspondent on the scene
of the Sicilian earthquake says that
when Deputy Lainnguu appeared
among the famished , wounded , desper
ate survivors at Reggie , they crowded
arouud him and shrieked : "You who
are in authority , tell the government
to take us away from here or have us
all shot to end our suffering ! "
The correspondent who heard the
heartrending appeal says : "I have
witnessed shocking episodes enacted by
famished survivors and have myself
felt the pangs of hunger. For long
hours I had nothing to eat except a
few lemon rinds picked up from the
inud and have sought desperately for
a morsel of bread. On approaching the
military authorities I was sent to a
place among the ruins Avhere the mu
nicipal assessor , surrounded by a howl
ing mob , was distributing tickets for
bread and raw meat. A desperate
struggle was going on.
"The soldiers had requisitioned a
few oxen , horses , and asses lean ,
wounded and dying animals , which
they hurried off to the seashore ,
slaughtered , and cut them up with bay
onets. Pieces were distributed among
the people , who with difficulty were
kept hack by the soldiers with their
rifles. No sooner was one piece , still
warm , received than it was torn to
shreds by ten eager mouths , and the
people struggled on the ground for any
morsels that fell. Stories of almost
miraculous escapes and episodes of the
most appalling character are told by
survivors. "
TWO CITIES OF DEAD.
Fear of Disease Causes Forcing of
People from Reggie and Messina.
The authorities decided to evacuate
completely Reggie and Messina , con
veying everybody outside , and leaving
the cities perfectly empty. They will
be surrounded by military lines to pre
vent any one re-entering. This measure
has been adopted iu order to prevent
a pestilence occurring. A royal decree
was issued placing the Messina and
Reggie districts in a state of siege ,
which Is stricter than martial law.
What was the bustling and pictur
esque port of Messina and the prosper
ous city of Reggie are cities of the
dead. Where happy thousands once
lived vultures and their grim suste
nance are the sole inhabitants. Every
ship that coulel be put in service trans
ported the terror-stricken people of the
two places to more favored spots in
Italy. Reports of the inevitability of
further shocks and the slight tremors
of the day before decided those who
had remained where their homes once
stood that In Ihe future the land must
become a desert and that Messina and
Reggie will exist only in memory.
The idea of recovering the dead
bodies has been abandoned. At first
when a form was rescued from the
ruins it was placed with others in a
long row to await identification. Few
were recognized. The rescuers ceased
to care for the dead. When bodies
were found they were left to decom
pose. The search for the living will
continue to the last minute , and it was
astonishing how many people were dug
out alive as late as Friday. Quicklime
was at first used on 'the bodies , but
this soon gave out. The stench became
horrible , greatly impeding the work of
rescue. Vultures have swarmed to the
places where the cities were and add
to the ghoulish horror of the charnel
houses.
Children Burn eel to Death.
In the absence of the mother , who went
to the field to see their fath r , two chil
dren , aged 2 and 4 years , were burned to
death at the home of Thomas Burgess
near Moody. Mo.
& *
THE UNITED STATES FLEET SO BOMBAED STHICKEH SICttY WITH MISSILES & ' MERCY.
- -Minneapolis Journal.
KNOW CHURCH VICTIM : .
Man Murdered in Michigan Identi
fied as Gr. Browning.
By means of two false teeth It has
been definitely established that Gideon
Browning , of Adair village , was the
man who was butchered Tuesday even
ing in the little "Rattle Run" Metho
dist Church in Columbus township ,
near Port Huron , Mich. With part of
the mystery which has enshrouded the
brutal crime thus cleared , the super
visors of St. Clair County immediately
offered a reward of $500 for ( he arrest
of Rev. John H. Carmichael , of Adair ,
pastor of the little church and the man
who at first was supposed to have been
killed , dismembered and then burned
in the church stove. The teeth which
identified the dead man were found
when the ashes from the stove were
sifted.
The minister is a man over six eet
tall , weighing more than 200 pounds ,
and the description says : "Both te a
have been broken and he walks with a
decided limp. Both liis feet turn out
noticeably , one at an angle of 43 de
grees , lie has a scar on the upper lip
and another on the side of his nose ,
liis eyes are light blue or gray. ' '
Strenuous efforts to discover some
motive for the killing of the carpenter
by the minister were fruitless. Rumors
that Carmichael had been seen crossing
the St. Clair River into Canada could
not be corroborated. An officer sent to
St. Thomas , Ont. . reported no trace of
him there.
Mrs. Carmichael and Mi a Carmi
chael. wife and ( laughter of the min
ister , were examined by the prosecut
ing attorney , and he stated afterward
that he Avas convinced that they knew
nothing of the murder nor the man's
disappearance. A statement by Mrs.
Carmichael that her husband's sister
is an inmate of an insane asylum in
West Virginia may explain some of the
features of the crime.
LIFE FOB WIFE MURDERER.
Olilonn Placed Poison I" Colfee , the ;
Trial Shotvcel.
Ill Gallipolis , Ohio. Judge Branbury
sentenced Fred Van Meter , 27 , to life
imprisonment at hard labor in the peni
tentiary for the murder of his young wife.
Van Meter's wife died after drinking
coffee , which , it is charged , had been poi
soned. Uis mother-in-law narrowly es-
cnpcd death , but recovered. Nine of the
jury favored electrocution , hut a compro
mise was reached.
ROCK RENT BY EXPLOSION.
Stronj ? Flow of Gns AfterwnrelN
Makes Invcstijfniioii Impossible.
A second mysterious explosion , appar
ently some distance beneath the surface ,
took place on the farm of D. E. Liven-
good , ten miles south of Sandusky , Ohio ,
where workmen have been engaged for
some time in clearing away forest and
underbrush with a view to opening up a
stone quarry. The first explosion rent
the rock for a distance of forty feet , leav
ing * gap six inches in width midway be
tween the ends and of unfathomable
depth. Following the second explosion ,
which opened up another gap of about
the same length and width of the first ,
some twenty feet to the south , there waa
noticeable n Gtsong odor of ga < = , as a re
sult of which men employed on the prem
ises were unable to work. Mr. Livengood
is about ready to believe that oil and
gas are to be found on his farm in val
uable quantities. He refuses TO lease and
is seriously thinking of abandoning his
stone quarry plans and of drilling oil
and gas wells iiist > iid. .
CALLS EDDY FAITH A FRAUD.
Dr. Jolinitton Myers Fiercely A -
nailn Christian Science.
In an address .which bristled with the
strongest denunciatory terms at his com
mand , the Rev. Johnston Myers of Im-
mnnuel Baptist church , Chicago , arraign
ed Christian Science as one of the great
est menaces of modern times. He denounced -
nouncod the entire Christian Science
movement as a fabric of lies and fraud
"built upon n foundation of error. " lie
declared that the teachings of Mrs. Mary
Baker Eddy were * those of a physician
with whom she formerly was associated
and whose teachings were also "a pack of
lies. " And. last but not least , he declar
ed that to his own personal knowledge
"this delusion" was responsible for scores
of death'- , lie * himself had charge of at
least one funeral a month , said he. which
was directly chargeable * to Christian Sci
ence. These accvjsations were laiel at the
door of Mrs. Eddy's cult in the course of
an address on Christian psychology in
which Dr. Myers advocated the program
of mental treatment , which also includes
drugs and physicians , as outlined by
Bishop Fallows.
DEATH OF FLY SAVES MANY.
Sudden .Fate of Insect In Milk Lead *
to Discovery of Poixon.
A wholesale attempt to exterminate
the roomers in a boarding house nt G20
East First street , Los Angeles , failed be
cause a fly was instantly killed when it
fell into a five-gallon can of poisoned
milk. Two men are held in the city jail
on suspicion of having carefully arranged
to poison the twenty persons. The pris
oners , who gave their-names as W. H.
Morris and Charles Johnson , are both
negroes. Johnson , the police say , lived
'
at'125 Hose street , and it was there that
a quantity ot poison , salts of vitriol ,
similar to that found in the milk , was
discovered. Mrs. Fannie Martin , the
landlady , said tSie two prisoners had vis
ited her place , had been ordered away ,
and that they declared they would have
revenge. The milk was left on the back
porch in an open five-gallon can. As
TklAP SHOWING SCENE OF
WORLD'S GREATEST CALAMITY
Mrs. Martin started to carry the milk
into the house a fly flew into the milk
and almost instantly died. She notified
the police and a chamical analysis was
made of the milk , the poison facing dia-
covered.
WOMEN ACQUITTED OF MURDEB.
BIrs. Erl > and Mrs. Belsel , Slaters ,
Are Set Free at 21 cell a , Pa.
Mrs. M. Florence Erb a .d Mrs. Cath
arine Beisel , charged with the murder of
Capt. J. Clayton Erb , husband of the for
mer , were acquitted in Media , Pa. , after
the jury had been out nearly eighteen
houre. At 9 :46 o'clock
: the jnry < M e in
and asked for further Instructions on
the question of self-defense. Oae f the
jurors asked what Mrs. Beiael TVEB Jus
tified In doing when Capt. Erb threatened
her. Judge Johnson said : ' 'it is f r the
jury to say what was the condition of her
mind. If it was necessary for her to
shoot to save her life or herself from
great bodily harm , or if she thought so ,
she had a right to shoot. The Isar is
that a person must escape if he can be
fore shooting. It is for yon to decide
whether Mrs. Beisel had that opportu
nity "
BIG OH , FINE FAILS.
Supreme Court Denies Petition in
$29,000,000 Case.
Judge Landis' world's record line of
? 29L'40COO , imposed more than a year
ago against the Standard Oil Company
of Indiana for rebating , on Monday
was forever set aside by the United
States .SupremeCourt. . Chief Justice
Fuller announced the decision , denying ,
without comment or explanation , the
government's petition for u writ of cer-
tiorari.
The action of the nation's highest tri
bunal caused wide interest all over the
country , as the issues have been fol
lowed closely. United States District
Attorney Sims of Chicago , who was in
active charge of the prosecution , declin
ed to comment , however , stating that
whatever further action may be taken
would be ordered from the office of At
torney General Bonaparte iu Washing
ton.
Briery , this is what the Supreme
Court' ? decision means :
Limits maximum penalty in case which
was overturned tD $720,000.
Makes limit of fines in all pending
cases against Standard Oil Company lesa
than $4,000,000 in the event it is con
victed on all the indictments against it
Reqiiirfs a new trial of the action in
which t\\f \ record fine was imposed and
forces the admission of much testimony in
behalf of defendant which was excluded
by Judge Landis.
Compels number of settlements with
railroads to be used as basis , instead ol
number of carloads shipped , fiyus greatly
reducing the number of offenses.
The case went to the Supreme Court
soon after the final ruling was made by
the Court of Appeals , Nov. JO , 1008. A
petition was filed by the Department of
Justice on belmJf ol" the government ,
asking that the record in the case be
certified fur a review by the Supreme
Court. This is tbe petition which has
been denied.
In the Supreme Court the case turn
ed largely upon tl e right of the court
to interfere in view of the fact that the
case had been pass -d upon by the Court
of Appeals , the government contending
for such privilege as a right , while It
wan urged in hehaK of the oil company
that the precedents were all against
such a proceeding.
The action of the Supreme Court
consisted in the announcement that the
government's petition would not bo
granted. The effect of this announce
ment will be to leave standing the de
cision of the Court of Appeals , which
was adverse to the government and fa
vorable to the company.
TYPHOZD FEVER IN MESSINA.
Sanitary SleaiiM Inadequate to Pre
vent Siireael of Uixea.te.
Typhoid fever has broken out among
earthquake sufferers in Messina. Thia
fact will ( Tiuso drastic action to be taken
iamediaty for the disposal of the dead.
Hope of rescuing any more of the living
beneath t"e ruins has been abandoned.
Until the present all attention has been
concentrated on the removal of human
bodies fr > m the streets , while the car
casses of animals killed by the eartbquaka
and thort of dogs and cats shot by the
patrols nave been left lying where they
fell. The decay of these carcasses has
greatly augmented the danger of the
spread of. disease. Means are far inade
quate lor the care of the injured. In a
single hospital on board ship there -vrer *
400 bounded persons without a singls
nurse.
"Kid" McCoy says he will fight ne
more , but will drive racing automobile *
for a living hereafter.
P roy Smallwood , the Welsh runner ,
who is matched to race Dorando at St.
Louis , defeated Robert Halleii of New
York and Michael Spring of Brooklyn ,
in a ten-mile relay race.
At Sydney , X. S. W. , Jack Jonnson ,
the Texas negro pugilist , defeated Tommy
Burns , the Canadian , and took away tfaa
latter's title of heavyweight champion.
Poilce stopped the fight in the fourteentll
round.
In a twelve-mile exhibition relay rac
at the athletic grounds in Fall River ,
Mass. , Dorando Pietri , the Italian Marathon
then runner , defeated Floyd Doughty of
Providence , and Sanaupel Myers e > < 3am-
bridge , by .kalf a lap. Bj ri nSc 'g tkaa
-was 1 : 3:39 ; that of the
team jres lt :13.