NOT GOOD ARGUIV1EN ]
SPECIOUS TALK AGAINST DIREG-
ELECTION OF SENATORS.
"Stand Pat" Republicans In Vain Figh
Against the Will of the People-
No Real Power Taken From
* * Congress.
At the session of congress that end
ted March 4 direct election of senator ;
ame within four votes of getting th <
jaecessary two-thirds majority in thi
Senate. Recently the house vote <
'overwhelmingly for direct elections
Apparently enough Old Guard Sen
ators have gone , and enough new pro
[ gresslve senators have taken thei :
"
"places , to insure favorable action b :
'the present senate.
But the"opposition will die hard
It is not without hope. It will figh
the direct elections amendment witl
the same argument by which TJncl <
Joe Cannon sought to justify his neg
ative vote. Certain senators will sa :
rthat they are in favor of direct elec
tions , but that they cannot vote foi
any amendment which alters the firs
paragraph of the fourth section of th <
ifirst article of the Constitution.
In its present form this paragrapl
reads : "The times , places and man
ner of holding elections for senator ;
and representatives shall be pre
scribed in each state by the legislatur <
thereof ; but the congress may at an ]
time , by law , make or alter such reg
ulations , except as to the places o
choosing senators. " The direct elec
tions amendment that passed tht
'house ' takes from congress the powei
to alter in any particular the regula
.tions made by a state for the electior
of its senators.
The argument against taking this
power from congress is that congress
would thus be left powerless "to pro
tect itself against fraud , violence o ]
Corruption in the methods by whicl
its legislative officers are selected. '
.This argument is either insincere 01
Ignorant. Congress will still have
ample power to protect itself againsi
violence in the election'of its mem
bers , and against corruption anc
against frau L The first paragraph oi
the fifth , section of the first article
of the Constitution provides thai
"each house shall be the judge of tht
elections , returns and qualifications oi
its own members. " This paragrapl
gives congress ample power to protect
itself against fraud , corruption and
violence in elections , or against anj
combination or permutation of the
same. This paragraph is left un
touched by the direct elections amend
.ment as it passed the house.
If any more mare's nests can
Te discovered by the opponents of di
rect elections they would better hurry
up. The time Is getting short.
No Legal Bar to Reciprocity.
What little objection there was on
the ground of its possible legal in
validity , to the passing of the Cana
dian reciprocity measure , has been
removed by a decision of the customs
court.
It has been held in some quarters
-that the favored nation clause in the
American treaty with England would
extend automatically to England any
reduction in duty made on the prod
uct of another nation. It was not , of
course , the intention of the United
States to make concessions to Eng
land in connection with the agree
ment with Canada , but the point was
raised that the Washington govern
ment could not help itself once It
had made a deal with Ottawa.
The decision that set aside this ob
jection was a simple case in which
there was difference of opinion on
the amount of duty to be laid on
whisky coming from England and
France. The court held that the duty
on the English product must be paid
as specified ; that the existing trade
agreement with France could have no
influence on any other business.
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Good Democrats !
Action of the Democratic majority
In the national house of representa
tives in deciding to abolish a lot of
unnecessary positions in that body is
most significant. In it are promise
and hope of an era of much-needed
economy in national affairs. '
The significance of the action is
not by any means so great in connec
tion with the actual amount of saving
as with the fact that it diminishes the
opportunity of members to furnish
patronnge to political and personal
friends.
One hundred and eighty-two thou
sand dollars a year is the sum to be
retained in the national treasury as
the result of abolishing the offices.
That is a comparatively small item
in the total of the cost of government.
But it will be remembered that
every one of those offices might be
filled by the appointee of some Demo
cratic congressman. In thus voluntarily -
' ; . tarily abandoning the opportunity for
patronage , the Democrats hold out a
. .most pleasing hope of economy in
' larger matters.
Up to the Republicans.
If the Republicans are in earnest in
their desire to relieve the farmer of
burdensome taxes they will gladly
embrace this opportunity which the
Democrats have offered to them. The
policy agreed on is in our opinion
"both wise and shrewd. The Repub
licans who really favor tariff reduc-
ytion and who oppose the present tariff
can not , we should think , afford to op
pose it. If they do oppose it they will'
find it very difficult next year to convince -
vince the people of their sincerity.
NEED FOR AN INVESTIGATE
Congress May Well DevoteiSome Timi
and Attention to Doings of Steel
Trust.
That recent ruling of the interstati
commerce commissfon forbidding in
creases of freight rates must have !
bearing , eventually , on the steel bus !
ness.
ness.The one feature of ovennasterlnj
significance in the ruling is the dictun
that the railroads must economize. A :
important element in railroad expen
ses is the cost of steel rails. Witl
prevailing conditions in the marke
for products of steel mills , how.cai .
any economy by exercised in the pur
chase of rails ?
Ever since the days of John Stuar
Mill the business world has recognizee
the principle of supply and demam
as having a controlling influence 01
prices that is , the business world ex
cept the steel rail portion thereof.
No matter how great or how smal
the demand or the supply , steel rails
fluctuate but slightly in price. Foi
the last ten years regardless of th (
conditions of general business th (
price of steel rails has remained prac
tically the same. Demand of railroac
managers may be great or small. Tin
rail manufacturers may be pushec
with orders ; or they may have an im
mense surplus of product on hand. Nc
matter. Prices remain at practicallj
the same point
Is this condition the result of arti
ficial methods of controlling those
prices ? Such appears to be the case
And , so soon as possible after com
pleting the pressing business before
it , congress should take up and pass
that resolution to secure radical inves
tigation of the steel trust !
The Only Answer.
There is only one answer to the
tariff question , and that is justice.
Politicians complain that every
tariff law that is passed means cer
tain defeat at the polls for the party
that passed it. The why is plain
enough. The country knows that the
law was not made in the general in
terest , but for special interests.
Not that the people know anything
about the tariff. They know no more
about it than Mr. Roosevelt or Mr.
Taft. They can't analyze the sched
ules and detect all the little jokers
concealed in their dreary verbiage.
But they know injustice when they
see it.
This is the intuition of a self-gov
erning people. And the American
people revolt at the sight and smell
of a secretly made , lobby-framed
tariff , not because they are free
traders , but because of their passion
for simple fairness.
Its Purpose.
What is the real purpose of the
Democratic party ?
To stand against special privileges ,
is the answer given by Governor
Woodrow Wilson to the National
League of Democratic clubs , .at Jn-
lianapolis last-night.
Not to uphold state rights or to
jive the least possible government ,
3r to carry out any of the transient
policies that happened to enlist the
support of various eminent Demo
crats in dealing with conditions of the
past. Traditions do not make a fight
ing platform for the present age.
The only reason to justify the Dem-
jcratic party's staying on earth is to
Ight for the equare deal. His effec-
; ive comprehension of this fact effec-
: ive , not merely theoretical is what
aas made the governor of New Jer
sey the great figure that he is today
3efcre the country.
Democratic Opportunity.
Ability to appreciate the tenor ot
public demand and to act accordingly
ivill do the Democrats vastly more
jood than to seek credit for pettyfog-
; ing and duplicitous acts of legisla-
; ion. The extra session demands
? lain sailing over a charted course ,
ind the Democrats will be wise
jnough not to seek to generate cross-
jurrents. Some legislative freedom
nay be accorded the present session ,
provided that this legislation shall
lot act counter to the purpose of its
issembling. Nothing can possibly be
macted into law without the consent
> f the Republican senate and the ap-
) roval of the president. Yet neither
> f these checks will be used drastic-
illy , but effectually , to prevent parti-
; an or narrow use of the power the
Democrats have measurably obtained.
A Golden Opportunity.
Why is this not a favorable time
or another popular , nonpartisan and
stable tariff , really and truly "taking
he tariff out of politics" by taking
jolitics out of the tariff ?
Surely no one doubts that this is
he earnest wish if not the settled
letermination of the great masses of
leople. Senate and house are divided
letween the parties as in 1857 and
'resident Taft has long advocated a
Qodification of the rates.
It is a golden opportunity for that
tatesmanship which , placing country
.hove party and preferring the hopes
if the many to the demands of the
ew , never fails of its reward.
Senator Penrose is now spoken of
.s the "new Aldrich" of the senate ,
iut probably the more accurate
ihrase would be the "near Aldrich ; "
.nd even at that he does not look
inch like the original , nor is it prob-
.ble that he will wear as well.
Bishop Tuttle , in a defense of Wall
treet , says it "furnishes sinews for
lillions on millions of agricultural
reduction. " The farmers generally
rare under the impression that they
rere furnishing their own sinews
GERMAN PEOPLE'S WAR
WA& MFMOff/AL
, Germany. Before long preparations will be completed for the dedication of the People's War Memorial ,
LEIPZIG that will attract the attention of the civilized world. The massive monument is being erected to
commemorate the battle of Leipzig , which was fought between the French under Napoleon and the allies under
Prince Schwarzenberg , October 16-19 , 1813. This mighty conflict marked the triumphant issue of the Prussian
war of liberation and effectively shattered the power of Napsleon. It is known as the Battle of the Nations , from
the number of nationalities that participated.
Tremendous Increase in Con
sumption of Late Years.
Methods of Cutting Are So Wasteful
That Exhaustion Is Within Meas
urable Distance , According
to London Times.
London. An article in the London
Times concerning the world's supply
of timber and its wasteful handling is
attracting much attention. According
to the figures given , the situation is
rapidly growing serious. The Times
says :
"The savants of all nations have
been foretelling for years the approaching
preaching extinction of the world's
forest reserves , but , with one or two
exceptions , little apparent effect has
been produced on the policy of govern
ment respecting afforestation.
"There may now be said to be only
six countries in a position to supply
unlimited quantities of merchantable
timber , namely , Russia ( including Fin
land ) , Austria-Hungary , Norway and
Sweden in Europe , and Canada and
the United States in America.
"Of these the reserves in the ffnited
States , Russia proper and Austria-
Hungary are now seriously threatened
by the rapid growth of their own re
quirements consequent on the natural
increase of the. population , while in
Norway the reaping of the timber crop
has been so wasteful as to bring ex
haustion within measurable distance.
The resources of Finland are still
large , as are also those of Sweden ,
while Canada now represents the
world's greatest reserve.
"As already indicated , the European
countries , with a large surplus avail-
HUNTING POSSUM NEW WAY
Pexans Use Cats if Roman -Candles
Fall on Treed Quarry Guns Are
Useless at Night.
Abilene , Tex. Possum hunters in
the "Abilene country" have adopted
unusual methods to capture the little
animal that goes so well with sweet
potatoes.
Whenever a possum hikes to his
favorite persimmon tree and blinks at
the pursuing dogs the hunters shoot
at hiift with roman candles. The fire
works usually frighten the animal
into tumbling from his roost , but
should this method fail , Maltese cats ,
which are taken along for emergen
cies , are sent up the tree.
The cats box the possum's ears un
til he is forced to leap to evade the
onslaught. When the quarry lands in
the midst of the pack of dogs there
is either a spirited fight or the pos
sum feigns that he is dead and is
captured.
Guns are useless in possum hunt
ing , which is done on dark nights.
Infants Die in New York.
New York. An increase of nearly
50 per cent in the death rate of in
fants suffering from dysenteric dis
eases in New York is shown in the
report of the department of health
for the first quarter of 1911. The In
crease has taken place almost wholly
in the institutions and hospitals
where children are cared for , the re
port states , the greatest increase be
ing in the borough of Manhattan.
America to Build Turkish Ships.
London. It was learned the other
day that the Turkish government is
reconsidering its decision to award its
naval construction contract to British ]
ish shipbuilders , and the matter may
be brought up in parliament. , Amer
ican builders are endeavoring to get i
the work ,
able for export , are Austria-Hungary
( with which may be coupled Bosnia
and Herzegovina ) , Russia ( including
Finland ) , Sweden and Norway. From
all of these countries , with the excep
tion of Austria-Hungary , Great Britain
imports largely of timber for construc
tional purposes , and our interest in
the depletion of their forest reserves
is no mere academic one. "
By far and away the largest forest
reserve in Europe is in Russia and
Finland , which have between them
over 500,000,000 acres under timber.
Austria-Hungary comes next , but a
long way behind , with 50,000,000 acres.
Sweden following with 48,000,000
acres , Germany with 34,000,000 acres ,
France with 23,000,000 acres , Spain
with 20,000,000 acres , Norway with 17-
000,000 acres and Italy and Bulgaria
each with 10,000,000 acres.
The eyes of the world are now di
rected to North America in their
search for future timber supplies. The
area of land under forest in the United
States is prodigious. The total
amounts roughly to 700,000,000 acres ,
of which nearly 150,000,000 acres are
under state management or control.
Estimates naturally vary widely as
to the actual reserves of merchantable
timber , the government census of 1900
putting the stand at 1,390,000,000,000
feet board measure , while two years
later Dr. R. E. Fernow of Toronto ,
Canada , estimated it at 2,000,000,000-
000 feet.
This latter figure was substantially
corroborated by the American Lumber
men of 1905 , but a conservative esti
mate by a well-informed correspond
ent , which appeared in the Times at
the close of 1908 , 'put is at 1,500,000-
000,000 feet.
Though it is almost impossible for
New York Hotels Are Forced to En
large Accommodations for Aft
ernoon Parties of Women.
New York. The increasing popu
larity of the English custom of drink
ing afternoon tea among New York
women has forced the big hotels , one
after another , to devote special rooms
to that purpose. The new Hotel Mar
tinique has announced that one room
with a seating capacity of 250 per
sons will be open for tea from 4 to 6
o'clock every afternoon.
It has been said by some of those
oppose to the custom that the popu
larity of afternoon tea was due to the
fact that it enables those who prefer
something stronger to have the insidi
ous cocktail or the popular highball
served in a cup instead of attracting
attention by taking the liquor out of
the ordinary glass. However that
may be , the big hotels -serve hun
dreds of their patrons with tea daily ,
and especially on Saturday after
noons , after the matinee.
Many of the large hotels , like the
Waldorf-Astoria. Plaza , Astor , Knick
erbocker innd Manhattan , have music
from 4 to 6 , but others , notably the
St. Regis , the Gotham and the Ritz-
Carlton , dispense with1 music , as their
patrons seem to prefer social conver
sation.
Mr. Barse , of the Waldorf-Astoria ,
said yesterday that more women real
ly came to drink tea , and that it was
a libel on the sex to say that they pre
ferred the highball disguised in a
china cup.
"When the old Waldorf hotel was
opened by Mr. Boldt sixteen years
ago , " said Mr. Barse , "the palm room
was turned into a tearoom to accom
modate guests who had contracted
the tea-drinking habit in Europe.
"Since that time the demand nan
the lay mind to realize what these fig
ures mean , attempts have been made
to place a value on the timber , the
figure which is generally accepted by
competent authorities being roughly
4,000,000,000.
The present lumber cut amounts to
38,000,000,000 feet , and is increasing
at a truly remarkable pace. The rapid
growth of population would , of course ,
prepare one for an increase in the
timber consumption year by year , but
the actual rate of increase has been
very much in excess of what might
reasonably be looked for on that
basis.
YOUTHS HAVE TRAVELED FAR
Eldest , Aged Six , Has Record of 150.00C
Miles of Sailing , While Baby Has
Never Been on Land.
Philadelphia. With his wife and
three children , one of whom has never
been on land , another who has crossed
the equator 30 times and traveled
more than 150,000 miles , and a third
who has traveled 15,000 miles by wa
ter , Capt. Nantrltz Christiansen of the
Norwegian steamer Sildra , will leave
in a few days for his home in Ber
gen , Norway , to try living ashore for
awhile.
Captain Christiansen was married
seven years ago , and soon left on the
Sildra. A } rear later Mrs. Christian
sen joined hin/at Sydney , Australia ,
with their first child , Elsie , who is now
six years of age. Both have accom
panied Captain Christiansen on every
voyage he has made since that time.
Two more children were born
aboard the ship , Sildra , age four years ,
and the youngest , Sydney , age four
months , came Into the world while
the ship was in port at Sydney. He
has never been on land. . Two weeks
after he was born the ship sailed for
Japan , with which country the Sildra
trades on most of her voyages.
grown from year to year , until now
several rooms are devoted to after
noon tea. The reason why the wom
en predominate so largely at the Wal
dorf is because men are not admitted
to a tearoom unaccompanied by wom
en , and no smoking is permitted. "
The Plaza , Knickerbocker and Astor -
tor hotels have had to enlarge their
tea room accommodation , as it has
become the fashion more this season
than before for women to give tea
parties at hotels instead of inviting
their friends to their own homes.
GOAT HAS A GLORIOUS TIME
*
Animal With Ravenous Appetite Eats
Bric-a-Brac and Its Master
Settles Claim for $60.
Youngstown , Ohio. A goat with a
ravenous appetite was responsible for
a lawsuit in Squire Kieling's court
Mrs. John Stanach of Brier Hill
went to visit a neighbor and forgot to
shut the kitchen door. Antonio Tani-
tino's billy goat went visiting about
the same time. When Mrs. Stanach
returned curtains had been pulled
from their fastenings , tablecloths
-yanked from the tables and bric-a-
brac trampled upon and several rugs
eaten.
Then Mrs. Stanach confronted the
goat , which showed battle.
When the case was called the owner
of the goat settled for § 60 , which is
said to be $58 more than billy is worth
in the open market.
Lincoln -.Services June 3.
Louisville , Ky. The. dedication of
Lincoln Memorial Hall on Lincoln
Farm has been set for June 3 , accord
ing to a telegram from Richard Lloyd-
Jones. President Taft and Cabinet
will take part
ALL OVER NEBRASKA
Becomes a National Bank.
Washington dispatch. The comp
troller of the currency has approved
the application of the Commercial
Bank of Wausa. Neb. , to convert , into
a national bank with a capital of $50-
000.
Seven Business Houses Burned.
Hamilton County. Fire of un
known origin destroyed seven busi
ness places in the village of Phillips.
16 miles east of Grand Island , at a
total estimated loss of $12,000. with
insurance estimated at 40 per cent of
this sum.
Licenses Are Exhausted.
Lancaster Count- . The first 10,000
hunting licenses printed for the state
this year have been exhausted by the
demands of county clerks aifcl Game
Warden Miller must wait on the print
er before more blank cards can b *
supplied.
New Court House for Custer.
Custer County. The county super
visors will meet soon for the purpose
of awarding the contract for'building
the new court house. No bids will bo
received after that date and the board
will waste no time over selecting the
contractor , as it is anxious to get at
the work.
Fire Loss is $75,000.
Otoe County. The loss resulting
from the fire in Unadilla , which v/iped
out the entire business section of the
city , was not so heavy as it was at
first estimated. It is thought that the
damage will not amount to over $75-
000 , about half the amount estimated
when the town was burning.
Warrants for Wof ! Bounty.
Lancaster County. Five hundred
wolf bounty warrants were mailed ,
from the office of the state auditor.
This is the first installment of about
5,000 warrants that will be issued.
The last legislature appropriated $29 ,
000 for the payment of these claims.
Most of the claims are small , for
$2.50 ; ' $3.75 or $5. A few run up to
$65.
Arbor Day at Nebraska City.
Otoe County. Arbor day was ob
served in a general way by the people
of Nebraska City , and for years the
home of the originator of the move
ment , J. Sterling Morton. All over
the city , both old and young observ
ed the day by following the motto of
Mr. Morton , which was to "Plant
Trees. "
Nebraska's Egg Crop.
Douglas County. Speaking to the
Manufacturers' association in Omaha ,
upon invitation , J. H. Rushton , presi
dent of the Fairmont Creamery com
pany , estimated the annual egg crop
of Nebraska at $15,000.000 in value.
Of this nearly $10,000,000 worth is
marketed , and the other third con
sumed by farmers and other home
consumers.
Fatal Family Quarrel.
Morrell County. As a result ol
family troubles , C. C. Hcwson killed
his niother-in-law , Mrs. George Jen-
kinson ; shot his wife three times and
wounded Leland Jenkiuson. 14 years
old , after which he killed himself.
Mrs Hewson will die , while the boy ,
who was shot in the neck , will re
cover. The Hewsons had recently
separated.
Good Road * Banquet at Nelson.
Nuckolls County The Nelson Com
mercial club held the second- annual
love feast and good roads meeting.
The opera house was crowded and
many were turned away. Several lo
cal speakers made short addresses
and then D. Ward King , of Missouri ,
made the address of the evening.
Every one was greatly interested in
Mr. King's pian for making good
roads.
Mother Kills Self and Children.
Douglas County. Apparently men
tally unbalanced from brooding over
domestic troubles , Mrs. Joseph Matu-
sek , of South Omaha , murdered her
Lwo children by forcing them to drink
carbolic acid and then swallowed a
quantity of the deadly drug herself ,
[ n a letter which she wrote just be
fore her terrible act the crazed , moth-
= T blamed her husband for her un-
aatural deed.
A Fiddlers' Stunt.
Cass County. The Improved Ordei
Df Redmen , at the Parmele theatre in.
Plattsmouth , pulled off a stunt , which .
svas one as amusing as has been in
this city for some time , in the shape
3f the "Fiddlers' Contest. " There
were 22 contestants , and how they
made Rome howl was a caution. Wil-
iam Balfour , living four miles south
jf Nehawka , was the winner , playing
1 piece which he had not tried for 20
rears. This man had something pe-
luliar about him , in that he has lived
'or 46 years within 25 miles of Platts-
nouth and the visit to this contest
; vas his first.
Boy Killed .by Lightning.
Dawes County. John Mullinex , aged
L7 , was instantly killed by lightning
luring a heavy thunder storm. He
aras returning from the field with &
: eam when struck.
Arrested as Deserter.
Merrick County. Because he talk-
2d too fluently about his p'ast experi-
snces , and was overheard by .attend
ants at the jail , Fred Beltos was ar
rested here , and v/ill be returned tc
Norfolk , Va. , as a deserter from the
oavy.