TIIK NORFOLK WEKKLY NEWS-JOURNAL , FRIDAY , MARCH 17 , 1911.
\
What Interested All the World
When Lincoln Became President
Ago of Reform In Many Ways Great Eastern , While Elephant
Had Begun In Germany. Italy. Of IhtfSeas.Soon to Do Doom-
Russia and England. Al- cd. Had Made Its Initial
ready Threaten Trip From England
Napoleon III , . to Amcrjca.
. . . . . _ , . . . . . . . . . .
O l l ! * - * - * * OaO j0 , , . . , . . , , .
. Br JAMBS A. UDCBRTON.
lltvu Inauguration of Abra
ham Lincoln an president oc
curred fifty yours ago tbo 4th
of Mnrch. Wo have hail ten
presidents ulneo and not a Lincoln In
the lot.
ITlfty years ago there wan not us
much happening tin now , or nt lonst
there WUH not the uauio revealing light
of pulillclty oit It , which umtlo It Hccm
IOHH. The enblo did not tliuu Buck
-JCurope dry of the previous day's UOWH
-and leave It on our front parches the
next inoriiltiK- Instead wo hnd to wait
two wcokti or longer to tlnd out what
Ifnuico , Germany or England wan doing -
ing or thinking about. As for Asia ,
it wan practically out of the reckon-
" < ng , whllo Australia did not count at
11 , and Africa was known only ai a
toljr and vague darkness oat of which
Jtlavcu hud originally come.
On Mnrch 3 , 18(11 ( , the very day be
fore Lincoln began his term , the cr.ar
-of llussla , Alexander II. , emancipated
the serfs throughout his ooiplro. The
went , which would almost soora prophetic -
photic of what wan to happen so BOOH
In our own .hind , wan not known In
'America until weeks later.
On Feb. 20 , or sir days before Lin-
win's Inauguration , Victor Emmanuel
WOH crowned king of united Italy , suc
ceeding a long struggle by Garibaldi
and others to that end. The now Itnl-
< RH parliament , with Oaur n Its
dominant spirit , waa then hut ( retting
under way , practically Its Urat net be
ing the elevation of the king.
Many Reform Struggles Then.
'It ' la somewhat significant that the
trugRlo for union , reform and consti
tutional government In Hovernl Euro
pean countries was practically con
temporaneous with our own civil war.
Two months before IJncoln went
Into otllco William I. , who waa afterward -
ward to hccoina the first emperor of
ynlted Oormany , wan crowned klag of
Prussia. Bismarck was then minister
to Russia , and It wan not till nearly
two years later that ho was placed at
the lumd of I'ruMlan affairs and J- >
gnn hl.i ' 'blood and iron" policy of
forming the north German oonfedera-
Uon and whipping AuHtrla.
AH for the remainder of Europe , It
WUH for the most part qulot. I'm HOP
was in the middle of the second
omplro under Napoleon the Little , and
England wan talking about reforms ,
but not working at them very much.
The Himriso over the new Italy was
.otlll clouded by threats of interference
-from Austria ami by the fact that Na
poleon's soldiers were stationed in
Homo and kept the Italian king and
parliament out of the capital.
Now iioto how poetic Justice souie-
< lmca works out In history. King Wil
liam and Bismarck were seeking the
4amo sort of union In Germany an
bad already been achieved among the
Italian states. A working alliance be
tween the two was mado. Ry a smashIng -
Ing victory over the Austrlans the Ger
mans not only put that country out of
their own way , but made her Impo
tent to hurt Italy. Then Germany
pricked the Inflated bubble of Napoleon
the Llttlo and by winning the Franco *
Prussian wnr accomplished three tri
umphs for progress and liberty.
First. She completed her own work
o * uniting Germany.
Second. She forced Napoleon to with
draw his soldiers from Roma and thus
made It possible for Victor Emmanuel
end the Italian parliament to carry out
t&clr cherished purpose of moving Into
the Bteraal Olty.
Third. Buo ended the Napoleonic
fetish In France , with the Immediate
result that the empire was overthrown
and the third and final French repub
lic was established.
Culmination Was Slower.
All of this culminated after our own
stfvll war , however , and la mentioned
here only because the beginnings of
this European transformation coincid
ed In a general way with the start of
vur own great struggle for liberty and
union. Reform also marched forward
tn England. It was In 1807 that the
second reform bill was adopted.
In America ou March 4 , 1801 , the
impending conflict overshadowed all
else. Sir states bad already loft the
Union and others were on the eve
of doing so. Jefferson Davis bad been
elected president of the Confederate
States of America and had been In
augurated nt Montgomery on Feb. 18.
People In bC * sections , while not yet
expecting actMkl war or at least war
of such magnitude as afterward oc
curred , were profoundly disquieted.
Small wonder that the newspapers of
that day contained little news except
such as related to the coming strug
gle.
gle.Tbo
Tbo population of 1800 was a trifle
more than 31,000,000 and waa mostly
on the farms. The movement city
ward had scarcely yet started. New
York , the largest city , was under
1,000,000 , as Brooklyn was then n sep
arate municipality. Chicago was far
down the list. Kansas and Nebraska
were on the frontier , and even Illinois
was far west. The Pacific coast had
begun to develop , but was connected
with the remainder of the nation by
overland stage and pony express.
Uallroads went only to the Mlssltslppl
or , at rartncnt , to the Missouri river.
Compared with the grout trunk linen
mid network of feuder.i today these
railroads wore fuw , with rough road
beds and slow trains. The steuuibout
had not yet been outclassed and crowd
ed off the rivers. The telegraph WUH In
lt Infancy , although It played an Im
portant part In the war. The subse
quent Industrial development of the
land WIIH In Its raw beginning.
Period of Progress.
Viewed from ( lib aspect , no other
fifty year period in the world's history
and no other nation has noon u de
gree of progress approaching that wit
nessed hofo since the Inauguration of
Abraham Lincoln. To this result thu
civil war and its outcome contributed
in no small degree. Industrially as
well as politically the induction of Mr.
Lincoln Into dhlco marked the begin
ning of a new era In the nation's life.
From a Uuanclal and military stand
point the new president faced a des-
pernto situation The treasury 'had
i iiiiiiminri'd Pit * l ) xiniiing of n new ml
mliiNti-niloii , niii- Hint a-i ( o prou >
tln > niDHi nuiiueiitniin In iiio tuition's
history.
Addrcu Generally Approved.
Tlio Inaugural address was received
with varying comments. Despite itH
appeals for peace , the .south accepted
It us n challenge to war. The north
and especially the west generally ap
proved It. Greeley'n Tribune said , "It
Is marked by no useless word.3 and no
feeble expression , " and added , "To
twenty millions of people It will carry
the tiding ; ) , glad or not. as the case
may be , that tno federal government
of the United States Is still in exist
ence , with a man at the head of It. "
" While thousands are yet living who
remember the Inauguration of Lincoln ,
It \t \ well nigh Impossible for the
younger generation to form a mental
concept of the nation nt that time.
There were thirty-Mix states , but our
population was only one-third that of
todwy. The telephone , electric Ugh' ,
trolley car , automobile , skyscraper ,
ocenn cable , wireless , aeroplane , steel
clad battleship and Innumerable other
devices and inventions were yet to
come Into being.
One comparison may serve to illns
trate the contrast between Lincoln's
era and ours. The Great Eastern had
been launched u few years before , but
various accidents delayed her llrst ac
tual trip to New York till June , 1800.
She en mo across in eleven days. Oth
er trips followed , and In the winter
of 1S < ! I the British government em
ployed the then giant of the deep to
transport troops to Canada for possi
ble use In onr unpleasantness. The
Great Eastern was then the wonder
( the world and , In fact , was so big
that she never paid and became n
white elephant In her owners' hands ,
so tlmt thu other shipbuilders dropped
MNOOitt xArniicox nr.
AMERICA' " FWST MABTVU PKKSII > KM . 'Mil. I.AST OP
EMPEK US. AND AN OCEAN MAUKl. . ( OVI iIToit.NKOU8 : WJT | |
LINCOLN'S FIRST PRESIDENTIAL INAnU'RATlON.
little money and no apparent means
for raising the immense revenues soon
to be needed. The ridiculously small
army and navy had been still further
depleted by desertions to the south
and by the turning over of vessels ,
forts and military stores to the Con
federate government. Taken all In all ,
few new rulers ever faced a darker
prospect. The country was divided
and surely drifting Into war with no
means at hand or in sight with which
to conduct the struggle. The very
seat of government Itself was on the
edge of the disaffected area.
European sentiment was for the
most part against us. The north Itself
waa paralysed by division and doubt ,
one faction being openly r secretly
hostile and a large section of Lin
coln's own supporters crying for com
promise or blindly asserting that there
would be no war. It to now plain that
Mr. Lincoln himself held no pleasant
delusions of this sort. There were sev
eral gloomy notes In his speeches de
livered on his way to Washington , and ,
while his inaugural address appealed
for peace , there woo a minor chord run
ning through it prophetic of conflict
He was taking a solemn oath to pre
serve the Union , yet division had al
ready appeared.
Lincoln Anticipated War.
The only thing left was an appeal to
force. Ho kn w this and yet in the
precarious situation In which he found
himself went about his work with a
Diplomacy and caution that have elic
ited the warm admiration of historians.
Out of all the chaos ho had the supreme
premo task of organizing order and
victory. The manner In which he suc
ceeded is one of the triumphs of pa
tient and fnrseelng statesmanship.
The first Lincoln Inauguration
took the largest crowd to Washing
ton that had yet been seen at a like
occasion , likewise the largest number
of soldiers. Nor were the troops used
for dress parade. They patrolled Penn
sylvania avenue and other streets ,
were stationed about and In the capl-
to ) , and a squad was concealed under
the temporary wooden platform from
which the new president delivered his
inaugural address. There were pickets
guarding the wooden tunnel that led to
the capital , sharpshooters on the roofs
of the houses and a squad of flying
artillery with General Scott in a aide
street. There bad been numerous
threnta that Lincoln wonld never be
inaugurated. The military preparation
Deemed an omen of that which waa to
be.
be.The
The address began at about 1:30 : In
the afternoon. The day bad cleared ,
and at the time the sun was shining
brightly. Mr. Lincoln's voice carried
well over the great assemblage. His
references to maintaining thg Union
elicited cheers , which were redoubled
at the close and again when he took the
oath of office and the boomluf guns
" the u'll ' - ' h"iiif
C M Z..clcrri Surpassed
i't MIC ! > HIM < ii'.i ! ! * 'd by oilier
vessels. The Maiuelaui.i hits a length
of 700 feet as ngnlnst the Great East-
em's ( W2 , avldtli of SS feet to the
Great Eastern's K ! and a tonnage of
IW'OO to the C5re.it Eastern's 2D.727.
Better still , the modern vessel comes
uCros-s in four days as compared with
eleven for the Great Eastern. Vessels
still larger than the Mauretnnla are
now building.
There was general peace in the west
ern hemisphere when Lincoln was In
augurated , except In Mexico. There
.Tuarex was winning victories , over
turning the old order and causing a
cr&to with Europe that speedily re
sulted in intervention , which in turn
led to the 111 starred reign of Maxi
milian.
Washington in Lincoln's day was
not n thing of .beauty and a Joy for
ever. The buildings > were low and In-
teraperaed with vacant lota. Pennsylva
nia avenue was paved with cobble
stones and most of the other streets
with Potomac mud. The capital was
unfinished , with a great crane over
the uncompleted dome. The natives
for the most part were southern sym
pathizers.
Time Is the great healer and adjust
er. The old wounds arc gone. The
troubled nnd harassed Lincoln of that
day tins Income "the gentlest memory
of our world. " precious to north and
( wntli nil ftp. The world has moved
onward toward democracy , enlighten
men ! and peace. Our own land hn
gone fast and far. Perhaps all the
Ivjin"i tins not been coed It hirdlv
over Is yet tn the main It has been
upward and certainly onward.
Fifty years hence will our children
look back on an equal or greater prog
ress ? Will our day seem ns strange to
them as Lincoln's does to us ? Are
wo about to go through a new crlsln
which will bring forth another Ilk ?
him to pilot the old ship through the
storm to n yet fairer harbor ? now
ever these things may be , we can be
certain of one thing that Abraham
Lincoln's ! memory will grow yet more
precious with the passing of the years.
Friday Men Win Caucuses.
Democratic councilmanic nominees :
First ward , Dr. C. J. Verges.
Second ward , J. E. Haase.
Third ward , August Fischer.
Fourth ward , R. J. Ecclcs ( repub
lican nominee ) endorsed.
"Machine" politics was resorted to
by the Friday wing of the democratic
party in Norfolk last night to elect del
cgates to the city convention who
would vote to renomlnate the mayor
for a fourth term. Typewritten lists
of Friday men were circulated about
some of MIP pnni'iisp * M p 'Istp hnvlnir
been formulated some days ahead of
hue. A number of nntl-Frldny dole-
tites were oleetcd. but onoiigh Friday
delogatoH won- chosen , Itvn ; < be
loved , to ItiHuru his rcnumlnutlon
A'edncHilny night. Mayor Frldn >
seemed elated tit his success In the
caucuses.
Following are the delegates to the
city con volition :
Fird Ward John Schelly , Herman
Mims , 11. W. Wintur , Curl Ltchrman.
lus liuthkc , Robert Bnthko , Theodore
Inrnlmnlt , W. C. Roland , Henry Klug.
lornmn Winter was choaen commit-
tconmti ,
Hocond Ward-C. 11. Krnhn. Carl
Wilde , Henry Hnnnc , Charles Ilelers-
lorf , Paul Luebcko , C. F. Haaso , K.
13. Kauffinnnn , Jnuios DIgmm , Wll-
lam llernor , Ed Ucunlng , Otto Sell-
ng , Carl Xuclow , John Woldcnfcllcr ,
12. P. Wcntherby. Carl Wilde was
nado commtttcoman.
Third Ward P. J. Stafford , sr. , L.
ttoknmpcr , Anton Huchholz , August
Duss , Albert Wilde , V. A. Nenow , Alert -
: > ert Degner , F. C. Asmun , Fred
iCrantz , John McCnrrlgnn , Adam
Schaffer , Fred HeHeriunn. P. J. Staf-
'ord , commlttueman.
Fourth Ward John Koerbor , Matt
ShalTor , jr. , Jake Chrlstenpon , Ed
Lamb , James Johnson , E. R. Kamp
nan , F. W. Koerber , James llrcnnnn ,
John Hook , B. J. Drown , M. J. Ken-
ledy , Albert Viurgutz , Klaus Brandt.
F.V. . Koerber , coinmlttecmnn.
In the First ward caucus , H. W.
Winter was elected chairman and
lohn Flyiiu secretary. In the Second
ivard , Carl Wilde was chairman , E. P.
Weatherby secretary ; Third ward , P.
T. Stafford chairman , F. C. Aamus HOC-
retary ; Fourth ward , F. W. Koerber
chairman , Matt Shaffer , jr. , secretary.
The caucuses wore unusually well
: tttondcd. O | > cn opposition to the
mayor's candidacy for a fourth term
developed among a number of the
prominent democrats. "Friday has
made n good mayor In some respects , "
one democrat said , "but he has hold
the ofllce three terms and It's time for
: i change. On general principles , throe
terms Is enough for any man. I can't
understand just why Mr. Friday is so
Intensely eager for another torm. I'd
like to know his real motive for cling
ing to the ofllce with such persist
ence. "
Boston Plans Municipal A. A. ( J.
Boston plans to organize n municipal
amateur athletic union to draw the
boys , especially the working boys , into
the gymnasiums to help in building up
their bodies and to have competitions
from time to time , with some prize B
the Inducement.
NEWEST "HOPE" IS REALLY
AND TRULY ONE QIANT.
Six feet nine Inches of height
nnd n reach greater than any
man who ever fought give Oscar
Stuckley. the latest man to be
booniftd as n heavyweight
"hope , " some consideration. This
Florida person looks bigger than
the giant that Jack killed. Here
are hl'J measurements :
Neck , lOVa inches ; across
shoulders , D- inches ; over shoul
ders , 2Vi : ) Inches ; chest ( normal ) ,
42 % Inches ; chest ( donated ) , 30
inches ; chest ( Inflated ) , 45 %
Inches ; waist , 87 Inches ; abdo
men , 41 % inches ; wrist , 8 inches ;
forearm , lU'/i Inches ; upper arm ,
13 % Inches ; biceps , 14 % inches ;
calf , 15 % Inches ; thigh , 20
inches ; weight , 23G" pounds ;
height , ( I feet 9 Inches ; reach ,
81 % Inches.
H-H"H-H"M n n n n H-I-H-
SPORTS IN SMALL CHUNKS
A national motorcycle circuit hi pro
posed.
The Broncho , 2:00-74 : , will be bred to
Minor Heir , 1:38V& : .
Phllllps-Andover academy students
have raised $23,000 for a swimming
pool.
The national horse.Bhowwill be held
in New York Nov. 18 tex 2S/both dates
Inclusive , making a seven day show de
voted to the blooded horses of the
world.
The professional golf tournament on
the Rome ( Italy ) club's course , In
which James Braid , J. H. Taylor.
James Sjerlock and Arnaud Massy
will take part , will occur April 0 to 8.
Crelghton Won at Basketball.
Crelghton , Neb. , March 14. Special
to The News : In a fast and furious
game of basketball at the high school
gyinnasluni the local team defeated
Plainvlew by a score of 13 to 9. Twen
ty-minute halves were played. Plain-
view struggled hard for supremacy ,
but the Crelghton boys kept them
down nnd the visiting team was unable
to accomplish much. This game prac
tically decides the championship of
this part of the state. A large crowd
witnessed the contest and the home
team was greatly encouraged by al
most continuous vociferous cheering.
A Million Dollar City Park.
Milwaukee , Wls. , Mnrch 14. The
city council's socialist majority do-
elded to buy a stretch of 500 acres
along three miles of the upper river
front for a public park at a cost ol
$1,000,000 to be paid in twenty annual
installments.
The republican and democratic mi
nority fought the proposition on the '
ground that the city has already reach
ed its bonded debt limit
On Lookout for Train Robber.
Crolghton , Nob. , March 14. Special 1
to The News : Chief of Police Brown 1
icceived notice from Georgia to been !
on the lookout for Jim Henford and n 1
companion , who escaped from the pen
itentiary last January.
Henford and two companions were !
fient up for train robbery , but two of r
them managed to break out. Henford '
told one t > f the guards that ho former
ly worked on a uitirh eighteen miles
fiom Crelulitun nnd that he had ii fam
ily here. The name llonford is an
nllns.
Several Crclghton people recognized
his photograph but wore unable to re
call his right name. They say that at
one time some years ago ho did llvo
near Crclghtou nnd that ho suddenly
disappeared , deserting his wlfo , who
has since obtained n divorce and Is
again married , but hag left this local
ity.
GEORGE GOULD STEPS OUT.
Reorganization of the Missouri Pacific
Railway Brought About.
St Louis , March 14. Reorganiza
tion of the Missouri Pacific Railway
company began hero nt 9 o'clock to
day with the meeting of the stock
holders to olcct directors. The moot
ing means the retirement of George
I. Gould from active management.
Charles S. Clarke , llrat vice president
nnd chief resident executive presided
nt the election. Ho named tellers who
cxnmined the proxies and counted the
votes in the presence of the local di
rectors.
Mr. Clarke cast thu votes of the
Kuhn lxeb & Co. and Rockefeller in
terests for the proposed directors
nnmod In the statement issued by
George J. Gould , February 15 , when
ho announced ho would retire.
The votes wore cast for R. Lancas
ter Williams of a Baltimore banking
house. George J , Gould's statement
called for the election of all but ono
director. This vacancy was to bo fill
ed by the now president. It is con
sidered probable that one of the di
rectors elected today will resign whou
a new president Is chosen before elec
tion today of a director by the inde
pendent votes.
TERMS OP HONDURAN PEACE.
Details of Agreement Reach New Or *
leans Many Reforms.
Now Orleans , March 14. The full
draft of the peace agreement signed
by the representatives of the Honduran -
ran government nnd the revolution
ists at Puerto Cortez , a week ago ,
reached New Orleans today. Fran
cisco Beltran , the provisional presi
dent , it is agreed shall have the sup
port of the political factions of the
country which nro allied with the gov
ernment and the revolution.
An important provision is the- rec
ommendation that the provisional gov
ernment take steps to settle the pub
lic debt. This probably means that an
American bond issue will be negotiat
ed.
ed.The
The congress now In session is
bound to call an election for national
ofllcerB In October and it is agreed
that the provisional governmentT as
well as that organized as a result of
the elections of October next , will ful
fill the promises of the administration
and the revolutionists in the present
pact. The agreement obligates the
provisional government to :
( A ) . Introduce In the national con
gress u bill of amnesty covering mili
tary and political criuie and offenses
related to politics.
( B ) . To suarante * absolute liberty
to all political parties and to Hondurans -
durans iu general in the approaching
elections for local authorities and
guarantee to an equal degree other
public liberties ; the use of the nation
al malls and telegraph lines in con
formity with the. law , shall not be
limited to any political group which
takes part in the elections for national
officers.
( C ) . To recognize and pay the
debts of the government and of the
revolution and the losses suffered as a
result of the civil wars from 1903 to
date.
date.C
( C ) . To recognize and pay the
debts of tbo government and of the
revolution and the losses suffered as
a result of the civil ware from 1903
to date.
( D ) . To grant pensions to the dls-
nbied and to discharge and pay the
forcca of the government and of the
revolution.
( E ) . To organize the government
and public administration with per
sons of well known integrity , without
taking Into account their political af
filiations and to this end treating and
considering the friends of the revolu
tionists and government with perfect
equality.
( F ) . The provisional president will
distribute the cabinet portfolio equally
among friends of the government nnd
of the revolution.
It waa agreed that President Da-
Vila and General Manuel Boneilla cith
er jointly or singly , may present to the
1 provisional president candidates for
the cabinet.
Burns to a Crisp.
Dallas , S. J ) . , March 14. Special to
The New ? : Leo Edward Swift , 15-
months-old son of Appter Swift , who
drew No. U in the Rosebud opening
and liled three miles west of Dallas ,
was burned to death yesterday.
He was playing with n celluloid
tooth brush and placed It against the
stove. It caught fire , igniting the
child's clothing , and he was burned tea
a crisp before the fire could be ex
tinguished.
The remains were bhlpped to Pen
ca. , Neb. , today for interment.
Creighton Political Mix.
Creighton , Nob. , March 14. Special
to The News : Municipal politics
'mve taken on n peculiar aspect and a
j / contested three-cornered
/jolly - pollt-
'licnl fight is Imminent. The high II-
' cense advocates are working for a
$1,000 occupation tax against the sa
loon ? . The liquor dealers and the
more conservative "wet" people con-
tend that n | r > 00 or (700 occupation
tax is Kufilclent. The"dry" element Is
, seeking the total abolition of the sale
of liquor in Crolghton.
j The Commercial club has taken n
hand in the affair and the members
have agreed to support the "wet"
ticket providing the saloon men make
no protest ngainst the proposed $1,000
occupation tax
Tin * llcuioi question will bo the IB-
MR- this spiliu ; Thu mutter Is being
much dlHcusaed pro and con. At pres
ent the local Hcliool district IB deriv
ing $2,000 rovcnuo a year from the
liquor tralllc. The city gets $1.GOO.
The fact ( hat the schools and the city
will bo $3,600 short if the town KOCH
dry does not moot the approval of the
taxpayers , who contend that It simply
moans that taxes will go up.
The contending factions nro in a
deadlock , neither being able to pick
men who lire willing to tnko ( he ofllce
of mayor or councilman.
Coleman Will Run for Mayor.
Councilman E. E. Colemnn of the
Second ward , will be the republican
candidate for mayor , the way for this
having been pnved by the withdrawal
of Jack Kocnlgflteln and W. H. Blake-
man from the field. Neither of these
gontloinon were very keen for the
nomination , but both had consented to
accept it if it was the will of the par
ty , and both were very glad to drop
out when another candidate was found
who would make the run. Friends of
Mr. C'olcmnn believe that ho Is the
most available man In the party to
engage Mr. Friday in contest , and an
ho IB clean , upright and fair , it Is con
fidently expected that he will be the
next mayor of Norfolk.
FEAR NEWSPAPER MEN.
Three Reporters and a Chauffeur Went
Into Lower California.
San Diego , March 14. Considerable
anxiety is felt for the safety of a party
of San Dlcgo newspaper men who left
hero Sunday morning In an automobile
nnd intended to make an attempt to
reach Ensonnda , Lower California. Up
to a late hour no word had been re
ceived from the party and in view of
the reports that bandits are roaming
over the country to the south of Tiju
ana there is some uneasiness over
their fato.
The party was headed by W. D. Von
Blarcom , who was accompanied by
H. C. Lfiller , Bert Phillips nnd a chaf-
four.
four.Tho
The four men wore last seen twen
ty miles south of the Mexican border
by a telegraph lineman nt work on
the line between San Diego nnd En-
sonada.
Friends of Van Blaricom and his
companions asked Admiral Thomas to
send a torpedo boat to Ensenada to
make inquiries for the mon. Admiral
Thomas referred them to the secre
tary of the navy , saying that ho will
dispatch a boat at once upon receiv
ing permission.
MUST FORTIFY THE CANAL.
Roosevelt Says it Would be Criminal
Folly to Neglect This.
Dallas , Tex. , March 14. "Failure to
fortify the Panama canal will be an
act of criminal folly , " declared Theo
dore Roosevelt last night at the Cham
ber of Commerce. Ho said that only
two treaties relative to the canal ex
isted , those with England and Pan-
, uma , hence any other nations would
bo at liberty to destroy in case of
war
Aeroplanes for the Army.
Washington , March 14. Brigadier
General James Allen , chief of the sig
nal corps , closed a contract for two
aeroplanes of Curtfss and Wright
types , costing $5,000 each These ma
chines will be shipped to tbo "front"
in the next ten days and will be used
in "maneuvers" along the Rio Grande
river , which will be in full swing
inside of forty-eight hours. The aero
planes will bo charge of Lieutenant
Fulois , who is well known in Ne
braska as one of the most efficient
"bird mon" in the business.
A Coal Mine Strike.
Columbus , O. , March 14. Following
a conference with Ohio and West Vir
ginia union officials , Tom Lewis , na
tional president of the United Mine
Workers , announced that 10,000 min
ers in Ohio and western Pennsylvania
employed by operators who own mines
in the Tuscarawaa district which has
been the scone of dispute for nearly
a year , would suspend work next Mon
day. Only action by operators in the
meantime coming to the miners' terms
can prevent the suspension , said
Lewis.
NELIGH TICKET IN FIELD.
Neligh , Nob. , March It. Special to
The News : A citizens' caucus was
held in the court room last night and
placed In nomination a complete ticket
to be voted on at this spring election.
.Too McCalg called the meeting to
order and placed in nomination Wil
liam Wolfe as chairman oMho meet
ing who was elected. M..J. ' Itoinig
was elected as secretary. It was
moved , seconded and unanimously car
ried that the mayor and councilman
nominated shall abide by the action of
the voters , nnd pledge themselves for
or against saloons , nnd for or against
the InsniiiK of permits to drug stores
\V. T. Wattles and Joe McCalg were
placed In nomination for mayor. The
formal ballot showed W. T. Wattles
receiving CO votes , Joe McCalg L'tf , and
William Campbell 1. The rules were
suspended and the clerk cast the vote
of the convention for O. S. Ilauser for
city clerk and Ed Mellck city trcas
urer. Llko action was taken in the
nominations of Charles Cassidy for
police judge and W. L , Staple as clt >
engineer.
DEMOCRATS INBITTER FIGHT
Lincoln , March 14. The fight over
the sifting committee , which haa been
brewing trouble for several weeks
broke yesterday afternoon In a storm
of accusations nnd recriminations.
Sklles and Ollls were road out o
the party by Bartos of Saline. Ho do
Oared that Ollls was the worst tralto
Hie democratic party had ever had am
that if over n man deserved to be
hanged Sklles was the man. Skllos
returned thu ticnator'ti democratic
wrath with a noft atiHwer that made
Iho wall paper curl. The regular ma
jority won Its fight , lununer. and np-
luilnteil a committee contdytlng of Al
ert , Banning , Talcott , Kohl , l.cc and
Tanner , democrats ; Bartllng , Smith of
Joone and McGrow , republicans
REVIEW OF PAST WEEK. ,
This Sifting Committee Fight Had
Been Brewing for Some Time ,
Lincoln , March 14. The houae fol
owing tno action of toe donate early
n the nekton defeated a county op
Ion bill The bill having been killed
n both houses , la now believed to bo
dead Issue in this legislature. Yet
both sides will continue to watch each
other till the lust moment of the
Ion for fear of being taken by aur-
> riso. The hill In the house dnvol
ipuil that the roproacntntlvos are tied
on the ISMUO of county option , fifty be
ng for It and fifty against It As a
illl miiHt have fifty-oil * votes to pass.
t was defeated by one vote. Two
ictiib rs pledged against It wuro ah
i-o the vote wa * 50 yeai to 4S
vote on the meaiuro wan 03 fol
Yoai Allen , Anderson , Annosfl ,
iiley Baker , Barclay , Basnott ,
slief , Oltirko , Clayton , Colton , Cro
mn , Port , Ellis , Hvans , FIJley , Gait
inmlr , Gtmtafoon , Hardln , Harrington ,
lutlleld , Horzog , Hotish , Howard ,
lohns , Johnson , Jones , Kent , Kirk ,
Jnil y , Mast , Meyer , Minor , Mockett.
'loody ' , Moore , McClellan , MeKolvIe ,
s'elr , Nordgren , Norton , p Quack-
nhush , Roberts , Smith , St s Tay
or ( Morrick ) . Taylor ( Hitchcock ) .
Walte 50.
Nnya Bartols Boland , Bonlmm ,
Irecht , Bulla , Buiso , Doler.Al. Dostal ,
Jagor , EaRtman , KffRonbarjror , Fries ,
Fuller , Gallagher , Oordes , Grossman ,
Grueher , Hnllor , Hoallc , Helllnffer , Hoa-
podakr. Holmes , Kotouc , Lawrence ,
ldlgh , Liver , Matron , Metr.gor , Morl-
arlty , Murphy. McArdlo , McCarthy ,
dcKlsalck , NelHon , Nutzmau , Prince ,
ls , nlha , Soul , Scheelo , Stehueth ,
Shoemaker , Slndolnr , Sink , Sfceon ,
Bwnn , Wecsner , Mr. Speak r 48.
Absent Kexnn nnd Banborn.
Trouble Over Referendum.
The senate has passed B. F. 1 ,
Sidles , an Initiative and referendum
bill , and the house has passed H R 1 ,
> y Hntfield , a similar measure. The
louse has gone further and made
omo slight amendments to the Bklloa
lilll. Soon the trouble of getting to
itether will be attempted by the two
aranclies. It Is likely that the Sidles
l will l > chosen as the one to be >
ent to conference ! . In the conference
committee Home lively sparring may
take place , as an effort will bo made
there to substitute the Kohl or Placet
bills , which are still lying dormant In
the aenate , having been Introduced at
the last moment by politicians , who
desire to make radical changes In tha
Sklles hill. The Kohl bill does not
npply to constitutional nmnndmenU
nd tli-i PIncolc bl',1 provides that no
measures shall be submitted to n vet <
of the people under the Initiative or
referendum until the legislature has
first lefiiKi'J to pass such proposed
laws. This provision Is known ns the
Varner amendment , it was offered by
Varner of Johnson , but was rejected
by the senate , and Is now Incorporated
in a new bill.
The bills that have passed either
house or hnvo been recommended for
pussnge are Huminarlzed as follows-
The original Slulcs bill : A 10 per
cent Initiative petition. A 5 per cent
referendum Is effective on both stat
utory enactments and constitutional
.amendments. Majority of all votes
ft on the question shall suffice to
cnrry either constitutional amendments
monts or laws. Straight ballots may
be counted on constitutional amend
ments.
The Sklleg bill u It passed the
Benate : A 10 par cent initiative po-
titlon. A S per cent referendum pe
tition. Effective for both constitu
tional smiendmento and statutory en-
uctmenti , Majority of all votes cast
en the question Is sufficient , which
shall In no case bo less than 35 per
cent of the total vote cast ut the elec
tion. Straight party votes may not ba
counted.
The SUlles bill as It passed Iho
house : A 10 per cent Initiative pe
tition for proposed laws and a 15 per
cent Initiative petition for proposed
cons-itutlonal amendments A 10 per
oent referendum petition to refer
legislative enactments for the ap
proval of thu people. Effective for
ooth constitutional amendments and
statutory enactments. Majority of all
votes cast ou the question shall be suf
flclont , which shall noti i > e less than
35 per cent ol' tli total vote cast in
case the proposal be for a constltu
tional amendment. The provision re
gardlng 35 per cent Is not to apply to
otntutory enactments. Straight party
votes are not to bo counted for con
stitutional ameudmentfi
The Semite passed a non-partisan
Judiciary hill , Introduced jointly by
Lee of Boyd and McGrew of Franklin
This Is one of the Democratic plat
form pledges. Right Republican voted
tgaiust the Mil and four Republican *
roted for it. It provides for the nomi
nation and election of supreme , dls
trict and county judges by nonpartisan
tisan methods , no political party namn
to bo used on the ballet In connection
with the name of any candidate for
Judge
Buttermakers and berry and fruit
growers and bakera won a point when
the senate considered S. F. 195 , by
Reynolds , a bill to prevent the giving
of short weight or measures. The bill
WAS amended so as not to apply to
this year's crop of berries , to allow 2
per cent for shrinkage of butter pack
ages 'uul all reference to the welsh *
of leave of bread was Htrlcl.on out
Tie hi 1 rpqulren berry boxes ton \
full pints or quarts or to bear A la'I '
allowing the correct size. It provl''fs '
that butter pnplages ; must he lahelled
correctly If they weigh less than on
pound. 2 r ° r cent to be allowed for
