Cbe Conservative.
Htato and municipal governments in
like ratio. As the logical result of our
governments being regarded ns legiti
mate spoils take , for instance , Governor
Stone's letter showing the bankrupt
condition of the state treasury , yet he
signed a bill increasing a lot of veritable
political ward heelers' salaries from
§ 4,000 to § (5,000 ( a year. Outside oC pub
lic office not a man of them holding the
office would command a salary of $50
per month in any individual enterprise
or business. Yet these mon are a fair
Fauiplo of the men holding all our public
offices. I wrote President Grant in
1873 if he signed the infamous salary-
grab ac.t ho would inaugurate an era of
corruption that in twenty-five years
would bankrupt our national treasury
and involve us in another war a pro
phecy as literally fulfilled as any out
side of Holy Writ.
Take another phase of this corrupt
state and condition of our political sys
tem. Note its demoralizing effect and
influence on our business and on society.
Let me name a few of the defalcations
in various states and cities along with
the increase of crime as compared with
other countries. Defalcations from 1860
to 1881 as follows :
Criminality.
In Kentucky , $20,000,000 ; South Carolina
lina , $20,000,000 ; Boston , $30,000,000 ;
New York , in two instances , $00,000,000 ;
the Whibkey Ring's defalcation of over
$7,000,000 to the United States govern
ment. The population increased , from
1850 to 1890 , 170 per cent ; suicides 700
per cent. In every one million of in
habitants in England there are 711 mur
ders ; in Ireland , 888 ; in Franco 79fi ; in
Germany , 837 ; in the United States ,
2,460. Of every ten thousand deaths in
Europe 7 are murders ; in the United
States 21 are murders. The English
judiciary costs just about one-half what
our Pennsylvania judiciary costs. Can
ada , which adhered to the mother coun
try , has all the liberty the American
people have and far greater security to
life and property at a tithe of the ex
pense of our American Babel govern
ment. They can change their adminis
tration upon a vote of want of confi
dence in a week's time. The only
change we can make is to vote one class
of pot-house politicians out and another
class of same character in without
chaugo of results. The surest road to
preferment to the highest office in the
gift of the American people today now
is for a man to have demonstrated his
incapacity to manage successfully his
own private affairs to fail in any busi
ness ho ever undertook qualifies one
for the presidential chair or legislative
hall. The present incumbents being
shining examples of the American idea ;
of statescraft and are also proof of oui
educational achievements.
When water can be made to run up
grade the American people can from
this fountain expect to receive the bles
sings of good government.
I do not know whether you will read
; heso thoughts and reflections. They
ought to be read by every man and wo
man who would desire and has the cour
age to look facts squarely in the face.
No now party can ever convert our
American Babel of state and national
governments , every one costing more
than an intelligent , patriotic system , de
vised for purpose of regulating relations
of the people , and not for providing
ways and means of supporting political
drones , of unscrupulous political adven
turers , would cost.
Pardon this trespass on your patience.
I am , dear sir , Very truly yours ,
J. B. CORCY.
UAILKOADS AUK NOT ENKMIHS.
The old feeling that "anything you
can get out of a railroad company , is so
much gain , " is dying out and the people
are learning that the railroads are the
best friends any community can have.
In years gone by it has been the custom
to bring suit against the railroad company
on every occasion where a suit would
stand , no matter how trivial the amount
involved , and it is an old saying that
"no jury ever returned a verdict iu favor
of the company. " It is hard to con
vince the average jury that there is any
merit in any defense a corporation may
present , and because of this well-known
and well-grounded feeling , it has been
the policy of the railroads to compromise
every action possible.
It is not our purpose to take up the
cause of the railroads as against the people
ple , only so far as justice and mutual in
terest go , but the News believes that
the change of sentiment which is rapidly
coming , giving the railroads the same
consideration and the same chance that
are accorded private iudividunls , will be
beneficial to the people and to the conn
try , as well as to the corporations.
No community can thrive without
railroad facilities , and the greater those
facilities , the better the opportunities
for thrift. Every town may be bene
fited by cultivating the acquaintance ol
the railroad people , and getting them in
terested in the local progress. This is
not a difficult matter , for the railroad
men know that whatever goes to build
up the towns on their lines , helps their
company also , and iu nearly every in
stance are ready and willing to do more
than their share in co-operation with the
people. They should bo known person
ally by the business men of the different
towns , for a personal acquaintance has
much to do with fostering good feeling.
The ambition of the towns in the way of
public improvements should be made
known to them , and in nine cases out of
ten the railroads will aid and encourage
the people.
In short , the railroads and the com
munities should get closer together , auti
work for mutual good , rnthor than along
; ho old liucs of antagonism. Brandon
( Miss. ) News.
ATTENTION TKKE 1'LANTJSItSt
T\vonty-I2ilith Anniversary of Arbor Hay
in the Schools of Nobnislm City.
Tlio recent proclamation of Governor
Poynter designates Saturday , April 22 ,
as Arbor Day in the state of Nebraska.
This will be observed in our schools on
Friday , April 21. To my mind Arbor
Day is one of the most important days
wo celebrate during the year. It should
bo a day dear to the hearts of all Nebraskans -
braskans , especially since it originated
in this state through the resolution introduced -
troducod by J. Sterling Morton in 1872.
"Wo should also remember this is the
"Tree Planters' State. "
Take this opportunity to urge your
pupils to plant trees about their homes.
Each child can plant something if it be
only a imt or acorn and perhaps this
little acorn may develop into a grand
old oak , in itsolr' symbol of the growth ,
strength and power of our country.
Teach your pupils the value of trees ,
how they furnish shade for mankind
and shelter for the birds. Explain to
them how our health to a great extent
depends upon the trees , as they take up
such quantities of carbonic acid gas from
the air and return the life-giving oxy
gen. Trees servo as the sources for
springs , break the violence of the storm ,
furnish fuel and material for building.
Teach the lesson of thoughtfulness
and unselfishness ; / . c. by planting trees ,
wo provide for future generations. Ex
cellent poems for memorizing are :
"Plant a Tree" ( Lucy Larcom ) , "The
Tree" ( Henry Abbey ) , "Hiawatha's Ca
noe" ( Longfellow ) . The last could be
recited by four children , each represent
ing a tree. A certain kindergarten
writer has well said : "Children like to
be trees as well as to be wild Indians. "
Your principal has copies of these poems.
Grammar grades can write essays on
.such subjects as : "How to Plant a
Tree" ( manual page 6) ) , "What Kind of
Tree to Plant , " "Trees of Nebraska
City , " "Historic Trees of America ( Lib
erty Elm of Boston , Charter Oak , "Wm.
Peun Elm ) , " "Origin of Arbor Day , "
"Uses of Trees , " "Purpose of Arbor
Day , " "What- the Oldest Trees of Our
City Have Soon. " ALT.EN C. FLING.
April 1 , 1899.
There is nothing so dear and resplendently -
dontly beautiful to an honest citizen as
justice ; justice unbiased by public
clamor , maudlin sympathy or cowardly
avoidance of duty. But absolute jus
tice is to the knave and scoundrel the
most dreadful arbiter on earth , an ever-
present terror and repulsive and hateful
even in dreams.