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About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 1899)
i . K-i t3be Conservative. AV1IKN TIIK NEXT CKNTUHY UKOINS. Th NliiHonilli Century Ends at Midnight of Sunday , December 31 , 1000. "Hundreds of persons coutontl that the twentieth century will begin with January 1 , 1000 , while other hundreds contend with cqunl positiveness that the correct date is January 1 , 190I- " writes Edward Bok in the October Ladies' Homo Journal. "Tho 1000 contingent argue that , of course , the now century begins with its numeral date , and go on to figure out very deftly that with the last day of the year 1899 the hundred years will have run their course. They argue that if the first year ended with December SJ1 of the year one , the nine teen hundredth year must , of course , end with December 551 , 1899 , and that the first day of January , 1900 , is , there fore , the first dajr of the now century. And , curiously enough , this latter figure is correct , but only in a numeral sense. These statisticians overlook ono very important fact , however : that it re quires ono hundred years to make a cen tury , and it calls for no expert mathe matician to figure it out that the full hundred years of the nineteenth century will not have run their course until twelve o'clock midnight of the thirty- first of December , 1900. Numerically , we enter the twentieth century with January 1 , 1900. But , nevertheless , we must complete that entire year of 1900 , and go through its three hundred and sixty five days , before the actual nine teen hundred years shall have run their course. " IGNOKAJs'CK OK AVIIAT ? Colonel "William J. Bryan , in his speech opening the Nebraska campaign , is reported by a friendly newspaper as having provoked a sympathetic audience to laughter and applause by declaring that after McKiuley's election , "Things got so bad that many people thought I was elected. " Stimulated , posbibly , by that acclaim of the multitude that for him has so great a power to fascinate , he went on to declare that during the six mouths succeeding the election of McKiuley more banks and business houses failed than in the corresponding period of the previous year. "Why did Colonel Bryan say this ? Did he make this assertion about the num ber of failures during the first six mouths of 1897 because he believed it to be true , and that it was an important truth to be communicated to the 10.000 at O'Neill ? What are the facts ? The number of failures during the first six mouths following McKiuley's election was 6,831. The number of failures iu the corresponding period of 1890 was 8,002. This appears to make the num ber of failures in the six months referred to by Colonel Bryan 1,241 less than in the six months referred to by him ns being BO much better. We might as well Sr add that the linbilities of those failing in the first MX months of 185)15 ) wore $97- 8(59 ( 082 , while the liabilities of the fail ures in the corresponding period in 1897 were § 91 092 787. A more glance by Colonel Bryan at easily procured and trustworthy statistics would have made it impossible for him. if a truthful , mnn , to make such a mis representation , and we do not believe that the 10.000 who heard him make this unfortunate speech at the beginning ol the Nebraska campaign will think better of him for it. We are inclined to * think that Colonel Bryan made his comparison ignorantly. Even an inspired leader cnnnot know everything. The Nebraska opponents of Colonel Bryan have been supplied by him with a cudgel that should ba used with energy and persistency. Colonel Bryan has been regarded as a man who intends to be fair. In order to bo fair about statis tics one must be acquainted with them. And when it is shown that the average Mobilities iu failures decreased from § 14.993 in 1890 to § 11.559 in 1897 , and that it was $10 722 in 1898 , it will be in cumbent upon Colonel Bryan to admit that he did not know what he was talk ing about , or , that , knowing , he stated what ho knew to be not the truth East ern Exchange. One gold democrat recently writing to another democrat declared that Colonel Bryan , even when he first sought office in Nebraska , unblushingly proclaimed that : "It is the money in the "flice , and not the honor that at tracts me. " Morton's Cent < ervative. The New York San , goldbng republi can , editorially commenting on the above says in part : However incapable we may think him of the power to winch he aspires , how ever much , even , of the theatrical and artificial th re nuiy be in his tempera uient , we d < m'G believe th it it conrains one jot of baseness. Neither does any body else "except Julius Sterling Morton and his anonymous gold democrat. The Sun knows a lie when it sees one. Morton barks at Bryan's heels lilw a fiste does at a Newfoundland. Crete Democrat , Sept. 27 , 1899. New York lawyer is noted for his ready answers and bkill in repartee. When a young practitioner , he appeared before a pompous old judge who took offense at a remark the lawyer made criticising his decision. "If you do not instantly apologize for that remark , Mr. Blank , " baid the judge , ' I bhall commit you for contempt of court. " "Upon reflection , your honor , " in stantly replied Mr. Blank , "I find that your honor was right and I was wrong , as your honor always is. " The judge looked dubious , but finally said that he would accept the apology. Tit-Bits. A. TAiUKNTAHIE The prosperous VI UK. villngo of Palmyra suffered a severe loss by fire on Monday , Oct. 2. The in- huranco upon the destroyed property is said to be almost wholly of the mutual variety. House Rent Holcomb is an officer in ono of the mutual companies which will bo , wo are told , a heavy loser. The value of this sort of insur ance will Boouor or later come to be fully appreciated iu Nebraska. These com panies may have much litigation before the supreme court. No officer of such a company nor any member of such a company should be a judge to doterniino cases in which it may be interested. TKMCGUAiM. Nuw YOUK , Oct. 3 , 1899. J. STERLING MORTON , Nebraska City , Nob. The World is sending to several thous and conspicuous American citizens the following petition with the request for permission to use their names as signers. "William McKiuloy , president of the United States. "The undersigned representatives of American public and private life most respectfully petition you to offer the friendly services of the United States in mediating between Great Britain and the Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. "Articles one , two and three of the plan adopted at the peace conference make such offers the right of any friend ly power , 'even during the courrfe of hostilities. ' "Wo respectfully submit that it is not only the right and dnty of this nation but also ita high privilege to strive to prevent the wiping out of two of our tiihter republics , the desolation of thous ands of English and South African homes , the slaughter of thousands of i-ivilized men , the drenching of South Atnca with blood and tears. " The World asks you to join in this petition. If you will do so please tele graph at the World's expense permission to add your name that the petition may be forwarded at the earliest pos sible moment. THE WORLD. [ Answeredin the affirmative. EDITOR ] MISAPPREHENDED."I paid her , " MISAPPREHENDED. said the Imagina tive Young Man , "tho highest compli ment one human being could pay another. " "What did you say to her ? " asked the Practical Young Man. "I told her she was a superior being who walked on chalk. " "You fool ! How did she take it ? "She looked at me in astonishment , turned her back on mo and walked out of the room. " "What did you mean by it , anyway ? " "I meant that she was a white-soled angel. " Chicago Tribune.
