!
tious of such vagaries. The practical
bearing of thorn is that only a stupid
man will attempt at this stage of the
canvas which has just opened to decide
how the currents of public sentiment
will set in various parts of the country
when election approaches three months
hence. Certain things , of course , seem
obvious enough already , as that Bryan
cannot be expected to carry any one of
the old three doubtful states in the East ,
New York , Connecticut or New Jersey.
It seems equally to be expected that he
will lose both California and Washing
ton on the Pacific coast , the latter of
which ho carried four years ago , while
the former was so close that he secured
one of the electoral votes , the reason
being that his opposition to the Expan
sion policy weakens him in that strong
hold of such sentiment. But who can
make a prediction of any value now as
to how Kansas will "wobble" this time ;
whether "state pride" will retain enough
of its old hold to be worth many thous
ands of votes to Bryan in Nebraska in
* -J900 , as republicans concede that it was
in 1896 ; how the German-Americans
are to be influenced by the new issue of
Imperialism ; whether the old dread of
Bryanism remains almost unabated or
has considerably subsided in those states
of the Middle West which are to decide
the election ? New York Post.
WINTER , WHEAT IN NEBRASKA.
The following bulletin issued by Pro
fessor Lyoii , director of the Nebraska
Experiment Station , is of especial inter
est to Nebraska wheat growers :
"In the fall of 1890 thirty-seven vari
eties of winter wheat were sown on the
Station farm. Of these , all but three
varieties killed out so badly that it was
not considered worth while to harvest
them. The three varieties that lived
through were Turkey Red , Big Frame
and Carroll. In the fall of 1898 there
were sown more than a hundred vari
eties , and only five came through the
winter in good condition. Those just
mentioned were three of the five. Last
fall forty-two varieties were sown , of
which seven did not germinate and
nineteen winterkilled. The same three
variaties were among the best , but the
yields have not yet been ascertained.
"In order to test the relative merits of
the seed thus selected and that of the
same varieties from some other sections
of the country , seed of the Turkey Bed
variety was brought from the Ohio and
Iowa Experiment Stations and of the
Turkey from Kansas. The latter is
very similar to the Turkey Red grown
here. Seed of the Ourrell variety was
also obtained from the Maryland Exper
iment Station. None of these did so
well as the Nebraska grown varieties ,
with the possible exception of the Kan
sas Turkey. Contrary to expectations ,
this wheat matured earlier than the Ne
braska Turkey Red. It did not lodge
and was not badly infected with rust.
In these respects it was as good as the
Nebraska grown wheat. Both the Ohio
and Iowa Turkey Red lodged and rusted
badly and matured later than the Ne
braska Turkey Red. The Cnrrell from
Maryland made a ranker growth than
the Nebraska Carroll , but lodged and
rusted badly.
"It is the aim of the Experiment Sta
tion to extend the area of winter wheat
culture over as large a portion of the
state as possible. To this end a very
large number of varieties of winter
wheat have been tested by the station
during a period of several years. Those
strains of Turkey Red and Big Frame
varieties that have been grown on' the
Station farm for several years have
proven themselves very hardy. Seed
wheat of either one of these varieties
will be sent out on application , free of
cost except transportation charges , as
long as the supply lasts , to parties living
north of the Platte river and also to
those west of the 100th meridian. "
PATRICK EGAN.
EDITOR CONSERVATIVE :
In your last issue , referring to your
leading article on Patrick Egan , yon
have indeed struck the nail right on the
head. This is , I regret to say , the weak
point , the ulcer or running sore that , if
not checked , is liable to undermine or
eat holes in our constitution. It is slow
but sure. Old countries have' experien
ced the same thing from the same
source. I know whereof I speak for I
have travelled and lived in many coun
tries , and , rather remarkable to say , on
the very day of the Phoenix Park mur
ders I was euroute from London to Bel
fast in the north of Ireland. I took
what is called the short sea route from
London on the North Western Railroad
via Straujraer , South Scotland , lauding
at the little port of Lome , whence by
rail to Belfast and eventually to Dublin
and Cork. Indeed , I resided in the
Emerald Isle for a year , and travelled a
good deal between north and south , and
it was at this time I became conversant
with all the phases of the so-called Irish
question or Home Rule policy which
was advocated so forcibly by Mr Parnell
and , strange to say , countenanced by
England's premier , Mr. Gladstone. I
came in contact with all classes of people
from the Lord of the Manor down to the
most illiterate peasant , but it was , per
haps , from the middle classes or , as we
would term the merchants , where I got
the most useful information as a guide
to the question at issue. The people of
the north would say that if Home Rule
came into operation they would be
rained , as they are mostly of the Pre-
testant faith , especially in the province
of Ulster , where all the industrial
branches of work and labor are pre
valent. These northerners claim to be
most loyal to the crown , which I am
sure they are.
KellglonH Prejudice.
The whole trouble , in a nutshell , is
simply the old mania of religion and ,
most unfortunately , the fire of discon
tent is kept smouldering by both sides
since the-fall of Londonderry. Now , in
the south there is very little or no man
ufacturing going on , a little farming
such as raising potatoes , cabbages , tur
nips , carrots and some wheat , while the
climate and soil are favorable for raising
big crops , still , practically , there is
nothing done. The whole mass of people
ple in the South are swayed and con
trolled by the priesthood and , although
it may prove very beneficial for their
souls hereafter , it must be admitted it is
a miserable failure for the commercial
prosperity of worldly matters ; that is to
say , too much of theological treatment.
I notice many of the American people
don't comprehend the nature of the
Irish grievance.
When I was in the East Indies I found
here again the primitive cause of the
great mutiny with Nana Sahib at the
head , was religion. Here there are so
many castes and tribes which are all
more or less hostile to our Christianity.
Likewise during my visits to the
Mediterranean and Black Sea , after the
fall of Sebastapol , I noticed many pecu
liar religions observances which were
all more or less in conflict with our
ideas. COM.
THE TRUTH ABOUT MILITARISM ! .
At last wo have a specific definition in
dollars and cents of what the democrats
mean by "militarism. " It appears in
the New York Journal , Mr. Bryan's
personal organ , under the title "The
Truth About Militarism , " in the fol
lowing table :
Army ( fiscal year 1001) ) ? 114,220,095 65
Fortifications 7,883,028.00
Military academy 053 689.67
Pensions 145,245,230 00
Total ; * 207,502,548 23
"How is that for militarism ? " ex
claims the organ of Mr. Bryan in its
customary big type. "Nearly double
the burden carried by Russia or Ger
many ; more than double that of France ;
three times that of Austria or Great
Britain , six times that under which
Italy is staggering , and thirteen times
the load that is breaking the back of
Turkey. It puts the United States far
in the lead of all the military powers in
the world in the cost of its military ser
vice. How does it improve matters
from a Republican standpoint to prove
that we do not have much of an army to
show for it ? "
All of which is hysterical buncombe ,
especially when we consider that more
than one-half the total is the price
which this people is paying in grateful
recognition of the preservation of the
Union itself. The pensions are not even
paid through the War department , but
come under the authority of the Secre
tary of the Interior. Chicago Times-
Herald ,