whoso hands it may bo , of one and a
hnlf to two and a half per cent.
If any attempt is to be made to solve
the difficulty through the medium of the
national banking
A Solution. system , the small
banks will certainly
have to be strictly limited to bo perfectly
safe investments on the one hand , and
relieved from , all taxation on the other.
This may seem , at a first view , im
possible. But it must be remembered
that one of the loading demands , in cer
tain political platforms , is the establish
ment of postal savings banks. They
cannot expect that these banks should be
taxed , for tiny could not live a minute
if they were. The system of banks
which is here suggested , would be sub
stantially a savings bank system , with
the addition of checks and exchanges.
Is it possible to reconcile all conflicting
interests somewhere along this line ?
The people of
E. ELLERY Nebraska City
ANDERSON. have long known
the estimable and
learned lawyer , and gentleman whose
name precedes these remarks. Mr.
Anderson , some years since , purchased a
controlling interest for himself and
friends in the Nebraska City Water &
Light Co. , and has , during the last
eighteen months , made many improve
ments and additions upon that plant.
Therefore , his views ore of interest in
this neighborhod.
' On the 15th of April , in an interview
which was telegraphed to the Chicago
Daily Chronicle , speaking of the demo
cratic party , Mr. Anderson said :
"The rank and file of a party have a
right to demand new leaders , in national
and civic aifairs. We can , base our de
mand on the fact that since 1898-4 , when
Grover Cleveland was deserted by his
friends , we have simply been led from
one defeat to another. We have
to demand new leaders leaders who
can announce a victory instead of de
feat. We have followed false prophets ,
and , Mr. Bryan in the nation , and Mr.
Croker in the city , having cried false'
wares , should now stand aside. " ,
The of democrat
impertinence a gold-bug
crat , prompting him to advise learned ,
experienced and successful statesmen of
the highest type , like Cryan and Broker ,
will astonish the average sixteen-to-ono-
ite throughout this western country.
The reference to Grover OleveltJd and
the fact that , twice since the civil war , he
lias led the democracy in 'triumph , will
be as gall and wormwood to that vast
multitude of conglomerates , who prefer
defeat with fallacies rather than victory
with principles. Mr. Anderson ought
to know , by this time , that the con
glomerated forces of socialism , popu
lism , communism , sixteen-to-one-
ism and Bryanarohy have deter
mine , to try to again force
their candidate upon a national conven
tion , and to again nominate him for the
presidency. Probably nothing that Mr.
Andersonor any other sensiblepractical ,
democratic citizen can suggest to the
contrary , will prevent the nominational
success , in a national conventionof that
Impulsive aggregation. Bryanarchy ,
like some other nostrums , must bo taken
until the patient "throws up , " and , it
seems , now , that the uneasy stomach effusion
fusion may perform , emetically , after
one more dose.
THE CITY ELECTION IN ST. LOUIS.
The St. Louis Republic , a rather inde
pendent democratic newspaper , says
that the late municipal election in that
city acquired national iniportance
through the work of outsiders , who in
terfered to defeat Eolla Wells , the dem
ocratic candidate for mayor. Without
the interference of prominent politicians
from other states , the election would
have been a matter of mere local inter
est as the result affected city policies.
In fact , while the democrats and re
publicans had party candidates in the
field , and there was an independent
ticket , seeking votes , there was a gen
eral desire that extreme partisian feel
ing should not be aroused. The entire
population was anxious that nothing
should occur in the campaign which
would cloud the prospects of the Louis
iana purchase fair , which means so
much to St. Louis in 1908.
The Republic describes the mischie
vous interposition of W. J. Bryan and
ex-Governor Altgeld in the campaign
and says that their meddlesomeness was
angrily resented by democrats and
voters of all classes. It remarks"The
meddling outsiders who unwarrantably
interfered for the purpose of defeating
Mr. Wells have themselves to thank for
their present chagrin and humilation.
They insisted upon a St. Louis decision
between themselves and Mr. Wells.
They have received the verdict upon
which they insisted. " Chicago Chroni
cle , April 12.
A PREDICTION.
The future of Chicago was thus fore
casted , in 1828 , by Major Lang's scien
tific exploring , party , as recorded by
William H. Keating , A. M. & O. , geolo
gist and historiographer to the expedi
tion :
"The village presents no cheering
prospect , as , notwithstanding its
antiquity , it consists of but few huts ,
inhabited by a miserable race of men ,
scarcely equal to the Indians , from
whom they are descended. Their log or
bark houses are low , filthy and disgust
ing , displaying not the least trace of
comfort. Chicago is , perhaps , one of
the oldest settlements in the Indian
country ; ji fort is said to have formerly
existed there. The number of tribes ,
centering all at this spot , and their ap
parent antiquity , indicate that this was
probably , for a long while , the site of a
large Indian village. As a place of
business , it offers no inducement to the
settler ; for the whole annual amount
of the trade on the lake , did not exceed
the cargo of five or six schooners , even
at the time when the garrison ( of Fort
Dearborn ) received its supplies from
Mackinaw. It is not impossible , that ,
at some distant day , when the banks of
the Illinois shall have boon covered with
a dense population , and when the low
prairies , which extend between that
river and Fort Wayne , ( Indiana ) shall
have acquired a population , proportionate
tionate to the produce which they can
yield , that Chicago may become one of
the points in the direct line of com
munication between the northern lakes
and the Mississippi ; but even the inter
course , which will be carried on
through this communication , will , we
think , at all times , be a limited one ; the
dangers , attending the navigation of the
lakes , and the scarcity of harbors along
the shore , must ever provo a serious
obstacle to the increase of the commer
cial importance of Chicago. The extent
of the sand banks , which are formed on
the eastern and southern shore , by the
prevailing north , and northwesterly
winds , will , likewise , prevent any im
portant works from being undertaken
to improve the post of Chicago. "
MR. BRYAN AND MAYOR WELLS.
[ To the Editor of The Chicago Chronicle. ]
CINCINNATI , O. , April 18. I see Mr.
Bryan has declared , in the Commoner ,
that the election of Rolla Wells , as
mayor of St. Louis , is a national cala
mity to the democratic party , and
alleges a conspiracy to "republicanize
the party , " to which the election of
Wells is the first step.
Now , what grounds has he for making
such a charge ? A short time since he
asked Grover Cleveland openly to de
fine what he meant by "a return to
democratic first principles , " and , in
fact , offered a prize for such definition.
I ask that Mr. Bryan drop his generali
ties in alleging conspiracy and treachery ,
on the part of certain consistent demo
crats , who have the interest of the
party as much to heart as himself , and
give specifications and proof of what he
claims.
Such unwarranted statements and
allegations may be expected from
Altgeld , but I am chagrined and disap
pointed to see Bryan stoop to such tac
tics , for he is thereby losing the respect
of a large following , who have always
stood by him , but who desire the suc
cess of the party and its principles ,
rather than that of any man or set of
men.
men.No
No one has been more loyal to Mr.
Bryan , in the last five years , than the
undersigned ; in fact , he was my favor
ite for the nomination in 1890 , oven before - '
fore the convention met , but , if his
leadership , or even his active participation - -
tion in the affairs of the party , is to
again bring it down to defeat , as such a
course as he is pursuing surely will-
for one , shall decline longer to give him
my support. L. 0. NOTLEY. . ,
