Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA DAILY BEE , FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 12 , 1886.
JTHE DAILY BEE.
OMAHA OmrKXo. l4 ASD 010 FAII.VA.M sr
NEW YOIIK drricr , IIOOM C5TninUNK HOH.DINO
OrtlUK , NO. 513 KOUIITEENTH ST ,
Pnbll liPil every mornlnir , except Siindny. Tlio
only Monday morning imper pulillsliod 111 the
etntc.
TEIIMB nr MAIM
OnoYenr. . . . $ in.OOThroo , Months . ? 2.r/ )
Flx > lontli . P.OU Quo Month . l.W
THE WEEKLY HEP , PtiMMioil Kvcry Wwlnusrtnjr.
TFI1JI" . POSTPAlt ) !
Ono Ycnr ( wltli premium . . . $2.f > 0
OnoYenr , without piftnlum , . . . . . . . . . . l.t >
PltMnntlift , without i > rciiiiim ! , . . . . . 75
Olio Montll , on trlnl. . . 10
All comtmmlcntlorn rclntlntf to ntws nml fill-
torinl mnltrrfl frlmuld bo addressed totliuUiu-
' /OK OFm : HKK.
IWCIJiESS T.CTTF.nS !
All luiilnrs * letters nml rcmlttmicci should l > o
iiudioficd to TUB HKK I'unMfiiiiMi COMPANY ,
OMAHA. Drnflc , cliocki nml po tnfllro onlnra
to be inndo pnj nblo to the order of the compnny.
m BEE PUBLISHIIlfcIPW , PBflPBIEIOflS ,
C , I103KWATKH.
" \ViiAT \ No . "
, novcr ? , novor.
Stu JosErii GKOIIHI : L. MII.MK : Is still
out of politics , but business with the interior -
torior department will keep him in
Washington for several days to come.
"Tin : records cannot bo destroyed , "
says the Herald. Kvidontly not , us the
HUB'S cditorml correspondence from
Washington published to-day prove ? .
PADDY llrAN has i. iied another dial-
leniro to John L. Sullivan. As soon as
John sobers off sufficiently 1'athly wil
have to put up his hands or shut tip.
WITH-10 per caul of the skilled work-
ingnieu of London out of employment ,
Mr. Chamberlain hag a heavy problem to
solve as head of the homo department.
A sonscuiiTioN paper , limit $ . " > , is to bo
Started in Boston for the Irish parlia
mentary fund. The Irish-American con
tributions in Now York now amount to
$50,000 and Tammany will turn in some
$15,000 more.
Tun orange crop is a failure , the pcacli
crop is.rtiincd , the ice crop on the Hud
son is none too good , and now to cap the
climax comes the report that the banana
crop will bo short this year. This will bo
cheering news to pedestrians.
AcconuiNG to the packing-house- -
tide , J. 15. House , while a "practical stir-
V03'or , " is incompetent to fill the sur
veyor general's olllco. What was needed
there , according to the Miller-Boyd pat
ronage-peddling outfit , was a practical
politician. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ,
GENEIIAL ScncmiiD : says ho prefers to
remain on duty in Chicago. Wo violate
o conlid.en.cn in saying that General
Howard would prefer a. station at San
Francisco or Now York to his present
ono in Omaha , and he is likely to bo
accommodated.
Mn. BOVD is a very ready letter writer.
His conlidontial letter to J. B. J. Ryan
'Jros ' Yoryintorcstingreadm < j , but his loiter
to the honorable Mr. Crites of I'lnlts-
mouth will bo nn oye-oponer to the packinghouse
ing-house brigade. Why didn't Crites
burn that letter ?
ACCOHDINU to Dr. Miller's bosom friend
Crites , J. E. House is apolitical uontenli-
ty entirely unlit for a federal oilieo , but
Pritchctt is a power in the land. In fact
lie is the only democrat in Nebraska who
is fitted by education to ( ill the position of
United States district attorney.
GKN. HANCOCK'S death leaves his fam
ily practically destitute. His position as
the senior m jor"goncral and the leading
democrat in the army made heavy de
mands upon his limited resources. A
bill will doubtless bo introduced in con
gress to grant Mrs. Hancock a pension.
It should pass.
"My DKAK Mit. LAMAIC 1 wish to say
to you personally that I have known Mr.
J. E. House all his active life , and while
lie is a good practical surveyor I do not
bcliovo that ho has the ability to conduct
the oflieo of surveyor general GEOKOK
L. MIUIH. : " Mr. House will feel highly
ilalored by such a compliment.
TIIE Boston Jlcacon , a religious journal ,
comes forward with the comforting as
surance that the expression , "a hell of a
time , " is not profane. The word "hell , "
it explains , is a survival of the old Ger-
.man word , which meant 1 , ringing ,
loud , noisy ; 3 , visible , evident , manifest.
This settles the matter. Our ministerial
friends will now bo at liberty to use the
expression to their heart's content with
out doing violence to their consciences.
This applies with equal force to the city
council.
THE judiciary committee of the house
of representatives which has under con
sideration the KUmunds Utah bill , pro
poses to add an iron-clad anti-Mormon
nmmulmont in the shape of n prescrip
tion oath which no Mormon could
honestly take , and without which ho
could not vote. The oath denounces as
pernicious any dictation of the Mormon
church , and pledges the voter not to act
or "bo In concert with any political party
1 noting or which may hereafter act to
carry out the political weal of the church
or of any Mormon political party. " This
is a premium on perjury. The Kdinunds
bill is Htringtml enough as it stands. The
Vjoposcd amendment will add nothing to
itU ofllclouoy.
Now that the ox-position building is
nearly completed wo would suggest to
the rolijiious people of Omaha that it
would bo a good thing to secure the ser
vices of Sam Jones and Sam Small to
hold a good old-fashioned revival hero.
Iu St. Joe the pcoplo raised $5,000 to purchase -
chase ii circus tent and pay the other ex
penses of the tiam Jones meetings. The
business men of every description sub
scribed liberally asthey know that the
revival would bring to St. Joe many
thousands of people who , while drawing
religious inspiration from the lips
' of Sam Jones , would spend
jrroat deal of money in
( shopping and board bills. Looking at the
saattor from a business view , the bring
ing of Sam Jonas to Omaha for a two
week's campaign against sin and sinners
would prove a profitable investment , and
at the same time a great deal of good
would be accomplished. Lot our religious
brethren consider the matter and at once
take steps to get Mr. Jotics here. 'Ho is a
big card , nndhaq dates for several months
ftheud.iu the large cities.
* r
Packinghouse Pinafore.
lf. Miller nuthorl/es a reltciatlon of the
statement that ho nercr recommended mi/- ] /
lindu for the sHirci/or-f/cHcnil's / office , thcte-
fore when Gardner ninkos a contradictory
statement lie simply lies.
Mr. Oli'w ? of Ilichardson county , and Mr.
llamsey of Cnss county , warm friends ot Dr.
Miller , were both candidates for the position
of sitrvejor-g-eneral , and ho declined to lend
his suppoit to either , to the detriment ot the
other , although solicited by telegraph by
Secretary Lamar to do so. llo now con
siders his lefusal to choose between them
tlio one mistake he 1ms umilo since a dem
ocratic administration was Inaugurated ; for
If ho had chosen tlu-ie would luuo been no
Gardner In the public sei vice.
# # * f
I > r. Miller will slnko his word against llfty
Gardners that no maiie\cr saw a letter
dinned by him recommcndiuc uti > body for
the survey or general ship and white Giuduer
ought to thank his luck tlmt such Is the case
ho ought also to icstraln his mendacity.
Itcrnld , Jumiaru Will. ,
I told Mr. WIse that I would do by Mr.
Itamsey what Iliad done by Mr. Clegg , and
did so in a letter to Secretary Lamar. At no
lime did 1 iccomnicml any man forstuvcyor-
geiieial , nor didJamosE. Bojd do II in my
name. 0. L. M.
Herald , Janimiii 'JOtli.
JAMES K. Bovu , Packer ,
Omaha , Maylltli , 188 , " ! .
To the Honorable Secretary of the
Interior , Washington. Mir : Mr. Basil M.
Ramsey , of PJattsmouth , is nn appli
cant lor the position of surveyor
general of Nebraska. Sometime ago wo
were asked in regard to the character and
ability of Mr. Rolil. Clegg , of Falls City ,
Nebraska , to which wo at once replied
byIre , stating that Mr. Clegg was a
man of most e\cellont character , etc.
Wo are now asked to endorse Mr.
Ramsey , which wo most gladly do. Ho
is a gentleman of the strictest honesty
and integrity , and there is no man in the
.state more competent or mote peculiarly
fitted to fill that position. With great re
spect , your obcdiotil servants.
JAMHS K. Bovi > ,
Member Nat'l Dem. Com.
Gnoitai : L. Mn.i.iu. :
This is what might hayo been called
Packing-house Pinafore :
"I never recommended anybody for
Iho surveyor general's ollice , " thundered
Admiral Miller , of Patrick's torpedo licet.
"What ! never I" did you sayJ
"No , never I Well , hardly ever. "
"No man ever saw a letter signed by"
Dr. Miller , "recommending anybody for
the surveyor generalship. "
But Mr. Lamar did receive such a loiter ,
and nt least four persons ivho know Dr.
Miller's handwriting read it and handled
it.
"Did you mean to say "novcrl" Sir
Admiral ? "No , never 1" or "Hardly over ? "
Wo shall not bo surprised if Packing
house Pinafore should become more pop
ular among Nebraska democrats than
progressive euchre over has been among
Omaha society circles.
The Commission Farce.
While Senator Cullom's bill for the
regulation of inter-stato commerce is re
ceiving cordial support from railway
managers and trunk line commissioners
nd arbitrators , Mr. Reagan's measure is
meeting with the usual opposition from
the agents of the monopolies. The rea
son is not difficult to find. Mr. Reagan's
bill , if put into active operation , would
check the principal abuses in tlio man
agement of corporate monopolies under
which the pcoploi are suffering. It pro
hibits discrimination and extortion and
provides a legal remedy for violation of
the law. It aims well directed blows at
the evils of stock jobbing , excessive capi
talization auil railroad wrecking , whoso
cost in the end is taxed upon
the patrons of the transportation system
of the country , and it makes- the courts
the arbitni'H between the people and the
monopolies. Senator Cullom's bill on
the contrary proposes a commission to
celled statistics and make recommenda
tions to congress. Its solo and only
province will bo to compile facts , file
away annual passes and draw handsome
salaries. Such n body of ofliciuls would
bo equally powerless to harm the railroad
jobbers or to liolp the pcoplo.
This is not the solution of the problem
of railway regulation demanded by the
public. It solves only the perplexing
question which has been troubling the
railroad managers of how to shelve the
issue without arousing a slill greater an
tagonism throughout the country. Tt is
legalized inaction and nothing else. The
commission syslem wherever attempted
has proved a failure in redressing griev
ances. In Nebraska tlio railroad com
mission is Iho laughing stock of the stato.
They have junketed over three systems ,
inspected track and stations through tlio
bottom of champagne glasses and pub
lished several worthless reports , The
practical benefit in dollars and cents
which the people of the state have de
rived from Ihoir labors would not
pay a month's salary of one of
their secretaries. No ono knows
bolter than the average railroad manager
that the commission system is a more
subtonugo lor railway regulation , whoso
members arc more easily controlled than
an entire legislature , and whoso decisions ,
unlike those of n court , can bo obeyed or
ignored at will. This is the reason why
the Goulds and Sages and Gurrotts are
convinced that a national railway com
mission is a pressing necessity , in the
way of whoso 01 cation they will decline
to place n straw. The public cannot bo
hoodwinked bynnysuchnbchoino as that
of Mr , Cullom , They know enough to
know its real object and aim and whoso
interest its passage is intended to
advance , _
PKTITIONS tor paving materials are al
ready circulating among property own
ers In the now districts which tlio council
created and ordered paved at its last ses
sion. Under .the provisions of our law
the decisions rests absolutely in tlm own
ers of the abutting lots , There is no
chance of jobbery on the part of contrac
tors In forcing objectionable materials
upon these who have to bear the burden
of taxation. * The power of the council
and board of public works In the ques
tion is limited to making and approving
the contracts for such a pavement as may
bo decided upon by the lot owners.
Under these circumstances , it is
important thai the choice made
should bo a careful and n discriminat
ing ono , because it is linal.
The list of materials ofl'erod covers all
the classes of paving most in use in this
country and ou the continent. In audi
tion it comprises three classes of founda
tions uion which the pavements can bo
laid. The Bir. : urges upon the property
owners in the now paving districts to
choose Iho best pavement of ifs cla'ss ,
whatever the inateilal bo selected. If
jdurablo and a satisfactory one , Nex.t to
wood block bo selected , as seems provable
in some ot the districts , a great mistake
will bo made in chasing n plank instead
of n concrete base. That is the universal
experience of every city which has at
tempted to use wood as a paving mate
rial. London , which has the best wood
pavements in the world , makes her
choice of creosotcd blocks laid on a ce
ment foundation with the spaces between
the blocks hermetically sealed , Dand with
a long guarantee of maintenance. This
is an expensive pavement , but it is u
it is n. well laid block on concrete. Thn
other pavements offered have already
been tried in Omaha and arc familiar to
our people.
Those Prnndtilcnt Surveys.
The Jfcraltl , whose editor lias been
making a personal light for tlio abolition
of the surveyor-general's olllco at Plaits-
mouth , principally because the present
incumbent was nominated against the
dictation of the democratic faction which
ho heads , begs tlio question in discussing
the issue raised by Mr. Sparks' letter
which opposes tlio closing of the ollico.
Mr. Sparks declines to recommend the
abolition of the Nebraska surveyor-gener
alship because he is convinced that the
work of. the ofllco is not completed.
There are the best of reasons for believ
ing that many of the surveys must
bo repeated. Extensive frauds have
been discovered in tlio manner
in which surveying contracts
have boon performed. Largo tracls of
territory in the state are without town
ship and section corner stones. While
the books of the ofllcc show that all the
surveys in Nebraska have boon com
pleted , investigation , on the ground ,
proves that a largo portion of the work
pretended to have been done under Iho
contracts has never boon touched.
This is the issue Involved , and the solo
issue in which tlio public outside of the
contending factions in the democratic
party lias any interest It makes
no difference to the average settler
tlor whether Gardner or Smith or
Jon'os or Brown draws tlio salary
of surveyor general , or whether the ap
plication of the successful candidate was
endorsed by G. L. Miller or J. Sterling
Morton. But it does make a great dillor-
enco to real estate owners in the newly
settled portions of our state whether their
filings on paper represent the land actu
ally taken up. The government surveys
are the only basis upon which possession
and transfer can bo had. So long as
there is a reasonable doubt whether they
have been properly made , the closing ol
tlio surveyor general's oflice would bo
manifestly improper. That is the only
avenue through which resurvoysand cor
rections can come.
Every ono who has watched the course
of politics in this state for the past fifteen
years knows that the government surveys
in Nebraska have been made with scarce
ly a pretension of accuracy. From the
days of Boss Cunningham down to the
era of Dave Stcphcnson , surveying con-
Iracls have been honeycombed with
fraud. There is not a , county surveyor
in Iho portions of Ihe state surveyed dur-
ng this period , who does not know that
the work done was shamefully , inade
quate and grossly incorrect in many in
stances. Tlio charge has been made
again and again , bill as Iho means of
verifying it officially lay in the hands of
the surveyor-general , the public has
never been given a chance lo know Iho
full delails of Iho surveying conlract
iniquities.
The opportunity cnu now ba afforded.
The lirst attempt of the general land
ollico to verify a few of tlio surveys of
tlio old gang , by a careful re-survey of the
territory covered by the last contract ,
will show very promptly whether the
work of the Nebraska surveyor-general's
ollico is completed.
Tin : full report of Lieutenant Mans on
the killing of Captain Crawford confirms
in every particular the first suspicions
and the subsequent charge of wilful
murder. It shows thai llio Mexicans
know perfectly well whom they were
firing on and llial Iho attack was treach
erous and premeditated. When the first
shots wore fired Lieutenant Muus and
Captain Crawford both ran out waving
their handkerchiefs and calling that they
wore American ofiiccrs. The Mexicans
evidently understood them for they ceased
firing and replied that they had made n
mistake. All this time they were mov
ing toward tlio shelter of the hill
from which they again reopened
the attack , killing Captain Crawford and
then moved upon the camp. Being re
pulsed with the loss of a major and four
men , Ihoy asked for a Iruco and once
more pretended thai Ihoy had made a
mistake. Lieutenant Mans reports that
when ho went over to the parley ho
would have been seized himself if his
scouts had not begun to strip for fight ,
when ho was allowed to return to his
men. This is a straight story and calls
for a searching investigation on the part
of the government. The Mexican ban
ditti on the frontier who masquerade as
regular troops while bushwhacking on
both sides of tlio border are
more dangerous to lifo and property
than Goronimo's copper skinned cut
throats. Their murderous performances
are carefully concealed as a rule , and the
Indians often got tlio credit of the Greaser
outrages. In the present case the proof
scorns full and complete , and the military
murderers should gel their dosorls. Diplo
matic explanations are valuable in their
way , but they will fall to fill the bill in
the present instance.
Tun Omaha exposition building is rap
idly approaching completion , and will bo
formally onenedon the 18th with a grand
promenade concert under the auspices of
the exposition company. Wo hope our
oiti/ons will , by a liberal purchase of
tickets ; show Ihoir appreciation of tlio
public spirit of the men who have in
vested ? 50,000 in an enterprise which will
probably not pay any dividends for sev
eral years. They Itavo erected a beauti
ful and substantial building , 183 feet
wide and 201 feet long. It is lo bo used
for largo assemblies such as stale polit
ical conventions , state and intor-stato
gatherings of all kinds , mass meetings of
all kinds , sangorfosts , grand concerts ,
balls , etc. , and for the Omaha annual
exposition , It is just such n building as
Omaha needs , and will answer her de
mands for many years to como , We ven
ture to say that there is not a city of
209,000 , people thai can boast of such a
commodious building for public , assoni- ,
blies. With this largo hall Omaha Is now
In shape to handle national conventions.
That it willutlraqt to this oily rauny largo
conventions that would otherwise not
como hero there Is no question , and In
this way it will prove' great benefit.
PAitMAMr.XT stand ? adjourned until the
8th Inst. , when the question of furnish
ing relief lo English labo'rcrsill ' prob
ably take precedence over Irish legisla
tion. Rioting m London will furnish
both liberals and tories more material for
hard work than isolated outrages across
the channel about which Lord Salisbury's
party was preparing o raise parlia
mentary inquiry.
To llnnuoek In ( "Mcinormiu.
ItU an OH JJroMtr Officer.
Hoi ii of an honored name
Of old colonial fnme ,
To patriot hearts right dear ,
Without icjiioach or fear ;
Like Paladin of old ,
Our knight lies co'ld.
With recoid high and pure ,
With nothing to obscure ,
llo Illicit each place
With soldier grace.
And , swlftntdutj'scall ,
Gave heed to nil.
Calm on the battle field ,
Yet willing self to yield ,
When called to lend the van ,
Detraction failed to plan
Though worsted 111 the tight
To bring a fault to light.
Almost the nation's choice ,
With no complnlulug voice
lie met his first defeat ;
Yet with no base letreat
Losing a place unsought
To keep a Inmo iinbought.
From simple cadet gray
llo won his way
To slilue amid the stars :
Reached by the lea\es and bais
Through grades well won
And duty fahly done.
That dauntless hcait lies cold
The nation's Hag shall fold
Ills pulseless heart to-day ;
Yet o'er tlio senseless clay
Will mourning comuules weep ,
And dear his mcinoiy keep.
SOUTS.
A chailty bawl "Mister , gimme a nickel. "
A bu/zlng In your enr is not so bad when a
handsome gill docs tlio buzzing.
Money doesn't make Iho man ; and it Isn't
every man that makes tlio money cither ,
It Is curious how much faster a btieel-car
goes when you are running for it than it does
when you aie ilding on It.
Attoinoy General Garland Invaiiably
tiunsaioimd when ho hears nnjbody holler
"Hello I"
The wealth of our language Is shown by
tlio fact that "hang it up" and "chalk It
down" mean precisely the same thing.
Paper rails aio made in Russia , we hear.
That is nothing astonishing. Whole rail
ways aio made out of paper in this country.
There is said to bo a haunted schooner in
Fall River. What wlthj th6 bier and spiiit ,
there is all the malcilal tor a ghost in a
schooner.
" 1 can give you a cold bite. " said the wom
an. "Why not warm it lip , " asked the tramp.
"There ain't any wood 'sawed. " "That's so ?
Well , give it to mo cold. " '
Mr. Todlumter has written , a play in which
Mis. Langtry will appear in jlhe spilng. The
namoot the author , by .the way , will bo ic-
called to the audience every time a young
man goes out between tlio acts of the play.
1
Bound to Hiivc AVntor.
Hastinus QiizcUt-Jotirnal.
If the number of towns nnd cities In Ne
braska figuiing upon waterworks is any jn-
dlcatlon , the piohibitlonlsts certft'Kly ' "haVO
every reason t" be-tw.eotnagcd.
A Great Discovery.
Liulsi-illc. Courier-Journal.
Senator Kdmunds lljids that wheie forty
Bouatois will accept an Invitation to attend a
circus not more than one or two can be be-
peudedupou to go to a caucus.
A Needed Defense.
Chicago Mall.
A Boston minister has lately been com
pelled to make a defense of. cigars. The ci
gars we buy in Chicago ought to bo defended
by somebody. They ore probably causing
nine-tenths of all the sudden deaths we read
about.
A Defunct Craze.
St. P.iul 1'tonccr I'icts.
It seems to bo quite evident that the roller-
skatingcrazo Is defunct beyond tlio power of
resuscitation. * * * It was lacking in all
tlio uonulno popularity in a sport or a
pastime. Its collapse was duo to itslnheicnt
weakness. It never will bo missed except by
those unlucky people who find themselves
with links on their hands with which they
know not what to do.
A Wlwok nt Chicago.
St. Louis Olobc-Dcmocml.
Store rents are going up In Chlcago.aceoid-
Ing to the nowspapeis of that cltv. The average -
ago Chicago tenant Is supremely Indifferent
on the subject of icnts. lie believes with
certain extreme socialistic theorists tlmt
"rent is " and ho knows
robbery , by experi
ence that it Is cheaper to move than to pay
lent ; hence this motto : "Thousands for
fiunltuio caits , but not a cent for landlords. "
Senator Sawyer's Crest- .
Chlcaun Tribune.
A Now York conespondeul says that Sen
ator Sawyer of Wisconsin has decided to fol
low tlio com BO of ccitaln members of the cab
inet and adopt a ciest. The senator has boon
a lumberman , and the design lie has in mind
consisls'ot "an embattled sawlog on an em
erald pine foicst , with a pair of engialled
bob-sleds on the dexter chevron. " II Is baic-
ly possible thai the senator fiom Wisconsin
Is making fun of the fools , llo does that
sometimes.
> . . .
Controlled by the Other lliillroad.
St. Louis HcphMKaii.
The majority of the New Jersey assembly
are lepubllcans , j-et they favt'9 denounced tlio
piopo.sal that tlio United States government
shall give the Bnltlmoioaud Ulilo lallioad
the light of way into Stalou Island as a violation
lation of state lights. 1'h.py demand the
verystiictcst construction of the constitu
tion In determining the pisea' > of the national
government over the navigable waterways of
the country. This IB fc'o funny tlmt it sug
gests the Idea that the legl&luUuo Is coutiolled
by the other railroad company.
Greatest Authority cfn Hartli. |
Chlcaao ttfUji
In a newspaper Interview down east re
cently , Dr , George L , Miller , the gifted and
urbane editor of the Omaha Herald , vouch
safed the Important and trustworthy Inlor-
mation that the nation , ) ! administration was
piovmg satisfactory to tlio Nebraska democ
racy and would do much toward making JSo
braska a democratic ) stata This assuiance
confirms the suspicion wo harbored when wo
heard last summer tlmt R. B. Hayes had pait-
cd with Ids liquor Interest In Omaha ; we
made up our minds then that that was the
lirst symptom of lepublicnu disintegration In
Nebraska ; w < felt gloomier still to hear , later
on , tlmt ono or the Koifor family bad cml-
grated from Ohio to NebiasKa ; that made us
feel certain th t the republican paity was a
gouer. It needed Or. Miller's assurance only
that the democrat le party wns about to cap
ture- Nebraska to convince us that the lepub
llcans had no reason to count Nebraska as.
thulrs In future. Dr. Miller is unquestiona
bly the most reliable polyglot authority now
On oarjh.
' ' " ' '
tnr'itTnr ' * itniTnt PPTITIT
SLAUGHTER HOUSr , SERIAL ,
In Which the Burning Brands of the Pack
ing House Are Plainly Visible ,
Choice Selection * Kroni Ilio Indorse-
mcnls of Miller , Uoyd nml Crltci
Treachery's Trnok Traced
In Itlnok Ink.
WASHIXOTON , Keb. 0. [ Kdltorlnl Cor
respondence. ] "If you had asked what I
have been doing since the 10th of Septem
ber , " exclaimed President Arthur , "I
would toll j on that my time has almost
entirely boon taken up by applications
from nrmy olllcer.s for promotion and
with Nebraska. "
"How is that , Mr. President , " said I ;
"what is the trouble with Nebraska ? "
"Trouble enough , " replied Mr. Arthur ,
"Nebraska is nil torn up with factional
fights and your delegation never agrees
on anjthitig. "
This was four years ago when Valentino
tine was at swords' points with Suuuders
and Van Wyck , and Nebraska was ig
nored in the distribution of federal pat
ronage.
The whirligig of time which landed
Grover Cleveland in the white house has
wrought a great revolution , but I imagine
if Mr. Cleveland were asked to-day what
he has been doing since lie
became president , his answer
would not differ materially
from that given by his predecessor MX
months after the dcatli of Garfiold. Ho
has been wrestling with applications for
promotion from army olllcers and both
ering with Nebraska. To be- sure it mat
ters very little now whether the republican
delegation from Nebraska is at logger
heads. Mr. Cleveland has not lost a min
ute's sleep on their account , but lie is
sorely perplexed and worried and vexed
by the belligerent bosses who come hereto
to represent the wants of the very hun
gry anil very thirsty democrats that be
long to the "packing house" and "slaugh
ter house" factions.
MIM.KII AND MOUTON
are attracting considerable attention just
now. Morton lias been hero for several
days , and Miller is expected within forty-
eight hours. Whatever the outcome of
the Irrepressible conllict between Dr.
Miller and J. Sterling Morton may be ,
is of little concern to 1110 personally
Their respective friends and followers
who read the BIK : more generally than
any other paper , or for that matter all
other papers , including Dr. Miller's own ,
are doubtless deeply interested. At this
stage of the controversy Morton has by
all odds the best of the fight. The
vindictive assaults of his ambitious adver
sary , who openly boasts his intention to
crush him , has naturally created
sympathy for him. Morton has warm
friends in the cabinet and in the depart
ments. He has refrained fiom pushing
the claims of his friends , but usually
manages to got in his work where it will
do the most good. "Governor" Morton ,
as ho is called bore , has a wide range of
acquaintance among congressmen , and
by his shrewd tactics wields greater
power than Dr. Miller with his paper.
WHAT AIM : "WE n CUE rou ?
Three days ramble among the dcpui't-
mcnls has been amusing Well : is in-
&cni { > tie. Outward appearances do not
betray the fact that the confederates
have captured the White House.
The starry banner of our country still
waves over the interior department
under Secretary Lamar as it waved ten
years ago when I called to pay my re
spects to Secretary Zach Chandler. The
ante-room of the cx-coufcderate secretary
is still guaided by the same black republi
can that formerly handed my cards to
Sclmrz.and Kirkwood. Even President
Cleveland , I am told , has retained the old
republican door-keeper who was first cm-
ployed by General Grant , and has ush
ered into the executive ollico all the call
ers upon Hayes , Garfield and Arthur. In
other respects outward appearances are
very deceptive. The postmaster general's '
room is still decorated with portraits of
his predecessors from Governor Donmson
down to Frank Hatton. General Grant
occupies a prominent place among the
military heroes that adorn the walls
of the oillco from which Secretary
Emlieott issues army orders. Emblems
of loyalty and patriotism greet mo on nil
sides and I should almost imagine that
the "Grand Old Barty" was still at the
helm if it were not for the tramp , tramp ,
tramp of veterans with unmistakcably
democratic countenances marching
through the marble tiled corridors from
early morning till the department doors
close. They are all ready to shout for
the flag and an appropriation. The
groups of congressmen whom I met in
the postollico and interior department
wore nearly all democratic and their
search for patronage appeared , If any
thing , more persistent than over was thai
of the republicans of Hie l-'lannagan
stamp
DIPLOMACY AND DUl'UCITV.
Among the most interesting and eurjous
documents now on deposit in the archives
of Uncle Sam are the loiters and dis
patches relating to that big bono of con
tention the surveyor-generalship of Ne
braska. For months Dr , Miller's mud
batteries have kept the democracy of Ne
braska in a perfect uproar. ( Shot , shell
and filth wore poured into the Movtonlnn
camp promiscuously and every demo
crat within range who docs "not triiiu
under the "Great Dictator" was moioi-
lessl.V flailed. The true inwardness of
this toiriblo "slaughter" has at last come
to light.
When DavoStevenson resigned the sur
veyor generalship , ho expected that his
friend Clegtr , who was a "Weaver demo
crat , " would bo appointed his successor.
Uoyd and Miller were advised but they
found themselves embarrassed by several
applicants. The most competent of thuso
wns J , K. House , but his location at
Omaha wain the way of their scheme to
make Pritchott United States district at-
tornny , So they resorted to a bit of
diplomacy , and worked the wires under
cover. Wldlo they were playing fast and
loose with Clogg anil Uamsoy , Gardner
carried oft' the plum. Miller became
furious. Ho protested , fumed and raged
to no purpose. Then ho changed front
and clamored for the abolition of the
ollleo.
In an interview that appeared in the
Br.i ; about three weeks ngo , Surveyor
General Gardner took occasion to say that
Dr. Miller's denial that ho over recom
mended anybody for surveyor general
was llatlv contradicted by Mr. Uojd. who
had read n cony of a letter to him ( Gard
ner ) in which both Uoyd and Miller
had recommended Clegg , anil another in
which Ramsey was recommended for the
same place , Or Miller at oneo made a
point blank denial which reiterated that
lie had never fccommjnded any body for
the surveyor general's olllco , and ho fur
ther declared . . .that no , man-eVw > aw a
letter signed by him recommending any'
body for this oliico.
Dr. Miller will have to recant. I have
not only seen his letter with my own
eyes , but at leasi three other persons
who can vouch for his handwriting have
examined and read it with inn. They
also will join mo in certifying to the cor
rectness of the following copy of a tele
gram :
Anrll 2) ) , m--IIon. 1. . Q. C. Ltunni :
Asked to state our opinion ol Itouci t ricRg ,
vo say , lutoiiilty uniitic tlnnud , good ability ,
sound democrat , niul excellent nmn.
JA.MKS K. UOM > .
Member Xatiounl Democratic Committee.
GKOIKII ; li. Mili.Kit.
On May llth , 1885 , the following letter
was addressed to Mr. Lamar :
Silt : Mr. Uasll M , Itnmscy , ot Plaits-
month , Is an applicant for the position oC-nir-
\ejorKeucialol Nebraska. Somotlmo ngo
\\e wi'io asked In legaid to the elmineier and
ability or Mr. llobt. t'lemr , ol 1'nlls nty , Xe-
braikiti to which woittoni'o lopltcd by who ,
stntlmr that Mr. 1'leeg wns a limn of most ex
cellent clmtapter , etc.Ve \ arc now asked to
t'lidorco Mr. Itam ey , wldch wo most gladly
do. lit ) is a gentleman oC the stilctest hon
esty and Intent Ity , and Ilium Is mi man mow
competent or iiioiepcciilhulv titled to llll Iho
position.Yllh \ gioat U'sjtoct , > iu obi'dlciit
tenants , JAMI : * K. UOM > ,
Member Nnl'l Dem. Com.
DroiKir L. Mnuit. :
In order to innko sure that no mistake
bo made that would smash the packing
house slate , Dr. Miller addressed : i hitter
to Secretary Lamar on May ! 20th , 1885 ,
which concludes as follows :
" 1 wish to say to yiiti peisoually that thave
known Mr. ,1. 1C. House till his aetho life ,
and while ho Is a cooil mactlcal surveyor , 1
ao not believe that bo has the ability to con
duct the ollicc ot \cyor-cunernl. .
Cr.o. \ , . Miu.r.u. "
_ Having stabbed House between the
ribs the doctor linishes him through his
friend Crilcs of Platlsmouth , who writes n
long letter imlogi/.ing his brother-in-law
liamsey. The following extract is all I
need to quote :
"A ecilaln clique of dumoeiMs who aio
bent ou thn o\cithrow ot Into and tiled dem
ocrats of this state like Dr. ( Jennie L. Mlllurol
the Herald , and lion..lames K. Uoyd , national
committeeiimn. who lias lauoied lone and
fiiltlilully lor the piospenty and strength of
Ids paity , nioafthcly piomotlnn the Inlei-
e tsol J. K. House , a political nonentity In
this state , foimeily eldet engineer ol the
Missouri Paclllci.iilioad. "
After flinging a volley of dirt at what
Crites is pleased to call these "malcon
tents" ho winds up as follows :
"Mr. Piitchett Is tlm choice of nine-tenths
of the active deinnciatsot' the state for ilis-
tilet attorney. N'onuof the other aspirants
are leally.suited for the place by education ,
chaiacter or experience.
This letter is dated May 10 , one day
ahead of Dr. Miller's left-handed cndor.so-
mun of J. E. House.
I am afraid I havf > placed the cart be
fore the horse this time. In order to got
a clear insight into the packing liotiso
method of slaughtering , I must reproduce
another loiter , which explains how Bob
Clegg was neatly done up :
OMAHA. Neb. , Miuch 23,183 , > . Hon. A.V. .
Crites , Plattsmouth. Neb. My Dear Sir : I
am in receipt of chctilar lennestlng my en
dorsement and iecommcnd.\tlnu of Air.
Basil W. Itamsey for sin\eyor gen-
cial. I wish to avoid any unseemly
haste In such innUcis , knowing
lull well that anything I may do will bo sub
jected to the snverest ciiticlsiiii. There is
another applicant for tlio place , but 1 con
sider that Cass county is entitled to it. 1
want j ( m to know that 1 am with you. If
j on send in the application , icfor the secre
tary ot the Inteiior to me as a member ot the
national democratic committee , ami I will
say all the good woids for Mr. Uaniboy that
you deslio me to say. With kind towards
and best wishes , 1 am , your obedient ser
vant , JAJIIS : JC. Uovi ) .
Why didn't ' Mr. Crites burn this letter ?
This is a most distressing case of du
plicity , and if it was not my habit to pick
up stray letters this mystery about the
surveyor generalship might never have
been cleared up. E. UosnwATr.u ,
STATE AXP "rSlmiTOnY.
Nebraska Jotting.
D. P. Rolf has been clcc'icd president
of the Nebraska City board of trade.
The Cedar County Agricultural societv
has a balance of $31,78 to start next fall's
fair.
Pawnee business men have made up a
purse of $1.000 to secure the location of
a foundry there.
Two new towns will soon bo located in
the southern part of Fillmore county , to
bo known by the name of Media and
Ohiowa.
A high toned and short haired Celestial
from Omaha swooped down on a brother
Mongol in Fremont the other day and
done him up for § 20.
Residents of Plum Creek talk of or
ganizing a grand hunt for the purpose of
exterminating the coyotes that are nrowl-
ing about that neighborhood.
Mrs. Mariiuhi Jennis , of Nebraska City ,
a poor despondent woman left by a heart
less husband to provide /or horeclf and
three children , attempted suicide for the
second time hist Tuesday. The prompt
arrival of a doctor , however , saved her
life.
life.The
The Stromsburg Republican comes out
this week with a double edition devoted
to the growth aifd prosperity of the town
and Polk county. The churches ami
schools and prominent business men are
pictorially represented , while the statis
tical and historical review prove the
steady advancement of the community.
The enterprise of the publishers 'is
commendable.
Last Saturday Anton Betan old resi
dent of Cedar county , living a couple of
miles south of St. Helena , was the vic
tim of a runaway accident M'liicli will
probably prove fatal. His team got the
advantage of him , and while they wore
running Mr. lletz was thrown between
the forward wheel and the wagon. His
head and face were badly lacerated , and
concussion of the brain ib the dangerous
result of the allair.
An Omaha drummer afllletcd with u
desire to exhibit his shape at night ,
crawled out of his bed in n Hastings
hotel , strode through the streets in his
stocking feet and mounted the derrick ,
eighty leet high , which surround * the
now water tower. Iloro his flowing
robes fluttered in the breoxo like a cold
wave signal , while the mercury hugged
Iho bottom ot the bulb , and failing to re-
cch o the upphmsu of the silent multitude
ho imagined surrounded his lofty peroh ,
ho descended and Juiulcd in Iho. arms of
a vigilant policeman. Ho was promptly
thawed out and snake root applied to his
troubled soles
The committee of the Plattsmoulh
board of trade having charge of the
scheme , has ropoitcd in favor of organ
izing a fctook company to build a county
court house. It is proposed to issue
stock to the amount of § ? < > ,0)0 ( ) in shares
of j''iO eaeh , the purpose being to erect a
throe-story briok structure somewhere
in the busmc.ss part of town , the lower
story to bo used for business purposes
for the bcnulit of the stockholders , the
two upper stories to bo donated free to
the USD of the county forolllcesand court
room as long as the county scat remains
in Plattsmouth. The proposition mot the
approval of the hoard and the president
was instructed to call a special meeting
on Thursday evening , February 18 , to
consider the matter.
Iowa ItciiiH.
Davenport is irrigated with -'IS licensed
saloons.
Manchester is moving for a railroad
connection with Davenport ,
Seventeen candidates for mayor are
announced in Missouri Valley.
Cholera knocked thirty-four hogs in
Ken Simpson's pens at Brayton , ono day
lubt week.
Kcokuk boasts of170 widows and 108
widowers. Green grass is puronuial in
that neighborhood ,
Miss Josephine llaoppuor of Hamburg
had both legs brokn.ii just above the .
ankle's while coasting last week , .
Dave DoLong has sued the editor of ( ho
Farragut Sentinel for $0,000 damn/res for
slander and alienating the affections of
his \vife.
The Har assoehillon of Delaware coun
ty , in session nt Manchester on Saturday ,
pa sod a resolution favoring the abolish
ment of circuit courts and substituting
county courts.
The census just taken Rives the popu
lation of the towns of Harrison county as
follows ! Dunlup , l-108j Logan , 787 ; Lit
tle Sioux , -121 ; Missouri Vnlloy , 8,1505 ;
Mondainin , 218 : Module , 871.
Hon. Augustus Anderson , representa
tive from Hamilton county , has Intro
duced a bill in the legisluluro to provide
for a monument to the memory of these
massacred at Spirit Lake in March , 1P37.
On Sunday at Linn , four miles north of
Cedar Uaplds , while trying * to board a
moving Until , n nmn foil uiidorneath the
wheels and was horribly mangled , From
letters found In hi * coat noekot it Is sup
posed that the man was Will McKinney ,
the son of a well-to-do farmer at Hits-
tow.
DaUoln.
There are seventeen saloons in Sioux
Falls.
South Dakota has thirty-three presi
dential postollleos.
A stock company has been formed to
build u largo hotel at Dcadwood.
Itoborl Crow , formerly of the Deadwood -
wood Times , has purchased the Buffalo
dap Advance and will publish it as a
daily paper.
Doadwood's business men have formed
a board ot trade mining company. The
principal object will bo to develop cer
tain properties at the carbonate camp.
Tlio artesian well al Forl liaudall
spouts 1-lOD gallons of water per minute ,
with a force which lifts u solid column of
water six feel above the moulh of the
pipe. This is the most powerful well in
Dakota and it is only ( HO foot deep.
How the VuWIe Domain HUH Itocu
KvliauRtotl.
Chicago Titlmne.
It was .shown in these columns a few
days ago that twenty-nine alien landlords
had possessed themselves of 22,000,000
acres of the public hinds in Texas. Wis
consin , Colorado , Florida , and Dakota
territory. It was then claimed that
aliens hold at least 1)0,000.000 ) , acres of
land throughout the United States. This
was an underestimate. The figures are
nearer 00,000,000. Hut though tlio alien
landlords have been rapacious enough ,
they cannot compare with some of Uio
homo corporations , syndicates , and mo
nopolists. The outllo bin oils of the west
have seized millions of acres of the pub
lic domain in Nebraska , Wyoming , and
Colorada on one pretext or another. Wo
have seen how they tried last summer
to appropriate to themselves a portion of
the Indian territory. Land companies of
various kinds , through agents pretending
to act under tlio homestead and timber-
culture laws , have obtained a largo ex
tent of territory in the states auiitorri-
torius already mentioned and in Dakota
and Minnesota. Hut by far the greediest ,
the most rapacious , plunderers have
been the railro.ul corporations. They are
now in possession of three times tlio
quantity of arable land left for settle
ment owned by the United Stales.
Since the lirst land grant was made to
the Illinois Central in 1850 the railroad
corporations have gone on appropriating
big slices of Uncle Sam's farm through
tlio aid of congress. In most eases Ihoso
corporations have never fullilled the ob
ligations which they assumed in return
for the hind grants , and they are now in
possession ot tons of millions of acres
which ought ncrain to become the " "ty.i-
erty _ of tilt ) Vl0u. l"
(
1'nis land grant business , when it was
first begun , look Uio form of grants lethe
the slates in aid of railroads proposed lo
bo constructed through tlio states. In
this way Louisiana , Florida , Alabama
Mississippi disposed of 12,000,000 acres
and Illinois 2,11(10,000. ( The latter was the
grant to the Illinois Central. The aggre
gate given to the railroads through the
states was i0l,000 ! , ( ) ( ) ( , acres. These rail
roads got directly from the nation 188- ,
000,000 acres , making 172,000,000 acres in
all. The direct crrants according to the
records are :
Acres.
Union Pacollc 12,000,000
Contial lir.incli Union Pacific. . . . lar.OOO
Union Piicilic ( as successor to
Denver I'.iciiic ) 1,000,000
Kansas Pacific 0,000,000
Cential Piieilie b.000,000
Contial Pacific fas successor to
Westci u Pacific ) 1,100,000
Ccnli.il Pacific ( Oiegon JJiunch ) . . a.ooo.OOO
Ihulinston < fe Misseuil 2,411,000
Sioux Oltv it Pacific 00,000
Noitheru Paellie 47,000,000
Oiojron & California : i,5WOJO !
Atlantic it Pacific 4')00 , ( ) , < )00 )
SoutheinPiicIllc 'J,5 > 0,000
Total ii5.W,000 :
Tlio railroads have in many instances
disposed of largo ureas of the territory
thus acquired , but they are yet in pos
session of more than 100,000,000 acres ,
The Noithorn and Southern Pacilio ronus
have not been able to dispose of their
territory readily because ot tlio "cloud
on their title" duo to their failure to
carry out their contracts with the gov
ernment concerning these hinds. Hut
tlio territory 1ms passed out of tlm pos
session of the .United States. It is not
open for settlonu.nl. ll may bo by the
time the 51,000,000 acres of arable land
remaining are exhausted. This depends
very largely on the action of congress
ami the activity of tlie administration.
Tlio Itomnnco of a Coal Htnvo.
Dotroll Free Press : One day lasl fall ,
after talking until his throal was sore , a
Detroit steve dealer Mieoeedod in soiling
u widow a coul steve , but it was with the
proviso that , if everything didn't ' work
satisfactorily he was ; lo make it. Two
days iiftor delivering the stove he got his
first call , A boy entered the store and
said :
"Mrs. wants vou lo como up and
fix thai stovo. The house is full of
smoko. "
A man was eent up and ho found the
trouble lo bo witli tliu chimney. Only
three or four days had passed when the
boy came in o.fj.im and auldi
"That steve is pulling ami blowing an
scaring tno widow to death. Shu wants
the same man to comu up again. "
Ho was gent , and it wutuliscovaicd that
she didn't know how to arrange the dum
pers or drafts. Everything scorned to run
well lor a week , and then the boy walked
in to announce :
"She soul mo down to have you send
tiat ! man up again. The house is lull of
coal gas , "
The man wont up and applied the rem
edy , but iiuido of three dujs thustovogol
to pulling ; two day.- , after tlmt tint lire
wouldn't dr.iw ; then it drew too much ;
then gas escaped tigaln. At length the
dealer wont to the houno and said :
"Madam , jou gave me % 'JU for the
Move- , how much will you taKu for HV"
" 1 wouldn't sell it. "
"Jlut 1 can't bo sanding my man up
hero every two or three days all winter. "
"Vou won't have to , I've ' concluded
th marry him In order to have some ono
hero in case of accident , "
And three iluy < j they wore quietly and
happily man led ,
The 1'orfcM'I Man.
J'ltMiHiU ClirunMc-Tileuiaiih ,
'Well. Jlr. Tuliimgo Is ecitalnly wrong lor
once , " wid Mis , HII.IJJS * , look I UK up fiom
leading that gentleman's last 'iund.iy'.s BCI-
inon. "llrw so , my deai ? " iisled hei hus
band. "Why , ho bays thuio m unopened
men. " "And jou thlnl ; you lound 0110
when you married mo , 1 suppose , " beamed
Mr. tSiiiiutfH. "Indeed 1 don t , was the quick
i ply i "but I Know them was n jierlwt nmn
unto , and lih mime w.is.M-uk. " "iliuk , " 10.-
pealed Mr. , smvvs In astonishment. , YDS
.Mark , tor the ftlulo distinctly apaak * op. "
'il.uk tlio p'oifect man. " , ' . >