THE OMAHA DAILY BEE , TUESDAY , MARCH 2. 1886.
THE DAILY BEE.
. 014
NEW YoiiKOrriCK.Koov K > , TninasB Iluit.DiNtl
W-ABIIINOTOX Orncu , No. M3 FoutiTKr.NTii ST.
rtiMlfthftl ovMTtnornliircTcoptSnndiir. ( Tlio
only Monday mornlns jmpor published In tbo
Kioto.
TF.HMS nr MAtr , :
Ono Year . JlO.nOIThreo Months . ? 2.KO
6lx Months. . . E-COJOiio Month . 1.00
TIIK WEEKLY flrr , 1'uMIshod Every Wcdnusciny.
TT-IIMfl. roSirAlDi
One Tour , with premium . . . . . . . . $2.00
One Ycnr , without premium . . . . 1.15
Bit Months , without premium . , . 7 ! >
One Month , on trial . 10
connnsroNnENCEt
All eomrminlcntloni rclntlnir to news nml HI-
torlnlmnttrrn Miould bo addressed totholiui-
ion orm : lice.
BUSINESS MOTEIIS !
All ImMnrsfl lottcru ntul rcmlttnncos fihouM ho
undressed to TUB Ilr.K I'mit.tiMiimi COMPANY- ,
OMAHA. Drafts , cliuckg unit | x > slonico orders
to bo made jmynblo to the order or tlio company ,
m BIE POBLISHIlfcOMPnll , PROPRIETORS ,
B. ItOSEWATKIt. EntTon.
TIIK Hlnlr educational bill will proba
bly be laid up to dry until next sonson.
CoKonnss uses tip $2,000 wortb soap
nnnttnlly , ami yet some of the congress
men are not clean-handed.
CONQIIESS Is still grinding away , but tlio
grist tip to date amounts to three bills
which liavc passed both houses.
SENATOR JONIS : is neglecting bis Flor
ida orange groves and is devoting his
entire attention to Michigan Palms.
If BISMAHCK seizes tlio Sandwich Isl
ands there may bo a demand for the
American hog to make sandwiches there.
THE number of immigrants from Eu
rope to lliis county last year was the
smallest of any year since 1870. The
total was ! )10M9 ) , , of whom 97,013 came
from Germany , 83,277 , from Ireland and
83,057 , from England ,
"WHAT are the democracy getting In
Washington , " screams an excited con
temporary. From the present outlook of
a deadlock between the president and
senate it appears as if the democracy was
principally getting loft.
REPUHUOAN postmasters in Nebraska
smile cheerfully over the Kilkenny cat
'light between the rival wings of tlio
Nebraska democracy , but they continue
to draw their salaries with unvarying
regularity while the circus is going on.
PROMINENT citizens of Omaha have
petitioned congress to abolish the prcsi-
tlqncy. Had they asked that congress
should demolish the president the petition
would have been several miles long mid
tho8ir-"rTvom ( ! comprise two-thirds of
the democratic party.
CRIME has its epidemics like every
thing olso. During Saturday and Sunday
St. Paul , Cleveland and Philadelphia
furnished somewhat similar sensations.
In each of these cities a man killed his
wife and then committed suicide a very
proper ending , as It saved the expenses
of a murder trial in each caso.
Tun sooner the perplexing question of
- graded is definitely settled in Omaha the
better it will bo for nil concerned , and
specially for the property owners whoso
lots abut on the streets whore the cuts are
the greatest. The nearer lovcl the grade
the more advantageous the strecr as an
artery for trade and an avomto for traflio.
HOSCOE CONKUNQ'S friends have taken
the Held openly In favor , o ! his candidacy
for the U. 8. senate. Conkling's tin-
hounded ambition cannot bo curbeit. He
has maclo n. small fortune in the law busi
ness , and Is now In a position to enter
the liold as a very formidable candidate.
The contest promises to bo very exciting ,
and will by no means bo fought out on
the old line of stalwarts and half-breeds.
OMAHA made a big stride towards the
front last wcok in bank clearances. Her
bank clearings for the week amounted tc
18,800,000 , placing her fourteenth in the
list of the thirty-one clearing house cities ,
outranking Milwaukee , Detroit , Denver ,
Minneapolis , Cleveland nnd Memphis ,
Ittmsas City only beat Omaha by $800-
000 , while Louisyillo only exceeded our.
clearances by $150,710. , In the increase
over the corresponding wcok of last year
Omuha loads all other cities , lior percent-
jlgo of increase Doing 8-t and 3-10ths pei
Cent. This excellent showing causes the
Kansas City Times lo say that * ' 0malm is
showing a phenomenal burnt of speed. "
Well , wo should smile.
THE theorists who are bawling sc
loudly that the state will lese money ii
the convict labor system is abolished
argue on the basis that the punishment ol
I' , ] crime should bo made a source of Income
to society. If convict labor could be
made productive ami at the same time
not competitive with honest industry
there would bo no room for ftirthci
discussion. Other things bolng equal II
Is admitted that It would bo better for tht
prisoners and better for the state if tho.i
3 could bo steadily employed In lines ol
labor which would at once give
them n healthful activity am
bear the cost of their isolatior
from society nt largo. Taxpayer.1
wonld bo relieved from a portion of the
burden which the administration of the
itato lays upon thuir shoulders. Ihit con
rict labor is wrong in principle am
harmful in practice because it punishci
honest industry by stimulating the worl
ot criminals. Prison contracts can onlj
bo taken by wealthy linns or by in
diviUuuls with largo capital. When tradi
fa dull or the .market o\orstookcd tlx
prison factory must continue its opera
tion just the same as if the demand foi
goods wore at its height. Stock r.uis
bo carried over and the worl
must go on. For the rcasoi
thut it takes capital to carry largo sup
plies on a weak market , the prison con
tracts are lot to largo capitalists at low
figures , and the prolits In the end are cor
rssnondlngly largo. Honest labor llndi
itself underbid in the markets by tin
owners of convict labor. Prices are demoralized
moralized , wages fall , lockouts and sus
pensions are the natural result. It 1 :
wrong in theory that the Btato shouh
profit by the work of criminals at the ex
panse of law abiding citizens. The ox
iwriouco of the past live years has showi
tbat the results of the leasing of convic
Jabor has been to throw now eompllca
fceus into the operation of the laboi
Market and to crcat profitable monopolies
tor heavy capitalists.
A Car of Corn.
C07.AH , Neb. , Feb. 20,1830. [ Editor of the
BnE.J Ilcro with plcixso find Invoice show
ing freight paid for ti car of corn shipped
froinjicro to Denver , Colorado. Wo nsk you
to take notice that our freight rate is almost
double what the car of corn brought us In.
It Is pictty tough for a farmer to work a year
to raise a corn crop which sells for 14 cents
n bushel net In tlio mntkct after paying 23
cents n bushel freight for hauling It a dis
tance of 803 miles. Yours truly , W.
The invoice which accompanies this let
ter from our correspondent shows that
on February 17 his car of corn , consist
ing of 83G09 pounds , was sold in Denver
for $271.77 , or at 83 cents a hundred. The
freight on the consignment was $109.24 ,
and commission $0.87 , which , deducted
from the gross amount of the sale , loft
$08.05 as the not result of the transac
tion.
tion.This
This is a beautiful commentary on the
equitable rates which the bogus rail
road commissioners assure the people
of Nebraska they nro now enjoy
ing under their fostering caro.
What wonder is it that tlio producers of
this stale complain bitterly of corporate
extortion when the cost of transporting
their grain to market is double what they
obtain as the result of their toll. Is it
surprising that demands for legislative
restriction of the monopolies comus from
every section of the state when more
than half of the value of Nebraska's
heaviest product can bo deducted by Its
carriers to market as toll for bringing it
into the hands of the consumer ? The
special case under consideration is prob
ably nn aggravated one. The section is in
the western part of the state and
rates are against the market In which lie
sold his corn. Hut what right have the
railroad companies by corrupt collusion
with elevator rings and combinations of
grain buyers to bar out shippers from the
nearest markets by tariff rates which are
practically prohibitory ? During the past
winter thousands of bushels of corn have
been burned by Nebraska farmers for
fuel while the poor of the cast have been
furnished with bread by charity. And
while the west is being bled mercilessly
to roll up dividends on the watered stock
of the great corporations its people are
cooly told that regulation , except through
the tools of monopoly , will not regulate
and that agitation to redress the griev
ances of extortion and oppression is an
unwarrantable interference with vested
privileges and the rights of property.
Valuable Franchises.
The disgraceful disclosures connected
with Jake Sharp's purchase of the board
of aldermen has aroused New York to
the value of the franchises which for
years the city has been virtually donating
to all comers who coujjl buy the jnorojjsvs
Of the city council , The fact that a mil
lion dollars in cash was offered for the
right to lay a street railway on Broadway
has shown Now Yorkers how recklessly
they have been plundered in years past
by the men whom they have elected to
guard the treasury of the city. It
is now proposed to sell the rights
of way to street railways , electric
light ana steam heating companies to
the highest bidder. Had such a course
boon adopted in times past , the city
would now bo deriving enough revenue
from those franchises to pay a largo part
of the city taxes , instead of which the
entire revenue in taxes and everything
clso , from all the streets , railroads com
bined , has amounted to only § 144,000 , a
year during the past ton years. Statis
tics show the cost of cleaning from the
streets the dirt brought there by the horse
oar companies amounts to raoro than they
pay the city in taxes. Franchises furnish
valuable channels for profitable invest
ment. Whether the state is permitted to
grant exclusive franchises or not , most of
them are in their very nature exclusive ,
franchises , for street railroads are limited
by the capacity of the street and the con-
vonionco.of the public. The occupation
of a street by gas and water companies
prior to paving makes it all the more dif
ficult for competition to follow , and con
firms a practical monopoly to the favored
company. The construction of every
line of railroad from one point in the
state to another gives the company at
some points not intersected by other
lines a close monopoly of the traflic.
The value of franchises will become
more clear to the granting power as the
profits directly derived from their posses
sion are investigated. The time is com-
ingwhon cities and legislatures generally
will take these special privileges and tlio
powers which they confer upon the
grantees Into consideration in the levying
of taxes. A franchise Is property , and as
property should bear the burdens of the
state whoso maintenance gives It protec
tion and value.
Our SprlnK Boom.
The real estate and house renting ad
vertisements with which the columns of
the UKK are beginning to overflow , show
the setting in of u spring movement in
these lines which bids fair to exceed any
which Omaha has over experienced. It
is to bo a great year tills year of grace
1880 , for the metropolis of Nebraska ,
Ktist and west are alike contributing now
capital to its resources. Investors are
discovering at last that they have over
looked a profitable field and are pouring
in to take advantage of a rising market.
Now commercial and manufact
uring enterprises are dctidlly
putting in their appearance and
old ones are enlarging their facilities for
business. The immigration boom in the
Btato outside of Omaha has already begun ,
and Omaha will reap her full share of the
benefits of the development of Nebraska.
She ha& the position to do so , the founda
tions upon which to build , and she is
rapidly learning to understand her com
mercial strength and resources , Doub
ling in population in live years the pres
ent rate of increase is still greater.
Whether It Is to bo maintained will depend -
pond largely upon the push of
lior loading citizens , thu wisdom
of her municipal government , and
the good judgment ot her property
owners , The era of rapid growth in
Omaha was ushered in oy a wise and
comprehensive system of public Invest
ments based on the experience of older
cities and fortunate in avoiding the costly
mistakes from which other communities
have suffered. Upon the development of
these on the sumo lines depends largely
the future of the city , A wise economy
will seek to beautify Omaha with the
best pavements , to increase her sanitary
advantages by the most approved sewerage -
age system , and to render her accessible
to the neighboring country by broad and
well graded .thoroughfar.cs for trade
and trallio , The spring opens with
preparations advanced to join the
business part of the city to the southern
section by the two viaducts whoso con
struction will add materially to the value
of n largo but hitherto greatly neglected
portion of Omaha. The boulevard scheme
is steadily gaining in favor , and when
once entered upon wo shall bo assured of
the system of parks which wo have
needed so long. It Is the strong feeling
of confidence in Omaha's future , induced
by an understanding of 'her present re
markable growth , which is making itself
fc.lt in the steady rise in real estate , and
the largo number of private Improve
ments under contract or in contempla
tion.
The Reorganized Alliance.
The Nebraska Farmers' Alliance was
reorganized at Hastings last Wednesday
with u view to making Its influence felt
in the next legislature , 0.3 well as in the
choice of congressmen and state officers.
The fact that farmers of Nebraska have
boon burning corn for fuel this winter is
within itself a powerful appeal to the
self-interest of every farmer to seek a
remedy through legislation that will pre
vent the railroads from confiscating their
products by exorbitant rates. When the
Farmers' Alliance was organized four
years ago It was crude and without
oxporlcncod leadership. Still it made itself -
self felt and respected , If it did not ab
solutely reduce railroad tariffs it slopped
the railroad managers from levying in
creased tolls. In casting 20,000 votes for
its candidates , tlio alliance created a
wholesome respect for the farmer as a
political power. If the farmers of Ne
braska will all join hands as they should ,
for their own protection , they can com
pel nominations next tall that will put
honest legislators In the place of the
railroad oappors and monopoly hench
men. In reorganizing , the alliance has
not committed itself to tiny particular
political creed. Good republicans and
good democrats can bo members
of tlio alliance and romnln faithful to
their parties so long as their parties do
not make themselves more machines to
register tlio will of corporations. The
time lias come when the Farmer's Alli
ance must occupy the same position in
regard to the farmer as the Knights of
Labor do to the workingmon. Capital is
always organized. Corporations are
always ready for concerted action where
their mutual interests are concerned.
The farmers who constitute the bono and
sinew of tlio land must organize if they
desire to repel the aggression of organ
ized capital.
Wn cannot comprehend wliy the board
of public works persists in stmauilcrin"
the city's "ier,6"/iu needless advertising !
The city has a contract for advertising
at about one-half the legal rate. The
council awarded the contract to the BEE
because it roaches almost every house in
the city , and because Its columns give
greater publicity to any announcement
than could possibly bo had by advertising
in all the local papers put together.
In fact the UEE circulates nearly
twice as many papers in Omaha as
all the other papers combined. With such
a medium as tlio official paper the city
has no need of outside advertising , oven
if wore.not morally obligated under con
tract to do all Its advertising in the BEE.
But the board of public works , like some
other bodies wo might name , likes to pa
tronize all the papers at the expense of
the tax-payers , when , if it had to dive
into its own pockets , it would hesi
tate to do so. But it is not merely
squandering the tax-payers' money for
needless advertising , but paying two
prices foi the work in readcrlcss
papers. Whllo the BEE under
its contract can only charge fiffy cents
per square for city advertising with a
sliding scale downwards , the papers that
have no contract are , under th.c law'al
lowed to charge 0119 dollar per square
and will doubtless collect it. This is
economy with a vengeance. Iho city is
always hard up and can scarcely meet
running expenses , but it can throw
away a thousand or fifteen hundred dollars
lars a year on useless advertising just to
make the board of public works solid
with the newspapers.
SENATOII JONES , of Florida , is still
making love in Detroit instead of making
laws in Washlncton. When it Is slated
as a fact that the senator has during the
past few months sent to Miss Palms
nearly a ton of his speeches , delivered
during his twelve years in the senate , wo
are not surprised at the young lady's re
fusal of his heart and hand. Had ho sent
her a carload of flower seeds from the agri
cultural bureau , or a train load of oranges
and a pot alligator from his Florida
plantation ho might have captured Miss
Palms and her prospective fortune of
$15,000,000 , , which is soon to como to her
from her septuagenarian father.
THE struggle among the shoulder straps
to knock down the army plums in Wash
ington is distressing in its rivalry. A
score of candidates for the coming briga
dier vacancies are represented cither in
person or by friends at the capltol and
the war department is besieged by "in-
lluenco" and bombarded with "records , "
The best authorities agree that Howard
and Terry are on top for the two major
gunerilship3and ; , Willcox , Morritt , llugor ,
and A\-es for the two brlgadiorships.
JUDGE COOLUV , of Michiaun , loft all
his classes at the Michigan university law
Echool last week and took the lightning
express for Now York. Judge Cooley
has been offered $10,000 , n year to act as
attorney for several largo corporations in
that city. Railroads which pay for their
law by the year can overbid the average
educational institution and hayo a largo
margin for "incidental expenses" in their
legal departments.
ACCORDING to the Lincoln Journal , Ne
braska has only three representatives in
congress , Mandorson , Laird and Weaver.
No ono over heard of Senator Van Wyck ,
of course , and Congressman Dorsoy as
compared with Jim Laird cannot even bo
mentioned.
NEXT Thursday Grover Cleveland will
celebrate ids lirst anniversary at the
white house. The loavos-and-tishos de
mocracy will congratulate itself that
one year of Grovcr lias already run by ,
IT is a somewhat singular fact that in
railroad wars the outs are almost Invari
ably made to the wost. If it costs only
fifty dollars at present for a first-class
passage from the. Missouri river to thq
Pacillo coasst , why should not the passage
from San Frnnolsco' ' to Omaha bo fifty
dollars , Instead of the 'old rate , wlilch is
almost double the West-bound cut ?
So after all Miller and Morton have
not kissed and niodo ; up. Mr. Morton
believes in harmony but It is the har
mony which the lion feels when the lamb
is inside of him.
Iltui. estate still booius , but poor pave
ments will give real estate a black eye If
Omaha Is silly enough to invest in the
wooden block idiocy. '
WITH the hrst day of March comes the
inflated gas bill. The council may reduce -
duce the price but the motor has got in
its work all the same.
Tun city election occurs wlltlm five
weeks and registrars will soon issue
their calls to the voters to enroll them
selves.
1'UOMINKNT PKKSONB.
Tom Edison is so tlcaf Hint it Is by no
moans an easy task to interview him.
Jay Mould's dnugbter does not spend two-
thhds of her 5,000 pin money.
It Is reported that Christine Nllsson will ro-
tbe from public life noxtyonr.
TlicodoioTllton Is living quietly in France ,
and will not icturti to America.
Sarah Hcrnhardt will come to this country
with the flowers that bloom In the sp.lng.
Bismarck costs Germany 518,000 a year
hardly up to a big lallwny odlcor's pay here.
The richest ohl innlds in Philadelphia are
the Misses Phillips , who have about $1,600-
000.
000.Edison
Edison on the day of hlsninirlaRO trans
ferred to his wlfo 31,000,000 worth of leal es
tate.
tate.Loul
Loul Olffonl , Colonial secretary at Gibral
tar , won the 835,000 pilzo in the last Spanish
lottery.
Mrs. Bnlrd of Philadelphia has a fortune of
82,030,000 , made by hur late locomotive-build
ing husband.
Mine , licinhardtls knitting a Jong puise
anil expects to make 1,000,000 francs In her
American tour.
Governor Long , of Slassnchusctts , admits
that ho contemplates writing a novel during
the coming spring.
John P. Betz , the five-millionaire of Phila
delphia , It ) building a 855,000 mausoleum at
Lauicl Hill cemetery.
Gov. Vltzhugh Lee Rives receptions every
Thursday evening , at which full dress suits
are considered a necessity.
The late William F. Weld of Philadelphia
was the richest man that over died In that
city. Ho was worth S53,000000. ;
The widow of General Santa Anna Is In
Mexico spending her declining vcar , § in , o
mklug ete'.if Smbklngclgaiettei"
W. T. norhady , an.Io\vn boy from Oska-
loosa wrote ' 'Two Years In "
, a Jungle , a
book which has attracted tnUch attention.
Mr. Watterson continues to Improve , his
mind being entirely clear yesterday , lie is
expected to bo out again within a month.
Theodore Thomas Is threatened with par
alysis of his right arm because of such con
stant use of It In conducting his orchestra.
Lndy Duflerin. who takes a personal Inter
est in missions , Is now stiuying ) Hindustani
with Miss Thoburn , au American Methodist
missionary. i
Mine. Ruttkay , sister" of Louis Kossuth ,
denies that her brother isHvuigin poverty.
Ho Is 83 years of aijojnnd spends seven
hours dally \Yrltlngflils"inemolrs. .
Col. Peter McGlaslmn , the last brigadier
whoso commission was signed by Jell Davis ,
justbptoro the tall oC Richmond , Is carrying
on a saddlery and harness business in Sa
vannah.
Dr. Bumetto , tlio California dentist who
filled the teeth of Pieller , the victim of the
St Louis trunk mystery , ro'fuscs to como to
St. Louis to testify at the trial unless lie shall
bo paid 815,000. ,
Bismarck has been reducing Ills wolf'1 ' , *
His doctors say by tlloBan' gsysten/ } ;
the o\f O - Picayune thinks ho has
V-Tobnbly lost the combination of tlio beer
vault lock.
Miss Cleveland tins her quiet receptions as
well as public levees , In which ono can see
her anil have a clinnco for a pleasant talk ,
without the fooling that ono must "move on"
and lot somebody else come In.
Mr. Arnold Morley , the now whip of the
liberals in the house of commons , is a young
nnd singularly hnnilsomu man. lie Is n law
yer , ami has wor Keil as diligently nt thnt
profession as though ho was poor and friend
less instead of the son of a man whoso in
come Is § 1,000,000 a year.
Good and Unit.
VMladelpMa Record.
A bad newspaper Is bad every day In the
week and a good ono good.
Living Upon Traditions.
JJoston Herald.
Both parties are living upon the traditions
of a name out of which all distinctive moan
ing Is gone ,
Hello , There !
JVijitUfmi Times.
The state of Nebraska should grapple with
the telephone monopoly and reduce tlio out
rageous telephone rentals.
Gen. Th ay or for Governor.
Hebron Journal ,
Gen. John M , Tlmycr Is being spoken of as
a candidate for governor. The old general
would have lots of friends If ho outers the
race.
Tlio Use or Ivory.
Phttailelphta Itcfonl.
In Central Africa Ivory Is so little valued
that elephants' tusks are used to poke the
lire. A more advanced civilization iimtks the
use of Ivoiy lor poker chips )
Bo Careful Where You Step.
Oma/ia / nt\ml \ > ] ( ean.
The ad-Interim editor of tfiu Herald says he
has has his ear on the , ground listenlm ; to
rumbles about Gardner ffym Washington.
The public will ploaseuo farcful where they
step for a while. - ,
.
i i
United , ProiltatjjQ nnd Bcrcno.
.
The report that the Western Kxport Asso
ciation that Is , the Mhlslfy pool has gene
to pieces Is declared uotouudcd. Good men
may fall , churches may bo nimble to pay their
debts , railroads and telegraph companies
may become bankrupt , but ' the whisky pool
remains united , profitable nnd serene.
The Iii consistency of 1'hll. Armour.
St. Loud Republican.
Being asked the other day for the rule by
which lie succeeded In business , Armour , the
Chicago hog baron , replied that It was to get
on God Almighty's bldo when God Almighty
was against him. This was conaldeicd In
Chicago an extremely elevated form of ex
pressing a pious sentiment. How Mr. Ar
mour puts It in practice la Illustrated by the
fact that ho has just scut a man to Washing
ton to lobby against the American cow In the
Interest of hog butter.
Sensible Advice a to Onto of Health
St. iMufi Glnbe-Demtarat.
Proper care of health Is more Impor
tant at this than any other season , for
a cold Is easily contracted In tbo spring , and
n cold may bo the precursor ot any ono of n
do/en diseases. Exposures that at other sea
sons would bo harmless , In the spring some
times prove fatal , nntl It accordingly behooves -
hooves everybody , when the snows nro dls-
nppcarinc nnd the rains begin , to look after
his health. The Chinese reverse our medical
customs' , nnd , with sound good sense , pay
their doctors for keeping them well , the
salary of the medical man stopping the day
his patient ROCS to bed and beginning ngnln
only when the sick man Is nblo to attend to
business. It were well If we , who mnko It
the Interest of the doctors to keep us In bed ,
should generally adopt some such custom as
that of the Chlno.se , nnd take moro pains to
keep well than to get well when prostrated
by Illness. Much doctoring Is to bo deplored
but an occasional overhauling of the system
by n physician Is advisable , no matter how
excellent the health , nnd there Is no time
when this can bo done to bettor advantage
than In the spring.
Contented To-Dixy.
A. C. I'lckttt in liullanaimlti Journal.
Contented to-day.
Contented alwny.
Bo does the maxim run.
And still It Is as true
As. when time begun ,
The fault Is In mo and you.
One tiny Is the same as another ,
Yostculay Is to-day ,
And to-moirow again , my brother ,
In a day will bo yesterday.
The Twin Monopolies ,
CMcaun Trllnmc.
Among the Interesting matters brought
to the light in the recent hearing before
the secretary of the interior was Iho con
tract between the Western Union and the
Boll Telephone company. This agree
ment was made in order to prevent all
competition between the telephone and
the telegraph , and in this respect it has
been remarkably successful. Joy Gould
Is the autocrat behind both corporations ,
nnd it is under ono of his peculiar con
tracts that they are required to work
hand in hand and furnish the public
cheap service at high rates. Tlio com
pact was entered into Nov. 10 , 1879 , and
according to its terms it will run until
Nov. 1 , 1890. Unless the government suit
against the Boll company succeeds the
allied corporations will hold sway for
ton years longer , with tlio Boll company
subject to the dictation of the Western
Union.
Under the Jay Gould compact the Bell
company pays a royally of 20 per cent ,
on tolopliono receipts after deducting ! ? 0
per cont. for commissions and expenses.
A telephone costing $3.42 is rented by the
original Boll company for $ M , and the
royalty paid the Western Union is $1.90.
It Is estimated that the latter corporation
has already received $1,500,000 in royal
ties from the Boll company. It is under
the Jay Gould contract that the Bell com
P.anj blejids the yubllo , find In turn is bled
by the Western Union. Both corpora
tions may bo relied upon to put forth
their utmost efforts to dofiiat Iho govern
ment suit , which , if successful , will des
troy , the most rapacious corporate alliance
anco OVcr dbvisca by the wizard of Wall
street. If for no other reason , the gov
ernment suit will bo a celebrated case be
cause it involves the existence of as
wealthy and powerful a combination as
was ever arraigned in a court of justice in
the United States.
But the alliance between the Western
Union and the Bell company is not lim
ited to the payment of royalties. It is
stipulated that so far as the law will per
mit the telephone company must not al
low its wires to be used for sending
ordinary business messages , market re
ports , or news lUsjmtchca in any case
whore such competition would affect thq
Western Union , or the Gold & Stock Tel
egraph company. Whenever the Boll
company receives a message to forward
by telegraph it must use the Western'
Union lines unless the sender otherwise
directs. Private telephone lines are lim
ited to twenty-five miles and must not be
used by more than two firms or pa'10"
„
Those stipulations explain ' ! wl1 ' , „ "lore " -8'
his boon ao littl"
tdoft" - . improvement in
the , l" ° 1i..ono service and why the
uarly expectation that the moans of com
munication would feoon bo available for
long distances remains unrealized. It
would be hard to name an important in
vention which in the course of ten years
after being put to use met with as little
improvement as the telephone. With
perfected wires and appliances messages
might bo sent great distances by tele
phone , but the Bell compauv is bound
only to charge extortionate prices but to
permit no improvement or extension of
The only explanation why
tlio Bell company ever entered into such
nn jjt reomcnt is that it feared an attack
on its patents by the powerful Western
Union , and considered it hotter to dlvido
the "profits" and protect itself by an alliance
lianco with the telegraph monopoly.
The "Rotroatins Desert. "
Chicago Trtlmne.
Statements are put forth from time to
time that an increased rainfall is pushing
the line of the arid lands further west
every year and furnishing now strips of
country for agricultural uses. The Hart
ford Times publishes a letter from a
Kansas" correspondent giving an account
of the successful cultivation of lands in
western Kansas heretofore supposed to
bo arid , but it is noticeable that all these
experiments have boon conducted east
of the nmty-ninth meridian. Twenty-
live years ago the limit of the arid lands
was iixod between the nlncty-ninth and
the one-hundredth meridians , according
to present indications it will be a long
time before farmers can raise crops with
out irrigation west of the latter line
anywhere between Mexico and Canada.
There has been an increase m the rain
fall , but not enough to convert raw prairie
and buffalo ningo into land that can DO
used profitably for tillage. The soil con
tains all the element of plant growth , but
it cannot bo made productive without ,
liberal irrigation. At the same time facts
show that in Kansas and Nebraska agri
culture has been carried west of thu line
which was supposed a few years ago to
bo the limit. In central Nebraska hay
and corn have boon shipped from points
west of the ninety-eighth meridian , and
in Kansas crops have been produced a
little further west. However , the old
belief that farming cannot be conducted
without irrigation west of the ninety-
ninth meridian still holds good , and ,
after full allowance is mndo for the in
creased rainfall , it must bo admitti-d
that the "retreating de ort" is disappear
ing very slowly.
If the desert lands of the west are to bo
reclaimed it must bo by means ot irriga
tion , and the rapid exhaustion of the pub
lic domain will soon mnko this matter
ono of great practical importance. The
Desert Land act should bo amended. As
the law now Mauds It applies only to the
states of California , Oregon , and Nevada ,
and the territories of Washington , Idaho ,
Montana , Utah , Wyoming , Arizona. Now
Mexico , and Dakota , Some provision to
encourage irrigation hhould bu made also
for Kansas , Nebraska , Texas , and the In
dian Territory , which is curtain to bo
opened to settlement before many years.
The requirements of the act mo
so loose thai lands naturally pro
ductive are entered as desert lands ,
and in other instances the entry is
made to eccuro the land for grazing pur
poses and without any intention of
irrigating it. Tlio law permits single en
tries of 010 acres , and allows three years
in which to make uroof of reclamation.
By having each cowboy make an entry a.
cattle company can secure , the exclusive
use of u large grazing tract for thruo
years , anil forfeit it only when culled
upon to show that crops have boon pro
duced by irrigation. It was supposed
that to encourage irrigratlon largo entries
must bo allowed , but n general water
supply when once established cnn bo
used by the owner of ICO acres , as well
as by a farmer holding four times ns
much land. The "retreating desert"
will disappear only before a general
system of Irrigation , and In order to se
cure this the desert land act will require
some radical amendments.
Deluded Railroad Ofllctnls.
C/iffflflJ / AVtw.
Now that our railroads have under
taken , In the teeth of the constitution , to
impose a tariff on beef tlrcsscd at the
west in favor of eastern abattoirs and
butchers , why may not they extend its
bcnollccnt urovlsions lo oilier products
of western manufacture say bacon ,
leather , glue , and the various forms of
iron and stool manufactures ? To bo
sure , the constitution of the United
Stales provides that no state "shall laj'
any imposts or duties on imports or ex
ports. " Yet now como these great rail
road corporations with their discrimina
tions for 6r against the manufactures of
certain sections such is the dressed beef
of the west ami the pig iron of tlio south
and deliberately proceed to nullify the
constitution by doing what it expressly
decrees shall not bo none. In the mean
time are not the ofliclals of those trunk
lines treading on dangerous ground ?
They may for the moment think that the
servant is greater than his lord , the
croaluro greater than its creator. Never
theless , it will take but a few moro such
acts as this discrimination against
western dressed beef lo utterly dispos
sess them of any such delusion.
A Portrait of Gastclnr.
Accompanying a frontispiece portrait
of Spain's greatest orator , m the March
Country , are two papers , from ono of
which , by A. A. Adce , wo quote Iho fol
lowing : ' 'It was my good fortune to meet
Caslclar in tlio autumn of 1800 , when ho
was flushed with the triumph of 'tlio
greatest effort of his life , " his fervid
speech on the Spanish constitution. The
first impression one has on seeing him is
that nature has oxhatistod herself in
building n perfect machine for human
vocal utterance. Slightly above the
inlddln height , and stoutly built without
positive corpulence , his notably croct
carriage gives to his splendidly rounded
chest seemingly titanic proportions. The
effect is onclmiiced , perhaps , by Ins
habit of wearing a low-cut waistcoat and
a slender necktie , leaving a snowy
expanseof linen , on which a rare ink-
spot at times attests the absorbing
character of his studious pursuits. A
low collar shows the prominent sinews
of a neck of almost taurino contour.
Square , powerful jaws onfrnmo a large ,
straight-out mouth. The lips , slightly
sensuous in their fullness , arc half-hid
den by a heavy moustache of wiry , dark-
brown hair , curved enough to relieve it
from the suspicion of bristliucs.3. Ho is
always cloau-slmrcn as to cheek and
chin , which makes the clearness of his
slightly florid complexion more noticea
ble , and brings into relief a rounded
button of a mole just below the loft
corner of his mouth. I saw no trace of
stubble on his face , even In the saddest
days of the republic , when lie , the res
ponsible head of its power , saw the inev
itable end approaching and , like jioor
Lincoln alter ITrodoricksburg , might
have said , 'If there is a soul out of hell
that , suffers more than I , God pity him. '
IDs lienfl , thrown well back , tip-tills hi ?
m > so moro than nature intended. It
might bo a better nose , but ho seems
to bo satisfied with it. The eyes are
limpid , neither strikingly largo
nor dark , but they " have a
way of looking one frankly through and
though , as with .self-consciousness of in
tegrity of convictions. Well-rounded
brows slope upwards into a somewhat re
ceding forehead , made moro conspicuous
by baldness. One looks , ; uul si" " "
the super-human front-1 , . ,7"fv01'
ster Cnslel"- ' " ' bulk of Web-
It ic'r1- " ' " s chin , too , is inadequate.
uuiicately rounded , but there ought
to bo more of it. If ho had possessed
Serrano's forehead and chin , the Spanish
republic might have boon a living thing
to-day.
"But his voice ! Liks Salvini's , once
heard it is never to bo forgotten. Wheth
er in the softly modulated tones of con
versation , when the peculiar Andalusian
accontation is now and then characterist
ic , or rising to tlio sober force of demon
strative declamation , or trembling with
fooling , or swopping all before it in a
wild Niagiiraof invective , it is always res
onant. His slightest whisper pioiccs to
the furthest corner of the hall of depu
ties , his fiercest Boanerges blast is never
harsh. This orator found his chiofeslim-
plemcnt ready fashioned to his use. Ho
never had to fill his mouth with sea-shore
pebbles. _ _
Betting onlAnothcr Otan'M Game.
Chicago Herald : "Boys , it isn't always
safe to gamble on the greenness of coun
try chaps , " remarked a drummer in the
smoking car ; "only last week I was In u
little town down in Missouri , and the bar
room of the hotel was full of the gawks
of the town. I worked several smart little
snaps for drinks that would not have
caught a single sucker in a city , and had
begun to think myself in luok. After
awhile I heard n couple of follows dis
puting about something and I asked them
what the row was about.
" 'Jim , hero' savs ono , 'declares ho kin
go out and pace oft'a quarter of a mile
an' como in two foot of the actual meas
urement. lie's a braggin1 , and kin never
do it , stranger. I'vo iiist bet him $5 ho
can't ; will you hold the stakes ? '
" 'I'd a good deal rather put up $25
against him , says I ; there's no man liv
ing can pace off so correctly as that. '
" ' 1 the ' Iho follow
go you $25 , says
they called Jim , promptly pulling out
his nionoy , and of course I couldn't back
out. So the $50 was staked with the
landlord and wo wont out to see him
pace , Wo hunted around and found n
twenty-foot polo , and Jim went Into the
middle of the street in front of tlio hotel
and asked mo which way hu Hhould go.
I told him I didn't ' earn , and after wo hud
marked the spot ho started oil' pacing
very deliberately and with much caution.
Wo followed him up with the polo ,
measuring after him. Pretty soon ho
stopped , stood still and waited for us ,
calling out that that was his quarter-
mile limit. In a few minutes wo had
measured up to him , and what do you
suppose the distance was ? Thirteen
hundred and twenty foot to an inch
exactly a quaitor of a mile. I hud
lost as clear as a whistle , mid I thought
it the most wonderful feat I had over
witnessed. Before leaving ; town , how
ever , I discovered how tlio thing was
done , Jim was abhi to puce that quarter
of a mile to an inch because ho had euro-
fully measured it oil' wilh the KUHIO paid
wo hud used , and marked the two ends
in a way known only to himself , More
than that , ho had measured from a cer
tain spot in front of the hotel in thrco
directions , and was thus prepared to go
any way his victim might select. The
follow who bet the $5 with him was u
roper-in , and 1 wasn't the first man they
had made a faucker of , by a long f > hot. I'll
have rovcngo on that town if 1 have to
start up a slin faro layout or a drugstore
there , you see if 1 don't. "
llucU's McRlliiK With Grunt ntSlnloh.
From General 1) . C. Bttell's article in
thi ) May Century , entitled "Shlloh Ho-
viewed " the "About
, wo quote following :
half-way up wu met a stream ot fugitives
thai poured in a constantly swelling cur
rent along the west bank of the river.
The moutii of Snake crook was full of
them swimming across. We arrived at
the landing about ono o'clok , I inquired
for General Grant , nnd was informed
tliat ho was on his headquarters boa : ,
nearly against which wo hid landed. I
wont on board , nnd was mot by him nt
the door of the Indies' cabin , in which i *
thcro were besides hlmiolf two or thrco
members of his staff. Other ofllccra may
have entered afterward. Ho appeared
lo realize thnt ho wns beset by a pressing
danger , nnd manifested by manner moro
than In words that ho was relieved by my
arrival 0.1 indicating the near npproacn
of succor ; but there was nothing in hit
deportment that the circumstances woulii
not have justified without disparagement
to the character of a courageous soldier.
Certainly there was none of thnt mastorlv
confidence which hns since been assumed
with reference to Iho occasion. After the
first salution , and as I walked to a seat ,
ho remarked thnt ho had just como in
from the front , and hold up his sword to
call my attention to an indentation ,
which ho said Iho scabbard hnii
received from a shot. I did not par
ticularly notice it , and after inquiring
about tlio progress of the bnttlo
nnd requesting him to send stcnmors to
brine up Crittonden's division , which
wns coming into Savannah as I loft , Ipro-
posed that wo should go ashore , As wo
reached the gangway I noticed that the
horses of himself ana his staff wore being
taken nshoro. Ho mounted and rodu
away , while I walked up the hilliso that
I saw him no more until the altaok oc
curred at the landing Into In tlio evening.
I state these particulars of our mooting
with so much detail because a totally In
correct version of the place , manner ,
and .substance of the Interview has been
used to glvo a false Impression of the
stale of tlio battle , and a false coloring to
personal traits which are nssumoil to
have had the Issue in coulrol. "
Tito Tailless Cnttlo of Florida.
The Present ! "I noticed yesterday some
cattle hero in Jacksonville , and thought
that , aside Jfrom their leanness and di
minutive si/o , there was something else
peculiar about them , and studied forsomo
time until I suddenly discovered that
there wore sonic of tluim minus tails ; oth
ers looked as If they had about half of
that useful appendage cut off. In a coun
try whore Ihos and mosquitoes are as
plentiful as they must bo hero I think it
no less than downright cruelty for people
to treat the poor creatures in this shameless -
loss manner. "
My remarks wore greeted with a roar
of laughter. "Hless your heartmyyoung
friend , the people don't do that , it's the
alligators. "
"Alligators , " said I , astonished.
"YV.s , the alligators. "
"How can that bnV"
"Oh , they grub thorn when they nro
feeding in tlio water. "
"And blto oil1 their tails , I suppose ? "
"Yes , thov do. You see they creep up
so quietly that the cuttlo do not notice
their approach , and the first thing the
animal is aware of is a jerk In the rear.
He tries to got away but it is of no use.
tlio harder ho pulls the tighter the alli
gator holds on , until tlio appendage
gives way and the conqueror swims oil *
happy. "
"Highly interesting sight , 1 should
think. "
"Well , rather , as the question of
ownership is often highly disputed ,
though I never saw a case yet In which
tlio cattle cumo oil'victorious. "
A Kniisas Soldier's Fate.
Kansas City Times : "I finally reached
Kansas , and enlisted in a Kansas regi
ment , whore I served during the war ! On
my way I met a tall , bony , awkward
looking young fellow who said ho 'wlis
born in Maine , who , like mysplf , was
anxious to onlist. Wo trudged along to
gether and enlisted. The war separated
us , anil 1 have never hoard anything
about him. His name was Nod Merrill ;
do you know of such a. man ? I wonder
if ho over amounted to anything ? "
"Wore his initials 'E. N. '
queried George 1'cck.
"E.vicllv. " " ' " "
v --i' , . med the man : "Edward
. . jMorrill was tlio name he eulinted
under. "
"I am very sorry to convey unpleasant
Intelligence of your old comrade , " re
joined Grorgo Peck mournfully. "I
Know Merrill well. Ho went to the bad ,
nnd is now doing time in what Don
1'latt , the editor , used to call Iho 'Ctivo of
the Winds. '
"Is that a penitentiary ? " queried the
man.
"Not exactly , " replied Iho waggish
Peck. "Far worse than a penitentiary.
Merrill was ordered away from homo by
Iho people and is a miserable , wretched
congressman from Kansas. What a
horrible fate for a promising soldier of
the union ? "
The Snttio Only IHrTcronr.
Chicago Merchant Traveler ! A young
man , dabbling in ronl estate and known
iinanoiully quite well by Phil Armour ,
wont into that gentleman's ' oflico lately.
"I've hit a great chance lo invest in a
piece of property that will double in
value in a year , " ho bald excitedly.
"Yes , " replied Mr. A. , quietly.
"Ilouso and lot , dirt cheap , on Grand
boulevard. "
"Yes , " responded Phil again.
"Owner caught in the market and
forced to sell. "
"Yes. "
"Nobody knows anything about the
chance but me. "
"Yes. "
"All I need is enough to bind the bar
gain. "
"Yes. "
"Could yon lot mo have a thousand ? "
"Yes , "
"That's good. "
"Yos. "
"When can I get it ? "
"Not tit all. 1 waid that I could lot you
have it , bill I didn't say I would. Hotter
go and see somebody elso. Good-by. "
Gnu. Vllns K * pressed JllniNOir.
Washlncton Republican ; Col. E. H.
Hawkins , of Alexandria , stated to a re
porter yesterday that ho called on the
postmaster general Tuesday last in the
interest of a young Virginian and lifelong -
long democrat , who was seeking a subor
dinate position in the post oltico depart
ment , and the following conversation oc
curred ;
"Mr , Vilas , " said Col , Hawkins , "won't
you give this young man a place ? "
" .No ! " Haid the Postmaster general.
"This Is no nima-hoiiHo. "
"And the young man is no pauper , " re
plied Col , Hawkins. "Now , Mr. Postmaster -
master general , at your door sits a color
ed republican , nilns Ross by name. "
"And that nigger will remain there as
long as 1 am at tint head of the pout ollieo
department , " replied the Postmaster gen
eral.
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