THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : THURSDAY , FEBRUARY 17. 1887.
THE DAILY BEE.
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day of February A. D. 18S7.
[ SISAL. I N. P. PKII. . Notary Public ,
Tmsn : warm and melting days should
suggest to observing people that the
spring election is coming on.
Pooit Church Ilowo ! Stabbed in the
i
house of his own friends. Toll it not in
Omalia or on the streets of Lincoln. How
are the mighty fallen I
ASHLAND has voted waterworks. Not
withstanding the opposition to prohibi
tion in many localities there is consider
able of a cold water boom noticeable
throughout the state.
A ciic.VTiVK genius advertises snake
stories for next season. The "snake
feed" dished out by our esteemed con
temporaries is doubtless intended for
these imaginary yarns.
A MAN up in figures guesses that if all
the New York boodlcmen are convicted ,
that the last one will go to Sing Sing in
the spring of thirty-three hundred when
the birds begin to sing.
OHIO'S governor has recently addressed
nn audience at Dclmonico's , Now York.
Hlaino's last supper at the same place
proved anything but a mascotto. Gov
ernor Forakor should take warning.
EmiKU in bed or in the senate , Colby
introduces bills just the same. All of his
bills suggest creative power. His con
gressional boom will burst , however , be
fore his legislative record is reached.
Tim two Sams , Jones and Small , nro
still endeavoring to show misguided
boodlemen the straight and narrow path.
It is all to no ayail. The Hub wants
grammatical religion. All other is
wasted.
IT is noticed that Prof. N. S. Thaler ,
of Harvard , has contributed an article
on tho"Stability of the Earth. " It should
il bo remarked , however , that the observa
tions of another scientist , that our planet
becomes a little wobbly along during the
holiday seasons , are not to be slighted.
MK. SNELL'S municipal woman suffrage
bill was killed in the senate. It will
doubtless bo brought forward again. In
theory the measure is right. It proposed
to allow women who are property owners
to vote on questions affecting their prop
erty interests , just as female stockholders
of corporations have the unquestioned
right to voice their views on matters re
lating to tlio affairs of corporations in
which they are interested. The distinc
tion is properly drawn between the econ
omic nnd political rights of women. Mr.
Snoll's measure deserved a better fate.
TIIK failure of the ell'ort to repeal the
pre-emption , timber culture nnd desert
land acts by the present congress is now
an admitted fuel. For the second time ,
n bill to secure these greatly needed re
forms for the protection of the public do
main has failed through the efforts of the
corporation attorneys m the senate.
The committee of conference , alter a
number of sessions , have finally reported
their inability to agree and the laws will
stand with all their loopholes for fraud
und robbery in the pretended settlement
and cultivation of tlio Dublin lands.
The cause of disagreement was in a
section of the bill authorizing the com
missioner of the land ollico to suspend
the issue of a patent in any case of sus
pected fraud , and requiring him to send
Bueh a case to the department of justice
for the Institution of proceedings to ro-
yoke the ccrtllicato. Kxcoptlons were to
bo made in all cases in which lands may
have been sold to n bona fide purchaser
for valuo. This provision , which looks
very fair on the surface , would have de
prived the commissioner of the land ollico
of all authority to investigate and finally
determine cases of land robbery through
violations of pre-emption nnd other laws.
Whore now the local land offices de
cide all questions of this kind , with nn
appeal to the general land ollico , thu
senate provision would burden the de
partment of justice with innumerable
and protracted suits. Under the senate
exception every acquisition of land , how
ever fraudulent thu process may have
peon , would have been made legal and
valid upon payment of anything agreed
upon with , the pretended occupant and
owner. Thus the means of the cattle
.companies and other corporations for
seizing the public domain would have
been rendered moro simplp than ever.
The house committee of conference re
fused its ussent to this device to facilitate ,
.the fraudulent acquisition of the piibllo
Jands , preferring to lot tbo existing laws
pu the subject remain us tney are. .
Hntlrqnd Tolls In Ncurrtskn ,
Attention Is called to the instructive ox-
hiblt of railway rates , compiled ex
pressly for this paper by Air. Fnirbrothor.
The facts embodied in this report leave
no further room for the plea that Neb
raska has no rational grounds for com
plaint of unreasonable exaction on the
part of public carriers. It is shown con
clusively that freight charges on loading
staples are arbitrary and fixed regardless
of comparative distance or service ren
dered. This is niost strickingly demon
strated in the matter of coal
supply. The great trunk lines
have not only levied exorbitant tolls
upon coal buyers by ignoring the dis
tance of the haul , but they have forced
the people to purchase coal from mines
owned by the railroads at arbitrary
prices. They are charging less for coal
carried from the mines to their terminal
points than they are asking for coal de
livered at intermediate- stations hundreds
of miles nearer the mines. The glaring
abuses of the freight schedules are ex
posed in the comparative tolls charged
at different points , equally distant from
the place of destination.
Omaha jobbers will find in this exhibit
material for sober thought nud study.
They nnibt realize that their exclusion
from some of the wealthiest sections of
the state is duo entirely to a. discriminat
ing railway tariff.
The remedy cannot entirely bo had nt
the hands of our state legislature. Many
of the existing abuses will bo done away
with by the intor-stnto commerce law
and future national legislation. Hut tlio
legislature has it within its power
to relieve the people of a largo share of
the barefaced pillage to which they have
for many years been subjected. Let them
take the trouble to examine and digest
Air. Fairbrothor's report. It allbrds an
unanswerable argument for direct rail
way regulation. In this issue Air. Fair-
brother covers the Uurlington lino. To
morrow wo shall publish his report
concerning the Union Pacific and other
roads.
|
No"Tlc-Ups. "
The HER has given at length several
times its views upon what it considers
necessary and advisable in railway legis
lation at Iho present session of the legis-
laluro. It declines to permit personal
enemies of Its editor and malicious rivals
to speak font in this matter. For a num
ber of yeans it has shown itself abund
antly able to voice its own views.
If the legislature adjourns without
passing a law for tlio regulation of rail
road tariffs it will fail in its duty to the
stato. The intcr-stato commerce bill ,
which goes into effect on Alarch 81 ,
renders local railway legislation all the
more imperative. Nebraska has for years ,
through exorbitant local tarilfs , aided
in rolling up heavy dividends
for the stockholders of through lines
whoso rapacity in other states has been
curbed by the combined action of regula
tion and competition. The time has come
when the standing difference in freight
rates between our own stale and those of
Iowa and Alissouri should bo materially
cut down. There is no reason why the
Alissouri river should bo the dead line
across which to pass is financial doatli to
railroad patrons.
The slanderous reports of alleged
"compromises , " "tie tips" and "unholy
deals" between this paper and the op
ponents of railway legislation shall
not be permitted to go un
challenged. For long years the HKI :
has been the unllinching advocate of
state and inter-stato regulation of cor.
porato monopolies. It was an advocate
of anti-monopoly legislation when such
advocacy was unpopular. It has con
tributed moro than any other factor to
educating public sentiment on the sub
ject in this section of the west. It is
not likely to desert its colors at the mo
ment when they have become the rally
ing standard for hundreds of thousands
of citizens throughout the country.
To any practical and feasible plan of
railway regulation , by whomsoever fath
ered , in the present legislature , this
paper will give a cordial support.
Needed County llcl'nrinn.
The urgent need of several reforms in
tho'govornmcnt of counties of largo pop
ulation should not bo lost sight of by the
legislature. On this account tlio bill in
creasing the number of commissioners in
counties having over 00,000 inhabitants
and giving them a lixed salary should receive -
coivo careful and favorable consideration.
As matters now stand , two men form a
majority of the county board in Douglas
county , as in every otlicr county , and by
combination can completely control dis
bursements amounting to more than a
quarter of a million dollars an
nually. Protection to tax pay
ers demands a larger board. An
other important consideration in favor
of increasing the size of the board js
found in the moro full representation to
portions of the county outside of the
cities which such enlargement would se
cure. In addition , the board , as at pres
ent constituted , is too small to properly
attend to its duties.
The argument in favor of raising the
compensation of county commissioners
in counties of the size mentioned is buseu
on the bettor service which it would se
cure , the doing away of mileage and per
diem allowances ami the inducements
which a larger salary would offer to the
best class of citizens to compote for the
cilice.
Another reform needed in the largo
counties , and greatly nccdod , is nn
auditor to check up mid verify the re
cords of the various county ollicers. For
several years past Douglas county has
employed ut its own expense an expert
accountant to do this work for the com
missioners and the results proved fully the
need of such an ollicer. The safety of
the public funds demands that the super
vision of their disbursement shall bo as
rigid in largo counties as in largo eitios.
Tliu bill separating the duties of county
clerk from that of recorder in counties of
dense population , which has already
passed onn house , is another measure
which should certainly become a law. As
amended , making the office of re
corder of deeds a salaried one ,
there can bo no objection to its passage.
The delays in the recording of instru
ments now duo to the heavy burden of
work placed on the shoulders of the
county clerk would bo obviated by the
enactment of the law , while the publiu
would receive the benefit.
Draw thu Distinction. .
It must bo a number ot years before
farm lauds six and seven tulles from the
business center of Oniaha will become
available-for any but farm purposes. If
Omaha had twice its present population ,
such property would be worth more for
market gardening and c.ibbngo raising
than for any nso connected with house
building and actual residence. This Is
plain , common sense. Alorcly platting
a farm Into city lots cannot raise its in
trinsic value. Municipal demands nlono
will do that. It must not bo lost sight of
that real estate is valuable just in pro
portion to its income producing
power. Property which by judicious
improvement will yield $1,000 rental a
year is at prevailing rates worth $10,000.
Lots which cannot bo utilized for any
purpose except that of farming are worth
only the price of farm land. The hope
of property within a reasonable distance
of the city limlls must rest on the growth
of Omaha and the steady nnd well-
grounded advance of realty within tlio
city limit. " . The overflow from Omaha
will raise the value of property outside of
Omaha by creating a demand for its use.
Omaha property is a safe investment.
The city is steadily growing. The
demands of an increasing popula
tion , of which a largo tiro-
portion own their own homes or
nro making prenaratlons to do so , re
quires largo additions lo the corporate
limits and furnishes good excuse for ad-
vancng values within a reasonable dis
tance from the heart of the metropolis.
There is a distinction between inside
properly anil outside property. There is
another distinction between "outside"
property and farm lands winch will bo
good for nothing but farming and pas
turage for .years to come. Investors who
fail lo recognize the distinction are likely
to regret it in spite of the allurements of
real estate sharks and tlio rosy colored
pictures which they paint of present im
possibilities.
Hcsiutmtlon.
The resignation of Secretary Manning
was sent to the president on the Mill and
Air. Cleveland replied on tlio following
day accepting it. These documents uo
very cordial in their expressions of
mutual respect , showing that the rela
tions of the executive and the secretary
have been of the most friendly character ,
though recent reports have sought to
conyoy the impression that such was not
the fact. The communication of Mr. Man
ning suggests a pessimistic view of the
immediate financial conditions which
scorns a little remarkable coming from
one who is about to assume the executive
functions of one of the largest banking
institutions in the countrv. In referring
to tlio situation as most critical , the re
tiring secretary uses language which
cannot bo reassuring to the capitalists
who have invested their money in a new
national bank , ami whom he is soon to
serve. Hut Mr. Manning has gotten into
the habit , not uncommon witli men whose
policies fail of acceptance , of fueling and
talking in this strain , and since his past
forebodings have not boon justified by ex
perience there is no reason why his pres
ent view of things should excite ap
prehension. The letter of thu pres
ident carries commendation to the
boundary of panegyric , and doubtless
those people whoso good opinion is most
desired by Air. Manning will agree with
it. It is noteworthy that the letters are
entirely free from the acrimonious criti
cisms and incissivu thrusts directed
against congress which marked the com
munications that nassodbolween t ho presi
dent and secretary last Juno , when the
latter lirst tendered his resignation.
Mr. Manning will remain at the head
of the treasury department until the lirst
of April , but it is understood that his
successor will bo nominated before the ad
journment of congress. Washington
opinion rccards Assistant Secretary Fairchild -
child t'.s the person most likely to succeed
Manning , but purely political considera
tions may stand in his way. Another
candidate who has developed within tlio
last few days i.s Smith Al. Wood of New
York , who is something of a power in
politics. The chances of Congressman
Scott are thought to have vanished. Ho
is opposed by an influential element in the
treasury , and it is believed his candidacy
has at no time been approved by Air.
Manning , whoso policy would probably
not in all respects bo followed by Scott.
The president would undoubtedly best
satisfy the country by appointing Air.
Fairclnld , while it would at the same
time bo in line with the policy for which
ho professes so much concern.
A Significant Gathering ; .
The banquet of the New York Repub
lican club on last Saturday evening , the
anniversary of the birthday of Abraham
Lincoln , was not a meaningless affair.
TJio avowed object was to introduce the
club to public notice , and tlio anniversary
of the birth of the "savior of his country"
WHS an auspicious occasion upon which
to bring together leading republicans to
do honor to that event. It was not de
signed that the banquet should have any
political significance , except as showing
that there is a live and activu body of re
publicans in the democratic stronghold
of the Empire state who are enlisted for
the next national contest and may bo de
pended upon for efficient service. It was
intended to bo nothing more serious than
a political love feast , and so indeed it
was. The record and achievements of
the republican party received ample con
sideration , nnd its necessity to the future
welfare of the nation was not slighted ,
There was a.groat deal more said in glori
fication of the party than in honor of the
citizen whoso birthday was commem
orated , This may bo measurably ex
plained by the failure of Mr. Hlainu to bo
present and respond to the sentiment
to Lincoln , a duty devolved upon
General Hawley on such brief no
tice that he had not the time for
adequate preparation. Hut it is wholly
impossible lo keep politics and the claims
of political leaders out of consideration
on an occasion of this kind , and this
gathering had its interesting develop
ments , They have since been the sub
ject of earnest talk amonir Js'ow York re
publicans.
The gentleman who scorns to have
profited most lurgnly by this event is
Governor Forakur of Ohio , It was an
opportunity the value of which ho ap
pears to have fully realized , with results
that must have been entirely satisfactory
to him. Ho responded to the toast , "The
Republican Party , " and made the most
ollectivo address of the evening. Tlio
cold types bear testimony to its merit as
nn exceptionally clover effort , and it is
easy to understand that such an audlonco
as it Was adQressd to should have .re
ceived it 'with enthusiastic favor. In n
moment of unwonted exuberance ! the
governor ot Illinois proclaimed "Foraker
for 1838. " mid not only was -received
with great approval , but it made ail im
pression which roinain.nl the 'day after ,
when heads had doolcd and enthusiasm
nbntcd. Wo loarri frbm the Now York
newspapers that In republican circles
there the name of Foraker' now ranks
high in the list of possible presidential
candidates. The younc and brainy ex
ecutive of Ohio has entered upon his
boom , .
Wo noted some days' ngo that Senator
Sherman , as a candidate for the presi
dential nomination , might again bo con
fronted by obstacles from his own state.
This latest incident debs not lesson that
possibility. It will strengthen the am
bition of Foraker to occupy n place on
the next republican presidential ticket ,
and it is hardly crumble that ho would
seriously attempt to gnlu the lirst place ,
lie is undoubtedly very popular In Ohio ,
but his ability to take the delegation
from Sherman is extremely doubtful.
Hut ho might easily render that support
of little value , and it is not at nil improb
able that ho would do so in the interest
of a candidate who could assure him the
second place. In any event , the presence
of Foraker throws a shadow over the
chances of Sherman. On the other hand ,
assuming that Foraker will aim no higher
than the second place. It is obvious that
his inllueiicu would bo given to Hlaino ,
toward whom he is believed to bo now
Very strongly inclined. The dinner of
the Now York republican club Is thus
seen not to have boon meaningless ,
though the significance It developed was
in a wholly unexpec o 1 direction. There
is nmnle time , however , for the budding
Forakur boom to blossom , ripen and die.
iN Gmii.lias : : been nominated
by the president as chief signal ollicer
with the rank of brigadier general. The
senate should promptly confirm the nom
ination. Captain Grcely's services as
an Arctic explorer will bo fittingly recog
nized by his promotion to tlio head ot a
branch of the service where he has done
heroic service for science and won renown -
nown and honor for the Hag which ho
planted at the farthest north.
IMtOMI.NKNT IM3KSOXS.
AIlss Amu Dickinson is recovering her "
health.
The iirlnceof Wngnui IsUrail in I'arls.ngwl
sovonty-slx.
Senator and .Mrs. I'ryo will sail for Europe
on .Maiohl' ; .
The due de Nemours hns sold his homo In
Paris i'or SGSO.OOOr
Mrs. .Mac'Kiiy bought her S1M,000 ) sapphire _
Irom a JliiSbian prince who was pushed for
funds.
MIssNullle Moonlight Is now private sec-
ictnry to.her father , tuo governor ol ! Wyom
ing territory. '
Miss lese ! Kli/.abetli Cleveland is hard at
work upon a new novel , which she hopns to
have ready for publication In t.o : early
sjnlnu. The scuno of tluj story is laid in and
around Holland I'.itunl.
Cainpaniiii bus adopted the profession of a
newspaper correspondent , not belli ; ; In de
mand as nn opuru sinner. '
Sir Michael Morris is the first Itommi
Cntholic appointed to bo lord chief justice of
Ireland since the reformation.
Ex-Governor I * . H. H. Pinchbnek paid
810,000 the other day for the race horsey
Montana IJo uiit , at Luxipstoii , Ky.
Lord I\iilolih ! ; ) Churchill's private sccrc-
tary , Ailnlplius Moori- , who died recently ,
was a fumails athlete and pednstrlan.
Senator Harrison of Indiana delivered an
address to the YOUIIK Men's Republican club
in Providence , K. 1. , Thursday nisht.
Colonel Jngcrsoil is in Washington lookIng -
Ing for material lor another anti-religious
lectuie. Ho his : gone to the right field.
Aland ilowo , who married John Klliott , an
Km-HsU artist , a few days njso , will , with her
husband , live at Iloston with her mother ,
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe.
Ijioensi ; in Pennsylvania.
riitl ilrll > tita llccord.
Let no drink Do jronumo unless the words
"High License" bu blown in thu glass.
A Clean Conncionco nnd u Hit ; Urnin.
St. iMUlx flliiljc-remncnit.
Wanted , a srnatot without a presidential
bee In his himnet , to make hlmsclt generally
useful In Washington.
'Out o ! Place.
Clilcauo Kni'i.
A Philadelphia clothing dealer has pur
chased Munkac/.y's famous picture oC "Christ
Uot'orn Pilate , " ami will hang It In his stoic.
The subject which tlio painting treats Is so
modern that It will seem strangely out of
phico amhl the colored plates or Philadelphia
fashions.
_ _
Education Needed in Connecticut.
Cltlcnii'i T linen.
Mark Twain says that in his capacity ns
publisher ho lately received a manuscript
from a toucher In Connecticut which embodied
ied n number of answers uivim by her pupils
to questions propounded , among which wns :
"Kopiibllcan A sinner mentioned in the
liitilo. " This shows the ell'ect ot mugwump
ascendancy In Connecticut. Tlmtslnto would
not seem to bu In need of Senator IlUUr's ed
ucational bill ,
Striving.
Crunch's " .l .lcl / unil Caliltan. "
I. started on a lonely road ;
A I'nw companions with mo went ;
Some fell baldnd. SOIIIK tonvard Mroile.
lint all nn one high purport bent ;
To live for natiiie , liinllnir truth
In beauty nud the shrines of art ;
To consecrate our Joyous youth
To aims outside the common mart.
I turned aside and lingered long
To pluck u rose , to hear a bird ;
To muse , whllo llstonlni ; to thu song
Of hrooKs through leAtv covers heard ;
To llvo In thoughts Ihrtt brought no 1'uino
Or guerdon from thu tliouu'litiess ciowd ;
To toll for ends that could not clulm
Thu world's applauses , course and loud.
Hut fitlll , ( hough oft J'Jiinil my shoal
In lit'lds my comrades IIU.YU not known ,
Though iirt is long nnd llfu Is brief ,
And youth ban now I'orevor lluwu ,
I would not lose the rauturu sweet ,
Nor Bcorn the loll of earlier years ;
Still would 1 climb wlth'fiagor lout.
Though towering lii'iphl pn height appears.
I'usHy'ri
St. Louis Olobo-ncmqcnit ; Mrs. T. J.
Hammond , of HriinswU'k , Mo. , owns
what shu is pleased to term a very know
ing cat and the toHnu certainly exhibits
very rare intelligence. 'It is a largo and
buaiitiful Maltese , less than .a year old ,
and has beonlaughtto perform a number
of tricks very unusual for a cat. one of
which is to ring a chestnut boll , and it
frequently turns the laugh on Mrs. Hammond
mend by making the bell tinkle when she
is recounting some freak of its intelli
gence. When thu cat fouls that a mouse
would bo an addition to its bill of fare it
brings thu trap to Mrs. Hammond to beset
set and then goes ; frequently to see if the (
desired mouse has been caught. When
such is the case the trap is again taken
to some one by Puss. who will remove the
mouse for it. It makes no cjl'ort to catuh
mice in the ordinary way , preferring ( lie
invention of man as an easier wny to ob-
ta.in a sweet morsel.
_
Liry-DlvfBlonNo. 8 , Knights ot Pythias ,
will'giv.tf'u party next' Monday -night
at Ccntnilihatl.oa Fourteenth struct. . .
NEBRASKA RAILROAD RATES ,
Facts and Figures Compiled From Actual
Shipping Bills.
DO THE PEOPLE NEED RELIEF ?
Tlio tionc nml Short Until Kxtilhltcil
In Its True Iilsht Tlio Shorter
tlio Jlniil tlio Grotitor ttio
1'rioo of Coal.
WHY OMAHA CAN'T COMPETE.
A Few Hard Nuts For the Omaha Freight
Bureau , and a Puzzler For Oppo
nents of Railway Regulation ,
About two months ago 1 made the tour
of the entire Nebraska railroad system ,
with n view of scetirlntr facts and llguros
regarding railroad rates. My travels
consumed most of thu month of Decem
ber. When the legislature mot in Jan
uary , the excitement over the senatorial
contest oiowdcd everything else in the
background. Now that tlio legislature
is wrestling with the railroad problem
the information 1 have gathered cannot
fail to bo instructive and suggestive.
1 began my tour over the 1 $ . & M. sys
tem , niul confined my inquiry over that
road , as on all others , to the leading
staples and comparative rates between
points visited nud Omaha , Lin
coln and Chicago. Incidentally I
made inquiry concerning compe
tition in the coal and grain trallic ,
and specific instances of extortion
and discrimination. I found il impossi
ble to quote anything except first and
fourth class rates , and oven such as were
quoted do not show rebates claimed by
shippers to be allowed to favored patrons
of tlio roads. In reality , it is impossible
to ascertain the variety of the numerous
ciassilications , which appear to bo pur
posely gotten up to mystify.
At Louisville , where the H. it M. mid
Missouri I'acilic cross , what might bo
supposed to bo a competing point , 1
loiind the following tanlfin force :
Kate on corn to Omaha , only thirty
miles , Scents To Chicago , 503 miles ,
o ( > coats. Soft coal was selling about
the 1 10th of November , at $5 fill and ? 0.50
per 1 ton. Hard coal at that early in the
season Sia.fiO. Air. Tliad Adams showed
mo 1 a freight bill on a car load of barb
wire > , which from Do Kalb , 111. , to
Omaha < was § 59.70 , nnd from Omaha
to I Louisville just thirty miles ? 27. ! )
FliUtsmonth , twenty-one miles from
Omaha J , coal was selling at $3 and § 0.
Corn JI rate to Chicago ; JO cents to Omaha ,
tvonty-ono I miles , 7i cents. Halo on
groceries , etc. , from Onmlni , ! ) c per cwt. ,
and on dry goods and otlicr things writ
ten under the mystic classification , 18
cents per cwt. for tlio twenty-one
miles.
About a year ago at Plattsmouth the
railroad commission reduced Omalia
freight , fourth-class , from 12 cents to t ) ,
and at about the same time the Chicago
rate was raised from 35 cents to 38
cents.
At Crete , clglity-scvca miles from
Omaha and twenty miles from Lincoln ,
coal sells at $7.r 0 per ton. This is on the
H. & M. railroad. It costs40 cents on first-
class , and at cents on fourth-class to ship
goods from Omaha. While from Lincoln
to Crete , only twenty miles , less than
one-fourth the distance from Omaha ,
first-class rates are 20 cents 1 cent per
mill ! , while fourth-class is 1U
cents. It might be mentioned hero that
sugars , etc. , come under the head of
"fourth-class , " while tea , clothing , etc. ,
is considered "first-class. "
The rate on corn to Chicago from
Crete , r > ( ! 2 miles , is ! ! 1 cents per ewt. ,
while to Omalia , only eighty-seven miles ,
the rate is 11) ) } cents.
Mr. 1'rongor , merchant , told me that
unless Omaha houses hail some absolute
leader , tlioy never undertook to sell
goods at Crete , it costing 85 cents per
cwt , , for instance , to ship sugar from
Chicago to Omalia and ! ! 1 cents to ship it
on to Crete only eighty-seven miles.
Mr. T. 0 Heard , the 'present postmas
ter at Crete , tried to buy grain within last
year , but as he had no elevator , told mo
that lie iid ! not stand a ghost of a show ,
and was obliged to quit. The elevator
men. in bidding against him , would al
ways hid up to freight , and if ho tried to
meet them , they would bid 1 cent jior
bushel inside freight. Mr. Heard said no
of course could not swear that they re
ceived rebates , but such a way of doing
business made the question clear to hi's
mind. Mr. H. also stated that unless
a man could " .stand in" with the railroad
company , so far as he know , there was
no use to attempt buying corn in this
state.
Fairmont , left alone to the moreyof the
15. & M. , is another place whore tlio regu
lar and .scientific robbery goes on from
day to day. This town is liJO miles from
Omaha and 5-'i from Lincoln. Coal was
selling at SJ7.25 and $7.50 this being sott
coal Canon City. Mr. E. L. Martin ,
coal dealer , informed mo that very often
during the winter months Fairmont pco-
iilo experience a coal famine , as thu
Colorado Coal company for which the
H. & M. railroad company was the only
agent in Nebraska , always supplied com
peting points Jir.st salting their own
price thereon. On lirst class goods it
costs -15 cents from Omaha nml ! ! 0 cents
from Lincoln ; and on fourth class , ill
cents trom Omaha and 22 cents from Lin
coln.
coln.Messrs
Messrs , Keith & Sinilny showed mo , as
a curiosity , a freight bill on eighty bar
rels of milt from Chicago to Fairmont ,
f > ! )5 ) miles , which was $1)2 ) moro , they told
mo , than the salt cost. A barrel of cof
fee to this same linn , from Milwaukee to
Missouri river , the freight was 25 cents ,
and from river to Fairmont , less than 100
miles , the rate was ! )5 ) cents.
Only fifteen miles further west is Sutton -
ton , making it M5 miles from Omaha
and OH miles from Lincoln I call par
ticular attention to the difference in rates.
Tlio Omaha rate Is f > 8 cents lirst class and
10 cents fourth , while the Lincoln rate is
10and [ 1)1 ) cents. In the little distance of
lifteim miles iin increase of 1 ! ) cents per
< iwt. 1 could hardly see how this could
be , but the agent of the company assured
mo there was no mistake.
Another thing the farmer will notice
moro than I do perhaps , and that is that
the rate on corn to Chicago wna ! 17 cents ,
2 cents moro per bushel than it was lit'-
teen miles east of lliero. On the item of
stoves , Mr. Carney , n hardware mer
chant at this point , informed me that ho
paid fit ) cents per 100 pounds from
Omaha , only MO miles , nnd that from
Chicago to .Sutton ho paid DO cents pur
owt. Mr. C. wont on to say that because
of outrageous freights it was useless for
him to buy anything In Omaha.
Three elevators worn run
ning in this place , but
the furmcr was hauling Ida corn to town
nnd selling it at 15 cents per bushel and
paving $11 per ton for hard coal.
Hastings was the next town I visited.
The H. & M. nnd the St. Joseph &
irand Island am partners in the robbery
hero. It is only 104 miles trom Omaha ,
yet the freight rain is 02- cents on lirst.
class and-lOconUon fourth. From Lin
coln , only 07 miles , the rate is 63
cents on lirst-class and 35 cents on fourth.
Whitebroast ctfal was soiling at ? 0 per
ton and hard coal was selling at ? il.0
some cheaper than at Sutton , east of
thoro.
Thu Chicago rate onearn la 83 cents
per hundred. When- visited Hustings
the farmers wore very indignant , because
n better rate was given Ay to by 1 cent ,
3 cents bolter at Blue Hill and 8 cents
bolter atCoWlo nil further fromCnicngo
than Hastings. .This wns because ol n
"pool. " H. U Edwards is acent for the
Wliltobrc.isl Coal company , and all coal
must bo bought of him. The Chicago ,
HurluiKton & Oulncy railroad company
owns largo shnica in the \ \ hitobreast
mines. , , , , .
The rate on corn from Hastings to
Omaha was 18 cents. In the early fall
the gram dealers at Hastings were pay
ing 23 cents for com. The rate to Ch
cage was ! W cents.Vhcn great quanti
ties of corn commenced to come in , when
the farmer thought ho would got a little
prollt , the H. & SI. "restored the tarlll , "
which was raising the rates C cents per
100 pound ? , and corn accordingly dropped
in price to 15 cents per bushel.
The rate from Omaha to Hastings is
the sinno aa to Sutton , but it costs 1 cent
more per hundred to ship to Chicago from
Hastings , twenty-eight miles further.
. The next town t visited was Holdrcgo ,
21 ! ) miles from Omaha and 152 miles from
Lincoln. Out here , 21 ! ) miles nearer tlio
Colorado mines than Omaha , Canon City
coal soils ut ? 7.fX ) per ton just $1 moro
than in Omaha.
The freight rate , lirst class , from
Omaha , is 7. * cents , fourth class 50 cents ;
from Lincoln about the uami' fourth
class being -15 cents. The price on corn
to Chicago is the same as Hastings , J8 !
cents , and Holdrego is llfty-livo miles
further west. Mr. F. J. Kvuiis , grocer
nnd dry goods dealer , said tltat lie had
been tryinir to ascertain rates of
freight and could get no satis
faction. Ho could liguro on
their rates until his head ached , but bills
would never come out riirht. Ho had
had goods damaged , ho said , but there
was no use to complain. ( Seeds gener
ally came marked "Owner's Kisk , " but
ho would pay 75 cents per hundred , just
the same. On Nov. 27 Mr. K. received
the following little bill of goods trom
Omaha : Ono case honey in glass , two
boxes lemons , two boxes oranges , one
barrel grapes nml one sack peanuts.
These poods weighed about live hundred
pounds. They cost less than : J50. Wore
shipped by freight , at owner's risk , and
cost ? 1 to pet them to Hohlrogc. This
is only a mild sample.
Arnpahoo is tlio next town. It U 2"0
miles from Omaha nnd 18 ! ) miles from
Lincoln. The rate o/freight / from Omaha ,
lirst class , is 81 cents ; fourth class. 00
cents. Corn to Chicago , ! J5 cents I ) cents
cheaper than from Hastings four coun
ties nearer Chic'tgo. In corn shipments
this seemed a favored spot. In merchan
dise , however , the rate is * kent up.
Freight froinl'acilie.Iunction was quoted
mo by the agent at MJ cents.
. ) . 1 $ . Murray , hardware dealer , says in
payinir freight on nails ho always'paid
the 15. & Al for 100 pounds. They
woiKlt the kegs. Last , yearj (1895) ( ) Air
Murray paid $3,1)10.31 ) freight. Ho savd
lit has bills to show that on barb wire the
freight is IJC per cent. On stoves it is
about 25 per cent two-thirds of this
being from the river to Arapahoo. As a
sample , Mr. Murray has a bill dated
October 2 , showing that 8,800 pounds of
stoves from Chicago to Arapahoe cost
$14.05.
The next town is Indianola. It is 281 !
miles from Omaha. The rate of freight
is 83 cents lirst class , and 02 fourth class.
No corn was shipped cast this year. It
costs to shin hay to licnklcman , only sixty-
three miles , $2.80 per ton. Corn to
Haiglor , only eighty-lour miles , it costs
125 cents per cwt. Coal sells at Indian
ola at $7.00.
McCook is tlio next town ten miles
west of Indianola. Here coal sells at
$7.00. Mr , S. Plunkett , a groeoryman of
McCook , says ho is satisfied that the 11.
& M. discriminates , lie cites as proof
the fact tnat ho wanted to ship baled hay
to Denver. The company gave him as
their best rate ! ! 0 cents per ewt. , a dis
tance ot 253 miles. Ho desired to ship
thirty-live cars and by paying ISO cents
per cwt. ho could make just 50 cents per
ton. They told him they could
do no better. A Denver man
came along the same day a commission
man purchased all the hay ho could
lind for sale , shipped it to Denver , and
confidentially informed Air. 1'lunkett
that ho could make good money on it.
Culbertsoii is the next town and the
last one I visited going west. Hero
Canon City coal sells at $7 , 50 cents moro
per ton than it was selling for in Omalia ,
and 807 miles closer to the mines. The
reader should pause and ponder here.
In returning over tlio H. it Al. I stopped
at Alma , 223 miles from Omaha , the rate
of freight boinir " : lirst class , 77 cents ;
fourth'fiO cents."Chicago rate on corn
85 cents. Coal sells at 7.
At Hod cloud , 187 miles from Omaha , I
found that coal was selling at § 7.25 and
97.50 ; that the same rate of freight was
given from Atcliison , Kan. , Si. Joe and
Hulo as from Omaha ; that the Chicago
rate on corn was only 81 cents , ! cents
lower than Hastings , and that the rate of
freight on merchandise from Chicago
was 10 cents higher.
At Superior coal was selling at $7.50
fifty miles further cast. Freight rates
about the same.
Hut there is no use to present moro at
one time than can bo digested. These
facts have been obtained from the rail
road company's agents and from men
who have paid the bills. In a letter to
morrow I will give some figures from
southeast Nebraska together with charges
of the other roads opcratinjr in this stale.
Hofori ) closing , however , I wisli lo call
attonllonlo the rates charged at liullovuo ,
just ten miles from Omaha. Fir.st-class
freight from Omaha is 12 } cents ; fourth-
class ! ) cents. Coal from Omaha costs for
freight just $1 per ton. Corn to Omaha ,
just ten miles , 5 cents per hundred
pounds.
And it might bo well to call attention
to the fact that the H. it AL railroad com-
puiv ; , according to the statement of coal
dealers , is the ugcntjfor the Colorado Coal
company. It places the price on coal ;
says'whon the coal shall go and allows
the dealer $1 per Ion for handling il , the
dealer losing "shortage. " This is , in
deed , a pretty state of affairs.
Ai , PAIIIUUOTIIKK.
STATK AND TliKUlTOHV.
The fi. & AI. pay car drops from $5,000
to . * ( J,000 in Hustings every month.
A cold water wnvo is holding a thn-o
days' session in Sutton. An uurly thaw
may bo looked for.
Long I'ine has n Limo Kiln club whoso
philosophy oo/.es out at the ankles. The
members cultivate thu "hoo down. "
Ashland will tnko Salt creek water on
( hi ) direct pressure plan. The town de
cided for waterworks almost unani
mously.
If ( irand Island can mid the iiapt'st '
university lo her list ot jmbljo prizes , she
can extend greeting to Hastings and the
incurable insane.
Tlio Klkhorn Yajloy road will bo an
active competitor in the Wyoming coal
business by next winter. 1'rupurations
are being made to work the coal fields
around Douglas.
Nebraska City is promised n lodgn of
Klks , to be harnessed tit an early day.
The Omalia brethren will probalily be
called upon to gild the horns , and we can
assure our down river neighbors that
they can do the job in regal style and
sandwich the beast between schooners ,
The assurances given by General Mid-
dlcton to a resident of Cuniing county
that the Canadians will not invade the
United States , will bo sad news to the
cowboy veterans on the border. It is
proper toitalici/.o thu fttct right hero that
thu Canucks know when they uru well oil' .
The Cedar County Nonpareil wants
Senator Van \Vyck in the state senate
two years linnco , "and wo wil | venture
to say that our state government will bo
a government of the people and by the
pooplo. Then let him go to ooiigrJsa in'
General Mhmlorson's place , nnd the good
work will go on. "
Montana , i
J A series of mellow chlnooks are wnntnl r p )
on the ranges. f
Montana has nn official who bnn < > M
the title of "contractor of territorial m
FlUIO. "
James Luohy , a resident of ! ? ultp , lei
$1,100 while sampling liquid lightning
there last week.
In Montana during the winter cowl > < ns
make a living by killing mountain linns ,
for which a boi.nty of $3 per head is pai.l
The animals are ferocious and some an-
very large.
It would not be surprising , says llm
Hutto Inter-Mountain , to learn that tln >
cold snap which is now prevailing will
cost Montana $10,000,000 before it is ovrr
The cattle on thu ranges nro impoverished
ished nnd starving in many localities.
The little spot of land between HIP
Hookies on the wrst , Minnesota on the
east , and north of the forty-seventh par
allel has a greater range of tempernturu
than any other portion of the known
clobo. Last summer the thermometer
registered 153 nnd 124 degrees Fahreii-
hull above zero in the shade , nnd only
three days ago the spirit registers showed
00 degrees below 7.ero. This year thu
snowfall is unprecedented. In Emigrant
gulch , a few miles west of Fort Keogh ,
the snowfall is beyond nil conception. A
series of avalanches have boon sweeping
down Emigrant peak , tearing cabins
Irom their inundations and buryinc thorn
out of sight , although fortunately no one
has boon hurt.
Tlio 1'nolllo Const.
A theatre to cost $ 100,000 is to bo built
in Los Angeles.
There are ut least -1,500 men at work in
Iho mines in and around Hulto City.
Sonoma county pays out $ -110 a month
to take care of tramps and feed them in
idleness.
A colony of Quakers will settle in Ne
vada county in a few months , if situations
can bu obtained for them.
The Los Angeles Cremation societv is
gottintr ready for business. Two diller-
cut cemetery companies are bidding for
the crematory. , .
After nightfall wild ducks infest the r f ,
gram fields in the vicinity of Putah Creek ,
Al.tmcda county , in great numbers. They
have nearly devastated 400 acres on the
Curry farm.
XI10 Growth orilluti Ijicciinc.
Chicago Tribune.
It is a remarkable feature of the grow
ing sentiment among tlio people of the
various stales that Iho evils of intemper
ance must bo restricted , that since the
passage of the Harper law by the Illinois
legislature the principle of high license
has steadily moved forward in the
popular favor , and that , when it is fairly
tented , as in Illinois and Missouri , its re
sults are the same namely ; a reduction
of the number of saloons , usually those
of the worst class , and material increase
of tlio revenue derived from licenses.
There are now pending in several of
the state legislatures hiirh license bills ,
modeled moro or loss closely upon the
Harper law , with favorable * chances of
nassagc. In Now York $1.000 is fixed as
the maximum tax. with graded license
fees according to tlio population of citics. _
The board ot excise commissioners in
New York city has also taken a
stop in the direction of high license.
Second-class hotels will now pay $200 ,
an increase of $100 , and saloon licenses
are increased to $200 , an increase of $125.
Kucogmzing that the use ot beer and
light wines is not an active cause of in
temperance , tlio license for their sale is
fixed at $50 , and for ale and beer alona
$80. i'or these drinks the license has
been reduced. A hill is pending in the
Alassauhusutls legislature which provides
that not more than one licenseshall be
granted for each 500 of population , and
that the minimum fee for all licenses in
cities of more than 100,000 people shall
be $1,000 and in all other cases $500. The
bill also provides that no liquor shall bo
sold Sunday or between 10 p. in. nnd 0 u.
m. any day ; that no minors shall bo em
ployed where intoxicating liquor is
sold ; that the revenue from license shall
go to the stale for the enforcement of the
law and the support of the pauper , re
formatory and correctional institutions.
The bill also includes tne principle
of local option. A petition asking
the passage of n high-license bill
for the District of Columbia , signed
by all the hotel keeuers in Wash
ington lias been presented lo congress.
In Connecticut public sentiment is run
ning so strongly in favor of high liccnso
that it is proposed to fix the minimum
retail feu at $000 and the maximum at
$1OCO or $1,500. Another bill has boon
introduced which prohibits the sale of
liquor in saloons to ho drank on the
premises , but allows hotels and restau
rants to furnish il to their patrons at
meals. There is a strontr probability
also that a high-license billwill pass the
Pennsylvania legislature this winter.
The lowest figures for the tax are $200 ,
and range from this to $1,000 , with the
probability that $500 vvill bo lixed. A
strong ell'ort is also being made to have
the revenue go the counties instead of
the state , as how. In Indiana the present -
ent law fixes the county and state tax on
saloons at $100. The Ackman bill , recently -
contly introduced , increases this tax to
$1100 , one-half to go to the school
fund and the remainder to the counties
for general purposes. A further feature
of the bill Is an additional tax of $800 on
each saloon , which must bo paid before n
license can be issued and which may bo
further increased lo the extent of $200 by
the authorities , thus making u total tax
of $000 or $ bOO. In addition to this the
party applying for n license must first
obtain the written consent of the major
ity of the legal voters of the township ,
town or ward in which ho resides , and
publicly advertise the place whore he in
tends to sell , for which he must hnvu thu
consent of the voters. The bill pending
before the Minnesota legislature
lixes the license tax nt a min
imum of $10,000 in cities of 10,000 and
over , and at a minimum of | 500 in towns
of less than 10.000 , Local option is also
preserved , The tax may bo Increased
to any sum above these amounts , but not
less can bo charged ,
It is evident from these indications that
high license has come to stiy : , and that
us scheme after scheme of political prohi
bition fails thu high-tax system of reduc
ing the number osaloons nnd Increasing
thu revenue will take their places. Tlio
days of fn-o whisky and $50 licenses have
passed , and the low nnd vilu dens will
speedily be taxed out of existence , thus
advancing the cause of tcmperancu nnd
relieving taxpayers from the heavy bur
dens heretofore entailed upon them by
the saloons. The luuh-llcunso system
will go farther than this by doing for the
workiiigmon what they do not f > com dis
posed to do for themselves. The reduc
tion of the number of saloons and dog
geries will bo u dirept benefit to the wugo
earners by removing that number of
tcniDtalions out of their way , Of all
men they should bo heartily in favor ot
1'igh license ,
AVATKIl WOHK8IMI _ OVKSII5NTH.
Now ISiiKlnuH A Total Daily Caiiaulty
or Kl.OOO.OOO GalloiiH ,
The Water Works Company is adding
to its plant three largo ami expensive
pumping engines , one at the Wal
nut hill reservoir and one ul the
pumping house , on the river bank 1 *
The two engines have a pumping capac- ' * *
itv of about four million trillions each ,
and with those now in use will afford a
total pumping capacity of abo.ut sixteen
million gallons a day. Thu city will
bu so redlstricted us to. afford high water
pressure at those points whure low pres
sure is now complained of. ' „