Nebraska Newspapers

    B. THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : MONDAY , FEBRUARY 25. 1889.
THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELER ,
Rov. Harsha'B Sermon to the Omaha
Dnimmora.
"HE WALKS IN CROOKED PATHS , "
Hloquent Tribute An to the linn *
cjtiot A Sermon on Card IMnJ"-
ItiK OHO Man'n ICxpcrl-
cnoc Sn
A Sermon to Travel CM.
Last night , nttllo Frsl Baptist church ,
Jtlcv. W. J. Ilnrsha preached to travel
ing men from the text : "Tho travelers
xvallcod through crooked paths. "
Juoges C:0. :
You will ugrco with mo that It is ono
thing to travel for pleasure and quite
nnother thing to have a "territory" be
fore you and a "house" behind you. It
IB easy enough to loll about Paris with
your kid-gloved hands In the pocket of
a summer overcoat , or to lean over the
Bide of the lllnlto and watch the creep
ing tide of the Adriatic. Muny a young
fellow has done that with soft lianas mid
n full stomaoh whiles their fathers or
mothers , or both , wore working nwny
hard enough on Iho farm or lohind the
counter. They thought they were giv
ing their boy n liberal education and
the thought made them happy. Hut
you are not such travelers as that. You
have hard hods , and hasty meals , and
Midden calls. You nc'cd to watch
the time cards and make all
the time you can. On , I
know very well that you
have no easy job. The old proverb was :
"Tho rolling stone gathers no moss. "
Tills w.is supposed to bo an infallible
business maximum. But ono a partner
in u certain house , whoso busineg" was
Bomowhat run down , proposed to go out
and visit the customers and see what ho
couhl'do to induce them to buy. Ilithor-
to merchants had resorted to the cities
in the spring and fall tobuj their stock.
But from that partner's venture the
tvholc occupation of the commercial
traveler haa resulted , and now it is the
stone that rolls Iho farthest and the
shrewdest that gathers the most moss.
Solomon , though the wisest of men ,
was fond of reminding men to stay at
homo. Twice in his proverbs he gives
this saying : "So shall thy poverty
como as ono that travcloth. " But in
Job's dny there seems to have been a
class of traveling men who made money
in the sale of linen and purple goods.
For the patriarch boasts that ho had the
pleasure of welcoming them to his home ,
merchant princes though they wore , ho
bought of them ricliBtulTd. His children
were dressed in some of them when the
house fell down and crushed them in
their revel.
In Matthew's parable wo hear of a
traveling man , though in this case ho
was probably only ono of the peddlers
who In the olden times used to unlade
their weary and sore shoulders at the
villager's door. Eight times in the book
of Eccleslastos docs Solomon draw warn
ing from your occupation , for there
scorns to have been some unsuccessful
men in your business then , and the bur
den of it all is , "Riches perish by evil
traveling. "
The Midianites wore the great itiner
ant merchantmen in olden times. Ono
of the vivid pictures ot my childhood is
that of a company of thorn I used to see
in the family bible. They wore a shrewd
Bet , and in the center of the company
Btnnds a triangular-faced camel most
hideous to loolc upon. I never think of
traveling men without having that face
rise before mo though fear you will not
think that very complimentary. But
such is the permanence of child
hood's impressions. Well it was to u
company of the Midinnitish merchant
men , you remember , that poor little
Joseph was sold. They happened to bo
passing that way on a business trip , and
the cruel brothers took the lud out of
the pit and sold him to them at'a ' bar
gain. Doubtless they made a very fair
profit when they resold the same boy to
Potiphar in Egypt , and they never
once dreamed that they wore only
agents of God in the whole transaction.
Bo it is that yon may bo carrying out
God's purpose without knowing it. His
eye is upon you , and ho can make even
the wrath of man praise him.
The Canaanitca , also , were traveling
salesmen. Their very uamo denotes
* 'slirowd sellers , " and in those old days
the Phoenicians traveled by sea , while
the Canaanitcs took route upon the
land.
I cannot stop to toll you with any
minuteness how Ohribt compared the
Jtingdoni of heaven to a man ' 'traveling
into a far country.- " and to a merchant
man whoso business it was to go about
tho. country seeking goodly pearls.
And I can only throw out the hint to
you that-Paul was the greatest com
mercial traveler who over lived , for
everywhere ho wont ho made tents and
nwhings and sold them , albeit ho car
ried along also , a knowledge of the
Saviour's iovo.
My text says that in Deborah's day
the "travelers walked in crooked
ways. " I have chosen those wordsbc-
cause I am afraid they are only too des
criptive of the temptation before your
foot. Ono crooked path is deceit. You
arc to BO 11 all the goods you can ,
\vhothcr the buyer needs thorn or not.
As f understand * it , you are ex
pected to loolr out for the customer's
commercial rating. By fair means or
foul you tire to get the goods onto him ,
nnd then if you can slip in certain
items ho .did not order , without Doing
fletected , you are all the raoro valuable.
Now I call this deceit. 1 say it is a
breaking of the golden "rule. You huvo'
no right to swamp a man through his
ignorance of the state of trade , or of Iho
quality of goods you have to offer. I
was told by a traveling man of his un
willingness to sell a certain kind of
machine to farmers * because ho
had to deceive thorn to make thorn
take it ; and Hnally he got
his house to give up the sale of that
particular machine though there was
mutiny in It. I call thatu noble action
on his part.
Another crooked path your foot are
npt to trot in ifj swearing. I know how
prone your oluss is to this and I wonder
at it. To take God's name in vain , and
especially to profane the dear name ol
our Lord and MiiHtor who died to nave
us all , is as useless as it la ungentlemanly -
manly , as needless as it is sinful. "God
Will not hold him guiltless that takcth
Ills name in vain , "
Then thcio ie Sabbath-breaking.
You very seldom pause to think that
traveling on that day , or making a sale
or two is a elircot breaking of ( Jod'u
fourth command.
You remember there were men once
who gold oxen and doves in the temple
nnd Jesus made a whip of small cords
nud drove thorn all out. Do you think
lie will bn more likely to overlook your
dcsowitlon of Ills holy day than lie
was to ignore their desecration of the
lioly place ? I cannot pause to spoalc
particularly of intemperance , impurity
nnd gambling as crooked paths. Oor-
tninly they are such. And hoA' many
good follows of your class have boon
ruined in them. This last euinuiur I
went along : beside Lake Avormus nnd I
saw the dark caverns where the an
cients located the entrance to hell ,
Hut I am sure the paths I have men
tioned arc more dark and deadly than
any 1 saw on that classic old Italian
spot. I know you are jwrticularly apt
to fall Into thcjo evil ways because o !
your very occupation. The Indians
have a saying that it takes a stupid mar
to follow a straight trail- They mean
by that that bravo and independent fol
lows arc apt to bo led by their very im
petuosity to try now and dangerous
routes. So I think your very alertness
your good fellowship , above all youi
loneliness when night comes in ono o
these little western hotels , these thing !
are all the peculiar causes of what sins
you commit. Old Standing Bear , the
wise old Ponca chief said te
mo ono day out there at
'
the fort , " 'When I was c
young man I thought I couli
llnd a bolter trail through the woods
than my fathers had taken. But when
ever I left the beaten track I found the
rocks sharper , the thorns thicker ani
the brush denser , nnd I was glad to col
hack to the way my fathers had trod ,
The old trail is best. " And ho was
right. Crooked paths may bo plcasurn-
bio forascnbon , but the straight olt
wav through the world to God is the
'best after all. I want , In closing , te
point you to a traveling man who made
a wise remark. His name was Jacob.
When ho wont out from Ills father's
house to seek his fortune ho lighted
upon n certain place and there slept
In his visions ho saw u ladder stretch
ing up to heaven , with angels ascend
ing and descending on it. In the morn
ing ho made this compact with God ;
"If thou wilt bo with mo , and will kooi
me in this way that 1 go , then shall the
Lorel bo my God. " I ask you all tc
make the same compact. Test God's
mercy. Rely upon His promise. Tr.kc
Christ to bo your saviour and Ho will
keep you in all your journcyings.
Prom the Hills.
\V. C. Patrick , representing McCorel
Brady & Co. in the Black Hills , came
in from his Deadwood headquarters ,
Besides disclosing to a reporter of Till-
13ii : : a vast fund of information on the
necessities of the Hills in a grocery
way , Mr. Patrick graphically described
the now process of rcetucing refractory
ores into a valuable exchange for far
greater supplies of commodities than
nis house is tlioro to furnish.
"Two years ago , " said he , "I carried
McCord , Braay & Co.'s ' samples into
the Hills , and at that time I don't
think that 1 per cent of the trade of
that territory came to this town , but
now fully one-half of the heavy grocery
business of the Hills is handled
by Omaha merchants. This is
largely duo to the fact that
to-day there is no railroad discrimination
against us. The rate from Chicago and
other eastern points to my country is
the sum of the local to the Missouri
river and that of the local west of the
river , so that on less than carload ship
ments at least we have the advantage
of the car load toll to our Missouri river
locations as compared with the less than
car load rate from the eastern point.
Chicago for instance , to the Missouri. "
"What is there in this new method
ot treating ores that hitherto have
proved obstinate ? "
"Well , there are mountains of low
grade ores that can not be subjected to
the stamp , but which can bo ground up ,
put into egg-shaped cylinders and
roasted to liquid form. This liquid is
poured into vats and cooled preparatory
to its deposit in largo tubs , where the
presence of chlorides effects a separa
tion of the valuable and valueless mat
ter , and at this stage the old methods
are resorted to. This leaching has
brought about the building of narrow
gauge railroads from Dead wood to Lead
City and from the now process works at
Dehdwood to Ruby , whore most of the
refractory ore is obtained. The former
line will bo operated iin May and tholat-
tor some lime this year. It might also
bo mentioned that the B. & M. is con
structing an extension from Alliance to
the now coal Holds. "
The eyes of the handsome traveling
man which had covered the reporter
with an animated light ia keeping with
his rapid summary of the advantages of
Southwestern Dakota as an auxiliary of
Omaha's great northwest commerce
now seemed to introspect the recorded
observations of many years of travel
and experience.
"Can I think of anything else of in
terest for the commercial page ? O , yes ,
but I am convinced that I have said
enough to warrant the conclusion that
groceries will bo in brisk demand in
my country , as well as commodities
classified in other lines. "
Gambling Travelers.
. An Omaha traveler .addresses his
comrades as follows : It is with deep re
gret that I see the habit of card play
ing getting a firm hold on the traveling
men , and this habit is often indulged in
at a sacrifice of time which should bo
devoted to business. I will give one in
stance , and who of us but have seen tins
repeated many times ovcrV A few days
ago the writer was sitting in the
hotel of a Nebraska town en
gaged in writing when a number
of traveling men entered. Having just
arrived in the town , they had hardly
had time to register when ono of the
number proposed they have a game of
high live , and a four handed game was
at once made up. This was U o'clock in
the afternoon. I loft there at 11 o'clock
that night ami the game was still on ,
they having stopped only long enough
to cat supper , and not ono of them had
been out to call on his customers.
Now , boy& , I will leave it to your impar
tial judgment. Is it right to thus spend
the time that should be devoted to busi
ness ? IB that what wo draw our salaries
for ? The flims wo represent expect
tlmtwo will spend our time in trying to
make sales , and not in card playing ,
and just in the proportion tlmtwo nuulo
our Borvie'os valuable to our firms , can
we expect to receive higher salaries.
This can be accomplished only by giv
ing our time and study to our business.
So.froin ; a financial standpoint wo can
not afford to play cards , and while wo
may not all have thu same religious
views , lot us huvo respect for the Sab
bath , and not spend the duy in card
playing. It is needless to say , wo could
give thu names of a good many salesmen
who have tukon their own lives after
losing their own and boino of the firm's
money ut the card table , and this was
not ilono in a gambling dea , hut in a
game with oilier traveling men who
should have bcun their friends. There
is also another view to take of ( his mat
ter , which is of far greater importance
than tlio lo.s of time nnd money. Card
playing is hut-another of thu many traps
which the devil lias sot to catch the
soul * of men , and can wo afford to sacri
fice our immortal souls through this in
dulgence of hublt ? Follow travelers , in
it not lime to call a halt ? Brace up !
Attend to business and bo honest and
true to yourselves.
DiiHlnetK mill I'loiiHui-e.
D. M. Jay , of Turner & Jay , whole-
bale hats and caps , has returned from a
seven weeks' business and pleasure trip
extending to the Pauiflu const. Mr.
Jay traveled over the Oregon Short
line and it was In the way-towns of
Idaho nnd Oregon , ns well as at point !
in Washington territory , and In Port
land that ho made efforts to place his
goods and to ascertain the trade possi
billtics for hid Omaha houso. Thai
these efforts were successful the ship
ping clerks who are now packing nne1
forwarding largo consignments for the
north western territory aroablo to voucl
and the junior partner is sc
well satisfied that n profitable busi
ness can bo conducted by bis house
in that part of the country thai
lie will repeat his venture , with the as
surance that the tentative tenor of his
former trip has rcsolvoel itself into the
certainty of profit. Soft felt hats found
most favor with the minors of the lulls
of Idaho and the farmers of the fertile
region at the farther end of the route ,
where n failure of crop is unknown.
Finishing up the houses of Portland
Mr. .lfiy look advantage of his proxim
ity to San Francisco nnd sailed to the
latter point. There ho familiarized
hllnsolf with the Joss houses and opium
dens of Chinatown , the beauties ol
Woodward's gardens nnd Golden Gate
park , and sifted the glorious Pacific
ocean air through his lungs , with Cllfl
house as a point of vantage , in rapt con
templation of the seals sporting on the
rocks but n short stage on 'the journo.v
to China distant. lie says that a grlf
car ride in the Gold City' is almost at
exhilarating as is the burst on tt
Twentieth street after the ascension ol
Dodge street.
As tn the limuinet.
A commercial man writes from Wcop-
ing Water : "Referring to the article in
las-t Monday's BKK in regard to the pro
posed traveling men's demonstration
late in the summer , I would like to say
a word or two. I am a sincere and thor
ough advocate of the practice of bring
ing customers , jobbers nnd commercial
men together and think it does an im
mense amount of good , but there is one
thing in the proposed programme that
could not pass off quite smoothly , and
that is the banquet. Everyone knows
it requires in admirable amount of tact
and experience to conduct a banquet of
oven 1-50 or 'MO guests. There would bo
fully a thousand hungry souls on that
day to bo refreshed anil the Coliseum
would bo the only building in town that
could be used.
I have talked with a number of the
boys nud they think about the samo.
"Wo don't want to do anything wo can't
make a complete success. Lotuslicav
from the boys. "
Experience.
Tom White contributes the following :
"Yes"said the drummer , "I don't want
to boat you , " and ho handed back 50
cents which the clerk had given him by
mistake. "I am strickly honest and
have had experience enough to make
tears come into your eyes if you will
allow mo to relate it. "Go on"said
the clerk , and the drummer resumed as
follows : "Twelve years ago when I was
but sixteen , I began working in a bank
and in four months after I was detected
in stealing money from the till nnd sent
to jail for live years. Shortly after I
wont to jail my mother died of grief
over ray action and my father began
drinking and in two years after my
mother died he had committed suicide
by shooting himself in the ) head with a
revolver. Now if this isn't enough ex
perience to teach a man to be honest
what is ? *
An Eloquent Tribtitu.
The Stuart Lodger says of the late
Col. H. C. Loborman whoso death was
noticed in last Monday's BISK : The an
nouncement that ho is dead \vill cause
lament and poignant sorrow among his
wide circle of friends and men with
whom ho had business relations. Yea ,
many a silent tear will bo dropped for
the courteous , handsome and gentle dis-
positioned salesman , who will never
more greet his customers with a cordial
handshake or exhibit his samples. His
life was as gentle as a Hesperian wind ,
as unclouded as a summer sky , as spot
less as ana devoid of harm as a child's.
Ho loft a comfortable homo , the sun
light of which was a wife and child.
He lived for his family , which ho hon
ored and revered and never lost an op
portunity to speak words in their
praise. Peace to his ashes in the rest -
nil , eternal sleep.
A rtlylit to Cliooso.
A commercial traveler awoke from a
sound slumber to find a mosquitq buz
zing about his head in the darkness. Heat
at once arose , lighted the gas , and seiz
ing the bolster from .the bed , ha struck
vigorously at the little insect , exclaim
ing : "Ah , you pest , but I'll have your
life ! " "You are a very inconsistent
man , upon my word ! " replied the mos
quito from his purch on the ceiling.
"How ? " "Why. you have been bitten
in twenty places by the bugs , and yet
you pay thom no hoed. " "Yes , but
every man has a right to choose what
nuisance he will put up with. Take
that you rascal ! "
Moral : If the citizen chooses to ex
cuse the piano pounding on the right
and poison the barking dog on the loft
no one can gainsay him. Detroit Free
Press.
The Author Mud.
The Montreal Trade Bulletin relates
an amusing and instructive experience
in trade circles in that city at the close
of last year. A largo wholesale house
sent n note to a buyer for another firm
stating the writer was sorry ho had not
in stock a suitable present for the wife
of the party addressed , and bogged her
acceptance of $10 , to bo spent as she
might prefer. The note was shown a
rival establishment , and brought out
another $10. This revealed to the fortu
nate buyer the existence of still greater
possibilities , and lie made the rounds ,
with the result.of gaining enough to bo
able to purchase for his wife a complete
new outfit , including a sealskin cloak.
And the author of this good fortune
"was mud" when ho heard of it.
s
National Bankrupt Imw.
The associated wholesale grocers of
St. Louis have sent out invitations to
the various boards of trade and commer
cial exchanges ot the country asking
them to bund delegates to a national
convention of the representatives of
commercial bodies in the United States ,
to bo hold at St. Louis , February 28 ,
1839 , to formulate and present to con
gress an equitable bankrupt act. which
will secure protection to the honest
merchant , intlict punishment on the
dishonest merchant , and establish u
uniform system for the collodion , pres
ervation and pro rata distribution of
thu estates of insolvents at u minimum
cost.
SninplcH.
Jainca M. Brown , with George T.
Brown , Now York , waJ on the streets.
K. French , representing the Soldon
Axle works , of Wllkosbarro , Pa. , was
in the city.
Will U. Hitter , of the Winona Imple
ment company , was doing the Missouri
Paclllu lust week.
F. Wiltso , of the Excelsior Furniture
company , of Ilootcford , 111. , was another
Omaha visitor last week.
T. J. Rittonhousa , secretary and
treasurer of. the Cooley Morrison F. M.
association , of .Cpmiorsvlllo , lud. , was
in the city.
Tom J. Huleto'n returned from his
western trip to Dc'riyer , Salt Lake nm
other western points , nnd reports busi
ness good. >
Mr. E. Chilbcrg , of Chicago , representing
sonting the Thompson-Houston Electric
company , was in the city hustling aflot
Iho motor company ,
Tlioro is something in this world lhn (
is ns sure hs death and taxes. Tim
something in Lnnlus. When you don'1
see him around lit tlio proper time you
may just as well commence to wear
mourning for the dead.
William Carney , the North Plnttc
man for the Winona Implement com
pany , was doing thoHrokon Bow branch
last week. The shipping clerk always
complains of too much work when Car
ney is hustling. You wouldn't think
ho was Irish by his name , would you' ;
Well ho is.
Among the many traveling men on
the Stromsburg branch this week we
caught the following : Arthur Alien ,
D. S. Spier , K. B. Randolph , Jlmmio
Horrlck , Star Plug Whiting- . C.
Lyon , Gcorgo W. Duncan. Robert F.
Lytlo , C. R. Stephens , E. L. Dean , II.
E. Klein , Ed Lonnord. Sixteen got off
nt Stromsburg Wednesday afternoon
and six Thursday , nnd the boys are
rustling if trndo is light.
The Stuart Ledger says : C. O.
Lcako , represent ! n g _ II. M. & S. W.
Jones , wholesale stationers of Omaha ,
spent Sunday in town. Mr. L. , al
though a young man , is an old timer of
north Nebraska. In 1S7IJ ho taught
school nt Pishollvillo , the then frontier
settlement in western Knox county , on
the Niobrara river. Ho was the foun
der of the Nollgh Advocate , which ho
established in 1880. He is a rustler
and a pleasing and entertaining gentle
man withal.
At the Mlllard : J. E. Spears , of Now
York ; H. II. Spencer , Ogdcn ; C. S.
Blackmail , Chicago ; Wnltos Woolott ,
Kansas City ; Yictor Saul , Cleveland ;
David Fox , Now York ; Eugene Arn-
hoim , Now York ; Max Solmalzor , New
York ; L. II. Varnev , Chicago ; C. L.
IIonsor Lincoln ; Frank E. Folcy , Chicago
cage ; Gcorgo W. Skinner , Chicago.
At the Paxton : John Rex , Chicago ;
W. M. Young , St. Louis ; S. H. Root ,
Boston ; E. W. Pease , St. Paul ; L. M.
Falk , Chicago ; Henry Meyading , Min
neapolis ; G. L. Palmer , Burlington , la. ;
Henry M. Martin , John D. Brooks , Al
bany , N. Y. ; W.S. Achcson , Now York ;
J. A. Lower , Chicago ; J. Luck , Phila
delphia ; William Cox , Philadelphia ;
John A. Woman , Boston.
At the Murray : R. Eiseman , Chicago ;
B. A. Crell , Chicago ; Georcro A. Hill ,
Chicago ; W. H. Hale. Boslon ; T. W.
Murphy , Chicago ; G. H. Eastman , Now
York : John D. Repelo , New York ; W.
D. Adams , Chicago ; L. A. Saaliicld ,
Ncnr York ; L. Mayer , St. Louis ; E. R.
Fuller , New York ; M. L. Ilnlton , New
York ; S. L. Walker , Chicago ; C. R.
Hoffman , Chicago ; H. M. Bribou , San
Francisco. ,
OhVlint n'h' Awful firenth !
There Is nothing1 moro healthful than
onions. The trouble Is that persons arc
afraid to cat thcra. Decauso they make the
breath unfragranty But there Is a less fra
grant breath than ttiat freighted with
onions. Wo mean' the breath of a person
with a foul stomach ; Take him away ! wo
inwardly cry whcn"ne whispers in our ear.
"Do see that your breath is puro- Take a few
BiiANDitETii's Pru.s tmd regulate your liver ,
stomach ana bowe and your breath will bo
'
sweet.
TUB JNSUnA'jfCE QUESTION.
DIr. Palmer Epresson His Views nml
OpInioiiH Thereon.
OMAUA , Neb. , Feb. 23. To the Editor
of Tins BEE : It is no presumption on
my part to assume that Tun OMAHA
13En , with its powerful influence , is
ready at all times to defend , protect and
foster that which is good and beneficial ,
ollko to Omaha Interests and the great state
of Nebraska. Knowing this to bo true , I
beg for a moment to call your attention to
the question of insurance legislation now
pending in the Nebraska legislature. Par
ticularly to the valued policy law. senate
file No. 0 , the bill to compel companies to
pay taxes on the gross receipts ( no reduction
for cancellation * , return premiums or losses
paid ) , and a bill compelling insurance com
panies to pay a 2 per cent tax to sup
port fire departments without regard to
how good or effective the organization
may bo. Few people in Nebraska understand
the commercial importance of insurance
protection. Yory few of our citizens , farm
ers , merchants , or anybody else , who own ,
property , carry their own rlsKs. Our city
and country merchants arc all required to
carry a certain amount of reliable insurance
on their stocks ; otherwise they cannot buy
on credit. The farmer who secures a loan ,
and the enterprising citizen who puts .his
shoulder to the wheel of prosperity , and
builds the great buildings of this and other
Nebraska cities , must protect his loans
with insurance in eastern companies. Other
wise these improvements c.innot bo made on
borrowed capital. The fire Insurance com
panies to-day stand behind every great en
terprise. Not a prominent corporation west
of the Missouri river is dointr business with
out insurance protection. The railroad com
panies insure their property. The farmer.with
tub plain & > 00 homo.as well as the millionaire ,
seeks und pays for insurance protection.
Moro than $200,000,000 foreign fire in
surance capital is to-day liable for Nebraska
losses. Tlio business man. merchant and
farmer , realize fully the necessity and beuo-
llcial results of reliable Ilro insurance. The
great packing interests of South Omaha ,
Lincoln , Nebraska pity , Fremont nud other
Nebraska towns caunot bo conducted with
out good insurance pi election. Onollrmin
South Omaha carries over fSOO.OOO worth of
insurance , and tho. total line that could be
curried by local companies , organized in this
state , on this risk , would uot bo to oxccud
815,1)00. ) Snail wo drive away this foreign
capital ) Can wo dp business and prosper
without it ! Not wtli6ut | the fire waste can
bo stopped. Moro than $130,000,000 of earn-
lugs was totally destroyed by fire last year.
Moro than half tills An in was replaced to the
losers by the benetlciUl plan of ilro nsur-
nnco ; the burden being distributed among
the many , every insurer paying his poition
of the loss. Should ) -wo crlppio an interest
on which wo nro toinpellcd to depend for
protection } Or , should wo , by Injudicious
, vnd injurious legislation enact laws that
tend to increase thtttoss ratio , or the cost of
insurance ! If so , doi'wo ' uot rob ourselves }
The problem of ( tire insurance Is easily
solved by any buslu s man. Capitalists put
in their money far.yntock , expecting divi
dends ; the rooord oUio business nliowa by
Bworn statements uijovory Insurance depart
ment , reveals tho" fact that tlio general
agency companies have made but very little
money. No largo dividends huvo been paid ;
the average dividend Is less than lu.por cent ;
as a matter of fact the average dividend will
not exceed H par cent. Tlio sirongojt Ilro In
surance company doing business In Nebraska
shows an avnrupo dividend of loss than B per
cent. Wo huvo no watered block. The busi
ness has been carefully und conscrva-
: lvoiy managed.Tho ofllcors of
nro Insurance companies generally
nro pot speculators or stock gamblers.
I'ticy nro of our most conservative business
men. The plan la to give protection for the
east amount of cash and to grow strong in
Hibllc favor. Tins being true , wo arc en-
; itled to protection. The valued policy law
, vas tirst conceived during the grungor fight
n Wisconsin years ago. The fact that an
nsurance company was a corporation was
Uio principal argument , or ruthor the most
otToctivo issue , conducive to its passage. For
some time it waa ret-anled ns a dead letter.
Then the statute wai icJtoJ In the courts und
enforced. From Itiat day the loss ratio in
Wisconsin has increased materially full 25
per cent. All legislation of this ktnct imts
hnvo Its day. The public mind must bo edit
catod. The law wai passed In Idaho , nnd th
l > coplo there have been compelled to carrj
their own Insurance. A similar bill , tliougl
not hitii so utiu , called the Howlnnd law , wa
pasietl in Ohio. Missouri has n statute
passed during the Inst legislature , U | > oii UK
same subject , but far less injurious than the
Wisconsin Inw , of which senate Illo No. fl
Introduced in the Nebraska legislature , Is n
copy , except this senate fllo No. 3 include
personal property , which is not covered b.\
nny valued policy law In force. The Now
Hampshire legislature , during the hist SGI-
slon , passed n valued policy law applying to
reality , This was the straw that broka the
camel's back. The disease seeniod to be
spreading to the cast , nearer the center o
Insurance capital , fho companies prompt ! }
withdrew from the stnto , nnd resolved huro
after to light thu question through the press
and not with strong lobbies. They also re
solved to tnkc similar action In any other
suite adopting the same law. It was stated
In the senate , when senate flic No. 3 was
UIKHI Its passage , that the companies with
drawing from Now Hnmpshlac had returned
nnd were now doing business In that stnto.
This Is not truo. The person making the
statement was simply mistaken. Thu
companies that withdrew from Now Hntiip
shlro closed their agencies , have not opcnei
them Hlnce , nnd nro not now writing bust
ness there. The reason for this sovcro action
on the part of the companies was because ol
this fact Ilro Insurance statistics provo tnat
the enactment of these valued policy has In
creased Incendiarism. The Intention , of
course , was to lessen It. The reverse Is the
case. The linrnrd has been increased In Wis
cousin from -10 to t > 3 per cent. We know that
these laws do not remedy the evils of over
Insurance. Wo know , too , that the Incen
diary , In nlno eases out of ten , can secure
over-insurance , und that the companies nrt
powerless to pruvnnt it , and that in burning
in nlno cases out of ten , ho destroys Ida
neighbor's property. Ono party In Atclilson
Kan. , to cash a remnant Block on which hu
had 3,500 , insurance , burned ? 8itXXl :
worth of property. An Instance li
Lincoln , whom a photographer , foi
? 300 insurance , destroyed $10,030 worth
of property , upon which the owners hud no
Insurance. Do our business men wish to ba
burned out ? Uo they wish to drive nwa.\
foreign capital ! To curry their own risks
If so , pass the valued policy law. No honest
man wants moro thr.n his policy contracts
for. A policy of Insurance is to make goer
the loss. If a dishonest adjuster Is disposed
to take advantage of the Insurer , the courts
stand rcad.v to protect him. Uut have we
had any litigation worth mentioning ) How
many cases can your readers cite where fair
treatment has not been accorded to the in
surer. There are some cases ; there are dis
honest men ; some sharp adjusters ; but the
day for sharp adjustments nud dlshonesi
practices have passed. In fact adjustments
not uiado on Bound business principles nrc the
great exception , and not the rule. Competi
tion and the necessity to secure n largo
volume of busincs , in order to make anj
money , tends to make insurance com
panies liberal nnd less Inclined to
take udvnntaco of nny technicalities.
The strongest fire Insurance company
doing business In this state , and tbo ono
having the largest line of commercial buai
ness , has never had a lawsuit in the stale ,
doing business horothirty years. Moro than
one hundred of the leading business men of
this city insurers to the .amount of moro
than two millions and a half of dollars have
signed u protest ngninst the passage of this
bill. The farmers are not asking for it
none of them want double Insurance , or r
dollar more than ttio actual cash value ol
their property. Our farmers want protection
from the traveling solicitor , who tempts
them to insure tor moro than the value ol
ihelr property. Occasionally u farmer
wants to secure a loan , and Is tempted to put
a value on his buildings to give the mort
gagor insurance protection. Ought this
man to prollt by his misstatements i Are
tue farmers so ignorant that they do
not know the value of their own prop
erty } No , they do not know the value , and
ninety-nine out of 100 of them will not pay
for ovcr-insuranco. They don't wont it.
What they do want is honest treatment and
prompt adjustments , and state protection
against "wildcat" insurance. As for the las-
bill , the proposition is exactly the same as it
would be to tax the farmer for the price re
ceived for every bushel of grain , or for every
animal sold Irom his farm , without nny deductions
ductions for the cost of the goods sold , or to
tax the railroad company for every faro re
ceived , for every dollar for freight , and al
low them no reductions for the cost of run
ning their trains or maintaing their road , or
for the payment of employes. Is this riirhtl
Should wo pay tax on gross premium
receipts ? \Ve receive -5100 to-day , cancel the
policy to-morrow , and pay back SKI.
Should we pay the tax on 51 or
S100. A tax on gross premium receipts at
the same rate that all other personal prop
erty is taxed , would bo a "gross1' outrage. I
don't think the Nebraska legislature will
veto for so unjust a measure. If we are to
bo taxed for ilro departments there should
bo BOIUO stipulation as to what constitutes a
lire department. There should bo apparatus
and men ready to work the machine. Neces
sarily the tax to support Ilro departments
will have to bo borne by the insuring public.
It is not n business proposition to say that
because wo are doing a fire insurance
business wo should pay for the
supression of lircs. Wo are in
measure bonofittcd , but if there
wore no fires , our occupation would bo gono.
The ousinesj of lire insurance will be at an
end when there are no losses by fire. Who
would pay for protection then ! This entire
qucst'on ' should bo treated fairly nnd with
great consideration. Fire insurance is ono
of the mainstays of our prosperity. At pres
ent we cannot get along without it. Lot no
personal animosities or personal grievances ,
no feeling that because a certain agent or ad
juster has not boon perfectly fair tempt us to
strike at an interest so thoroughly necessary
to our prosperity. H. E. I'AI.MIJH.
.
What you need is a medicine which ,
is pure , olllciont. reliable. Such is
Hood's Sarsajiarilla. It possesses pe
culiar curative powers.
THAT HUM ) ASYIJUM.
A "Bee" Correspondent Trcnts of n
Question of Vc-raclty.
NniiitASKA CITV , Neb. , Feb. 2i.--To the
Editor of Tim BHE : I notice In Tnc llnu of
a recent date that Superintendent Wales nnd
Profi Parmaleo deny the Interviews regard
ing the condition ot the new blind asylum.
That some of the statements made by the
parties intervlnwed regarding alleged poor
work were false I do not now doubt , but I
reiterate that the interviews wore reported
correctly , nnd I object to being accused of
ulsrcprosnnlatiiin by a few cowardly sore-
leads who are afraid to stand by their asser
tions.
The complaint ibout poor work done on the
institute has been made oyor since work was
begun , but little uttontion was paid to the
natter. Several weeks ago a man named
Kcdmnn , n carpenter who had been employed
on the building , stated in the presence
of Dr. Campbell , of this city , and
Messrs. K. H. und 11. M. Miler ; that the
building was poorly constructed ; that there
were no anchors In the wall , etc. Dr. Camp ,
boll related the matter to General Van Wyck ,
and thu hitler gentleman suggested that Tin ;
Uui ! representative bo asked to look into the
matter and report it. The correspondent did
so , nnd the llrst person asked regarding the
nutter was Prof. P.irmaleewho was stopped
at the corner of Central avenue and Sixth
street. I told him about the report , und lie
iskod that nothing bo said about It unless I
got confirmation from other sources. Ho was
oportcd correctly , his later statements to
ho contrary notwithstanding , He suggested
hut Wales bo seen , and that .gontlonun WIIH
old about Redman's report , and ho pro
nounced him u fool , Wales w.is asked no
[ ucstions except his opinion regarding the
apart , out was given rope , and ho decided to
mng himself. The Interview was bent Tin :
SICK almost verbatim , and the only error m
ho whole business was the statement that
Wales asked the board of public buildings to
como and examine the work. They camu of
heir own accord , and the assertion that
Wales had also bean superintendent of the
vood work of the public ! building bccms to
bo a mistake also. The Rcnllomun saw his
remarks in print , and immediately proceeded
o deny them , when the department at Lin
coln called hi in down. Paul Si'hiniko says
but that the matter with Wales was Iho fact
hat ho was an unsuccessful bidder for thu
vork on the Institute.
I despise u coward.ClUKI.KS
ClUKI.KS COl'KNHAVUi : .
No one should delay when they have
a coutrh or cold , when a CO coni , bottle of
Jtoelow's Positive Cure will promptly
und Sjiifoly is tire them. Dollar hl/.o cheap
est for family use or chronic cases.
Goodman Drug Go.
COUNT HERBERT BISMARCK ,
Ho Is the Ootmtorpnrt of the Iron
Ohnncollor.
FORCED TO EARN HIS SPURS
The Stern School in Which the
Boy Iicnrnctl to Un n Holiller
A Itoinnncu In Ills
lilfc.
The Chancellor's Altrr Ken.
Lnlo on the evening of the authors'
ball , hold in the hall of the Central
hotel , says i\ Berlin correspondent of
the New York Tribune , a man entered
who was soon the center of attraction.
Ho was a giant in frame , standing fully
six feet three inches in height. A
heavy mustache covered his lip which
would have been an ornament oven In
the days when It was customary to
speak of the beards of the Germans ,
and corresponding in blonde color to
the luxuriant locks ot curly hair. His
oycs were blue and projecting. Above
them , two jutting eyebrows mot , lend
ing the face an expression determined
and llerco , His nose was straight , well-
formed and prominent , his foruhund
low nnd without that breadth which
physiognomists require ns n feature of
high intellectuality. But the chin was
full of power. His bearing was
soldierly and his dress suit lilted him
with the faultlcssnoss of a Prussian
uniform. People bowed before him ,
others hastened to pay n moro intimate
and friendly greeting , and all turned
to look at him. It was Count Herbert
Bismarck , the oldest sou of tlio chan
cellor. Hoccoivod Introductions
which followed in n patronizing way ,
and showed an easy motion , the bear
ing of an aristocrat. And yet ono did
not resent it. The imperious manner
seemed the natural ornament of a man
gifted so remarkably by nature.
Greatness came suddenly to Count
Herbert Bismarck. A few years ago
his name was rarely heard. People
mooting him upon tlio street ( lid not
know him Irom any other liuo-looking
Gorman. Bui ho is to-day as much
talked of as his father , and familiarly
spoken of as "Bismarck No. 2. " In the
promenades along the Linden , which
is the mooburoof a Prussian statesman's
popularity , ho attracts as many aight-
bocrs ns a royal scion , and the greeting"
are reverent nnd cordial. He will soon
enter his fortieth year. lie studied at
the gymnasium of Fraukfort-on-tlio-
Main , where ho was uot particularly
distinguished , and took no honors in
tlio graduating class. He entered the
First Dragoon Guards to servo his
"year voluntary , " as it is called , and
was soon after mustered into active
service. For twelve months , despite
the fact that ho was the Prussian min
ister's son and the scion of so noble n
house , ho remained
A COMMON 1'UIVATE.
"You see , " said Prince Bismarck , in
speaking of this , "how little nepotism
there is with us. Ho has not been nro-
inbted , while others , who have not
served one month , arc already ensigns. "
But at the battle of Murs-la-Tour Uis
regiment charged with brilliant success
the overpowering numbers of the
French ; ho displayed much bravery
and was shot three times , being
wounded in the thigh. He was found
by his father in a farmyard , bleeding
profusely , and was removed 'to the
prince's headquarters at Pont a Mous-
son. Soon after ho was created an ollicc-r
and given sub-command of a company.
The chancellor was extremely proud 'of
the strength of Herbert , nnd often tells
of a visit to his camp during the war and
of finding the boy carrying a huge
nig from the stable of a neighboring
farmer.
After the war Count Herbert entered
the University of Berlin , and devoted
himself to juristic branches. Subsn
quontly ho wont to Bonn , where ho
took his degree. As a student ho in
herited the tastes of his father , and was
a brilliant lighter in his corps. The
marks of those conllicts ho still bears as
a diploma of bravery upon his cheek.
His beer-drinking records are fully as
famous as those of the "toller Bis
marck. " Upon graduation the count
returned to Berlin and was at once
attached to the Prussian embassy in
Munich. In 1870 ho wont to Berlin in
the same capacity Continuing , however ,
to act in a way ns his father's private
secretary. In 1878 ho was assistant
secretary to the congress of Berlin ,
nnd his statue , as such , ever stunds
among the famous diplomats , in Berlin's
Mine. Tussaud's. After serving with
the Gorman embassies nt London and
St. Petersburg , ho was son ) , as minister
to The Hague , preliminary to his ap
pointment , in May , 1885. as under secre
tary of state for foreign affairs , nnd
recently secretary of state , with
the title of excellency. Thus in
twelve years Count Bismarck has
risen from the unimportant post of an
attache to the highest position , save
ono , in the gift of the German emperor.
Such advancement has up to the pres
ent time boon denied oven to princes ot
the blood. This exception was natur
ally duo to the nepotism of Prinoo Bis
marck. The chancellor waited for sev
eral years before deciding which of his
boys should follow him. They were
both secretaries in his ollico. But ho
: inally decided upon Herbert us the
moro capable of the two , and began his
education.
Prince Bismarck is opposed to di
vulging state secrets to now and untried
persons , and was desirous of having his
ion in a position where ho could act ns
iis mouthpiece , and this uppointmcntof
Count Herbert was welcomed by the
conservatives. His position is , next to
the chancellor's , the greatest sinecure
in the stale , bringing the holder 60.000
marks , together with n dwelling and
additional iwrqutsltos. The prince him
self has but fil.OOO , with the famous pal
ace in tlio Williolnistrnsao.
Young Bismarck has shown himself n
Schonhntiscn in indcpemlonconndforce.
Ho is as strong-willed and even
5IOUK OUSTIN'ATU THAN 1118 rATHKR ,
when once ho ha * tnkon a stand , lie is
what the Germans cnll"schnoiiUg. " Ho
is ambitious beyond measure , nnd It ia
with deep regret Hint he learned of Ma
father's declining the offered Uukodom.
Ho prefers the title of duke to prince ,
which ho wllldoubllcps ono daybocomo ,
although nt present tlio title has not
boon made hereditary , and ho ia
simply count. Ilia Intluonco over
the present emperor , however , is
considerable , nnd it Is his dream
that history may say ol him that ho waa
to Hmporor Wil'llnm II. what his father
was to Kuiporor William 1. Ho has long
been on Intimate terms with the lm
poror , who , ns prince , was ono of liij
companion * . Often when riding out
ho would salute young Bismarck with
that familiarity which betrayed the re
lations between them. That , too , is a
result of the prince's far-seeing jwlicy.
But the similarity In the characters ot
the two has cemented their friendship ,
begun for political purposes.
Count Herbert has long been a mem
ber of the roiehstng , where I remember
him chiully ns a silent listener , rather
than an iuti\o piirtiuipant in the do-
bates. Ho was a regular attendant ,
however , nnd was always treated with
the respect which his name inspired.
He sat near Count von Moltko , and the
two became close friends. But his si
lence was sphinx-like , For that reason
the recent debate in the house where
ho represented his father has been
called his maiden speech. It was a sur
prise to the largo audience which heard
him. He stood at the corner of the min
ister's bench , where his father had nl-
wnys taken his stand. The words came
slowly , just as with the older man.
There was that same hesitation , which
was akin to stainniering , and vet im
pressed the listeners ns arising from Iho
dilliculty of choice among many words ,
rather than from their naucity.
"lllSMAltC'Iv. OVKU AOAIN'1 ,
could be heard , passed from lip to lip.
It mtibt bo borne in mind that the
prince made his maiden speech at
about the same ago when a delegate to
the cougrohs at Krfuri. liven tlio man
nerisms of the younger man resembled
those of the father , and they were not
atlectcd. His voice has the same pitch ,
neither Ucop nor low , but resonant. Ha
is not an orator und his periods are not
rounded. Yet his speech , when read ,
was eloquent und abounded in illustra
tions drawn from the literature of more
lands than ono. Kveti the long lead
pencil was held in his hand , which con
stantly clutched at the bhirt.collar , as
though endeavoring to loosen'it. And
ho reached so often for the handker
chief in the back pocket that onu waa
reminded of the famous portrait of his
father by Werner. Tlio applause was
long nnd repented and the general
opinion was that Bismarck tlio second
had been understood.
Count Herbert is unmarried. Several
years ago he was the hero of an escap
ade which made all Germany talk of
him nnd nearly cost him career , inheri
tance and name. While bitting at the
table of a prominent composer ono
evening , whore the dowager Princes
Carolath-Bouthin was the guest of
honor , 1113- neighbors asked if 1 know
the story of Bismarck and the lucly'a
daughter-in-law. "People in court cir
cles. " she continued , upon my nnswer-
' 'talked of the
ing in the negative ;
atTair and its possible outcome long
before the climax came. I recall their
first introduction at the military ball in
Potsdam. The Princess Caroluth-
Boutliin had then reached an
afro which it is polite not
to inquire , nnd was the mother of sb
children. But her beauty was still un-
dimmcd. She was the bell of the even
ing. It was a case of
LOVK AT KIIIST SIGHT.
From the moment the count mot tlio
lovely woman ho acted us though his
fate ha dbeeu sealed. She received the
attentions of the nobleman witli the
same joy with which they were given ,
and rumor predicted n duel with her
wealthy husband. Herbert was then
secretary of legation. The duel did
not take place. During the months
which followed , his fidelity to the
woman was marked. Ho interested
himself for her alone and danced her
attondonce at every ball.
"Tho passion overwhelmed them at
last , and she left her family and children
and the castle of her husband to elope
witli the penniless attache. They trav
eled to Rome and Naples. In the latter
city , however , a telegram awaited then
from his father , containing the signifi
cant woords : "If you do not leave th <
woman at. once , you are no Bon of mine.
Ho was in n. dilemma ; ho wavered
His word of honor had boon given to
the woman ut his side , who clung tj
him , But tbo threat of the iron chan
cellor and his duty as u son madu him
tremble. Ho yielded to the latter at
last , but yielded with an oath that ho
would never mary any woman but hnr.
That promice has been kept. She wu !
divorced from her husband , nnd is now
living in Dresden , whorq Count Her
bert Bismarck visits her frequently.
Ho has remained true to her since the
duy of his promice. No other woman
has inlluonced him. Ho is naturally
Dourtod by the feminine world as ono
uf the best matches in the kingdombut
Uicir charms are displayed in vainand
Llioir words fail upon cars which art
: loaf. When his sire is gahhorod to hit
fathers. Count Herbert Bismarck will
loubtlcss lead to the altar the Pri nccsi
C.uolath-Beuthin. "
Mlno Inspector Epperson estimates thai
the output of the Wyoming coal mines foi
the past your was nearly ono nud n hull
million tons , exceeding the supply of tin
y-car previous by I50,000 ! tons.
Thus the ' * Mustang" conquers pain ,
Makes MAN or BEAST well again !