Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAIIA DAILY BEE.
rtlUMSIIKD iVinv MO11NIKO.
Tnitits OP BtMisrniPTiONi
Dully mo ( Without Sunday ) , One Tear . $ J M
Dully II o and Hu/i < ! y , One Tear . IB < J
nix Month * . . . . Jg
Thrfe Month * . jJ ;
Bunrtny life. Ons Tear . . . f g
Bfiltmlny lice. One Year .
Weekly lite , One Year .
omens :
Omnha , The Hoc nulMlnR. . . . . . . _ , .
Bouth Omnlia. Hlniter Illk , , Corner X nnil tltn Sli.
Council muffs , 19 North Miiln Street.
ChlCKKO Otncf. JIT Clmmlier or C'omtneire.
New York , rionnn 13 , 14 and IS , Tribune BullJInC.
Washington , 1407 F Street , N. W.
Alt mmmiinlcnlloni relallnff to new * nnd edi
torial matter should be nildred crt ! To the Editor.
Ill'SINnSS MTTTKItSt
All InnlneM letlein and Mmltfnncefl alioulcl 1 *
ftddrened to The lice ruMlnhliiR Company ,
Omaha. Draft * , check * nnil rwto'llc' ' ' ' order * to
be made payahle to the order of the company.
TUB DEB runusnisa COMPANY.
STATEMENT OK CtnCOI.ATIOS.
OcorKe II. Turhuck. secretary or The nee Pub.
lldhlnu company , l ln duly morn. iy that the
actual number of full and completeconlMi of the
Dally Mornlntf , Evening nrd Sunday Hee prlnleil
( luring the month of January , 1SDC , was a * fol-
Net nle . 6M.CJ2
anonanT7.ciocc
Sworn to before me and uh-ncrllwd In my
presence this 3d day of February. 1S G.
( Seal. ) N. P. FI2IU Notary Public.
The KrowltiR ( incstlnu : Who consti
tutes tlio ropiilnrly organized demo
cratic party of Nebraska ?
If Turkey should by chance persuade
Great Hrltaln to evacuate K .vi t , there
may be some pronilsliiK prospect of pre
vailing upon the British noverument
also to jrlve up Its pretensions to the.
disputed Veiu'/.uelau territory.
No\v tlmj ex-Governor Boles has pub
licly declined to penult the use of his
name In connection with a presidential
nomination , Ills free sliver democratic
friends are just discovuriiiR what an
excellent candidate he would be.
'Twas ever thus.
W are preatly Inclined to the belief
that fJeneral Weaver might be Induced
to reconsider his positively last final
refusal to again be a candidate for the
presidency If the proper representations
nnd assurances wore made to him. But
they won't be made.
The school board scorns to have
changed Its mind about compelling Uie
council to Increase the school levy. But
It has not yet changed its mind about
making its expenses come within its
resources. If vre are to have retrench
ment in the schools we want It this
year , not next year.
If those appropriations for Increased
coast defenses and new vessels for the
navy had only been pushed through
congress two months ago when the Avar
excitement was at the fever heat , it
might not have required so much oratorical
torical effort to conjure up the votes
necessary for their passage.
President Cleveland is said to be dis
appointed at the results of the recent
bond Issue. Not that the number and
amount of the bids were not reas
suring , but the Increase In the gold re
serve has not come up to expectations.
A few more costly experiments like this
nnd the president may bo forced to ad
mit that the only way to keep the gold
reserve Intact is to have a revenue sufll-
clent to pay the expenses of govern
ment
The New York Sun remarks that the
only thing yet remaining for Secretary
Morton to do to prove that he is made
of presidential timber Is to bring about
.tlio abolition of the Agricultural de
partment. Secretary Morton may have
been busy during his whole term of
ollico proving to the public that the
place Is not of cabinet caliber , but he
knew It himself when he accepted ap
pointment to the position , and did not
mince words about It.
The dozen or more favorite sons seem to
be unmindful of the fact tliat there are
only seven places In tlio president's cabi
net , C him go Times-Herald ,
In the language of the still popular
Mikado , this has nothing to do with the
case. What , if there are only seven
cabinet positions ? Are there not a
dor.en comfortable berths in our foreign
diplomatic service , where the pay Is
better , even If the honor Is not so bur
densome ? The next president will have
no dltllculty In taking care of all the
favorite soim if jie is so minded.
The Ilctall Dealers' association has
decided to ask the managers of the Ak-
Sar-Ben show to postpone the festivities
this year one month later than the date
of the stnte fair. The merchants argue
that visitors would at the later date
bo disposed to buy winter goods , and the
crops having been sold , would have more
money with which to buy. This Is all
true enough , "but an outdoor Octolwr
show would not possess the drawing
powers necessary to success. Three
days after the festival last year rough
weather sot In , which would have
greatly Interfered with the plans of the
kulghtB a week earlier. There are
other strong considerations for opposing
postponement.
The trustees of the Grant Monument
association report that they have sulll-
clout money to complete the construe ,
tlon of tlio great monument In Itlver-
sldo park There are a number of
other monuments to our noted dead In
various fields , for which popular sub
scriptions WITO asked , from which the
public has heard nothing in mouths
nnd years. Tlio last enterprise of this
kind that wo remember was the pro
posed monument to the memory of
Kugeno Field , 1'crlodlc reports of
progress , or rather lack of progress ,
might not be uninteresting to the pub
lic , or at least that part of the public
that has mibscrlU'd money to the erec
tion of these various uiuiiuuieiita.
( VttA to TtlK KKXATK.
By nn overwhelming majority the
senate yesterday passed the rrsoltitloi
declaring It to be the opinion of con
RITSH that "a condition of public wa
exists between the government of Spall
and tliu government proclaimed ant
for some lime maintained by force o
arms by the people of Cuba , and thh
the Itiiltptl States of America shouli
maintain a strict neutrality bctwcei
the contending powers , according t
each all the rights of belligerents litho
the ports and territory of the Uullet
.States , " nnd re/piestlng the preslden
to "Interpose his friendly olllces wit !
the Spanish government for the rccognl
tlon of the Independence of Cuba. '
Since this subject was brought forwart
In the senate a month ago discussion o
It has clearly Indicated what the actloi
would bo nnd the nearly unanlniou
vole by which the resolution was passe <
In not surprising , while the speeche
Immediately preceding the vote nttes
the very strong and earnest feeling tha
the time has'cnmo when It Is the tlntj
of the rutted States to take a posltloi
that may be helpful to the Cuban In
surgents , at least to the extent of glv
ing them the rights recognized by the
laws of civilized warfare. Resolutions
of similar Import are bctore the house
of representatives , PO far as according
belligerent rights Is concerned , but I
Is probable the seufito resolution wll
ho substituted. At any rate It Is as
sured that both branches of congress
will declare In favor of recognlxlng the
Insurgents as belligerents. It will thei
rest with the president to decide
whether or not this declaration shal
bo given the effect of a goverumenta
act.
act.As
As to the president Interposing his
friendly offices with the Spanish gov
eminent for the recognition of the In
dependence of Cuba. If Mr. Clevclant
should decide to regard the request o
congress It would undoubtedly ainoun
to nothing. Spain has no thought of al
lowing Cuba to become Independent
and any suggestion of that kind made
to the Spanish government. It Is cntirelj
safe to say , would be very promptly re
jected , perhaps with a protest npiins
the right of this government to Inter
pose with such an object In view. I
cannot be doubted that Spain woult
regard a proposal for the recognltloi
of the Independence of Cuba as uu
friendly and that Spanish dislike of
the United States would be thereby lu
tcnslilod. but perhaps this Is a matlci
about which our people need feel no
concern. What is more important Is
to consider what will be the effect of
according belligerent rights to the In
surgents upon our interests in Cuba
Having done this we must maintain a
position of neutrality nnd the duties
Imposed by this postion were stated it
a speech by Senator Morgan a few days
ago as follows :
"The duties Imposed upon us are that
wo are bound to restrain enlistment bj
belligerents ; we must restrain the form
ing of armed expedition ! ; ; we arc bourn'
to restrain the fitting out nnd selling of
armed cruisers to the belligerents 01
the passage of belligerent troops ovet
our soil ; we are bound not to permit
our territory to be made the base of
belligerent operations , nor to permit
belligerent naval operations In our ter
ritorial waters , nor to permit the sale ol
prizes in our ports ; we are bound to
redress damages done to belligerents bj
our connivance or neglect.
"Now , what are the rights of our pee
pie under this declaration of belliger
ency , which involves , of course , the dec
laration of neutrality ? They may trade
with either belligerent and may trade
with the colonies of the belligerent
which are not even open to trade In
times of peace. We may permit free
discussion as to foreign sovereigns. AVc
may permjt our people to furnish funds
or supplies to the belligerents. Otu
people may furnish them with muni
tions of war. They may enlist In the
service of the belligerents , provided
they do not , in contravention of om
own statutes , enlist in this country or
enlist In bodies formed for the purpose
or actually organized into military
squads. We are permitted to soil them
ships or to buy ships from them. AVc
are permitted to give nn asylum to the
belligerent ships or troops In our ports
or on land. "
But this is not all that would be in
volved In according belligerent rights
to the insurgents. It would release
Spain from the payment of damages
for acts done within the rebel lines and
In Cuban waters our ships and car
goes would become liable to seizure for
carrying contraband of war. We should
j ( > bound to respect a blockade declared
ly Spain , even though It were no more
than a paper blockade , and thus we
might bo debarred from all trade with
liiiba. Obviously tlio granting of bel
ligerent rights would very likely affect
our trade relations with Cuba not en
tirely to our advantage. AH to the ben-
etlts of recognition to the insurgents ,
they would not be so valuable as Is com
monly supposed. The most important
advantage , as already remarked , would
be In giving them a status requiring
them to he treated according to the laws
of war recognized among civilized na
tions anil they would gain little beyond
this. There Is force In the contention ,
however , that our government should
act If for no other purpose than to force
the Spaniards to observe the rules of
civilized warfare.
coM'Kvr/ur AI.I ,
The enterprise that promises greatest
results for the future growth of Omaha
and the upbuilding of the whole west
Is the TransmlsslsslppI exposition.
Upon the successful launching of this
vast enterprise all the energy and Influ-
cnco of Omaha should now be concen
trated. The outlook for congressional
recognition Is very promising. But
action nt the hands of congress before
the adjournment of the present session
Is not only desirable , but almost abso
lutely essential. The missionary work
to be done during the coming year with
the various state and territorial legls-
latures would bo seriously hampered If
congress should delay Its ducislon until
the winter of 181 > 7. There Is , moreover -
over , danger that In the pressure of a
short session preceding a change of
administrations the exposition bill
might be lost In the shutllo. Whatever
Inlluencc can tx brought to bear In favot
of Its early passage should , therefore , be
exerted now.
The friends of HIP'exposition should
each nnd every one direct themselves
to such members of congress whose at
tention they can claim. If they have
no such personal acquaintance , let them
act through friends whom they know to
he Intluentlal In cither branch of the
national legislature. The committee on
ways and mentis , to which the bill has
been referred In the house , consists of
the following members : Hon. Nelso
Dlngley , jr. , of Maine , chairman : Seren
H. Payne of New York , .lohn Dateelt o
rcnusylvanla , Albert J. Hopkins of 111
nols , Charles II. Grosvenor of Ohl (
Charles A. Ilussell of Coimci-tleni
.Tames V. Dolilver of Iowa. Martin N
Johnson of North Dakota. Walter Kvnu
of Kentucky , James M , Tawney o
Minnesota , Charles K. Crisp of Georgia
Benton McMlllIn of Tennessee. Henry
G. Turner of Georgia , Joseph Wheeler o
Alabama and John Mcl.aurln of Soutl
Dakota. According to our Washlngtoi
correspondent , Messrs. Polllver , Gros
venor , Hopkins and Johnson have al
ready expressed themselves fnvorahl )
to the exposition project. A persist
ent personal campaign will go fa
toward securing the approval of th
other members of the committee. Con
ccrtcd action will gain the goal.
TIII : IXXUCHA T i > unrnASKn
There Is n very dusky African hlthlci
away In the underbrush of the bill tha
has just passed congress for the relic
of Innocent purchasers of farms sold b >
the land grantrailroads. . Ostenslbl.\
the object of this bill Is to extend the
time within which suits might b
brought by the United States govern
ment to annul forfeited land patents
and to compel parties who hold land
to which the land grant roads had no
lcgil thlc to vacate the same , so thej
might be restored to the public dontnh
and opened to homestead entry. Whlk
such a measure might be of some ad
vantage to holders of railroad lands t (
which patents had been improper ! )
Issued , the parties actually relieved arc
the railroads that sold the lands.
The present owners of these lands
bought them in good faith nnd the rail
roads are obligated to give them a cleat
title or make good their losses in cast
of eviction. Their protection , however
seems not to have been the main objec
of the bill. The little joker is in the
Ingenious wording of section one. This
section expressly prohibits the govern
incut from annulling the patent to anj
land held by a bona fide purchaser , ant
confirms his title , "provided that no sui
shall be brought or maintained nor shal
recovery be had for lands or the value
thereof that were certified or patentee
In lieu of other lands covered by n
grant which was lost or relinquished bj
the grantee In consequence of the fail
ure of the government or its oflieens to
withdraw the same from sale or entry. '
To the uninitiated this proviso itiaj
appear as designed solely for the pro
tectlon of the Innocent purchaser. As
a matter of fact , the object and' ineyi
table outcome Is to legalize the fraudu
lent entry of public lands that had beei
gobbled by laud grant railroads throng !
the criminal negligence or connivance of
the United States land oflice. This
gigantic fraud was uncovered by Lund
Commissioner Spaiks ten years ago
According to Mr. Sparks , the Burlingloi
road alone had overdrawn on its lain
grant over 200,000 acres , which at tin
lowest estimate are today worth no less
than $1,000,000. As a matter of equity
the company should either have re
stored these lands to the public domain
or made restitution to the government
at their selling price ten years ago
which was ? 2.r > 0 per acre. The govern
ment had certainly shown sufllcleut
liberality when it allowed the Burling
ton to select Its lands outside of Its
land grant limit , although the original
subsidy act restricted It to within
twenty miles of Its main line.
It stands to reason that other land
grant railroads will also profit by this
act for the relief of the poor farmer.
That Is the only rational explanation
of Its passage wltionti ] serious opposi
tion. The neglect of the Interior de
partment to point out the manifest aim
of the so-called farmers' relief bill Is
inexcusable. A measure Involving the
[ Uiblic Interest In millions of acres of
lands should have been closely scruti
nized and the Insertion of provisions
nslsted on that would enable the gov
ernment to recover the value of lands
fraudulently appropriated by land grant
roads.
The statement has bcun made that
ono reason why Ore Insurance rates
iavo not been reduced In this city Is
Because Insurance agents have held
olllce In the council and police board.
We do not believe this to be true. Fire
nsurance rates In this territory have
for years l > oen fixed by a commissioner
or high board of underwriters , to whose
lecrees nearly all Insurance companies
iavo subscribed. It Is nothing less than
a trust. Nebraska Is ruled In the
natter of Jnsurance rales as If It were
i province of the trust to which the
*
state has for years paid high tribute.
Smarting under Its arbitrary demands
ho people of this state passed the
allied policy law. To make the law
mpopiilur the board from Its Chicago
oflice ordered the rates raised again and
igaln In order that Its servile subjects
nay see the error of their way and re-
teal the valued policy law as a condl-
lon precedent to reduced rates. And
ho property owners of Omaha may as
veil make up their minds now as later
hat Insurance rates will not ho reduced
mill they organize for mutual protec-
Ion.
The St. Louis GIohe-Deinorrut takes
lohltlve Issue with the assertion of Sen-
tor Thurston that had Blalno been
lomlnuted by the republican national
onventlon in 187(1 ( the republican party
vould have remained In uninterrupted
outrol of the government. It insists
lint thcro Is no parellul whatever be-
ween the situation now and that of
wenty yt > urd ago and proceeds Into
speculative philosophy to sustain Its
> osltlon. What might have happened
s now of historical Interest only. No
ne will contend that the supremacy
of the republican parly In the coming
contest deppiitl ipoit the m'lecllon of
any one nutiMiW standard bearer. The
fight for the ? ir * tideney Is to tnko place
Inside the rcjutljj can national conven-
The bar of WnucIl Bluffs has pro
nounced In fnvor of a bill now before
the Iowa legFSTijT ire providing for jury
commissioner : ) in district courts. The
object of the bill.Is . to circumvent the
professional jurqr. It possesses some
good feature/ * , but lacks others em
braced by the Nebraska statutes. It
Is , however , a step In the right direc
tion and will receive popular endorse
ment. We presume there Is as much
dltllcully across the river lu getting
good men to serve on juries as there has
ever been In this city. ruder the
system now In vogue In Douglas county
the means of drawing Jurors is good ,
but It remains for the Judges to excuse
high clnss men from Jury duty , and the
extent to which excuses are granted Is
the measure of the value of the pro
posed law which the liar of Council
Bluffs Is so zealously advocating.
The report that the B. & M. railroad
will bid for the property of the Oregon
Short Line Is Interesting In view of the
fact that that great system has for years
been heading fo'r the coast and particu
larly in the direction of the 1'uget Sound
country. One thing is certain and that
is if tlio Burlington shall acquire the
Short Line property It will enter the
competition for coast business with vim
and a determination to get the lion's
share of t rattle. Whether Omaha would
be benefited by the change of owner
ship is doubll'til. The terminus of the
Burlington is at Chicago. The ter
minus of the Union Pacific is at Omaha.
Naturally the Ira ( He manager of every
railroad seeks to monopolize the long
haul.
The Central Labor union passed n
resolution directed at Omaha clothing
merchants who may have In their stores
goods purchased of Chicago firms whose
tailors are out on a strike. A cqm-
initlco lias been appointed to spot such
merchants preparatory to the enforce
ment of a boycott. The labor uulon
will certainly not put such an order
Into effect without first ascertaining be
yond question that goods were pur
chased of the proscribed Chicago houses
since the strlkl ! began. In any case
such procccdjufc may be open to ques
tion , but Omaha idealers sliould not be
made to suffer1 frir the shortcomings of
Chicago manulja'etiirers.
Congressnuvu Hopkins has introduced
n bill into tlje. liaise for the. establish
ment of a mint at Chicago , arguing In
Its favor thatf'whci'cns ' there arc mints In
I'hlladolphla.j.'Nx'w Orleans , S'au Fran
cisco and Carson , there are smelting
works in Onlnfih 1 Dcnver.-'Kansas City
and Pueblo , or hose/product there Is
no mint handy. A very good argument
for another vestprn mint , but hardly
an argument for Its location at Chi
cago. If wet'nre'to have a * new mint ,
why , not locaje it at Onia'ba , the .sjte of
the largest smelting and refining 'plan !
In the country ? %
Another big real estate deal has just
been recorded wherein eastern capital
has given proof of faith in the .sound
ness of Omaiia realty. Shrewd capi
talists invest their money only _ where
it is to their decided advantage. They
are convinced of an early return of
active demand for Omaha property nnd
are certain to reap legitimate benefits
therefrom.
Skill.
Minneapolis Journal.
A Nebraska factory la making genuine
Vermont maple syrup of the husky variety
fiom corn cobs.
A lvnntnK < - 11 f DarliiirrtM.
Chicago Times-Herald.
Cutting off 13.000 iampi will enable the
aldermen to hold up the people a little
oJteuer without detection.
The lloomer niKl Mix Itooni.
OlMio IVmorrnt.
Illesse.tl Is tlio candidate \vlio boomith not
himself , for the tamu shall stand a better
chunce of being boomed when the convention
tiiests. _
Secret N 011 Ilniitlncrloii'ji 1'crxoii.
Globe Di-moti.il.
Mr. C. P. Huntlustan makes an cntcrtoln-
ns witness on the subject of the Pacific
railroads , but lie lf > not likely to reveal nny-
hlng that It is to his Interest to conceal ,
and he probably has more Information of
.hat kind In the fcociet lecfspps of his mind
than any other man In the country.
Cruel Iiipri'iitlliiilc.
New Yoilc Commercial.
The revenges of time , as recorded on Its
whirligig , are often as ludicrous as tragical.
With England revolting from free- trade , as
iho now Rives every evidence of dolui ; , and
returning to tlio. normal policy of protection ,
what will the poor Mugwump Aiiglomaulac
do with his free trade theorle-s ? He may be
orced to become an American against his
Mil.
o
Senator Allen nrt n l--inuer.
Wishlnsttm Post.
In a recent speech In the senate Mr.
Allen , the Nebraska populist , spoke of him-
elf as a farmer , Mr. Hill subsequently tool :
occasion to refer ( to his "farmer friend. "
"Yes , a farmer and a democrat , " said Mr.
Allen , laughingly.
"If tjie HenaWls 'no better farmer than
10 Is a democ'tut ; * responded Mr. Hill ,
'then I pity tlieitiops raised In Nebraska , "
Turn ' 'fin ( In
Klur.
Senator Hill , ji | not. just In attributing the
oilre to know a\l.piat \ can bo learned about
he bond Issue qi vulgar curiosity. Many
f the humble citizens of this country are
iicmpted to UvoB.iof usefulness and thrift
> y the hope thht > ttiey may one day IK * nblo
o lend the government money by the pur-
babe of bonds , ( Ami the > y naturally desiree
o learn as munli az passible about how It
s dona. < } ,
IiiMlne ii I'jnMliIiiK1 All ell il.
riillu1fti.Ua ) ! Kccori ] ,
Hallway farnbigs'liro gtowjng , confidence
tas been restored Vrili'161 ' ' success of the bond
sfuo , by the pafiKngi of the war clouds and
lie collapse of * tariff tinkering , and the
eneral outlook for business has rarely ben
ny better at this time of year , If as good.
Neither the stone-flinging of a presidential
airpalgn nor the threats of the free silver
ngoes seem to make a ripple on the surface
( the sunlit waters of Industry ,
I.uhrleute tlin Safety Valve.
Xew Yoik Mall and i : prr .
With Senator Turplo still threatening to
otzt > the Turkish sultan by the collar and
iar the face of the landscape by beating
tat red-handed despot against ft , and with
Senator Morgan Intimating that for and In
onslderatlon of the sum of 2 cents he would
dck the Spanish throne Into such a bopclasv
uln that no sensible junk dealer would Rive
lore than 3 pUatren ( or ft , the belligerent
> lrlt of our old Una democratic statetmbn is
apldly near Inn the uxploUIng point. It ts
time when every man la Interested In
oelne that tha tifely valvs li kept lu good
orklnt orJor.
OTIIICll l\\l > . < < THAX OUIS.
There h jomclhlnR InlorcrtlnR In the con
tinuous ntrtiKRlo which It going on between
thow two little northern kltiRdomn'of Kurope ,
Sweden mid Norway , The former Is making
every effort to pcrpclunte Its union with Nor-
* y , while the Inttcr h.m for years persist
ently tried to eocedc , until the question , cf
scpirallon 1ms now nlmort become a ques
tion of wnr. It was Sweden that freed Nor-
nny from the D.inlsli yoke , nnd under the
act of union she wits given the leadership.
Although Norway has ix Parliament cf Its
o-.vn and votes Its own taxes and appropria
tions for the national defense , Sweden , too ,
Is the tnopt populous and powerful country ,
and n It ban always been that the foreign
minister for both countries IP a member of
the Swedish cabinet and only responsible to
the SuedUih constitution , Sweden has made
many concessions to Norway , but the latter
rcftiRcs to bo tiatlsflcd , The government ' 9
conservative In character and the Norwoglau
people sjeni to have become radical. The )
long Insisted that they should have their
own consuls at foreign ports , and now when
most of the conimls arc Norwegians It Is
aiikud that they ( the consul ? ) should have
a foielgn minister of their own to report to.
To thin S cdcn replies that one foreign min
ister could not be responsible to two Parlia
ments , and' ' that two foreign ministers would
not ngreo In their recommendations to the
king. Sweden has really been very concilia
tory to Norway. She 1ms aojumcd burdens
whloli Norway would not i-houlder , the latter
has done lens limn her share for the main-
t'Miatico of civil government and of the army
and navy , and there In a continued deadlock
between the Norwegian Parliament and the
authorities of the kingdom. It Is bcllovcd
In some quarters that Kudsln Is urging Nor
way to cc-ntlnuc her demand : ) . If she Is , pho
lias a reason for It , and If Norway should
succeed In ul olvlng the union with Sweden
pho may , after a while , find herself a part of
Russia , just as Finland Is.
*
The Italian government has decided to
send further re-enforcements to General
Daratlnrl , commandcr-lu-chlef of the forces
opciatlng In AbyKslnla. There can bo no
doubt that the position of the Italian army ,
confronted , as It Is , by that of King Mene-
lek , Is a critical one. The Abysslnlans have
plenty of modern arms ; they arc one of the
most warlike of the minor Oriental races ,
and Menelelc himself Is a strategist of no
mean order. The rainy season Is approach
ing , and while this will compel the Abys-
Rlnlans to retreat into the Interior , It will
also paralyze the movements of the Italian
troops , and can to an Increase of the fatal
ities which have already been brought about
by the unhealthtul c' mate. The attempt to
support a huge stan .ig army anil an enor
mous navy has bankrupted the Italian treas
ury and Impoverished the people by heavy
burdens of taxation , and noxv an attempt to
build up a great colony In Africa has plunged
the country into fresh difficulties , and If
draining Its resources to the nalnt of exhaus
tion. And jet this suicidal policy Is to be
continued , and the king Is said to be en
tirely on the side of Slguor Crlspl , whom he
believes to.bo the only man in Italy able to
cope with the present situation. It was
Ma/.r.lnl who said that Crlpl would be the
last prime minister of Italy. It may be that
with him thcro will yet come a revolution.
* * *
Although the coronation of Nicholas II ,
czar of Russia , does not occur until May
next , preparations are already being made
for what promises to be a magnificent cere-
inanlal. When Alexander II was crowned
at Moscow amid all the semi-barbaric and
gorgeous splendor that has marked the coronation
nation of a long line1 of emperors , IL was pre
dicted that he would be more of a mark for
the nihilists than before , but he died a natu
ral death , and his son has now decided tc
have the Imperial crown placed upon hi *
head. Czar Nicholas has not. It Is true ,
gained the favor of the nihilistic element ;
indeed , ft is doubtful If any czar could win
It. but he is popular with the great mass
of Russians , and without any show of ag
gressiveness ho has quietly succeeded In se
curing the friendship of powers which It
might have been supposed would have an-
tagonlzed his foreign policy. This Is the second
end Ume within forty years that Russia has
been the scene of a coronation , the only
one during that time outside of Russia hiv
ing been that of William , king of Prussia ,
In the hall of Versailles. It would not be
surprising If his grandson , the young war
lord , should now Indulge In a public corona
tion. He wants to be second to none.
* *
The negotiations for the renewal of the
Austro-Hungarlan compromise are not likely
to proceed very snioctlily , the question of
the amount which each half of the monarchy
ought to contribute to the common expendi
ture being ono of considerable difficulty. Ac
cording to the present agreement , which ex
pires next year , Hungary contributes 30 per
cent to the Joint expenditure , the- balance cf
70 per cent being paid by the Cls-Lelthan
half of the monarch ) ' . During the last few
years it has been vigorously contended In
Austria that tlio Hungarian contribution Is
Inadequate. It la argued that the prosperity
of the country In general and Its Industrial
development fully justify an Increase. It
If further argued that the conditions prevail
ing at the tlmo when the prebont agreement
was concluded are now entirely changed.
The Hungarians , although unwilling to adopt
an absolutely uncompromising attitude , pro
test against any advance. They say that ,
although the economic prosperity of their
country has Increased during the past two
decades , Etnllstlco prove that the Industrial
progress of Austria within the last twenty
yeais has been comparatively much greater ,
*
Tlio firm foundation of the French re
public has again , been demonstrated , The
old feverish expectation of changes and rcv-
olutlcuary outbreaks which filled Paris when
any inlltlcal crlyla came has been replaced.
It appears , by a feeling of indifference and
general confidence that thlngo will come
out all right in the end. That Is the most
aolld proof possible tint the French republic
1.5 ou a sound basis , and that there la no
longer danger of revolution whenever tome
agitator may chcose to call upon the Parisian
mobs for a crusade against the government ,
Franco la simply learning ono of the un
pleasant features of her system of minis
terial responsibility to both the president
and the National Awembly. There will be
Ic33 disposition among French statesmen
henceforth to condemn the American plan of
maintaining the executive department of the
federal government in Its present form ,
quite Independent , as far as Its tenure of
office Is concerned , of the approval or con
demnation of the legislative branches of the
government. It will bo more clearly realized
than ever before that tlio wit of man has not
yet devised any scheme for administering
the business of a nation' ' and executing the
will of I ( a people which has net yerlous
faults and ( Iocs not afford opportunities for
sharp criticism.
MIIU'll I.V UlIV.Mia.
I'hlladelplila llccoril ,
JIo popped to her upon his knees ,
Anil uld lilt ) love declare ;
Ha popped to her upon din kncea ,
For uie ! was kitting there.
Clnrli.nutl 1'oft ,
Slip grieved to lenrn her husband , gay ,
Ot dark hair was not fond-
She cast her dye fluff * all away ,
And ishouu u sliver blonde.
Wellington Star.
Keep a-slnglii * an" a-cllmliln' ,
Ho ) ' yoh head up good uii' high ;
Often when yoh walks In winter ,
It urn summer In de sky ,
I lot , l on Ju.ly ,
So wroth were they that they thought to put
Jlotween them the wliolu world wide ,
Kai-h traveled fast and traveled far-
Till they met , on the other ulde.
New York WorlJ.
Slio plays llio piano and Htonnn on the Ueyu ,
\\Mlh u ifgulur baggageman ulr ,
And , likn that olllcial , Is. famed for tlio fact
That a lie never doe * Handel with euro ,
Euseiio rielJ.
O'er head and eara his cup of wal
Ho pull us fur UH It will KO ;
He pulls it good and strung.
In ( layn Ilk : these , when things conceal ,
Man wants but little car below ,
Nor wants that little
Detroit Tillmnc.
At the farther end of ( ho nofd he ( Its ,
Which Is only one of her WCH-H ;
When they go broad ho nothing
lie U inopportunely close.
THE PACIFIC FUNDING BILL
A Measure Calculated to Oomlono Fraut
and Pcrpottmto Monopoly ,
HOW THE CENTRAL PACIFIC WAS PLUCKED
fucelnrt llevletv nf 41it > Oirrntlonn of
llnntltiRton nnil Afnorlnto * mill
Thrlr Grip nn Oi j Xt-ck of
California Commerce.
In order that the people might know ex
actly whnt C. P. Huntlngton and associate
oarers of the Central and Southern Pacific
railroads have done to enrich themselves al
the expense of the people , the Washington
correspondent of the St. Louis Republic
ptocured from Representative Magtitro ol
California a succinct history of their
operations.
The California congressman said : "I know
ol nothing like the history of the Pacific rnll-
rends , except the history ot the frauds and
opposition of the Kast India company as
disclosed In the famous trial of Warren
Hastings , There Is ono striking difference
between them , however , If the popular
reports ot the Hastings trial are to bo
ctcdlted. You know Warren Hastings Is
credited with having said upon his trial
when admitting a long scries of charges
agclnst him : 'My God , gentlemen , consider
ing my opportunities , I nm suprlsed at my
moderation. ' The manipulators of the Pacific
railroads can hardly look back over their
careers with any such feeling. They were
never guilty of any moderation In availing
themselves of their opportunities. They
acted Incorporated pirates from the be
ginning to the end.
"I would better aonflno myself to the
history of the Central Pacific railroad , with
which I am far more familiar than with
that of the Union Pacific , but I am not
aware of any fraud or oppression committed
In connection ylth cither of these com
panies that was not practiced by the other.
The Central Pacific Railroad company was
organized as a California corporation by
Huntlngton. Stanford , Hopkins and Crocker
lu 1861. Those gentlemen really constituted
a partnership at that time and all the
time until the organization of the Southern
Pacific company In 1885. The Central Pa
cific Railroad company and some- thirty other
corporations otganlzed by these men were
really corporations only In name , used as
mere agencies of the co-partnership. The
company , us you know , was authorized by
the Pacific Railroad act of 1SC2 to construct
a part of the Pacific railroad system , com
mencing at San Jose , Cal. , and building
eastward to meet the Union Pacific rail
road , nhlch was being built west from
Omaha.
"Each company was to receive a proper
tion of the land and bond subsidy cqu.il to
the proportion of the road built by each.
The act of 1SG2 gave the companies every
odd-numbered section of government land
lying within ten miles on each side of the
lallroad between Omaha and San Josj and
a further subsidy in the form of United
States bonds from $1G,000 to $48,000 per mile
Tor mountain building. Practically nothing
was done under the act of 1862. In IBGf
both companies , believing no doubt that
they had failed to make the most of their
opportunity In 1862 , asked congress prac
tically to double their land on both sides
and bond tnibsldles. The land subsidy was
doubled by giving them every odd section
of land within twenty miles on each Bide of
the railroad. In addition to.this land grant
I should have said the government gave to
the companies a right-of-way 400 feet In
width from Omaha to San Jose.
"Undor these acts the Union Pacific Rail
road company received about 67.000,000 In
money and United States bonds -and the
Central Pacific company about $56,000,000.
The two companies together received an
empire of land , which , in , a solid body would
bo twenty milea in width and 1,800 miles In
length. Thcpo subsidies were far beyond the
cosi of building and equipping the roads.
At once means were devised by the promoters
meters to divert to themselves all of the
assets of the companies above the cost of
constructing and equipping the roads.
For this purpose the directors of the Union
Pacific company organized the Credit Mo-
blller company and the directors of the Cen
tral Pacific company , the co-partners of
whom I have spoken , organized the Contract
and Finance company. The history of the
Credit Moblllcr company startled the union ,
when It was disclosed In a congressional In
vestigation about twenty years ago ,
"Tho Contract and Finance company , with
a precisely similar history , has been little
known cast of the Rocky mountains. The
Contract and Finance company wag Incor
porated for the purpose of talcing contracts
for tho. construction and repair of railroads
rolling slock , etc. Every share of Its stocl
was owned by the directors of the Centra !
Pacific Railroad company. The directors ol
tbo railroad company controlled the govern
ment subsidies and all moneys secured by
mortgaging the railroad lands , made contracts
for construction and repair , with the Con
tract and Finance company , which they own
absolutely. Under those contracts they gave
themselves fabulous prices for all such work ,
the aggregate ot the contracts absorbing
every dollar that the Central Pacific Rail
road company had received from all sourcw ,
Including every share of its Block , amountIng -
Ing to $68,000,000 par value , mast or which
was sold In the market for 75 cents on the
dollar. The contracts were all alike.
"The Pacific railroad commission , appointed
by the president of the United States In 1887
to Investigate these matters , reported to con
gress , presenting the testimony which they
hnd taken at the eame tlmo , that by these
fraudulent contracts made by the directors
with themsjlves under the name of the Con
tract and Finance company they had fraudu
lently diverted to themselves assets of the
Central Pacific Railroad company of the mar
ket valuei of more than ? 62,000,000. Every
one of those contracts uaa fraudulent , and ,
equitably , those who received the benefit of
them are liable to a decree compelling them
to restore the assets to the company for the
satisfaction of the debts of the company.
"In the report cf the commission It la
shown that under there contracts the Central
Pacific Railroad company paid to the Con
tract and FlnancB company for construction
$120,872,000 ; that the cost ot construction was
$58,302,000 , leaving a surplus of over $62-
570,000 , to be divided among the directors ot
the Central Pacific Railroad company , whoso
duty to the government of the United States
and to the stockholders ot that company waste
to save the company the amount which they
divided as profit.
"Of these payments 'the commission gays :
'All of this consideration was paid to Stan
ford , Huntlngton , Hopkins and Crocker , and
was voted to themselves by their own votes. '
That contract was made for the construction
of a branch rood from the town of Delta , In
California , to the Oregon state line. These
men , as directors ot the Central Pacific Rail
road company , let a contract to themselves as
the Contract and Finance company for the
building of that section of road for the earn
ot $8,340,000. The total cost of building the
road was only $3B05,000 , leaving a profit to
them of neatly $5,000)000 ) on that $8,300,000
coutrpct.
"Hut that was not all. They afterward
mortgaged the entire California & Oregon
road from Roievlllo Junction to the Oregon
Una for $11,800,000 , and gave no account of
the money tecureJ on this mortgage to the
Central Pacific Railroad company , out of the
afetets ot which the road was built ,
"When the Credit Moblller Investigation
was commenced here and was arousing popu
lar Indignation throughout the entire union ,
tha Contract and Finance company was din-
Incorporated la California , and Its books
burned In order to destroy4 o much , cl
the evidence af the frauds commutes ) s lnrt
the Central IMclflo Railroad company , A new
CMiMructlon company was then orgAtiUed ,
called the Western Development company ,
through which the mm a directors of the Cen
tral Pacific Rallrond company curried on the
aanio nefarious methods of diverting the
parnltiKsi of the Central Pacific rallroid , by
which the original owcts of that company
h d been diverted ,
"Tho Central Pacific Rnllrond compnny , or ,
rather , the four co-psrtnrrs controlling that
company , although they started with but a
few thousand dollarn , possibly with enough to
build ten miles of the road , came out of the
construction of the road nniltl-mllllonarles.
They Immediately uet about to Rot control
of all available rnllroij patios through the
mountains to California and In CallfornU
and of all possible competing railroad proj
ects. Slnco 1870 they have absolutely domi
nated all of the railroad traffic ami by fraudu
lent siili U1p3 | even the ocean steamship
traffic of California and of n largo part ot the
remainder of the Pacific coMt.
"They maintained their monopoly prlvlleqei
by the most flagrant corruption , The Pacific
rallroid commission ( not Governor PaUlson.
who they say was prejudiced anil unfair , but
Anderson and Mttlcr , the majority of the
commission ) , says In Its report that the com
mission finds from the evidence expenditures
amounting to $1,818,000 accounted for only
as having been used In Influencing elections
and for other purposes.
"Mr. Huntlncton's letters to his partner ,
Colton , about 100 ot which were produced In
ovlilenco In the trial of the case of Colton's
widow against Stanford , HuntltiRlon and
others In California , show tint money * ns
constantly used corruptly for the purpose of
securing or preventing legislation for or
against tlio supposed Intercuts ot the part
ners.
ners."The people who built the Central Pacific
railroad , and who diverted these nspotR to
themselves , built another road upon which
there Is no government mortgage running
across the continent from S.iu Francisco to
New Orleans , and connecting by steamship
line with New York. They thus control all
avenues of railroad transportation between
California and Now York.
"In addition to controlling all railroads run
ning In nnd out of California , ocean trans
portation to the east has been controlled l > y
contracts with the Pacific Mall Steamship
company and the Panama railroad. It has
recently been admitted by Mr. HunthiRton
that the Pacific Mall company nnd the Pana
ma railroad have for n long period been paid
$75,000 per month practically ilpon an agree
ment not to compete for freight traffic wlt'a
the Southern Pacific Railroad company. He
states that other overland trunk Hues are
Interested In that contract , but to what ox-
.ent wo do not know , and why they should
30 largely Interested Is a mystery.
"Tho funding bill urged In the last congress
and to bo urged again In this would extend
the monopoly of the Southern Pacific com-
lany. Into which all of the Interests of Hunt-
ngton and his associates and their reprcssn-
atives have been merged , from fifty to 100
rears over the people and the Interests of the
Pacific coast. "
Carolyn Wells In St. Nicholas.
Thcro .ivecl in ancient Scrlbbletown a wlsi
old writer-man
Whoso name was Homer Cicero Demos
thenes McCnnn. . , _
Ito'd written treaties and themes till "Fot
a change , " ho paid ,
I think I'll write a children's book before
I FO to bed. "
He jntlled down nil his musty tomes 1
I atln nnd In Greek ;
Consulted cyclopedias and manuscripts an-
3ssny In' anthropology , studies In counter *
< Forl > thee , " he srvld , ' 'are useful lore foi
.Ittle girls nnd boys. "
le Ec-rlbbled hard , nnd scribbled fast , hi
burned the midnight oil ,
And when ho reached. . "The ICnd" ho fell
rewarded for Ms toll ;
Jo said. "This Charming Children's nee
Is greatly to my credit. "
And now he's sorely puzzled that no chllo
has ever read it.
THE OMAHA SITNDAY BEE.
SPECIAL FKATUHKS , :
AARON. THE SON "OF B13N AM :
A new serial story by Joel Chandler
Harris Mr. Harris tells this story of
llfo ns it WRR lived on "Abercromblo
Place , " In middle Georgia , "before the
war , " In the same quaint style that
pleased his readers so much when nn
was telling of Br'er Itubblt nnd the
other denizens ot Mr. Thlmblefinger
queer country. _
GRANT'S BOYHOOD TOWN :
Hamlln Garland has recently visited
Georgetown , O. , In which town Grant
passed most of his youth and to which
his memory constantly turned during1 his
mature years as the one place which he
know best on earth when ho was a boy
Mr. Garland has written a most Inter
esting article about the town nnd Its
people , illustrated from photograph *
procured by him.
SPRING FASHIONS FOR MEN :
An article on the latest styles for men
by a well known authority on the sub
ject What you must wear If you want
to maintain your reputation as a well-
dressed man of fashion.
IRRIGATION IN NEBRASKA :
A comprehensive and exhaustive re
view of the Irrigation movement In Ne
braska How the now irrigation law la
working In this slate and the extent to
which advantage has been taken of UH
provisions Capital invested In Nebraska
ditches and canals.
THE WORLD OF SPORT :
Initial chapters In the experiences of
a sporting- pilgrimage to New Mexico ,
Texas and Oldi Mexico Fasclmillnif fea
tures of the border country Review of
pportlng events of the week Gossip
about the ball players NOWH of the
huntsmen Interesting Items from every
field of sport.
AMONG TUB WHKUT-MKN :
That fairy' tale about cheap Japanese
bicycles effectually punctured Th
wheel crowding- the horte to the wall-
Name plate conceits all the rage 8ca-
Bonahloi suggestions for professionals anil
amateurs What IH goingon In locul
wheeling circles General new of tht
bicycle in all countries and cllmcu.
SOCIETY IN L13NTKN DAYS :
A few Boclety people continue their
entertainments without regard to Lent
Entertainments mostly of un Informal
visitors scarce
character Out-of-town
Movements' ' and whereabouts of well
known society folks.
IN WOMAN'S DOMAIN :
Spring- hats and bonnetx present tlia
spectacle of a Brewing garden in full
bloom The wife of Edwin F. Uhl , who
will preside over the American embassy
nt Berlin The Clolsennc method of dec
orating pottery by enamelling A Cali
fornia woman who la practicing at the
New York bnr-8tory of Kate Bhfllley ,
the heroine of the Honey Creek flood ,
reculled Fashion news from the foslilou
makers Gossip about noted women ,
THH COMING GENERATION :
"A Courageous Daughter , " being- the
story of how little Gabrlella Ureely
crossed the ocean alone for tlio sake of
her mothet A tulo Hint will be enjoyed
by the little folks-Prnttlu of the young ;
fctcrH and other lively leudln ? for the
boys and girls , nn well as their parents.
FOR THE THEATER GOKRS.
An em of low prices lit the play
houses The CrelBhton announces a plun
of mljustlntr the price of peals In proportion
tion to the merit of attractions .Mr.
Mansflcld'a engagement next week Ho
will give Omaha only old pluyn 'IJie
Sousa. band concerts Other good tlilnui
to come Gossip of the tttagc.
IJNHXCEMJ5D NEWB HERVICK :
Full Associated Press foreign ruble and
ilomeEtlo telegraphic ijarvlce-'lhu NBW
York World'H special foielgn corre-
nponilonce-Unrivnllcil ( special nowu serv
ice from NebrtiFku , Iowa and the west-
em Hlutes Well written and nccurato
local news reports ,
THE OMAHA SUNDAY
TIIK BUST NKWSI'A I'KH.
Highest of all in Leavening Power , Latest U.S. Gov't Report
PURE