OMAHA DAILY BEEi WEDNESDAY , MARCH 9 , 1808.
THE OMAHA DAILY PER
U. n03l\VATKIt ; , IMItor.
_ _
1'UUMSItRU KVimt MOIININO.
OK
Dally Hee ( Without BunJnj ) , One Year . VI 00
Dally I iff nnd Sunday , Ona Year . tM
Hlx Month . . . ( . < W
Three Mnmlm . I . W
Xumlav U e , One Your. . ZOO
Hnlurilny Doe , One Year . 1 M
Weekly Uce , One Ycnr . . . > 65
Omahn ! The lice llulMlnir.
Houlli Omiiliti Singer Jllk. , Cor. N niul Jltli St * .
I ixincll Illurrn : 1 IVarl Htreet.
Chicago Olllce : tCI Chnmber of Commerce.
New York : Temple Court.
Washington : il ) rourteenlh Street.
All communication * relating to nen-n nnd
rlnl rmittcr diuulil be niMrefted ! To tlic KJItor.
lIUSINr.S.H MrrTUUS.
All ) ) U lneis letteri and remittances nhouM lie
nitdrerted to 'Hie Hee I'ubllnlilui ; Company ,
Omaha. Draft * , checks. eiprers nnd | ioitollla
money order * to be nude tuyuble to the order of
the company.
Till ! 11KIJ PUUMSIIINQ COMPANY.
HTATIMINT : : OP ciueL'i.ATio.v ,
Klnte of NebrafUa , DotiRlax county. 8 . :
( leorse 11. 'IVnc huck. necretnrj' of The Ilw 1'uli-
Halting compnny. belnu iluly iinorn , i > ny that the
uctiml number of full nmt comiilef roples of The
Dally , MnrnlnK , KvenlnK nnd Sunday llee printed
during thj ; month of I'ebrunry , IMS , a us fol-
1. 2I ) . ! > .V ) 15 2J.OSI.
2 Zl.fllJ IS 21Ml
3 W.MJ ] 7 21/02
4 70.705 IS 21,111
T 20.S75 11 21.501
A 21,050 20 21.00-
T 20. W. 21 21.3C7
H 2I.01I 22 21.121
9 2D. ! 2 23 21,013
10 20.SS2 21 S1.12.
11 21.121 23 2J.1II
12 21.070 24 22,227
1.1 21.012 27 21.IS )
II 2fl,903 23 22,332
Tolnl . .S97.M2
css returned nnd untold copies . O.T2G
Xct
Net ilally n\erarn . 2I.00
01:0110 : 1 : ii. T'/wittrcK ,
Sworn to before me nn.l uti crlbcd In my
r > tc pni-o thN 1st day of March , Ufl.
( Seal ) N. n niu :
Notary 1'ubllc.
Who salt ! flip foreclosure of tlio Union
Pacific nnd Itrf n > oniuilziitlnu under
Preililcnt Hurt did not moan Rood news
for Omiilin ?
There Is no ntu'd of waiting until Arbor
< 1iiy to plant trees. People who want to
oinliolllsli their premises should start In
{ is soon as the. frost Is permanently out
of the ground.
As a curtain raiser a brisk set-to be
tween the light weights , Co ta lliea anil
Nicaragua , might serve to arouse the
Interest of the spectators for a prospect
ive more lively encounter.
A dividend declared for a broken
Omaha savings bank and the receiver
Kitting back walling for tardy depositors
to call for their money. If this Is not a
eign of pie pcilty , what Is It ?
Omaha Is wrapped up In the forthcom-
Jug exposition , but It Is not so far
wrapped up Hint it Is not ready to en
courage the establishment here of every
new factory that can be Induced to
come.
Why n reproduction of the Hryan
homestead ? Why not move the original
up from Lincoln , together with Its inmates -
mates , nntl locate them nil on the ex
position grounds ? Would not that slake
curiosity better ?
The paid attorney of the school board
can save bis salary several times over
du , Increasing ths .board's revenues , but
lie cannot do It by simply pointing out
the .slump In the proceeds of tlio Hues
and penalties account.
The man who abhors prosperity
charges President MeKlnley with being
painfully oblivious to public .sentiment.
What about the man who denies that
there Is nny business Improvement and
scout * the Idea of restored prosperity ?
In the meantime the question of what
< to do with the seals In Jtcrlng sea Is be
ing sadly neglected. With so many Pa
cific steamships engaged in carrying gold
hunters northward It Is possible that the
coal herd will escape notice entirely this
year and thus one cause of International
friction be removed.
The new Rchool board seems to have
no more appreciation of its duty to con
duct its affairs oij economical business
principles than Its predecessor. If there
Is nny reason why school board employes
should be paid more than regular union
vnges the taxpayers fall to see it. It
looks very much like another case of
political carpentry at the expense of the
chool children.
1 There has never been nny doubt that
the administration would stand by Con-
cml General Lee. To do otherwise would
be to afford the enemies of the adtuTnls-
tratlon an excuse for continuing a guer
rilla warfare against the United States
government and to devise new methods
of harassing the president nnd his ad
visers while they are busy with the af
fairs of the nation.
Under the maximum freight rate de
cision wo now have laws of Intermittent
constitutionality. A freight schedule
may be constitutional one month , un
constitutional the next month and con
stitutional again the third month.-all de
pending whether It enables the railroads
to make prollts on inflated capitaliza
tion satisfactory to the court. Now you
uoa it and now you don't
1 Within the past y < ? nr a large amount
of American cotton has been shipped to
Japan , but not until the past week has
nny shipment been made direct from a
gulf port to the oilent. A llrltlsh ship
left Oalveston harbor n few days ago
laden with bales of the fleecy staple to
the value of about $ UOO,000 bound for
Kobe nnd Nagasaki. The ship will cros *
the Atlantic nnd pass through the Suez
canal on the way to Japan. This ship
ment Is one of the best nrguments for
the deep harbor yet advanced.
' The orgaiv of the gamblers' gang berates -
rates Police Judge Gordon for upholding
the law against automatic gambling
machines nnd binding tlw gninblers over
to the district court This is the same
organ that has been excusing the fnelll-
cleney of the police , alleging that they
can never secure convictions In tli ? police
1-ourt. A llttlo while ago the gang organ
pretended It secured the abatement of (
tlip slot machines , while now It Is openly
championing them. Hut then , Judge
Gordon cannot hope to do his duty with
out incurring the displeasure of Uie
tamblera and their ruuuer
THK MAXIMUM RATE OKC/HJOJT.
The long delayed decision of the No-
lirn.ikn maximum freight rate caeca by
the United States supreme conct lifts In
the main been anticipated. It has been
an open secret for months , If not for
years , that tlio court was to nfllnn the
ruling of Justice Brewer ngnlnst the
state , thus nullifying the net passed by
the legislature of 1893.
The effect of the decision Is far-reach-
Ing. While It docs not deprive the state
of the right to regulate railroad rates
under the constitutional provision which
expressly empowers the legislature to
enact maximum rate laws , It reduces
that power to the mere privilege of sug
gesting n schedule of charges which the
federal courts may nllow to stand or
may hang up at will.
In practice this means the establish
ment of a double vcfo power , one to be
exercised by the governor , the other by
any federal judge. But while the leg
islature may override the veto of the ex-
ecutlve , the judicial veto arbitrarily over
rides both tlwj governor and the legis
lature. In other words Uie decision af
firms the principle that the federal courts
are the public carrier rate-making power
within the state lines ns well as without
the state. Carried to Its logical sequence
the federal courts may at will hang up
not only all stale legislation affecting the
Income of public corporations , but they
may even nullify a city ordinance regu
lating street chr fares or hack hire when
ever they can be persuaded by lawyers
that the regulation entails a possible
loss , or n possible failure to earn divi
dends.
In other respects the decision Is really
an atlirmation of the right of the state
to reopen the question Involved ns many
times as there Is a change in the volume
of railway tratllc or in the price of farm
products. Four years ago Judge Brewer
was pi > r.Minded that rates . ' ! ( ) per cent
higher than those In force In Iowa were
not high enough for Nebraska. This
year he or some other federal Judge may
be persuaded that those same rates
would be extortlo.nat'\
Under such conditions the calling of a
legislature to icvlse and re-enact the
maximum freight rate law of 1SIK5 would
bo useless since a new law would have
to go through the same court process and
the attorney general now has the right
to move for a dissolution of the Injunc
tion by which the existing law is sus
pended.
T7/K MUXHl' OX HAXD.
Tlio bill appropriating $ . ,0,000,000 for
national defense was passed by the house
of representatives without a dl.sscnting
vote , 311 members going on record In
support of the measure. In presenting
the bill Mr. Cannon of Illinois , chairman
of the committee on appropriations , said
that the money to meet the appropria
tion , If It Is expended. Is In the treasury
ind therefore there was not presented
with the proposition one to borrow
money or to Increase taxation , "to which
nlmost any nation on earth would have
boon obliged to resort. " He also de
clared Hint It should not be regarded ai
a war appropriation , but "rather as a
peace measure , significantly adding
"The government of the United States
would not If It could trench on the
rights of any nation on earth. " The con
slderatlon of the bill elicited patriotic
utterances from men of all parties.
The national treasury Is well preparei
for this expenditure. There Is an avail
able cash balance , exclusive of the golt
reserve , of 225,000,000 , the reserve
amounting to over $108,000,000. Wltl
the present resources of tlio treasury
double the amount of the appropriation
could bo spared without Interfering
materially If at all with the ability
of the government to take care of
Its current obligations. In the
event of war , liowover , It would un
doubtedly be necessary to borrow money
nnd this could be done by the govern
ment at homo to nny extent necessary.
A war loan of $ T > 00,000,000 could be ob
tained from the American people without
the least difficulty , at a rate of Interest
higher than the government Is paying on
the bonds sold during the Cleveland ad
ministration , part of the proceeds of
which. It may bo remarked , goes to
make up the treasury gold reserve. In
no way would our people moro strongly
manifest their patriotism than In sub
scribing to a governmsnt loan for carryIng -
Ing on n war with Spain and however
prolonged the war might bo our govern
ment would not have to seek abroad for
the means to carry It on. In this respect
the United States has an enormous ad
vantage of Spain , whoso treasury Is al
most empty and whose people are not
In condition to supply the government
with the money a war would require ,
while It Is without the credit to obtain
the necessary means elsewhere.
is A ( ntisiti MAK AT JIAKDI
The events of the last two or three
days certainly seem to warrant the opin
ion very generally expressed that a
crisis in' the relations of the United
States and Spain Is near at hand. From
the great activity of this government In
defensive preparations it is to bo In
ferred that It has Information Justifying
prompt action In order to be ready for
an emergency. The presumption Is that
the administration has good reason to
believe that Spain Is preparing for war
and that there Is danger of that nation
taking the aggressive. The disposition
recently shown by the Spanish government -
ment Is not altogether conciliatory. The
request for the recall of Consul Gen
eral Lee , although withdrawn as soon
as It was ascertained that the president
would not consider It , and the objection
to the use of United States war vessels
In the transportation of supplies to the
starving Cubans , evidence a feeling that
Is not reassuring. The hostility to ( Sen-
oral Leo will not abate , but Is likely
rather to become Intensified by the de
cision of the administration not to ac
cede to the request for bis recall. TJiero
Is obviously In this n possibility of
trouble. Our government has made
some concession In the matter of transporting -
porting relief supplies In war ships , but
Is determined to send them in naval
vessels , to that there Is a chauco for
dllllculty In regard to this.
There can bo no doubt th ! > t Spain la
apprehensive of notion by the govern-
wcut of Uie United States unfavorable
to ItJi Interests In Cuba. Thera nun boon
no outgiving or Intimation by the Wash
ington administration to warrant such
fear , but It ia qulto possible that Presi
dent MeKlnley baa fixed tipon a. tltno
when , If the Insurrection in Cuba is
not suppressed or tlio outlook for its
suppression Is.not Improved , ho will take
steps looking to the ending of the war
there. The Spanish government very
likely believes this to bo the case and
Is expecting some Intervention that will
force It Into war. Even the recognition
of the Insurgents might have this result ,
since It would probably bo regarded by
Spain as preliminary to the recognition
of Cuban Independence , which Is the
only proper and logical thing for the
United States to do if It shnii take nny
part In Cuban affairs. Wo have
no doubt that President McKInley -
ley Is strongly averse to war.
lie knows what war means and
ho understands what Its .unsettling
nnd disturbing effects would be. lie will
do nothing which he does not feel there
Is the fullest justification for. Such
istlllcatlon may come nt any time ,
omo circumstance may arise which
ould so inflame thu public mind that
10 president would be Impelled to net.
There Is no question that the situation
s critical , yet It Is not necessary to con-
nde that war Is Imminent or Inevitable ,
.t the time of the Vlrglniiis alTalr , In
87 ; ! , Spain and the United State ? scorned
o be nearer war than now. General
rant was president and ho made prep-
rations for the threatened hostilities ,
veil going so far , It is said , as to have
roposcd the organization of an army
> r the Invasion of Spain. But the re-
onrces of diplomacy proved sulllclent
o avott the calamity of war and the dlf-
ctilty was peacefully adjusted. Clr-
'umstances ' arc different now , but pcr-
aps they are not beyond the resources
f diplomacy.
CO.MMKItCIA I ,
This country has m do remarkable
ommerclal progress in the last year and
le indications are that the current year
Ull bo the greatest In our history for
Vmerlcnn trade and Industry. The exerts -
orts for the two months of this year
re greater than for any corresponding
erlod and Europe continues to eagerly
ake our grain , while the products of
iincrlcan mills and factories are going
broad * in Increasing volume. Gold Is
lomlng hero and there are many millions
f the yellow metal in Rurope yet to
'oino ' money that has been kepi abroad
localise It could be moro profitably em-
iloyed there than here. The railroads
if the country are prospering and It Is
aid that the piospect for the business of
he Great Lakes Is that it will far sur-
> ass that of any other year , great as
ivas the business of 1SD7. The Iron In-
ustry was navcr In better condition
ban at this time , the wool and woolen
ndustrles are prospering and with the
xceptlon of the cotton Industry all the
iianufacturlng Interests of the country
, re doing well. There Is an abundant
upply of money for all legitimate on
orprlses and bank clearings show that
nero of It Is going Into legitimate enter
prises than for several years.
Commercially and industrially the
United States is advancing more rapidly
ban nny other nation. It Is moving
teadily forward to supremacy In the
ivorld of trade , the attainment of which
s not remote If there shall be no check
o Its progress. Given peace and the
naintcnance of political policies whose
ivlsdom has been demonstrated and
hero need bo no misgivings as to the
future standing of this republic among
commercial nations.
A C.KXKHOVti
The announcement by President Burt
hat the Union Pacific railroad will con-
rlbuto ? 25.000 to the Transmisslsslppl
Sxposltlon will ba hailed with satlsfac-
: lon by the friends of the exposition , am
especially by the citizens of Omaha. The
Union Pacific railroad bus always been
ecognlzcd as Omaha's principal artery
of commerce and the liberality exhibited
by tlio new management towards the en
terprlso on which Omaha has staked so
much will be gratefully appreciated ,
There is no doubt that had the present
nanagoniont boon In unhampered con
trol of the great transcontinental railway
it would have been among the first , if
not the first , of tha railroads giving sub
stantinl support to the exposition. The
ilelay In Its action Is ireadlly accounted
for by the complications surrounding the
ownership while the road was In the
hands of .receivers. It goes without say
Ing that the Union Pacific Is part of
Omaha nnd will share with Omaha the
new prosperity ns well ns It has shared
In Its adversities. The publlc-splrltet
policy Inaugurated by President Bur
can not fall to elicit good feeling and
commercial reciprocity among our busl
ness men , nnd tend to strengthen the
hold of the road upon the people of this
city nnd state.
At the beginning of the session of the
Iowa legislature not yet ended There wa
much opposition to the proposed boan'
of control for the various state Instltu
tlons , the purpose of which Is to reduci
the number of trustees and managers alii
simplify the management of the Instltu
tlons. Since the 1)111 for that purpose
has been presented and has been freely
discussed In the newspapers and on the
floor of the senate , much of the opposi
tion has disappeared and It now looks
as If the bill would become a law. Con-
trallzlng and simplifying the manage
ment of state Institutions Is the tend
ency In all states , but It Is something
that must ba done with due regard to
the Interests of each nnd every one of
the Institutions , and no loophole for ex
travagance or corruption can bo permit
ted without endangering the whole sys
tem.
The people living In little Rhode Island
are considering the advisability of a now
state constitution , and this Is going to
be as dlfllcult to frame as would a now
constitution for a big state. A commis
sion has just presented to the legislature
the draft of a new constitution in which
several Important changes are proposed.
Direct taxpayers only would bo eligible
as voters at elections where taxes were
Imposed and In municipal elections , but
the time of residence required for suf-
frngo would bo'reduced to one year. Another -
other propoilf : | ) In regard to suffrage
Is thnt no ontf'Wiu become a citizen by
naturalization unless able to rend aud
write the English language. Under the
proimsod coiihtlbitloH the house of rep
resentatives wVnild be Increased In mem
bership from -seventy-two to 100 , but
with a pro b that no municipality
should have more than one-fourth of the
members. Tf/Cfatter / Is to prevent the
city of Providence trom having more
than twonty/ members. Biennial
elections are provided for and the gov
ernor rellevoU' ' 'from ' his present duty
of presiding qver the senate. In many
respects the ohler states of the east are
behind the western states In the matter
of having modern constitutions , though
some of them are innklng efforts to catch
up with the procession.
The friends of a Cincinnati woman
certainly displayed bad taste In
choosing this time to give promi
nence to the fact that she and
not the late Miss Wlllard was the
founder of the W. C. T. U. While it Is
probably far from their intention to detract -
tract from the fair fame of the late dis
tinguished president of the union , that
might seem to Iw their purpose , and the
thought Is not pleasing to the many mil
lions who have admired her and given
encouragement to her good work for torn-
pi'rance. While Miss Wlllard did not
found the W. C. T. U. , she did more for
the union than any other person nnd Is
entitled to credit for its world wide In
fluence.
Governor Ilolcomb now sees his mis
take In not bidding In the entire Issue
of Douglas county bonds for the state
school fund. Owing to the policy pur
sued by the state board the chances arc
good for the state school fund soon to
reach the condition again of large sums
of Idle money , which can be invested In
the securities designated by law only by
buying county bonds at extravagant
premiums from the brokers who have
shrewdly gathered them In. There Is
no good reason why the state board
should not acquire for the school fund
without the help of Intermediary brokers
all the safe bond Issues of Nebraska
counties.
In Utah tha men who have been sup
porting the sham of a "silver republi
can" party are preparing' to abandon that
subterfuge and call themselves demo-
rats or populists. Interviews with a
lumber of them in a Salt Lake paper
ndlcato that they are opposed to the
usion plan ns'a'grped upon lit Washlng-
on and that they prefer to come out
n their true colors. But If they do this
n Utah and of her'Western states where
he "silver republican" party Is sup-
wjsed to have a. foothold what Is to be-
: onie of a number of political agitators
ivho have no othpr capital than their
ham leadership of an alleged political
' ' ' '
arty ? ;
The census of Germany taken last Dc-
lember Is said to reveal the fact that the
lopulatlon of the empire has actually dc-
.reasod within .tlio past few years. This
lecms almost InX-roUlble , slncb emigration
'rom Germany has1 not been marked and
It has not beo'n observed by Investiga
tors thnt there Is In Germany any such
aversion to large families as In France.
The only explanation proffered is that
the severe military system of Germany la
liavlng Us effect ; but a better explana
tion may accompany the ofllcial figures ,
which have not yet been made public.
11 ( mm for Doubt.
Philadelphia Times.
When take war dispatches are triple and
quadruple leaded the space between the lines
displays how much room there Is for doubt.
Difference In.
Cincinnati Tribune.
The chief advantage the position of king
ship of Greece possesses over a South Care
Una pcstmaatershlp lies In the. greater accu-
iacy of the southern over the Helenlc marks-
raaashlp.
lAmcrlen'n 1'olloy.
Globe-Democrat.
What the Atacrlcan people deslro for Cuba
Js permission for Its Inhabitants to work
out their own American destiny. They have
fought for the privilege much longer than
was required In our own colonies.
Why Spain ) IleHltnteN
Indianapolis Journal.
Ff the Spanish grandees cculd behold the
statesman from the state of Washington ,
Hon. James Hamilton 'Lewis , on those Jays
when he wcara his pale pearl pantaloons
his double-breasted , ruby-colored vest ami
his Invisible green frock coat , they would
bo jealous Instead of Indignant.
"Let Xo < iulH > - MailKwenpe. . "
New York Tribune.
lit Is gratifying to be assured that the
federal government Is entering upon vigorous
action In the case of the murder' Its post
master at Lake City , S. C. No action can
be too vigorous for the punishment of a
crime which In , deliberate atrocity rivaled
the worst deeds of Woyler In Cuba.
How Ilmrlnom iirnivN.
Indianapolis Journal.
When the clearings of the banka In sev
only-seven cities were Cl per cent larger
In the February Just closed than In Febru
ary. 1897 , and 73 per cent nbovo the February
of 1S94 , no Intelligent man who carca for
his reputation will make himself conspic
uous In the ranks of the howlers of ca
lamity.
Why llotluT About IloiKls.
Cleveland Leader.
The bondsmenL'of the Nebraska state
t c 'surer , who dpauted | | pome time ago. are ,
recording to the , courts , not responsible for
the shortage. UaVlng bondsmen , would
seem , therefore. tp Ma mere matter of form ,
which people of 'today observe because they
are addicted to , clinging to relics of the
dark ages. , t
.
IndloiViapblU Journal.
When the mafaagers of the Louisville &
Npshvlllo rallroati-oii * the wages of trainmen
end switchmen In 1S93 they prom'ssd to re-
fltoro them when the earnings were equal to
those of 1S92. That period has arrived and
the uanca will be restored , yet there are
these like Mr. Drjrah who Insist that bU3-
Ine&s has not perceptibly Improved einco bo
was rornlnatcd In ;
i Modern Artillery.
1'hllfjlelphla I'ress.
The German artillery has been remodeled
and the French have noirly equipped them
selves with new guns. The German change
cost $30,000,000. Their gun Is three Inches
and the French three ani five-eighths. The
French Is a qulnk-fliltig broach-loader and
shoots ten shots a minute. Two of these guns
are equal to a battery of six of the kind
with which our army Is now armed. The
rapid flro necessitates two ammunition wag
ons with each gun and greatly Increases both
the cost of the gun and the dlRlculty of
keeping It supplied In the field. The now
French guns cost $10,000 a gun , with 1,000
rounds a gun. The sooner our ordnance
begin * on a quick-firing gun the better. The
change antiquated our artillery and leaves
ft where the armament of bait our fleet Is
today hopelessly out of date ,
ABOUT WIAH.
MA Wnr Hnnnrntilr < AVf rtnl I * n
Achievement Tlmn n llnttleWon. . "
Cntl Schun In Hi\rper' Wwklp ,
Let us Imagine the first new * of the < * .e-
tructlon of the Maine In the harbor of Ha
vana had been accompanied by clcor proof
that the catastrophe was caused by n torpedo
or a mine wbat would have been the duty
of our government ? Would H have been to
rush forthwith Into a war with Spain upon
the assumption that Spanish officials and ,
with them , the Spanish government were re
sponsible for the calamity ? Or would It
not rather have been to Inquire whether
Spanish officials wcro really responsible , and ,
If they were found to be , whether the Span
ish government were willing or not to make
due atonement for the acts of Its agontij ?
What man of good sense and of sound moral
Instincts would wish that war bo resorted to
while an honcrablo adjustment seems attain
able ? And yet a resort to war Is on every
possible occasion epokcn of , not only by the
miscreants with whom the stirring up of a
war excitement la a mere business specula
tion , but even by otherwise rational and re-
petablo persons , with a flippancy as If war
wcro nothing more serious than un Interna
tional yacht race or a foot ball match.
That war has In the history of mankind
sometimes served good purposes In forming
nations , In repressing barbarism , In enforc
ing ju-iUce , In removing obstructions to the
spread of civilization , will hardly be denied
by anybody. How much of such work Is still
to bo done , and how far the Instrumentality
of war may still bu required to that end , It
Is nccdlcEs to discuss here. In any event ,
It will bo admitted that whatever object Is
to bo accomplished , war Is to be regarded
as the last expedient to be resorted to , and
ot the first. What docs clvlllratlon mean
If not the progress from the arbitrament of
brute force to the arbitrament of reason and
the maintenance of Justice by peaceable
methods In the righting of wrongs , and In
the settlement of conflicting opinions or In
terests ? If It were propsed to abolish our
courts , and to remand the decision of dllll-
cultlea between man and man to trial by
single combat , or by street light between
armed binds enlisted , by the contending par
ties , Itould bo called a relapse Into bar-
bar lain too absurd as well as too dreadful
to bo thought of. We denounce the appllcV
tlon of lynch law ao n practice utterly re
pugnant to the fundamental principles of
olvlllzed life , nnd as a blot upon the char
acter of a civilized people. What a strange
anachronism It IB that \\hllo wo abhor the
arbltiary resort to brute force In private life
as a crime against human society , the same
arbitrary resort to brute force In deciding
differences between nation and nation , al-
hough Infinitely moro horrible In Its cf-
'ects , has still remained the custom of the
Ivlllzed world , and la surrounded with a
lalo of heroic romance ! It may , Indeed , be
aid that It Is far moro difficult to find , and
nstltuto practical methods for the pcace-
blo adjustment of some kinds of disputes
ictween nations than between Individuals ,
o that occasionally war remains the only
ixpcdlcnt. This Is true , just as It Is true
hat occasionally the social order may be-
omo so disturbed that the Individual man
ias no refuge for the protection of hh
Ights except In self-help outside of the rule
f law. Hut In each case this should be re
garded only as the very last extremity when
iverythlng cite falls.
General Sherman once said : "You would
now what war Is ? War Is hell. " He knew
rhat ho was speaking of. and he meant It.
A'as It an exaggeration ? When the neiws
f the destruction of the Maine arrival we
hrew up our hands In horror. Two hundred
nd fifty men killed by the explosion ! What
frightful calamity ! Thus wo feel , anil thus
e speak , In a state of peace. How In time
f war ? Two hundred and fifty men killed ?
3nly a skirmish , a slight brush with 'the
nemy. 'Nothing ' of Importance. A pitched
lattle conies. Five thousand killed and 15-
iOO wounded on our side ; the loss of the
nemy believed to bo greater. A haill fight ,
mt , perhaps , not decisive. Then more bat-
les ; more thousands of killed , moro tens of
housands wounded ; the hospitals crowded
with countless multitude. ? of sick. Naval
grhts also ; of those mysterious monsters
ailed battleships some go to the bottom of
he sea , some of our own as well as oome
f ICie enemy's. How many men perish with
hem ? Two hundred and fifty ? A mere
rifle. It must bo many times 250 to make
sensation. What Is then our first thought ?
'he gaps must be filled , ani more of our
oung men are sent to the front and upon
ho ships. And the crowds of parents made
ihlldless , and ot widows and orphans ! "Well ,
ery sad , but war Is war. Let us take care
if them the best way wo can to keep them
'rom starving. " But more than this. Wher-
ver the armies operate , devastation , ravage
and ruin ; wherever the war chips sail , de-
tructlon of commerce and mutual havoc
ho fruit of years of patient Industry and cx-
rtlon ruthlessly wiped out , an ! these agen
les of Intercourse and mutual advancement
by which modern civilization has made the
nations of the world dependent upon one an
ther disastrously Interrupted , and loss , desolation
elation and misery spread broadcast. Was
General Sherman wrong when ho said that
'war ' Is hell ? "
But wo are told that a nation needs a war
'rom ' time to time to prevent It becoming
effeminate , to shake It up from demoralizing
materialism , and to elevate the popular
heart by awakening heroic emotions and the
spirit ot patriotic self-sacrifice. This has a
captivating sound. Dut Is there not some
thing Intensely ludicrous In the Idea that the
American people , while the rugged work of
subduing this vast continent to civilization
s yet unfinished , need wars to save them
'rom ' effeminacy ? Were we more effeminate
before our civil war than wo have been slnco ?
As to the demoralizing materialism , was the
pursuit of money , tho-grecd of material pos
session and enjoyment , less prevalent after
the civil war than before It ? Did not the
war Itself stimulate that "materialism" to a
degree not known among us before ? As to
heroic emotions and the spirit of patriotic
self-sacrifice. It Is true that war Is apt to call
forth splendid manifestations of them. Dut
dors war create those noble Impulses ? Could
It bring out the manifestations of them If
they did not. although unmanlfcsted , already
exist ? ( And Is , after all , the readiness to die
for one's country the sura ot all bravery ?
Is there no call for heroic emotions and pa
triotic self-sacrifice In a state of peace ? Is
not a' patient and faithful struggle for tha
truth against the fanaticism of prejudice ,
and for justice against arrogant power , as
bravo a feat as the storming of a battery ?
And Is not that civic virtue more rare than
the physical courage of the soldier , and , on
the whole , more needful to the republic ?
On the other hand , while war calls forth
demonstrations of heroic spirit , does It not
also stimulate the bnser passions of a
larger number ? Have wo ever heard of a
war which , whatever great objects It may
otherwise have eerved , Improved private or
public morals or stimulated the cultivation
of these quiet and unostentatious civic vir
tues which are most needful to the vitality
of free government ?
Hut wo are 'told ' that 'there ' are things
wottso than war. No doubt. Loss of honor
nnd self-respect , for Instance. Surely we
should not tamely accept a deliberate Insult
but neither should wo by ortcnclvo blustei
provoke one. We should prcaervo our sslf-
rcspect , but also respect the self-respect o
others. Wo should not submit i'.o manlfes :
wrong , but wo must not forget that others
too luvo rights ; and we must not seea
wrong Irremediable , except by war. In every
dlffetence of opinion or clash of Interest
Whenever the question of redress or remedy
Is to bo settled , wo should not forget tha
"war Is hell , " and that a war honorably
averted Is a nobler achievement than a
battle won.
Hut will not thin horror of war nt las
make cringing cowards of us all ? No danger
of that. Whatever our love of peace , when
the republto needs defenders , hundreds o
'thousands ' ot her sons will eagerly rush to
arms , and the people will pour forth their
wealth without stint , no matter If "wur is
hell. " Ot this there will never be doubt
No peace feeling can emasculate our patriot
ism. The danger lies in the opposite dlrec
tlon. It Is that the popular mind may oo
CMslly 'forget that war Is justifiable only
when all the resources of statesmanship t <
avert It have been exhausted , and when the
true value of the object to bo accompllshe <
through It outwolghts the bloo.1 and Ices o
wealth and human misery and demoralize
tlon It will icost. This btlnfj the temper o
a high-spirited people , so much moro do th
flonda who seek to drive the nation Into un
necessary war * by false reports or by un
scrupulous appeals to prejudice and passion
deserve to be execrated by all good men
and so'much more , gratitude Is duo to thoa
In power who , firmly resisting the scream
of a reckless demagogy , know no lilghe
duty than to spare the people the scourge-
war so long ao the blessing of peace ca
honorably bo preserved.
RWltlCKD IXTRHKST ItATKS.
itinnitnnce of Money Foreo * n. Sn1 -
Mlnntlnl lleilnrllon.
KiuiMn Cltr Btrtr ,
( Too Chicago , flock Island & Pacific rail-
oad company has made a new $100,000,000
per cent loan , to replace bonds now out-
landing which bcur 0 and 7 per cent * nd
o provldo means for extensions and lin-
irovcmctits as they may bo needed , Ily this
ranoactlon the connxiny will fcavo annual
ntcrest charges amounting to about one-
alf million dollars. In other words , thu
mount ot earnings distributed to bondhold-
rs will bo one-half million dollars less than
as beeti distributed hcictoforc. Some of
lie sum will bo Available for Increasing the
Ivldendu raid to stockholders , whliti now
mount to 4 per cent per annum , but the
greater part of It , In a tow years , will prob-
ibly bo required to pay Interest on bonJa
ssuod to provide money for needed cxten-
Ion aud Improvements.
The Incident Is or Interest to the public
or a number of reasons. It Is one ot the
vldences ot the permanent reduction In In-
ereat rates that has occurred In the past
ear. Such a loan could hardly uavo been
iado at any time prior to last July , but In-
esters In high grndo wocurltles recogiilzo
ow that 3 and 4 and C per cent are all they
an expect now from Investments such ns
onuerly paid 4 , 5 , C and In some cases 7
er cent. Consequently , great corpotatlons
lint have loans coming duo arc finding no |
iftlculty at all In substituting new low rnto (
ntercst bonds for them. Some of the big ,
well established eastern companies have
lo.itcd 3 and 3 % per cent bonJfl and the
jonds of sound companies which pay a
ilghcr rate of Interest and which will note
o tuo ) for some years to come , are selling
t n premium that makes them return only
to 4 per cent , and scciietlmcs less , on their
ctual market value.
The ceneral movement to cut down the
ntercst rate on railroad bonds will result
n Increasing the financial stability of rall-
oad companies and will greatly reduce the
hanccs of failure. It will not bo many
cars , If the present tendency continues as
t Is likely to do before practically all the
allroads of the country will bo placed on
uch a sound financial baslSMhrough refund-
tig aud reorganization operations , that a re-
elvershlp will bo a very rare thing and the
ourta will thus bo relieved of onu class ot
vork that , In recent years , has taken up a
oed deal ol their time.
The reduction In interest rates , of course ,
leans that freight ami passenger rates will
!
; o on decreasing , as they have been doing '
or years past , or nt least that there will bo [ i
o serious attempt to advance rates , and that i
s the feature which Is of greatest tmpor-
anco to the general public. Railroad com-
lanlcs have cut down the returns on their
: apltal to conform to the reduced rates col-
cctcd from the public , and as long as they
an keep safely within the limit of solvency ,
lelthcr the people nor the courts will coun-
enanco an Increase In transportation
hargcs , even It competition and changed
ratio conditions did not stand In the way of
uy such Increase.
O.VI3 VIJAU OF M'lvl.M.KY.
Compliments from nn Iiulo-
pciuli'iit Dfinoi-ratlu XuHimpir. .
Ilrookljn Hagle.
The year between March 4 , 1S97 , nnd March
. 1898 , reveals William .MeKlnley as a
mtrlotlc American , n cautious but firm cx-
cutlvc , a conciliatory but self-respecting
politician In his relations with congress , a
iroiiouuccd but unfactlonal republican In his
elatlons with his party , a consistent protcc-
lonlst In his economic convictions , a cour-
geous friend of civil service reform and .of
itirrcncy reform nnd an official who , know-
ng war as a soldier and loving peace as a
Itlzen , cultivates the things which make for
icacc In the spirit and attitude of our gov
ernment , while not unmindful of that duty
of readiness for war which emergencies ,
iclther of our creation nor of our choosing ,
lave forced upon the national attention.
The president Is quite as large a man as his
eulogists have maintained. He Is a far bot-
cr man than his opponents represent. He Is
a much abler man than mugwump criticism ,
with the Intolerance of half estimate and
the pur-bllndncss of half lights , can con
ceive any one to be but themselves. The
events of the first year of his ndmlnlstra-
lon have been so testing and so revealing
hat the character of the administration for
the ensuing three years ha ? been ante
cedently fixed. The events of those years
: annot , of course , be foretold , but the spirit
n which the president will address him
self to them has already been determined ,
nnd Ills moral and substantial support by
ho people , whether through one party or
the other or by both , can bo reaaonably re
garded as probable.
I'KHSOX.YI , lAXD OTHKHW.ISK.
General W. S. Uosecrans , who has been 111
at his ranch home near Kedondo , Ca ! . , Is In
s. precarious condition , and his death may oc
cur at any time.
His excellency , Mlrza Mahmoud Khan , the
ihah's ambassador at Constantinople , derives
hta only Income from a tax on the 15,000 Per
sian subjects In the Turkish capital.
A mouse stampeded 1,800 school children
n New York City the other day ; yet prob
ably half of them had been almost dying
with eagerness to go down and fight Span-
ards.
Sir Arthur Sullivan has taken a villa at
Qeaullcu , within a short distance of Nice and
Monte Carlo , and will probably reside there
or several months. He Is working hard upon
lls new opera.
An unusual number of men are employed
at the Pullman shops , but never before were
so many of the company's "model houses"
empty. The workmen find the go-as-you-
? lease tenements much ' cheaper as well as
more like homes of' their own.
Carl Hagenbcck , the animal trainer and
owner who was In Chicago during the
World's fair , declares that the best animal
for Klondike conditions and < cllmate Is the
louble-humped Siberian camel. They weigh
1,500 pounds and can carry 500 pounds.
Barrlas , the sculptor , has begun the statue
of Victor Hugo for the Paris exposition , In
1900. It will represent Hugo as a young
and vigorous man. The figure will be sr.iU'd
on 'a ' rock , one hand supporting the chin , the
face framed in long hair. On the four sides
of the plinth will bo figures representing
epic and lyrical poetry , satire and the drama.
Dr. W. A. Rogers , prcfessor of natural
philosophy and astronomy at Colby uni
versity , who died last Thursday , was a
scientist of national reputation. tfe idtd
iiuch to perfect the science of astronomy
by his microscopic Inventions , and his en
gravings on glass and xtccl , for use In
measurements , are regarded as marvels of
clearness and accuracy.
sttn.tit I' oiriicf ix.
The Subject llUrUNnril from ( hi * Slnntl.
liolnt of HIP I'aniicr.
Socrntnry Jnmes Wilson In tht > IVirum ,
Kfforta are being made In the United
States to extent ! the growth of sugar-pro
ducing plants by ascertaining through sci
entifically conducted research at state ex
periment stations , and by private enterprise , ;
under the direction of 'the ' federal nnd the
state governments where such ptantn will
flourish hest , to the end that wo may M a
nation become Independent of other coun
tries In this regard aud dtstrlhuta
among our own people the Immense sum of
money that Is now sent abroad to pay for
sweetening materials. This sub
ject Hliould oo dlscusu'd from the Htnmlpolnt
of tlio fanner , rather than from that of tha
political economist. The farmers ot our
country produce from the soil grains , cot
ton , tobacco , vegetables , fruits , horses , cat
tle , hogs , sheep , various animal products
and thu like , and If we 0.111 add to our farm
sjatoms any crop tint yields on article of
common usp , Is not exhaustive of plant food
and whoso by-product Is valuable In milking
meat and dairy products. It will nnd favor
nlth producers. There are very few crops ,
or manufactures of them , of which this can
bo said so emphatically ns It can be slid of
sugar ticetfl. The grnln are well knoun
soil-robbers. They carry from the soli nitro
gen , potash , phosphoric acid , IIme , magnesia
and the other elements of plant-food. To
bacco la peculiarly severe In this regard , be
cause none of Its by-products are lit for & .
anlm < il food ; and what Is sold from the farm f
carries away so much mineral plant-Too , ! that t
most noils are soon exhausted If nut re
plenished by commercial fertilisers , the pur
chase of which Is out of the question in mntiy ,
parts of the United States. Meats take k
away comparatively little plant-food from , ,
the soli , compared with their money value.
The cotton plant Is not exhaustive If the f
ntalkfl am plowed under and the seed Is re
turned to the soil , either directly or through
the Instrumentality of domestic anlnuN. $
The oil of the cotton seed may be sold with
out taking nny pl.int-feo.1 from the farm , s.i '
It comes from the atmosphere through the
leaves of the plant. Duller U also harmlcsa
In tills icspuct , aud docs not Impoverish the
land on which the cow grazes. Sugar 1st ai
harmless as oil and butter ; It comes from the
carbonic dioxide of the atmosphere. If the ;
eugar beet Is hauled to the factory and the , - ,
pulp taken back to the farm , no plant-fod { '
Is lost to the soil. f
The \ultcr grew beets by the acre for ' ?
stock feed from 1S9C at the Iowa Agrlcul-
tur.il college , and found the enterprise pro
fitable for that purpose alone. All domestic
animals are benefited by dally rations of
roots In winter when they have no access
to pasture ; the young animal , the breeding
nnimal , and the fattening animal alike Mud
thorn grateful. After the sugar Is ex
tracted , the pulpi contains all the plant food
furnished by the soil , and is substantially
as valuable as a fodder for domestic animals
us the beet Is .before the- sugar Is extracted.
The fodders of our rations are nearly all /
ton carbonaceous , and require mixtures of
nitrogenous by-products to make them suit
able for animal giowth or milk production.
Hetc , then , wo have a plant that , aside from * *
the sugar It contains , makes a valuable food * . - r-
for our domestic animals , and' In cnpiblo
of successful cultivation in many of our
states. It fits into our farm systems con
veniently because Its planting season Is
earlier and Its harvest time later than that
of corn , and not only serves a double pur
pose as an animal nutrient , but holds out
the liveliest hopes that Its adoption will
keep at home J100.000.000 through the value .
of Its sugar content alone. ; '
TICKLISH TAIvK-OFFS.
Chicago Itecord : "Why is It we feel thh
March weather more than real winter
weather ? "
"Ilecntisc wo hanp nrouml the shop win
dews looking at > tlie spring styles iitul stiuw
hats. "
Harper's Bazari She I like your Im
pudence. I haven't qulto reached the
bargain-counter yet.
He-Vou would be a bargain on any
counter.
Cleveland Plnln Dealer : "I notice the
exclusive people of New York amuse thsru-
solves getting up family trees. "
"Yes , ami their slnilun forefathers did th
Kama thing. " \
Oangor News : Mrs. Quiverful Do you
know , ilenr , thnt I think the baby some
times cries In her sleep ?
Mr. Quiverful ( savagelydon't ) know
about that , but 1 know aho often crle.Jn
mine.
Chicago Tribune : Acquaintance Well ,
the winter Is about on Its last legs , profes-
The Professor Wcllmaybe. . But ft has
nearly three weeks to run.
Washington Star : "Do you dtsllko In-
vestlaatlons ? " Inquired the polltlcan'a
friend.
"Yes , " was the thoughtful reply. "I must
say I do. You see. they are likely to tafca
up a great deal of a man's time. "
Somcrvlllo Journal : The bible doesn't say
so , hut probably Eve asked Adam : "Aro
my llg leaves on straight ? "
Jewelers' Weekly : Marie Why In the
world are wedding rings so severely plain ?
Max To brlnff them within reach at the
end of a long courtship.
, IIEH 'FKOWSf. '
J. Il.iynp In Puck.
There la made In the music when the fount-
nlns of her mirth
Into liquid waves of laughter ripple down ;
And her eyes a deeper rapture
In their dreamy moments capture ,
But I cherish most her features nrchly
gathered In a frown.
In the masquerade of faces desolation wear *
a smile ,
Wlilln the gravest In demeanor Is th
clown ;
Jlut I know that In rpveallnp
Every translont thought and feeling-
She Is nearest when her forehead nwectly
furrows with a frown.
\
In her eyes there Rlonmn a xplendor which
no shadows can subdue ,
Like the glint upon the waving fields ct
brown ; .
As the glowing' embers mingle
With the nshes on ths Ingle
Glows her aoul among , ithe thoughts which
, gravely wait upon her frown.
All the Hhlftlng- lights nnd HhadowH which
her April eyes assume
Wear a charm of which this aspect Is the
ctawn ;
Anil If she could guess the ardor
Of my thoughts as I regard her ,
How I wonder would her features coldly
gather In a frown I
The
Swell
Thing
Is a correct "top coat. " There are several shades of grades of
covert cloth that we can show you at several prices. Corresponding
pending to the quality of the goods it is quite the thing and is
really a handsome garment with its broad lap seams. But we
have a full assortment of spring overcoats in other materials in
solid colors and mixed goods beautifully tailored and lined with
serge silk or satin according as you may choose or you purse
permit. Our spring overcoats are worth looking over if you
have a minute's leisure but you ought not to overlook them.
