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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1898)
THE 'OMAHA DAILY BEE : FRIDAY , MARCH 11 , 1808. THE OMAHA DAILY BEE c , no8KWATin. nditor. EVEtlY MUHN1XC1. TEIIM8 OF SUnSClttrTIONi n t ( Without fi'jnilaj ) , On Year . HM Dally Il e and SunJajr. One Year . SW His Monthi . JS Three Mrmlh . * < * > Hun-lay tlee. On Year . . . . . . ' ' , " ' Haturday 1J . One Year . 1 M "Weekly Dee , One Year . . . - . * Omaha' The IXHullJIne. . , fiouth Omaha : Sln < rr Illk. , Cor. JJ unJ 21th St * . 'uuni II Illurrn. 19 I'earl Hlrtet. Chli ago Oince ; 6W dumber of Commerce. New York : Temple Court Washington ; ttl Fourteenth Street. CORttiaiONDCSCR. All communication * relating to news ami edltj- rial matter ehouM IMd < lreed : To tne J.JItor. All \ > \ir\nfi \ letters and remittances utiould be nddreticd to The lle I'ubllslilnic Company. Omaha Drnfti , checka. expmi nd pos'.oflVe tnoncy ordrr to ba mule payable to the order or the coirpinr. . . TIII : nnrc runusiiiNO COMPANY. HTATKMKNT or CIIICUI.ATION. KtntB of Net > rn ka , Dourlun county. : Oortre II. T/JChuck. necrctary of The llec Pub- llthlni ; company , fins duly unorn , ay that the n'tuil numb r of full and complete copies of The Dally. Mornlnir. K enlnit and Sunday llf printed during the month of February , U'jS , Mas as fol- 1C . 51.C11 3 ZO.fS ! 17 . SI.C02 4 . ; 11 . SI.Hi r , s ; ; 19 . tl.&M ( ! 21,0V ) ) . ZI.WJ 7 SO.KB si . : utf 8 2I.M ? . . Jl 421 0 20'rtZ ' 10 ! ) . 11 21,124 - ; 22.141 12 21.079 5 * Z5.227 Jl 21.012 27 I1.4S' ' II 29,931 Total returned and uniold copies . . > Net lotnl ralix Net dally axeraBP axeraBPancmoi : n Sworn to befcrime an ! rul ) crlbcd In my rr-dice this 1st day of March , 1J91 lSCal' > ) ' NolanI'ublie. . uyis Is a united country. Kor pioof read tlio Congressional Uecoril. Thp clearer the o-VpoMtlon Is stocruil from politic * tlic MKPT will be Its suc cess from all points of view. The drns-store saloon Is still dolnp a HirlvliiK bnslne.-s on a ilrti lst'.s permit 1 y mid with the consent and protection of the l offiis reform police board. lllils arc In for the timepiece that Is to grace Omaha's new po-Uotlice and If the contract Is promptly lot the clod : mn.v Htrllic Omaha In time to turn its face 01 the exposition. Attorney Oeneial Smyth very evidently njoecs with The lice In refusing to swnl low the Innocent victim bait which the J'.artley bondsmen are holding out to dl.stract attention from themselves. If every new electric light Is as goot ns one policeman , the council's onle for additlona'l .street Illumination ough to remove the necessity for any verj great enlargement of the police force. So Mr. Bryan's support of the Me Klnley administration's foreign policy I disappointing to goldbug editors. ThI would be Interesting If true. Hut if so what a disappointment Hryan must be if Hie free silver editor * . It lias been decided by the pollc Judge thai a man licensed to sell Hquo nt his bar may , if he wishes , serve th liquid refreshments in his back yard. Drinks by pneumatic tuba sen-Ice will probably be the next Innovation. The Lees are doipg quit ? well this year. The one In Havana is uutliotiirbed liy a request for a recall. The oi < who Is governor of South Dakota has lust cnme otf wln-icr In an ugly cnciu.iter wlili the state Insurance coinnibjlcnor lie appointed last year. When the agent of the United States Naval department goes out to buy war nhlps people who have war ships to sell will not a.sk him if his country Is able to pay for them. Everybody knows that the United States docs business on a 100-cent dollar basis. Governor Holcomb's iionpartisan state exposition commission , consisting of men chosen nil from one and the same politi cal party , Is surpassed for partisanship only by the similarly constructed nonpartisan - partisan police commission with which Hie governor has allllcted Omaha. The political soldier at the head of the Missouri state militia lias evidently been studying the science of war by reading the Havana dispatches. He has ordered n press censorship to the extent of foi bidding members of the militia fiom rushing Into the newspapers to air griev ances and tight out quarrels. The Englishmen who a llttlo while ago nvere xo desirous of having on arbitra tion treaty between the United States nd Great Hiltaln , to show to the worlr that the two great nations of Kuglisli- fipcaklug people are the closest frlundn , have now a golden opportunity to .show their friendly Inllueiice at home. The Oregon Short Line belongs to the Vnlon 1'acitlc system , both naturally and liy light of origination. The operation of tin1 two roads under one management and as one great transcontinental line Is as certain to be brought about In \\\i \ \ uear future as Is the revolution of the moon about tlic earth. People plan for their summer outlngi months in advance. Kor this i < eauon it I of the utmost Importance that the ques ' 'HMl tlon of railway rates to the exposition lie taken up and .settled at the earliest passible moment. No one should be [ allowed to bpend his vacation In HOIIIO , other place because he Is unable to ascertain In time what the ts are In the shape of reduced fares to the exposition. The stream of cattle from the west ern ranges and farms Into the stock yards at South Omaha continues steady lick and , while prices paid for feeding stock cka an1 unusually high , Indicating a genera belief that tlie market will continue to lie good for several years , the herds of ofd the west arc but slightly diminished , Stock growing and stock feeding are In inIn Uustrles sure to continue prolltable In Nebraska where there Is cheap forage or ii abundance of t'rala. SP/lMS/l CtMCKSSIUXS. The American people nro fair and list and they will not withhold from ic present Spanloh government the red It that Is due It for Important conan esslons to the government of the Jnltcd States and to American public entiment. When the McKlnley ndmlnotl stratlou came In Weylcrism In Its most rutal and barbarous form was rampant n Cuba. Many American citizens were n Cuban prisons , where they were subna ected to abuse and maltreatment , while hose not In prison were under .constant urvelllauco of the Spanish authorities , So citizen of this country could feel BCIt tire In the territory where Weyler ruled , Our government demanded the release f the Imprisoned Americans and the do- nand was compiled with , so that for nany mouths not one citizen of the United States has been In prison on the sland of Cuba , while Americans In Ha vana and elsewhere within the Spanish lues are secure in their persons and iropcrty , so far as the authorities can nake them secure. The McKlnley administration took arly occasion to Indlcate'to the Spanish government disapproval of the policy and course of Weyler and one of the earliest acts of the Sagasta ministry was to recall that commander. It may be said that this was an essential part of the plan of the liberal ministry and hat In any event Weyler would have ipcn replaced , but there is not a reason able doubt that the feeling in this coun try hastened his recall. Another con cession on the part of the present Span- sh government Is In connection with the relief of the Cuban suffetcr.s. When the president appealed to the American people to help these victims of Weyler- .sin , the Spanhh ministry promptly consented to allow supplies to freely en ter Cuba and they have been going there In large volume with most beneficent re sults. It Is true that Spain has raised a question a.s to the propriety of send ing relief supplies in war vessels , but that government has shown no Indica tion of a desire or Intention to impose any conditions that would ch e the doors of Cuba against such supplies. In the matter of Consul General Lee , for whom Spaniards generally undoubtedly have a most keen dMIke , the Spanish gov ernment , which has an unquestionable right to dismiss him , immediately with drew the intimation that his recall was desired on le.irning that the president declined to consider It. It Is worth while to lecall these facts , In order , flist , to show that the govern ment at Washington lias not been idle or Indlffeivnt in re.spect to affairs in Cuba , and secondly that Its representa tions and efforts have been effective at Madrid , especially as to the interests of Americans In Cuba. Kvry request made by this government which it was practi cable for the Sagasta ministry to comply with has been acceded to , theteby show ing in the most conclusive way possible the desire of that government to main tain friendly relations. It is possible that a change of feeling lias taken place ; that the Spanish government expects or Intends war. But there Is nothing to Indicate this except the warlike prepara tions and It Is to be borne In mind that his nation Is also making such prepara- ions , but without any Intention of going o war. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TUB ACQUITTAL OF SIIKIIIFF MAItTlX. The acquittal of the fiherlfT responsihlc or the Lattimcr tragedy may be the in evitable result of the rule of law that gives every one accused of crime the u'liefit of every doubt , but tito popular verdict will always stand against the nurderers of the strikers as one of guilty. Xo more disgraceful example of ibuse of ofllclal authority has been pro- luced in recent years than the cowardly firing of armed deputies upon a fleeing neb of defenseless strikers. If law of- Iccr.s , swelled with their own impor- ance , can conjure up Imaginary dangers from men proceeding peacefully along he public highways simply because they ire engaged in a wage struggle with tholr employers and then , after shooting .hem down without a word of warning , count upon escaping all punishment under the criminal laws , the lives of irivate citizens must be in constant [ leopardy. This verdict should serve to call re newed attention to Ihc abuses of the 'ederal courts In the promiscuous issnlng of writs of Injunction. Were it not for the unprecedented proceedings of these courts , nnder color of which the sheriff ind his deputies thought they could justify their action , the strikers would not have aroused the suspicion that pre cipitated the awful onslaught. The men responsible for these judicial usurpations must share with the acquitted sheriff moral guilt in the public estimation. ATTITUDH OF Fll.lXCK. The rttatenient attributed to a former prime minister of France , that In the event of war between Spain and the United States I-'ranco will be Ixnind to Spain by contiguous neighborhood and race , not on financial grounds , will not be accepted ns reflecting popular senti ment In that country , nor 13 It prolmble that It voices the predominant view in ofllclal circles. It Is Impossible to be lieve that public sentiment In France would be found In sympathy with Spain In a war with the United States , sim ply on the ground of contiguous neigh borhood. If popular sympathy went with Spain It would be because that country owes hundreds of millions of dollars In France and the Interests of the Spanish bondholders would be more po tent with the people than the question of maintaining friendly relations with the United States. Hut It Is very doubtful it)0 ful whether the o bondholders would bo ) abht to create a public sentiment that : itd would array France against the United States in behalf of Spain. They may > be willing to still assist the Spanish gov ernment financially , to the extent of en- abllng It to Increase Its naval force and ides buy munitions of war , but when It comes to a question of involving the govern ment the Spanish bondholders would undoubtedly find any attempt In that direction futile. Of course the French creditors of Spain hope there will not be war and perhaps their Influence will be exerted with the Spanish porcrnnwnt for avert ing ; hostilities , but If there should be war It Is safe to say the French govern- mcnt would stand aloof and maintain an absolutely neutral position. The fact Is that government has quite enough to look after at home , In Africa and In other quarters where Its Interests lie to command all Ita attention , without In volving Itself In a conflict with the United States In behalf of a bankrupt nation like Spain. There would be nei ther gain nor glory for France In es pousing the Spanish cause In a war with tin United States , but on the contrary It would be disastrous to that republic , politically and financially. TIIH 1MMIGUAT10X IHhL. . It Is expected that the Immigration bill will be taken up for consideration In the house of representatives next week , the chairman of the committee on Immigration having given notice sev eral days ago that he would move to take It tip on March 15. There are a number of republicans In the house who nro In fnvor of postppning considera tion of the measure until next session , but the probability Is that the motion to take It up will prevail. The support ers of the bill claim that there Is a peed majority for It and that it will -pass just as It came from the senate , but It may be found that they are over confident. There has been a good deal of > work done against the measure since It passed the senate aud Jt would b ° .strange If this should prove to be en tirely ineffective. There Is no doubt that some of the republican leaders lu the house think itwould be wisa to let the bill go over to the next session. They appreciate the fact that the great majority or our forclini-born citizens arc opposed to this legislation and are very- likely to make this opposition felt in the congressional elections. Certainly no harm could be done by a postponement , but piobabiy the advocates of this addi tional restriction are too numerous in the house to permit the question to go over. Meanwhile this opposition should not A ritAisiwoitTnr ; MUVKMKNT. The movement that lias been started to enlist the children uho attend the public schools In the work of keeping the streets and public places In better condition deserves public encouragement. The plan which Is being followed is to impress upon the children , through their teachers , the necessity of clean streets and to make them realize the obligation resting upon all not to litter the streets with waste paper , to refrain from dis figuring buildings , fences and sidewalks , to preserve rather than desttoy trees and shrubs In a word , to help beautify rather than mar the city. That the children can , if they will , accomplish a great deal In this direction is plain without explanation. The example they will sot for others who are equal , If not worse , offenders should in It.self prove almost invaluable. The duty to keep streets and public places clean and attractive , however , does not rest alone upon the children. The business man who has the sweep ings of his store thrown into the street needs reformation just as badly. The bill poster who leaves the old placards to be blown about by tne wind should be taken more severely to task. Grown people must be presumed to compre hend the responsibility resting upon them. If the school children can be taught to call the attention of their elders to every violation of the city ordinances relating to street nuisances and refuse , the latter may be brought to observe the common ruled of public cleanliness. Supplement this work with an occa sional prosecution of notorious offenders against the proprieties of city life and Omaha will not have to l > e ashamed of the appearance presented to exposition visitors. At a republican meeting held In Boise last week Judge Heyburn told the people of Idaho some plain truths about bus- ! ness conditions in that state and the rela tion thereto of the republican administra tion. He reminded the Idaho people of the fact that on election day , when the American voters decided that Major Me- Klnley should occupy the White House , the price of lead was $2.55 , and that as a result of the protective policy since en tered upon the price Is now $3.87 , which means that the profit to the miners of northern j Idaho Is annually $1,000,000 more than it would have been had Bryan been elected. The wool Industry affords another Illustration. The wool clip will be about 12,000,000 pounds In Id.iuo this year , and , while on election day tin- highest price was ( % cents a pound , it is now about double that price , which adds to the wealth of the young state about $2,500,000. The change In the ptice of wheat makes a difference of another $1,500,000 to the farmers of the Mate , and so with cattle , lumber and other Industries. What is true of Idaho Is true of every other western state , . Ith Might variations , The state engineers of Colorado , Kan sas , Utah , Wyoming and Nebraska , In theli state confeicnee , decided that what Is needed to give encouragement to irri gation -projects is uniform and radical state legislation. It would undoubtedly be of great ben-slit to the states men tloned to have Irrigation laws that are uniform and that would Involve no change of system at the state lines. Up to this time It has been practically Im possible to get the states , or any considerable - siderable number of them , to adopt uni form laws on any subject. But the effort Is worth making and deserves en couragement. A so-called pure food bill pending In the Iowa legislature practically prohibits the use of propiietary medicines and pre pared remedies In the state. The op position manifested Itself strongly at once , since there are few persons who believe that all such remedies are dan gerous or lacking In usefulness , and the fact has been brought out that examina tion of prescriptions shows that many physicians recommend them or make out prescriptions precisely like proprietary medicines. A study of 217,000 prescrip tions from nineteen drug stores In lead- lu American cities has shown that 11.25 per cent of thorn were Identical with proprietary art lff ) : WWIc physicians are not good friends of the manufactur ers of "patcnt' ofetrurns , few of them would condemn 'ajjj.medlclnes ' not given on a special prescription. Just ns the statesmen of New York had solved the problem of what to do with the convicts In th'e1 state prison by set ting them to wock making clothing , utensils and Impleufcuts used In or about state Ins 'tntloiis , some one has raised a question as to tlio propriety of permitting school children of tie state to hit on con vict made school desks while n > their lessons. It is pretty hard to give con victs stead/ employment without In some way entering into competition wlt'i honest labor or trampling oa the prejudices of some well meaning persons. The S on Hi nt tlic ixiunlloii. Inter Ocean. "The leading journals of the south are earnestly pleading to hae their states well represented In the great Omaha exposition. U Is a hopeful sign of the new life of the south which foretellU a great tuturc. Tlic AiUiuititKc ' Indianapolis Journal. Seventy million against se\eoteet > , and ample resources against bankruptcy , It would sieiu that Spain , If It had discretion , would recognize the right of the United States to restore tranquillity In Cuba , which It has worse than failed to do after there jcars of Au ii 1I-H I UK uf Jiipiiu , Chicago Inter Ocean. It ts pretty dimcult to realise that thirty years ha\e scarcely elapsed alnco Japan awoke from two centuries of slumber and cMlincd a place among the progressive na tions ! of the earth. Yet this Is a fact. The Island empire dates the beginning oi her ne\v llfo from the rummer of 1SCS. Today she Is regarded with respect by the great est military and imal powers lu existence. DfiimiHl fur lloml * . Philadelphia Press. Bond sales are the surest Indication of the character of current business , tccauae until bonds sell freely It U tmpcsslble to start new enterprises , and the demand for labor by new enterprises ts the pivot on which turn both the labor market and the demand for commodities. Bond sales , up to date , In New York , are ? :01.079,060. Ln.U jear , to the same date , the sales were $ SC,7CG,390. This Increase of two and a half fold measures both the profits of past business and the expansion of new. Iii\c | lK < itlii : the Trice uf War Philadelphia Ledger. One of the points urged as reasons why tlio United States should purchase the Brazilian ships understood to be now In ihe market Is that they can be had at least $1,000,030 apiece cheaper than the same clasa ofessels can be built In this country. This Is soery different from what we ha\e been hearing lately about the comparatl\e cheapness of American materials and the comparative superiority of American workmanship that It might be worth while to Investigate this branch of the subject for the sake of Informa tion , war or no war. Alnns : 1'unccfnl I.lnc . Mlmieap9lls Tribune. Secretary Wilson of the Department of Agriculture pursues the even tenor of hia way , Issuing hU bulletin of peace contem poraneously with the more exciting pro nouncements from the other members of the cabinet. While Long la estimating the neeJs of the 'Navy' ' ' department , and Alger Is figuring on recruiting his forces and Gage la arranging with congress to secure the sinews of war , Mr. Wilson continues his tn- vestlgatlocs as to the habit * of the succulent \ turnip ( , the Insidious acale and the crooked squash of conamerce , and ever and anon an nounces a lot of statistics showing whereiu the real greatness of this wonderful country lies. Some M > Nlcrloi Explained. Minneapolis Journal. When the big gun In the British war ship Thunderer exploded some years ago , It was regarded as a "great mystery" until expert Investigation of the fractures and character o the explosion showed the gun to have been double-loaded by mistake. Expert tettimony will solve any "mystery" of the.kind and It has probably already solved the "mystery" of the Maine's destruction about which It will bo found there was no more "mystery" than there was about the Thunderer's gun. N'obody believes the Maine was blown up by her own officers and men or by "spon taneous icombustloi. " Somebody w-ill have to pay for the Job of three weeks ago and that somebody la likely to bo Spain. Seure-Vrovr Joiimnllxni. Philadelphia Times. One of the"dlvcrslons of the scare-crow Journals Is to gather the opinions of all kinds of people , whoso opinions are usually of no consequence , on subjccti that they know nothing about. Tlavlng exhausted all possi ble theories of the cause of the Maine dis aster , they have now advanced to Interviews upon the conduct of the war and are printIng - Ing pages of guesses as to what will happen * In case something else should happen. Among others a number of senators have been Interviewed upon the probable course of the United States toward Spain. Strange to say , quite a number of senators take the bait right under and proceed to tell how loyal they will bo and how they will stand by the president In any emergency. The coun try will oot feel any more confidence In the senatorial judgment for these professions. It should be able to take that much for granted , and It will not escape notice that the senators who usually keep their heads moot level are the ones that say the least. KXl'\\IJINi TllAIJK. Mnrrliluir Firmly to thr Mimic of OILWlllfi. . IlulTalo The country continues to tnako splendid progress In swelling the volume of business. 1'rlccH as a rule are firm or advancing. In the list of articled which show Increasing strength are nearly all the cereals , Besse mer pig iron , copper , raw cotton and tin , as well as some varieties of provisions. The gain In copper of nearly 1 cent a pound dur ing February Is attracting much attention. It li regarded as a legitimate advance , be cause copper Is finding a wider use In manu facturing. The flrmnrss Is cotton lias had a good effect upon trade In the south. The practical failure of tlio ntrlko of the cotton operatives In Now KiiRland , shown In part toy the return to work of the otrlkers nt Blddcford , Mo , and aluo by the admission of President Oompers of the American Fed eration of Labor that his organization will b unable to ghe' aslstanco to the cotton vorkers , may bo expected to add further si enrth to cotton , \V ih the general upward movement In prices goes an Increasing amount of jobbing and retail trade'ln the middle state * and the northwest , as wnll ai In the south , Tlio bent tangible proof of the prom ess being made Is the ( amount of ban * clearing ! ) for last wcrlc and the month of I'ebruary. Tlio record for last week was a gain over the preceding week of 2S per ( nt , and < ui Incrcace of f > 9 per cent o\cr 1he corresponding week of 1S97 , The report for February Indicates that It would have shoun the best month on record It It had not been k short month , In which , moreover , two holidays occurred. Compared with 1892 , whcu .February made lln heit previous record , the Increase U more than G per cent. GalnA In railroad earning * , largo quantities of exports and a small number of failures are other incidents of the situation which Indicate that the Improvement Is marked and steady. Most of tbo Industries are In excellent con dition. It Is apparent that the great Increase In the production of pig Iron Is not In excess of the demand , for otherwise prices could not bo maintained as they have been. Cot ton manufacturers are In a more hopeful inooi ] . The complaint of makers of woolens Is that tbo raw material Is held too firmly to give profits. While the spring business has been somewhat disappointing , there U ssa ; oo it demand for men's wear goods for fall delivery. Boots and shoes continue to do illa business In excess of previous years. The minor Industries are not behind the hero Important branches In tbo volume of product which they are placing on the market in re sponse to the demands of a people whose I buying power Is vastly greater than U was a year ago , 1 KITE nrcmo * . nrnnonnlilc Hniri. Chicago Tribune. It to certain that the Nebraska roads are la much better condition than they were In 1S93. The volume of business has Increased largely. But much of that Is Interstate bu l- need , while the Nebraska law applies only to local business. The former cmnot be taken Into consideration , for the court holds that "Tho fitate cannot Justify unreasonably low rate * for domestic transportation , considered alone , upon the ground that the carrier Is earning large profits on Its Interstate busi ness , over which , BO far as rates are con cerned , the etate has no control. " So It Is likely that the reduction of nearly 30 per cent In rates which was eo unreason able In view of the conditions existing In 1S93 will be deemed reasonable now or for some time to come. Itnlr of Action. Chicago lleeord. The rule of action which should guide both courts and legislatures la stated ns follows : What the company Is entitled to aMc 1 a fair return upcxi the value of that which It enit > los for the public convenience. On the other hand , what the public Is totlttcd to demand Is that no more be cxacteJ from It for the use of a public highway than the services rendered are reasonably worth. " The decision of the supreme court upon this case will be received by the public at large as eminently eattsfactory. It affoids to the public protection against excessive charges. At the same time It protects prop erty Interests from coaflscatory exactions. Olio Tiling iMnilc Clcnr. Kutisns CltjJournal. . The supreme court makes It clear that a corporatlcn cannot be deprhcd of Its prop erty by confiscation , any more than an In dividual citizen , and that It cannot be made to servo the public at a loss. A state legis lature , for ob\lou.i reasons , does not Know , and cannot know , the exact figures at which ain rallroat's can affwd to haul a plven amount of freight a given "distance. Railroad ofllclals themselves are unable to determine this for any length of time In advance , because con ditions are constantly changing and what might be reasonable and profitable rates to day might be ruinous ones three uicnths hence. I.linltatloiiH fur llotli Mile * . New York Times The state cannot be permitted to fix n maximum rate under which the roids would lose money , because that would force them out of business snd destroy their property. The roads are operated for public benefit as well as for private gain , and to compel their suspension would be a public Injury. Cn tlio other hand , the roads should not be allowed to charge such rates as would enable them to reap a profit upon excessive cjp- Itallratlon. This latter remark , which occurs In the general discussion of the relation of common carriers to the public , k the natural corollary of prohibiting the state to take away all the road's possibility of profit. Why tin- IN'OjtHArc Wi-ury. IndLinapoll' ' Journal. There can , of course , be no doubt that the railroads must be allov cd to make a fair profit on an actual Investment , after paying all operating expenses. But the people are weary of the Juggilng of our rallroid finan ciers and "reJrganlzcrs , " and are beginning to think that they ought not to be deprived j o' cheap rates bccauae of the operations of tl'cfio gentlemen. So far as the court may bo deemed to sustain the theory that the people ought to be taxed to pay Interest and dividends on Inflated Issues , It la to be regretted. In the present case some ex tremely foolish claims were made by those defending the statute. It w-as urged , for example , that the state would have the power to compel the railroads to do business within the state at a loss , provided they could earn enough In their Interstate business to jlcld them a profit on their whole line , Including both domestic and Interstate business. The court made short work of this theory , holdIng - Ing that the reasonableness of domestic rates must be determined solely with reference to domestic business. 1lononiil > lf Ciiiillnllrntlnn. Springfield ( Mn s ) Republican. Whether the court considered the ques tion of r reasonable capitalization or not , does not appear In the report of the decision given out. This was a point made much of , however , by the counsel for the state In the final presentation of the cause. It was contended that the rates under the maximum freight law were high enough to yield a good return on the actual value of the railroad properties and that this ac tual value , or ccet to duplicate , and not an Inflated capitalization , was the true basis on which to consider the question of rea sonableness in the rates. There is of course much to be Bald In favor of this view of the matter ; for other wise the railway , being In Its nature a mo nopoly , would bo exempted entirely .from the restraining Influences which surround oil competitive business , and would be In dependent largely of those forces which are pressing heavily down upon property values , In other Industries and constantly exposing capitalization engaged In the same to seri ous Impairment. But on the other hand , If the capitalization of the Nebraska roads Is not honest , the state has Itself to blame and the responsibility for Inflation rests with It. This capitalization has passed generally Into the hands of honest Investors with the stamp of state approval upon It , and their rights are hardly to be sacrificed to enable the state to overcome the results of any early neglect of Its own In the regulation of railway stock and bond Issues. PISIt.SO.VAL ! A.\D OTHERWISE. The commander-In-chlcf of the army of the sultan of Morocco Is a Scotchman. Ho Is known as Pasr.u MacLean. The ground hog might gain considerable reputation as a weather prophet this season If anybody knew precisely what his laat pre diction was. Kllsha W. Keyca , who ha'i been appointed poitmasior of Madison , Wls. , served In the same capacity under Ltacoln , Andrew John- eon , Grant and Hayes. Baao ball experts are beginning to Tear that , under the new rules , ' games will be so monotonously peaceful the audiences will want their money back. Madame 'Mcltu ' has undertaken to educate at her own expense-In Paris Miss Oeraldlne Farrar , of Boston , the daughter of the once famous base ball player , "Sid" Farrar , Hlfl honor Judge John Wyckllft , chief Jus tice of < ho supreme court of the Cherokee nation. Is languishing In Jail at Vanlta , I. T. , on the charge of cattle sltullng. Justice Wyckllft Is a full-blooded Cherokee , Vice Admiral Makarow , of the Russian navy li on his way to this country to look Into American Ice-breaking ferryboats. The Himlans want to keep some of their harbors open In the winter , Henry M. Stanley Is to make a book of his South African fxpcrhnce. Ho went especially for the opening of the Bulawayn railroad , ami Im.i seen the Transvaal , us well nn Rho desia , nnil one chapter will bo devoted to a meeting with 1'rcaldent Kruger. The dhcovcrers of quinine and strychnine , MM , I'ollrtler and Cacontou , are to have a maiumcnt ctcctcj to them In Paris. Phar- maclntfl In every part of the world are In vited to flulucrlbc. The monument will take the form of two ntatues , to bo crctcd In front of tlio High Hchuol of Pharmacy , Paris. John A , Wllklo of Chicago , who has been appointed chief of the necret service of the trcHHiiry , to nucccrd William P. Hazcn , who linn hcuii trminfcrrcd to New York , Is a news paper man , having once nerved aa city editor ( if Urn Chicago Tribune. Hl.i father was the Wanh'iiKton correspondent of the old Chicago Times In Its palmy da > s. The English press has universally printed pralflos of the statement that Maik Twain ( Mr. Samuel L. Clemens ) has paid the last of Ma Webster & Co. debts. Dr. McAIlstcr. writing to the Times on the subject nays : "With ttio exception of the historical case of Sir Walter Scott , I do not think there U to bo found In the records of literature any. thing qulto equal to Mark Twain's conduct. " Commodore Frederick V. McNalr , who will succeed Hear Admiral { Matthews In com mand of the 'North ' Atlantic squadron In a few days , has a varied and honorable career. From the "Naval academy he was sent to China. When the war broke out he was ordered home. Ho successfully ran the gaunlet at VIckiburg and was consptcuoua In the assault on Fort Fisher. Since the war he has served on many posts and has proved himself quite aa able a diplomat as lie is a fighter. IOHT SflJT rf TUB WIOHT ChlctRO NOTTSIf Spain wants Oenr l fo to lcar Havana Spain hid i bettor try o take hint away. There U no doubt a o whit would follow such an act. The keep cool and wait" column would be fr cured - ured In a thousinJ places. Chicago Record : The sensitive Spanish ovcrntncnt requests that Consul General ee foe called from Havana and that provl- on * bo sent to the starring Cubans In mer- hant v easels Instead of mar ships. Per il * It objects also to American mllor.i ettlng themselves blown up In Cuban waters. Evidently we ate a coarse nation and should ry to get a llttlo polish on our manner * cforc dealing with Spaniards. Cleveland Plain Dealer : Consul General icp. before the backdown of the iMadrlJ ovcrnmcnt had been announced , paid In an- wer to a question : "I shall continue to do ty duty , which Is to guard American Inter- sts. " The American people have full follH ti General Lee , and feel that us Ions aa ac holds his present position American In- crests will bo guarded to the full extent of iU powers. They are gratified at the firm- ic. u of President McKlnley In standing by Im , and In his promptness In announcing hat purpose to the Madrid government , Detroit ( Free Press : The country will ap- .rove the president's action In declining to cccde to the request of the Spanish govern-1 mcnt for the recall of General Leo. There i i s no good reason why an official whs Is I I 'ulfllllng the arduous and delicate duties , hat pertain to General Lee's position In t ho present emergency should be subjected | 1 o the humiliation of a recall , simply to lease the Spanish government. If our consul general at Havana Is persona non ; rat to the Span'ah ' authorities , let them j ako the rc'ponslblllty of handing him hla I I passports Instead of asking the Washington government to recall him. General Lee has nctcd with a propriety that commends him o the American people , aud Spain will I lardly venture to PIWQ the question fur-1 her , now that It has been made to understand - [ I stand that this government will stand by a " "altlitul representative. AMHKICAX lKII.lillltO.U ) . iK In tinrront In Spile iif MIIIIJ- Oiflnflcr ! . Clileaco ItecorJ Englishmen grudgingly acKnunledge Anier- vin superiority , and whrn they arc comx icllcd by force of clrutnstonccs to da o hey show their rel'ictanco ' PO plainly that hey invite the entire world to witness their discomfiture. Recent award of contracts to \mcrlcans for machlneiy to be uyed In enter. prises of a qiml-publlc nature Los not bail a irnduncy to linprovf the temprc and tone of lie English press , and tuo emphatic protests that these ccnc&ulons have provoked arc ndlcatlvc or the true sentiment of the people. To appreciate the situation It must le. jorne lu mind that many of the cities and towns of England furnish service that Is gencii .lly controlled Ly private corporations , firms or Individuals In this country , as , for instance , the lighting and tranapartatlo-n business. In other places where the cltlefl do not directly turnlsh this service they re- lain supervision nf It , and even where ttiere Is no provision of this kind the municipality practically controls the situation through the restrictions It can place upon the owners of the property whenever they de-sire to make chaae , Improvement or extension of their ejotcm. Thus It will be seen that where public sentiment Is opposed to the purcCase of American machinery and the employment of American engineers for ttie construction , equipment and operation of an electric lightIng - Ing cr street railway plant the objection de mands ecrlotis consideration , whether thr service Is furnished by the city or through private enterprise. The Metropolitan underground railway of London for jcars has been in need of a ventilating sjstem. When the tunnel wan built it was Intended to ut-s hot water loco motives , but the scheme was abandoned be' fcro the road was opened and steam loco motives were substituted. A parliamentary commlsiton , comprising Earl Russell , Sir Douglas Gallon , Sir Charles Scatter , Major F. A. Marlndla and Dr. J. Scott Haldane , which tas Deen lnve > .tlgit'ing the subject for a year , has reported that the ojily practical plan of permanently overcoming the objec tions to the present service Is the substitu tion of ,1 complete electrical equipment for the operation of the road In place of the present stc-im locomotives. The chief objection to the adoption of this suggestion Is found In ' .he state ment of the chairman of the board of di rectors of the railway compnay , which Is em- boiled In the report. The companv. It Is said , has been negotiating for ten years with English engineers and manufacturing com panies for the complete equipment of the load electrically. During that period six of the leading corporations of the country took the matter under consideration , but "un fortunately they found the difficulties to bo overcome were greater than they had sup posed , and they ( intimately withdrew thtlr proposals ttid abandoned the project. " Tills public acknowledgment by Englishmen that they could not undertake such an enterprise was considered sufficient justification for in viting foreigners to take up the subject. The directors , through the chairman , announce that "the moment wo can get a reliable flrm or combination to undertake the working of the sjstem by electricity we ohall accept It , " The conditions unler which the road 1 ? to be operated do not Include any insur mountable obstacles to those who have had experience ta American street rullvvuy buildIng - Ing and operation. Several American en gineers are now examining the plans of the company , and more than one manufactuilng company tas announced Its willingness to furnish the equipment on condition that pay- mint phall bo made only when the plant la accepted by the owners after thorough trial has demonstrated Its practicability. Yet , In plto of the Inability of English engineers to conduct the enterprise success fully and of English manufacturers to cup- ply suitable apparatus , objections are already heard to placing the w-ork In the hands of an American engineer and giving the contract * for the machinery to American manufactur ers. Aa special powers must be received from Parliament before proceeding with the work It Is possible that London rmiy suffer the dirty Metropolitan tunnel to remain In Its present condition. , employ steam locomotives for hauling Its trains and put up with many Inconveniences and discomforts rather than secure relief through the employment of American , engineers and the purchase of American machinery. KIFTV M KOK PK.\CK. IHltlmoro American ! Fifty millions for defense. Congret * U wlie In thc o d rs , when It Is allowing money to da the talk ing. ing.New New York Tribune ! The bill appropriat ing J50.000.000 for national defense IK a bill providing fifty million reasons for keeping the peace. Globe-Democrat ! The prudential mess- tires of congress arcm to hive a quieting In. fluenco on the Spanish jingoes. Flnmiew and peace are often synanymou * . New York Sun : Th * beat HMurance against war with Spain Is prompt and vig orous demonstration by the United State * th t we arc ready for war and have DO fear of It. Philadelphia Record : Thrc measures of preparation for war are really In the nature of guarantees of peace. iNothlng U PO dissuasive as readings upon the part of the stronger combatant : Indlanapol'a Journal : Jf there Is any truth In the theory that preparedness for war Is the best guaranty of peace , the ap propriation by congrcM of $50,000,000 for the national defence is a peace mcajuro. St. Louis Republic : If the Spanish gov ernment entertains any doubt that the United States wcro ready and willing to tight In settlement of the differences now existing between the two nations that doubt should now have been dtapellcl. Minneapolis Journal : Fifty inltlbns for war voted as promptly as was the Cannon bill means flto hundred millions for peace. A bankrupt nation like Spain rannot help taking Into account the promptnt and the ease ' with which the admlnUtrjtlon was pravlded with all the money aaked for. Springfield ( Ma-vj. ) Republican : The "mil- lions for defence" are ready. There Is no reason < to antlcli tc any lainof rxudencu or J heff-rcspect on our pirt , but rather are the developments from day to u'-jy reaiisur- Ins ; and calculated to promote the peace of rations ' and the truu dignity of the United States. Detroit Jcur&al : The prorwal to vote } 5D- 000,00) and the bill to establish two aJdl- tlonal ccttllery regiments do not nMko u Inevitable tint war " 111 follow. In fort these In authority give It out tint both in ea.su re s are In tlio nature of | > ou < - - mtati- urcs. Wo have long needoJ atl Increased army , and to make provUloti therefor Is Ju t as comrvittblc with continued peace as it Id v. 1th probable war or .vuitrii. Chicago Hecord : "You didn't seem to get on well ulth that Boston girl. " "No ; I couldn't catch her glacial drift. " Puck : Johnny Is n Jingo a man who would llko to make vv.ir on nil foreigner * ? Pjp.i Yes , my son ; and he vsould prefer to talk the enemy to death. Detroit Free Press : "March U nn appro priate month for the jingoes. " "Is It ? " "yes ; so windy , you know. " Household Words : Palmer Did you say you couldn't arrest the Might of time ? Jolm&on No one can. I'almcr Well , fils morning when I was coming down town I stopped a minute. Cleveland Leader : Little Edward Papa , what is nn agnostic ? Papa Your mamma Is nn agnostic , my dear. When I com home nt nlRlH and tell her what I have been ilomir. she doesn't c acUy disbelieve she just doesn't Know. PlttsbiirR Chronicle : Percy Bradford u es a lot of porfume. Daesn't he know that it Is bad form ? Harold Well , It's a sort of family pride. You Know he came of old colognlii stock. Chicago Tilbune. : "Walter , this pork-nnd- beans it- all right , only thirc is too llttlo park and too few beans. " "Uo you expect to get a drove of pigs In u bean patch for 10 cents ? Jud e ; Mr. Hunter I have n s = pnklng ac quaintance with MiS3 Ilirookiiuirton. Mr. Spills You are very lucky. All her other acquaintances are listening acquaint ances. Columbus Journal : The member from the Twentieth ward arose in his dignity and .struck an attitude : "Gentlemen. " lie ex claimed. "I havi been otterd 4J.OX ) to vote for this franchisee. " "Great Scott ! H6w much more do you want ? " called out a voice from the lobby. Chicago Post : "How In the world do you expect to Ket around the authorltles"nskeil the younp man v\ho had been present at sx rehearsal of the famous troupe of Pretty Peroxide Blondes. "Easily. " replied the manager. "I shall simply call It 'art. ' " Indianapolis Journal : Yabsley You knovr that blind bcg-gar I gave the dime to this morning ? Well , I found him ten n.Inutes after In a saloon , buying- drink. WlckwIre What did he say ? Yabsley He grinned and said , "Here's looking at you. " WHY A COLORADO SCHOOL. CLOSED. Illflo Reveille. Mary Matthews , a nice little girl. lived so far from the school house that she rode a llttlo blue-eyed , confiding mule to the. hill of learning. The teacher thought It unwise to.allow the animal to graze about un harmed , so ho attempted to club It away. The rest of the story Is told In these ex pressive llttlo lines : Mary had a little mule. It followed her to school ; That was against the rule. The teacher , like a fool , Got behind that mule Aud hit him with a rule. After that there was no school. A COftSUIlVtATIVIi I'ATUIOT. . Atlanta CUn < tltutlon. I don't heed half the raving 'llout war , with thunders dread ; But the oV flag's Jest a-wavln' An' rlraplln' down Ha red ! An' folks that lalk o' ilRlilln1 Must be keerful how they tread. For vve/3 ready when the worst come * In the mornln'I I don't heed half the Wuster i I don't keer fer the brag- ; But wei'ro ready here tor muster An ri'lly roun' the. dag ! An' folks that talk o' flghtln' Should set steady on their nag1. For W 'H residy when the worst conies In the mornin' ! Ain't marchln1 * or a-rldln Ain't dodfflir roun' the stump ; I keeps my fultli alildln' Till I see the rabbit jump ! An' then I rnl. o my rifle. AnI mnko that rabbit hump ! . Fer vvoVx ready when the i or l comes In the mornin'I A New Moon Isn't more an object of admiration than one of our new Spring overcoats. We have them in a complete variety of styles and materials. If a good coat is worth $ JO and it certainly is we hava them that are just twice as good for $20 , Whatever we charge , it is sure fo be the best thing for 'tha money that can be had anywhere. Why shouldn't it be ? We make and retail twice as much clothing as almost any other house.
