6
THE OMAHA DAILY KBE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1901.
The omaha Daily Bee
E. ROSIJWATEH, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED EVERY MORNiNQ.
TERMS OK SUBSCRIPTION'.
Daily Hes (without Sunday), Ono Ycar..8.f0
Dally Bee ami Hunday. Ono Year s.00
Illustrated live, One Year 2.0)
Hunday lice, One Year 2.W
Saturday lice, Ono Year l.M
Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year.. J.W
OFFICES.
Omaha! The lice Building.
South Omaha: uty Hull uulldlng, Twenty-ruth
and M Streets.
Council Blurts: w Pearl Street
Chicago: lew Unity Building.
New ,fork; Temple CoJrt.
Washington: Ml Fourteenth Street.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Communications relating to now and edi
torial matter should lie addressed: Omaha
lite. Editorial Department.
UUUINE88 LETTERS.
Business letters and remittance should
be addressed; Tho lieu Publishing Com
pany, Omaha.
REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft, express or postal order,
payable to The Bio Publishing Company,
only 2-oent ktnmp accepted In payment of
mafi accounts. Personal checks, except on
Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted.
THE BEE 1'UIILISIIINO COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss.:
George B. Tzschuck, secretary of The Boo
Publishing Company, 'being duly sworn.
aj-H that the actual number of full and
complete copies of The Dally, Morning,
Evening and Sunday Bee printed during
tho month, of May, 1901, was as follows:
1 i!7,-im io .U7,i:io
2 Ur,250 17 U7.1-10
3 HT.o.W IS , UT.OOU
4 27,230 19 U7.TJS
8 27,0 48 20 20,740
6 27,:ilO II 27,030
7., 20.8S0 22 20,730
ft m.O.VI 23 20,740
27,070 21 20,400
10 20,020 25 20,r.3O
11 27,0(10 2 27.O0O
12 27,471. 27 2U,5UO
13 27,030 23 ...20,210
14 27,(130 29 20.1SO
13.., 27,250 20 2.i,010
Jl 20,070
Total ,H 13,005
Less unsold and returned copies.... 10,lb7
- Net total sale 832,818
Net dally average 20,U3
GEO. B. TZSC11UCK,
Hubscrlbed In my presence and sworn to
before mo this .list day of May, A. D. l'JVl.
M. B. HUNGATE,
Notary Public.
The Don nl of Education lins taken a
doloiuii oath to" exclude married womou
from tho tcaclitrs' pay roll, except
With a city tax of (JO mills staring
them In the face, .South Omnha taxpay
ers are beginning to feel warm under
the collar.
The case of John Itcdell nan been sub
mitted to tho supreme court, and there
It will hnve to rest until after the Sep
tember equinoctial. ,
Senator Flntt has entered Governor
Odcll In the presidential race for 1904.
Presidential entries at this early date
are like those for futurity races, only a
small per cent of the nominations ever
qualify to start
Whatever the Board of Education does
In the direction of economizing on the
expenses of tho High school without
materially affecting the efficiency of Its
Instruction will have the cordial ap
proval of all tnxpaylng citizens.
Douglas county democrats make an
open confession of weakness when they
resort to arbitrary gerrymandering to
'retain control of the county affairs. Tho
'democrnts must be In a bad way when
.they see no other means of rescuing
themselves from certain defeat.
Every public school teacher who ven
tures into tho bonds of wedlock from
ucnv on must do so with her eyes open to
the consequences. It Is greatly to be
feared that several prospective marriage
ceremonies may hnve to suffer postpone
ment on account of the latest school
board edict "
Whenever public olflcera or committee
of citizens actlntr In a nubile canaoitv
subject themselves to just criticism from
the press they always insist thnt thev
are being "attacked." If every criticism
of public nets constituted an nttack to
bo considered hh a personal matter, pub
He officers would feel free from all ac
countablllty to anyone but themselves.
At a retrtlit'ofsoldlers being seut Into
the Indian reservation In Oklahoma to
clear out tho "soouers" will probably
como a howl nbout tho soldiers depriv
ing .settler of their rights. This has
been tho history of such moves, when
in fact they nro simply protecting the
rights of tho vast majority of the pro
posed settlers, who havo been content to
obey tho law and wait for the proper
tlmo to enter the territory.
Tho law provides thnt county commls
sloner districts shnll bo revised only for
tho purpose of making them moro nearly
equal In population. Tho proposed dem
ocratlc gerrymander makes ono district
containing 11,554 Inhabitants nnd an
other containing 30,(145; In other words,
one commissioner would bo chosen by
and 'represent three times as many poo
plo as his associate No moro flagrant
example of partisan Injustice could be
Improvised.
The Department of the Missouri Is
to havo n resident commander again.
Slnco tho brcnklng out of the war with
Spain the scarcity of officers has ncccs
eltatrd tho placing of moro than one de
partment under tho command of each
general officer and tho Missouri has
been ono of thoso less favored. It.ls not
only gratifying to Omahans to see a
chnngo lu this respect, but doubly so
that It brings General Dates back to the
City whero as the commander of tho
Second Infantry In years past ho made
many friends.
According to excluslvo Washington
advices to tho local popocrntlc sheet,
President McKlnley has asked Con
gressmun Mercor to go to tho Philip
pines to study the problems with which
tho government expects to grapple In
tho next congress. Mr. Mercer, who Is
known to bo n great grappler with pub
Ho building sites, Is said to bo In n quan
dary whether ho should obey the presl
dential command or tako n tour of tho
granlto quarries of Vermont, Colorado
nnd Missouri. In tho meantime, thu
commissary la getting his supplies ready
for the transport
. o.v the mam track
The city council of South Omaha has
taken steps for tho Impeachment nnd
rcmoral from office of Tax Commis
sioner Fitzgerald, recently appointed
under the new charter, for discriminat
ing In favor of ono class of property
owners and against" another class. Tho
resolution under which the Impeach
ment Is proposed cites that portion of
the charter which provides that the tax
commissioner shall list and assess all
property required to lx listed at Its. fair
-cash value, for the purpose of securing
Just and equitable assessments. The
charter also provides thnt If tho tax
commissioner assesses any property at n
d!sproiortloiiatt value, as compared
with other property, or violates nny of
the duties of his otllce, he shnll be
deemed guilty of n misdemeanor, pun
Ishnblo by n Hue not exceeding $1,000,
nnd, Incidentally, removed from olllce.
Instead of discharging this duty Impar
tially, It appears thnt the tax commis
sioner Is charged with assessing all
property In South Oinahn, except that of
the corporations, at otie-llfth of the fair
value, while the property, renl and per
sonal, of corporations Is assessed at
about one-thirtieth of the fair value.
Such rank discrimination cannot be
defended on any grounds, excepting, pos
sibly, that the precedent has been estab
lished for Just such unwarranted favor
itism by precinct nssessors athl boards of
equalization. Thnt precedent however,
affords no excuse or defense for the
South Omnha tax commissioner any
more than It does for the assessors In
Omaha and other parts of the county.
There Is only one way tri reach the o in
curs guilty of such flagrant disregard of
their sworn duty, nnd thnt Is to prose
cute them to the full extent of thu law.
Wheu assessors, tax commissioners,
councllnien and county commissioners,
who are required and empowered to
tun ko fnlr distribution of the burdens of
taxation, arc made accountable fur the
honest discharge of their duties, there
will be an eud to undervaluation and
tax evasion.
It Is not so much a question of ratio of
assessment to market value as It Is of
the uniform valuation of property for
tnxntlon purposes. If property of pri
vate Individuals Is returned at one-fifth,
one-fourth or one-third of the market
value, the property of corporations
should be returned at the same ratio of
market valuation. With an Impartial
assessment of nil property South Omaha
would have ample funds for carrying on
municipal government. With an honest
and Impartial assessment In Omaha
there would not only be abundant funds
for carrying on the city government but
wo would have n very material reduc
tion of the tax levy.
The ridiculously low assessment of
corporate property In South Omaha will
force a levy of 00 mills, or 0 per cent,
for city purposes. This will fall most
heavily on the property of the middle
class and poor people who own small
homes or store buildings. When the
state and county taxes are added, this
menus an aggregate tax of fcTpGr cent
for the years 1001 and 100'J, which Is
simply monstrous nnd unbearable. It is
Incredible that the owners of corporate
Interests at South Omaha should desire
such a disproportionate burden to be
borne by otlior property owners. We
would rather believe that the tax com
missioner nnd the assessors were over
zealous In their desire to serve the cor
porate Interests.
Tho Dec takes pleasure In congratu
lating the council of South Omaha for
the courage It has displayed In grappling
with this momentous Issue that concerns
not only tho taxpayers of their own
town, but those as well of Omaha and
Douglas county. Thore Is no disposition
on the pnrt of any class of taxpaylug
citizens to Impose greater tax burdens
upon the corporations than are borne
by the most favored individual property
owners, but they should cheerfully con
tribute their proportion of tho Cost of
local and state government, so that the
taxation shall fall no heavier upon one
class than upon another clnss of prop
erty owuers.
THE TliADE BALANCE.
The fiscal year of the government
closes with tho present month. Without
waiting for the June figures of the couu
try's foreign commerce, It Is possible to
make a very close estlmnto of' the trade
balance for the year from tho statistics
for the eleven months ending with May,
These show that tho exports for that
iwrlod were valued nt $1,385,013,505
For tho month of .May last the exports
were $1U4,5S0.020 and If this volume
should bo maintained proportionately
during tho current month tho complete
returns for tho year will show exports
exceeding in value ? 1,500,000,000, n
point not heretofore reached. Assum
lug that the value of the year's Imports
will be $835,000,000, the apparent bal
nnc(' of trade In favor of tho United
States will reach thu enormous sum of
$005,000,000.
Wo say npparent balance because,
owing to certain unknown quantities In
our foreign exchanges, It Is not pos
sible to ascertain exactly the amouut
of tho trado balance. In order to do
this It would bo necessary to find out
thu amounts annually sent abroad In
payment of dividends ou American
stocks nnd Interest on bonds, what Is
pnld every year to foreign vessel own
crs, Insurance agents and commission
men for shipping American products to
foreign ports, what amouut Is expended
mutually by American travelers abroad,
and other unknown and unasccrtnlunblo
facts. It is probably not nil extreme
estimate to place these offsets at n total
of $400,000,000, which reduces tho np
parent trade balance to thnt extent
Then there Is tho fact that tho value of
exports Is admittedly Inflated, while
Imports nro genornlly undervalued. Tho
valuo placed upon exported merchnn
dtso Is that at which tho commodities
sell In thu homo market, whllo Imports
are never overvalued, thero being strong
Inducements to scale down the truo
valuo of foreign products on which a
heavy duty must bo paid.
Dut making conservative allownuco
for all this, tbore still remains a con
Iderable trado balance In favor of the
United States for tho current fiscal
year, which Is so much added to our
available- cnpltnl, even though Europe
shnll not send It here In tho shape of
gold. It Is a bnlnnco to our credit to bo
drawn upon r.s may be required and Is
Just as available In tbat form, for all
the purposes of lnternntlonnl exchange.
as If the amount were piled up lu gold
In our bank vaulfs.
Whllo the exports for the current
fiscal year will be something like $'.'00.-
000,000 In excess of those of last year.
the Imports will be nbout $15,000,000
less. We nro sending to foreign coun
tries commodities of nearly double tho
vnlue of those received In exchange.
Perhaps we ennuot reasonably expect
this condition to be long maintained.
We may have to buy more nbrond or
experience n reduction in our exports,
particularly as to Europe. Dut how
ever this may be, our export trade nt
present Is certnlnly very satisfactory, In
Hpltu of the fnct that In some manu
factures there has recently been a
slight falling off lu the foreign demnud.
It Is doubtful If the next fiscal year
will glvo this country so largo n trade
balance iignlnst Europe ns the present
year, but whatever reduction there may
be In that direction will possibly be
made tip by increased exports to the
Asiatic and South American markets.
ADMtT! nttTALlATlUS.
When the Russian government Im
posed discriminating duties on Amer
ican products, following the decision of
the secretary of tho trensury that beet
sugar Imported from Hussla must pay
the countervailing duty, It was said thnt
the action was not retaliatory, but wns
tnken for the protection of Kuxslau In
dustries. Xo claim of this kind Is mnde
In regard to tho late order of the Rus
sian minister of finance increasing
duties on other American products. On
the contrary the avowal Is made thnt
this action Is tnken by way of retalia
tion for tariff restrictions on the part of
our government against Russian petro
leum.
Possibly Russia has justification for
this course, but however that may be It
suggests a challenge to a tariff war. In
tho first Instance there Is no question
that Russia went farther than fair re
taliation required. Very little beet sugnr
was Imported from that country, so
thnt no Injury of consequence could re
sult to her sugar Industry from the Im
position of tho countervailing duty of
our tariff. It would seem that In the
present case the Russian has also gone
beyond the bounds of fair retaliation, as
If to invite a turlff conflict
At all events, a situation is created
which our government may feel com
pelled to take notice of. It is needless
to say that the United States does not
want a tariff war with Russia, but wo
can hardly submit tamely to such a
policy of discrimination as that govern
ment has adopted toward us, unless we
are prepared to permit other countries
to ndopt a like course. Tho matter is
very sure to receive the attention of
congress, with the result of action either
to placate Russia or to meet retaliation
and discrimination with similar
methods.
NAVAL STATIONS LV CVIIA.
The seventh clause of tho Piatt
amendment provides "that to enable the
United States to maintain the Independ
ence of Cuba nnd to protect tho people
thereof, ns well as for Its own defense,
the government of Cuba will sell or lease
to the United States lane's necessary
for coaling or navnl statious nt certain
specified points, to be agreed upon with
the president of tho United States." As
soon, therefore, as a government Is es
tablished In Cuba negotiations will bo
entered upon for carrying Into effect this
agreement
It Is the understanding that four or
five stations will bo occupied by the
United States and while there has been
no statement as to where these will be,
It Is probable that there will be two not
very remote from Havana, another at
Clcufuegos and a fourth at Santiago or
Ounntnnnmo. The control of the Yuca
tan channel on the west nnd the Wind
ward passage on the cast Is of prime Im
portance and for this naval stations will
be established as near as possible to
Cape Sau Antonio at one end and Cape
Maysl on the other. Thus all the
channels between Porto Rico and Yuca
tan will be commanded by the Amer
ican navy.
It Is not anticipated thnt nny difficulty
will bo found in effecting a satisfactory
arrangement with the Cuban govern
ment It Is probable the United States
will propose to purchase outright the
lands required, but If Cuba should not
bo disposed to sell she will bo nslted to
lease the Innds for n period thnt would
practically amount to ownership. In
nny event, however, the United States
will occupy positions In tho Island which
will enable It to exert a constant Influence-
for the maintenance of peace
and tho preservation of Cuban Inde
pendence. Cuba will also bo free from
any danger of foreign aggression, while
thero will be no Interference whatever
with the administration of her Internal
affairs.
Tho Mollneux case, being argued be
fore the court of appeals In New York,
Is again calling attention to tho testi
mony of handwriting experts In Inw
courts. The testimony of all experts',
especially In cases whero largo fees nro
Involved, Is becoming a subject of suspl
clon. Tho positlvq opinions expressed
by experts on almost every case, colored
to suit the Ideas of the party who em
ploys thein, aro giving sMch opinions
little if any moro credenco than tho
utterances pf paid attorneys. They are
employed to establish a certain state of
facts Just as the attorney Is employed
to maintain n certain construction of
law. 1'hero Is no good reason why one
should be considered as disinterested
and tho other not.
Leaders of the federal party In Porto
Rico have taken a wise step in agree
log to cease factious opposition nnd ns
slst tho government in bringing pros
perltr to tho Island. Slnco their de
feat nt tho election they have up to
the present either followed the Spanish
custom. o( obstruction 4jjr refused to
participate In governmental affairs. It
will be n good thing for the Island If
they learn thnt politics Is not the sole
aim of man and that the minority has
duties to perform as well as tho ma
Thp foreign ministers have declined
to allow, Chinese soldiers to return to
Pekln until the International troops
leave. .Force of habit might cause the
two forces to engage In n brush which
would overturn nil the work of the
diplomats. ' As the foreign troops do
not agree any too well among them
solves they could hardly be expected to
lcop the pence with the Chinese.
Thero Is some doubt whether It will
bo safe for his subjects to congrntulnte
the cznr of Russia upon tho latest ad
dition to his family. Each time thu
stork has visited thu royal household
ho has left a girl, while thu czar longs
for h son who may succeed hint In the
avocation of dodging dynamite bombs.
Absent, but Not For not ten.
Washington Post.
It wns la tho nature of a low-down trick
to pull off the excitement over tho third
term, while the Hon. A. J. Deveridgo was
out of the country.
KxtetiillnK the Itnnifc of Harmony.
Minneapolis Tribune
If the Union Pacific has really secured
control ofthe St. Paul railroad there may
be several varieties of community of In
terest In western traffic circles before long.
fJrntvInu to n Pull.
Louisville Courier-Journal,
Every American battleship completed
now Is the" "Queen of the Navy" until an
other new one makes her trial trip. It this
keeps up wo shall yet hold In our navy an
Invincible queen-full.
Heyday of School Life.
.New York Tribune.
The alma maters of both hemispheres are
now bidding' fond farewells to tho boys and
girls who have been spending happy years
In halls of learning; under the most graci
ous of Influences and In the safest of shel
ters from the troubles and sorrows of the
rude world outside.
Boarbonlsui in Virginia.
Cleveland Leader.
The refusal of the members of the Vir
ginia constitutional convention to take the
oath to uphold the constitution of the
United States ought to Indicate tho great
love of the averago domocrat for that sa
cred document, which they always claim to
have In their special keeping.
Congressmen nnd Cadet.
Washington Star.
Two members of congress, one a senator,
have. It Is reported, agreed to try to se
cure tho restoration to thu military acad
emy of ono of tho cadets recently dis
missed for Insubordination. They have de
termined to reappoint him to the vacancy
thus created and to press the caso to an
Issue. It is to be hoped that no such at
tempt will be made for unless the govern
ment lamentably' weakens In Its attitude
of resistance to cadet disorder certain de
feat confronts the two congressmen and
tholr protege. A reappointment under the
clrcumstandes would bo a challenge to the
officials at tho academy, who would have
ample warrant In' refusing to consider such
a candidate.
Potential .Influence of Money.
, Chicago Chronicle.
One of the jvo'rit evils arising from too
much money, In the bands of one family
Is seen in the -immoral methods sometimes
Introduced Into tho courts. The poor man
who tries by appeal to Influence the course
of Justice Is liable to go. to a penitentiary.
The aristocracy' of the east play fast and
loose with tho ten commandments'and the
statutes with equal ease and money ac
complishes Immunity for all of the guilty
and tho accessories before and after the
fact. Now a rich pair In Sandusky have
grown weary of each other and a legal
separation Is to be effected "without an
airing In court.:" Thus wealth Invents new
ways to make poverty odious.
Business Life In Amerlcn.
Frederic Harrison's Observations.
Telegrams are no longer up to date In
the United States and few busy men ever
use a pen except to sign their names. They
do not even dictate their letters. They
speak Into a phonograph and havo their
message typewritten from tho Instrument.
Life In the states Is one perpetual whirl of
telephones, telesems, phonographs, electric
bells, motor's, lifts and automatic Instru
ments. To me such a life would not be
worth living, and tho mere sight of It Is
Incompatible with continuous thought. Dut
business seems to be done In that way.
And I did not learn that the percentage of
suicide or Insanity was very seriously In
creased by theso truly maddening Inven
tions. AMERICAN IXFI.l i:.VCK AIHtOAD.
f
"Grent Supply Center for the World's
eed In Canh."
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Without mentioning tho name of Amorlca
at alt, and without making any reference
to it, the, dispatch from London telling
about the reduction In the discount rate
of tho Bank' of England shows the preva
lence of American Influence on tho other
side of tho Atlantic. The reduction In tho
Dank of England's discount rato was a sur
prise to London. Many of the London
brokers thought' that; tholr government must
have received some good nowR from South
Africa, which had, been withheld from the
general public. This notion, In fact, seems
to have been so general tbat Mr. Balfour
told the House 'of Commons that there was
no foundation for the stories which this
bank rate reduction' appears to have Incited
that negotiations for peace with the Doers
were under way by the Dritlsb.
One of the chief reasons for the reduc
tion lu the Dank of England's discount rate
Is the abundance of gold In the United
States, which Is at tho service of any
borrower, In England or anywhero elao,
who offers tho rcqulslto security. The
United States treasury has almost $100,000.
000 of gold In addition to 1U regular $160.
000,000 redemption fund. Tho banks of the
United States are well supplied with the
metal. Somewhere In the neighborhood of
170,000,000 from tho gold mines of the United
States will go to tho mints In 1001, after
making allowance for the gold that Is used
In tho arts. England, ns well as the rest
of the world, knows all these things.
America, In fact, has been furnishing gold
to England, Germany, Russia and several
other countries In large amounts In the
past twelve months.
America Is the great supply center for
the world's needs In rash at this time. The
fact that, this country has more gold on
hand than It can -make profitable use of
Is understood In London, Paris, Derlln,
St. Petersburg and tho rest of the great
capitals. Whenever those centers want
money which they aro either unable or un
willing to obtain at home they know they
can get It here. This fact has a steading
effect on the world's money markets. It
Is a fact which has much potency. Here
Is one of the reasons why the Dank of
England's discount rate has just been re
duced when the general expectation In Eng
land was that It would either remain sta
tionary or be advanced.
Taxing Franchises.
Cleveland
The most extreme champion of privileged
corporations of the kind that enjoy spe
cial franchise rights In rlty streets will
hardly deny that New Jersey treats big
companies .well, and takes a very liberal
view of their powers and Immunities. This
fact make It all the more significant that
tho supremo court of th.tt state has Just de
cided that the franchises of street railways
are taxable as real estate.
It such a decision had been made In Kan
sas It might have been thought that the
courts of other states would be unwilling
to accept so far-reaching and Important A
theory of corporation liability to taxation
on property which cannot be weighed or
measured. Dut what commonwealth Is
likely to bo less strict than New Jersey
In dealing with grent corporations?
Yet It thla New Jersey precedent shall
become the established law of tho land,
the consequences will be very Important
Hundreds of millions of dollars will be
added to the taxable property available for
tho support of great municipalities. Cor
porations obtaining or now possessing spe
cial rights and privileges will have n new
sense of their obligations to the clvlo
MIDSUMMUH IIOOM9.
Loulsvlllo Courier-Journal: Mr. Depew
might seek vindication by coming out for
tho presidency himself on the Issue of
smash the third term 'superstition, and Mr.
Crosvenor might try his luck on a plat
form of Ocorge Washington was afraid ho
would bo beaten.
Minneapolis Tribune: Senator Allison
and Governor Shaw aro throwing bouquets
at each other Just now nt a great rate,
each declaring with undisguised fervor If
not sincerity that he would be glad to seo
tho other mado president. From present
Indications, however. It will not be Iowa's
turn next time. The nominee Is almost
certain to be eelected from ono of three
states New York, Indiana or Ohio.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat: Senator Alli
son has been suggested for the nomination
In 1901 by Governor Shaw of Iowa. Tho
Iowa senator Is the biggest man who hat
been mentioned yet In connection with the
candidacy three years hence, but his age
Is sgalnst him. He will bo 76 years old
at the tlmo tho next president Is to bo
Inaugurated. That circumstance Is fatal
to his chanres. The oldest man ever
elected president was William Henry Har
rison, who was C8 years age, and ho
lived only a month after his Inauguration.
It Is hardly likely that any great party
will ever nominate a man over 70 for presi
dent. Nevertheless, William D. Allison Is
one of tho greatest figures In tho present
politics of the United Starts.
Kansas City Star: At present the most
conspicuous candidate, in public gossip. Is
Fairbanks of Indiana, a man of splendid
qualities and good record. Allison and
Shaw; of Iowa are being considered by their
friends. Cullom of Illinois is having a
little boom. Other states will doubtless be
heard from. Thero Is little speculation as
to the democratic candidates. It Is ac
cepted that Mr. Bryan Is out of the run
ning, but the Nebraska man has not given
his party the satisfaction of disavowing
all further ambition. McKlnley has bowed
to the "unwritten law" against a third
term, but Mr. Bryan has not yet officially
submitted to the hitherto Invariable rule
that parties have mado against risking a
third time a man who has twlco failed.
Doubtless thero ore many politicians In
the democratic party whose minds aro
made up, but who hesitate to express their
preferences so cariy, preferring to await
developments.
Chicago Post: Within the last few days
an attempt has been made to revive Sena
tor Allison's presidential boom. It Is
really very Inconsiderate of him to have
put a quietus upon this Innocent announce
ment so soon after It was begun. There
Is so much to be said In favor of the
"father of the senate", as a candidate and
so little against him that tt Is a pity he
has checked tho flow of benevolent elo
quence. Senator Allison has ability, ex
perience, tact and personal magnetism.
Ho Is a fine diplomat, though he has had
no occasion to use this gift whore It would
have done most good. In a less strenuous
period ho would make an Ideal president.
Unfortunately he was born too early. Ho
la 72 years old j-oung. his admirers would
say, and when the noxt national conven
tion meets In 1904 ho will be three years
older or younger. Do this as It may, the
distinguished senator Is right In saying
that "you could not convince our people
that a man of 73 Is not old," too old to be
nominated for such an office as the presi
dency of the United 8tates. The disquali
fication Is so obvious, so final that the Alli
son boom may bo dismissed from the
political columns of the papers short of
readable copy.
PERSONAL XOTES.
Charles Field, Judgo of the Athol and
Gardner (Mass.) district courts, recently
celebrated his eighty-fourth birthday, but
Ib in perfect health and continues to do
all his Judicial work.
Colonel Harry Clay Egbert's death lu tho
field at Manila, Island of Luzon, has been
commemorated by tho erection of a band
somo monument on tho spot where he fell
whllo leading his men In an nttack upon
the riljplno tronches.
Abdlel W. Elchelbcrger, railroad presi
dent, soldier and philanthropist, who has
Just died at Hanover, Pa., at the age of
81. was the oldest railroad president In
point of servlco in the United States, He
had occupied that position in tho Hanover
branch company slnco 16.13.
James Ford Rhodes, who Is to receive
from the Russian Academy of Sciences tho
Loubet prlzo for tho best United States
history published during tho last ten
years, is an Ohloan by birth and a gradu
ate of tho University of Chicago, and a
brothor-ln-Iaw of Senator Hanna.
Lord Roberts has received a royal license
and authority that ho may accopt and wear
the Insignia of the Order of tho Rlack
Eagle, conferred upon him by the German
emperor, king of Prussia. No Drlttsh sub
ject may wear an order conferred by a
foreign potentate without tho leave of tho
king.
Louisville, Ky., Is expecting that 15,000
Knights Templars will attend the twenty
eighth triennial conclave of the grand en
campment of tho United States, to bo held
there from August 27 to August 30. Com
monderles In thirty-seven states and ter
ritories have already engaged quarters In
tho city for that time.
Vice President Roosevelt is announced
as sure to attend the quarter centennial
celebration at Colorado Springs of Colo
rado's admission to tho list of states. Tho
celebration Is to begin August 3 and It Is
believed that his coming will assure the
Rough Riders' annual reunion being hold
there at the same time. The vice president
Is expected to spend sevoral weeks In the
mountains.
Ex-Senator Pettlgrew It quoted by a
friend as having recently said to him:
"What I mado during the recent flurry la
Northern Paclflo was tho result of legiti
mate transaction. I borrowed the money
and bought the stock on a tip given mo.
The actual stock was mlno and in my pos
session, In the whole transaction I was
guilty of no act Inconsistent with what I
have stood for In ho senate. In all my life
I have never made a deal through a broker,
nor ever bought a bit of stock on mar
gins." "'
Leader,
bodies which grant the franchises without
which such companies would not be suc
cessful. In many ways the public will be
made stronger, nnd privileged corporations,
such as street railway companies, will be
rendered weaker In their dealings together.
Hitherto street railway companies aud
other like corporations have Insisted that
their franchises should not be considered
property, In the sense that It represented
anything tangible enough for taxation.
They have Issued vast quantities of stocks
unci bonds based on their franchises, but
they have never been Willing to admit that
the right to use highways, exclusively and
profitably, was a tit subject for assessments
of nny kind. Strenuous objections have
been mndo to paying for franchises, In
directly or directly, though' their value
has been recognized plainly enough In other
transactions than those between privileged
companies nnd municipalities.
If New Jersey has changed all this It will
bo a notable point scored for Justice and
common sense by .the state which Is the
last one In tho country from which any
thing of that sort could have beeu expected.
UITI OF WASHINGTON I.IKE.
.licit nnd Invent Olmrrvnl nt the Na
tional Cnpllnl.
Tho energetic postmasters of the cities
of Indianapolis and Louisville, Imbued
with lofty patriotism, determined to lift
their cities Into the top class In postal
business, and Incidentally rake In the
reward of merit In tho shape of Increased
salary. They crowded so much business
Into the month of March that they caused
a tremendous slump of receipts for April.
They persuaded tho hanks, trust companies,
big mercantile establishments, newspapers
add nil other large patrons of their offices
to buy enormous quantities of supplies dur
ing March. The. newspapers of the two
cities aided them by publishing dally re
ports of the progress of the scheme and
advising their readers "to buy stamps
without stint." Those who followed this
advice In March naturally did not need
stamps In April, with the result that when
the expert accountants of the I'oatoQlce
department began a systematic Investiga
tion of the reports of tho postmasters they
found discrepancies between the March and
April sales that at least looked suspicious.
The Investigations wcro extended to Louis
ville and Indianapolis through Inspectors,
with tho result that all the details of the
scheme to stlmulato sales of stamps were
brought to light. Doth postmasters had
succeeded in squeezing past the JiOO.OOC
limit by tho narrowest of margins, but they
were unable t'o conceal the methods by
which they had won. The postmaster gen
eral, after a full consideration of the facts,
has declined to recommend thu advance
ment of the two offices from the second
to the first class, and this declination car
ries with it a refusal to raise the salaries
of tho postmasters or increase the work
ing forces of their offices. The postmasters
have intimated thnt the law entitled them
to tho advancement for which they strive,
and they will Insist upon getting It. In
return, the postmaster general Intimites
that the same law permits him to remove
postmasters for cause. There the matter
has been allowed to rest for the present.
The mention of Justice Harlan of the
United States supreme court as a suitable
presidential candidate to lead the so-called
antl-lraperlallsm campaign In 1904 aroused
considerable Interest at the national capital.
The Washington correspondent of the Bos
ton Transcript comments on the suggestion
as follows: "Justice Harlan has come to
be regarded as an Ideal exponent of the
antl-lraperlallst program. The opinion li
a ringing one, and the sentlmeuts expressed
In It will no doubt be freely quoted In con
gress nnd on the stump. Harlan has, more
over, always been on the "popular side" of
the great questions that have come before
the supremo court. He was In favor of the
Income tax and Is a strong believer In
federal control of the trusts. He is, of
course, a republican, and was appointed to
the supreme court by President Hayes; but
in many of the Issues of the day ho Is out
of touch with the present republican policy.
On tho money and the tariff questions he
hoids a position that will probably not be
assailed In the coming campaign very
seriously by either party. That Is to say, he
Is a moderate protectionist .and a sound
money adherent. This Is Just what the
democrats quietly want. Although born
and reared In Kentucky, Justice Harlan can
hardly be regarded ns representing any
particular section of the country. During
the war ho commanded a regiment of union
volunteers. For twenty-four years he has
been a member of the supreme court and a
resident of the District of Columbia.
"If a search were to be mado of Justice
Harlan's opinions .during his long service
on the supreme bench, the number of oc
casions upon which he has decided In favor
of 'the under-crust -of society' would be
found to be surprisingly large. It Is re
called that In tho case of deserting sailors
from tho barkcntlne Arago he wan alone
In his dissenting opinion sustaining the ap
peal taken by the seamen, and in doing
this be had to make a very broad inter
pretation of the thirteenth amendment.
Theso sailors had, under private contract,
agreed to service for a certain term, but
when their vessel reached Astoria they de
serted. They wcro arrested and given over
to tho shipmaster, but on tho way to San
Francisco they refused to work, for which
they wero brought to trial In that city.
Mr. Harlan sustained their appeal for re
lief from tho decision of the California
court on tho ground tbatoslavery existed
wherever tho law recognized a right of
property In a human being. 'A condition
of enforced Borvice,' he said, 'even for a
limited period In n prlvato business of an
other Is a condition of involuntary seni
turc.' Ho said in conclusion that It socmcd
to blm that the court read the thirteenth
amendment as containing a clause except
ing seamen engaged to servo on private
vessols. His opinion mnde good reading,
but vory bad law, most lawyers believed,
Dut that citation of this sort from n great
number of cases would mako him n popular
candidate-for the presidency on the work
Ingmen's friend' Issue cannot be success
fully denied.
Mr. Harlan Is 67 years of age, Ho Is a
magnificent speclmon of physical strength
and Is In perfect hralth. He gets up early
In the morning to play golf and can out
walk Messrs. Gray nnd McKennn, who play
with him. Ho can make a stirring speech,
political or post-prandlal. He b believed
to hive had an eye on the presidency these
many years. How he would relish a demo
cratic nomination is another matter, and
how tho democrats, after their Horace
Greeley experience, would relish the nomi
nation of a republican Is also another mat
ter. Particularly would this be empha
sized by the fact that Harlan Is a repub
lican who owes bis office to an administra
tion which democrats have traditionally re
garded as tainted In Its title to power.
And still Harlan, as an opposition candi
date, would poll a good vote, except In
tho extreme cast, where his opinions on
commercial cases havo got him into dis
favor. Ho would lose New York, hut he
would run well In Illinois, Indiana, Kansas
and generally In that belt which makes
presidents. The democrats could certainly
do much worso than to nominate him."
NOTIOXS OF Till', COII.X KIXU,
Chicago Ness- Corn King Thlllfps Is not
tho first to discover that the farmers nld
get rich by combining to hold their n ps,
but none of the previous discoverer was
able to work the thin nut to n tln.sb
Indianapolis News: if young Mr. Philip a
has a plan by which the combination ct
millers In the northwest can be prevented
from beating down the prices of grain
while the harvests are yet lu the hands cf
the farmers, many peoplo will bo ready to
listen to him.
Clevelsnd Plain Dealer: Young Philips
would like to have the government fix a
price for corn. This looks llko tt bad prcj.
orltlon on Us face, but over 6,000,000 peopio
In this country once voted to. have tho gov
ernment ft the price of silver.
St. Taul Pioneer Press: The rhllllps
scheme Is thnt the government should tax
tho farmers 1 cent n bushel on their corn
crop, build elevators with tho money to
store 100,000,000 bushels, and hold It nt 40
cents a bushel, thus fixing the price for tho
markets of the world. This outdoes tl
wildest schemes of popullstlc paternalism
yet heard of. That Mr. Phillips should
come nil the way from Chicago to Minne
apolis to get off such callow and Juvenile
stuff ns thnt would Indicate t-at whatever
ho knows about "corners," he has yet to
learn the elementary principles of govern
ment. Minneapolis Trtbnne: It Is needless to
say that In order to put this plan Into
operation there would have to be sovcral
amendments to the federal constitution,
and If 'the government should do this to
elevate nnd keep up the price of corn, why
should It not dA tho eame for wheat and
all other commodities? If tho steel trust
should como to tho conclusion that $23 or
$26 is too low a prlco for steel rails, tt
might ask the government to build ware
houses and purchnso and store" the surplus
product nt say $30 a ton. Mr. Phillips Is
unquestionably a very sharp raan In the
corn pit, but he Is evidently a very shallow
rcasoncr In matters of government and po
llllcol economy. His suggestion Is based
upon the old fallacy that It i for the gov
ernment to take care of the people, Instead
of the people taking taro of the govern
ment. tlooil Itulc to Fnltotv.
Minneapolis Tribune,
A Washington dispatch says that Secre
tary Root plays no favorites In the assign
ment of officers; that it is not his custom
to permit a few men to enjoy pleasant as
signments and give all tho hard and un
desirable work to others. This ought to
be the rule in all departments of the mil
itary nnd navnl service, but thero are
plenty of Instances on record In which
favorites have been played.
M.KS TO A LAUGH.
Judge: Mrs. Cobwlgger Poor thing she
tried to reform her husband and failed.
Mrs. Dorcas What Is she trying to do
now? , .
Mrs. Cobwlgger To reform the world.
Washington 8tnr: "Some parents" said
Vncle Kben. "Is mlghtly puhtlckler 'bout
showin' a chile de way he orter go. But
dey branches off at de fuV crossln an
leaves de chile to go It alone. '
Richmond Dispatch! "So you're Mnglns
for money now, eh7" . . . , , .
"That was my expectation when I Joined
the new opera company, but r find I nave
to 'whistle for It." "
Cuthollc Standard! 'wlllle-Pa. what's
the dlfferenco between a nxed star and an
ordinary star?
Pa I suppose a "rlxed" star H one who
Is assured of hls salary regularly.
Philadelphia Record: "Great Scot!' ex
claimed Starboard, ns they turned the
corner, "the boarding hous Is afire.
"Lot's hurry." suggested Port, "maybe
we'll get something warm."
Detroit Journal": "I "suppose' I haven't
done a thing," observed the flea, wtih be
coming modesty, "to the superstition that
a black cat brings nothing but good luck'.
Philadelphia Press: McJlgger-I see th
political editor of the Howler, commenting
on Meier's death, says he was a "very
earnest party worker.
Thingumbob (an enemy of Hleler That s
right. He certainly did work hi party In
earliest.
Harlem Life: "Have you anything put
by for a rnlny day?" asked the Insurance
man. 1 nave, iiiiserfMi me tuiimci. .,
Jeopardizes my health more than to get my
ICCt WCl, HI1U 1 llrt.C ii'cva id-., t,.-
lons put by In u convenient cupboard.'
Leslie's Weekly: Mrs. Ulngo You nro
perfectly welcome to another piece of cake,
Willie, but I am afrnld It will make you
sick. Your mother told me to give you but
one piece.
Wlfllo Simpson That's nit very well, but
I don't know where tho pnntry H here.
jtxr:.
J runes Russell Lowell.
Earth gets Its prlco for what earth gives
The' beggar Is taxed for n corner to die In:
Tho priest has his fee who comes d
ehrlves us;
We bargain for the graves we lie In:
At the Devil's booth nre nil things sold,
Each ounce of dross costs Its ounce of gold;
For n cap nnd bells our lives we pay.
Bubbles we buy with tho whole soul s task
ing; TIs heaven alone that Is given nwny.
'TIs only God may bo had for tho asking;
No price Is set on the lavish summer.
June may be hm! by the pooreet comer.
And what Is so rare ns a day In June?
Then. If ever, come perfect days;
Then heaven tried tho earth If It bo In
tune, . , ,
And over It softly her warm ear lays.
Whether we look or whether we listen,
Wo hear life murmur, or we It glisten;
Every clod feels a stir of might,
An Instinct within It that reaches and
Andgroping blindly above It for light.
Climbs to a soul In eras and flowers;
The flush of life may well be seen
Thrilling back over h'.lls and valleys;
The cowslip startles In meadows green.
The buttercup .catches the sun In its
chalice,
And thero's never n leaf or n blada too
mean ,
To bo nome luuw creature s palace;
Tho little bird sits nt his door In the sun.
A tilt like ft blossom among the leaves,
And lets his Illumined being o'errun
With the deluge of summer It receives;
His mute feels the eg bonentli her wings,
And the heart In her dumb breast flutters
nnd slug. , , .
Ho slugs to the wide world, nnd hj to her
In th'oViice car of nature, which song Is
the best?
Now la the high-tide of the year.
And whatever of llfo hath ebbed away
Comes flooding back, with n ripply cheer,
Into every burn Inlet nnd creek nnd tiny.
Now the heart Is ho full that n drop over
fills It. ,
We nre happy now because God wills It,
No matter how barren the past may have
been, t . ,
'TIs enough for us now thnt the leaves are
jiroen;
We sit In the warm shade nnd feel right
well
Hnw tho sap creeps up and the blossoms
hwuII:
Wo may shut our eyes, but w'o cannot help
knowing
Thnt skies nro clear nnd grass Is growing;
Tho breezes como whimpering In our ear
Thnt dandelions aro blossoming near,
Thnt maize has sprouted, that streams are
flowing,
Thnt the river Is bluer than the sky,
Thnt the robin In plastering his house
nearby;
And If the breeze kept the good news
back,
For thr couriers we, should not lack;
We could guess It all by yon heifer's
luwlng. ,
And hark' how clear bold chanticleer,
Warmed with the new wine of the year,
Tells nil In his lusty crowing!
Joy comes, prlef goes, we know not how;
Everything is Imppy now
Everything Is upward striving;
"Pis' ns easy now for the heart to bo true
As for grass to bo green or skies to he
blue,
'TIs the naural wuy of living:
Who knows whither tho clouds havo fled?
In tho unscarred heaven they lenvo no
wfike.
And the eyes forget the tears they hav
shed,
TheJienrt forgots Its sorrow nnd ache;
Thi soul partakes tho season's youth.
And the sulphurous rifts of passion nnd
wo
Lie deep 'nenth n silence pure and smooth,
Llko burnt-out craters healed with snjw,