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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 1901)
The cjmaiia Daily Bee. K. HOSHWATKR, KOITOIl. PCIILISHED KVKItY MORNING. TKRMH OK 8CIIHCHIPTION. pally Hoo (without Sunday, One yinr..$W Daily Heo inn HiiikIii), One Year e.u Illustrated Hoe, One lear 3.t) Sunday Hee, one Yoitr ... i.O) rfuturuuy Hec, One Yeur r I.W Twentieth Century Farmer, One Veur.. i.io OFFICII. Omaha: Tho Ike JJuhdlng. south OmHha: City Jlml Uulldlng, Twenty-fifth mid .M fitrietb. Council Illuffs: lu Pearl Street. Chicago; lulu Unity Huildliix. New ork. Temple Lourt. Washington. Col Fourteenth Street. CORHUSPONDHNCtf. Communications relating to news nnd edi torial imitter should lie addressed; umnli.1 Ute, Hdtlorlal Department. Ul'SINHriS LHTTURS. Iluelncss letter and rimlttancci shctilJ bo addressed; 'J ho Uuu Publ.anl. g Cu.n puny, Oinulm. , rkmittanchs. llcmlt by drult, express or postul ordtr, pujuhle to Tin- Heo Publishing Company, only 2-cont stumps accepted in payment of mall accounts. Pirsonul checks, except on ' ?..?!. or i'l8crii exchanges, not acceplcu. TIiU 1JI3J-J PUILISII1NU COMl'A.Ni'. statkmhnt ok circulation. Btnto of Nebraska, Douglas County, m.: ,,cRTli? Jztehucl'., secretary of The Moo i uoiisi ing Coinpan), belt, duly sworn, 5?i'Lit?nl 'nc net mil nuinbtr 01 nil . ni j.y .uiirie copies jr The willy, M rid . c' "K ami Hominy llee printed during .h ...,nu ui juiy, iwi, wan us lolluUH. 1, 1 1X1 17 IS la su 21 is 23 21 25 :o r,,ii:o 2... 3... 4... 6... 6... .i!.-,, IlirJ .-i,(i:!( MiO .'.'..:i:io wo ..-, im .m,wm .n.j,!itir oo ..,!HO .r.,u-'o i -..,iM.- S l!ri,!l-,0 r.,:tio 10. r.,:i-o 11 !Ki,70 12 r,,o 13 ar.,:r,o H I'.-.ni., is .-.,or.n ..-., ;uo .-TV-sO 2S.... is.... 30.... St.... .-.-..7 it ..-, :io .r.,7o ..-., -o to Ur.,((TU Total Loss unsold and returned eoplcH Net total Hales Net dully iivornge ...TM.Olfi ... i),00 77',oi:i un.oou OHO. 1). TZSCIIUCK. Subscribed In my iiresence and sworn to eforo me UiIh 31st day of July, A. V. I'M. M. 11. ill NOATK. Notary Public. mutihs i,i:avi.o roii l.-i.mi;ii I'lirtlc lenvliiK the city for the miiiimer iiiuj- have The Ileo unit to them rt-nulnrly by notlfyliiK The Hec lliilneia oilier, In iiemon or hy mull. The mid rent ulll he chunked tin often it n leitrrd. It tnkuH n mlKlity Kiimit tux-Jumiicr'to keep out of tin; way or City Treiismor HcnnliiKS wlif-n he nrms hlinmlf with i delinquent personal tux bill. (tovornor Suviipte sliaiiily dntws the limit of tlm imrdoiiIiiK power at lilgu tnlHtH, even where the .second wife Is willing to condonu the offense of the erring hiiHbnnd. Denniiifk Is the Intent Kuropenn country to look to the United States for a loan. If this thing keeps up foreign bonds will become as common In this country as "shlnplaster" money was In war times. Knnsns farmers have swamped the terminal facilities of the railroads leading Into Kansas City and St. .lo Kcph. The Kansas farmer Is not likely to suffer when ho litis grain enough to h11 to swamp the railroads. King Kdward has honored (ieneral von Waldersee by decorating him with Ute Order of the Hath, l'eonle who re member t.ie paraphernalia which tho .ieneral took with him to China might :hlnk this decoration suggestive. Omaha extends Its cordial welcome to General Hates, the new commander-in-chief of the Department of the .Mis souri, whose conspicuous gallantry In tho late war Is a source of pride lo the citizens of this community and state. A new Cracker trust Is about to be organized to light the old Cracker trust. The battle will eventually end, like all others of this character, -In the amal gamation of the two trusts Into one gigantic trust, which will Inject two bar rels of water Into tho dough where but Jtiis barrel was emptied In before. The agents of both the Colombian government and of the rebels hnsten to assure the United States that no Interference with trallle over the Isthmus of Panama will be tolerated, American naval vessels have been there before and the news that others were coming has had a salutary effect. Our amiable popooratle contemporary sails for reform in stale fairs, but It says not a word about reform In the county fair steal that takes $:i,(miu out of the pockets of Douglas county tax payers to supply the graft of a few po litical farmers win have a stand-in. Why not commence this reform at borne? Just to remind people that they are doing business at the old stand, robbers held up a train In Indian Territory and allowed nu one with valuables to escape If the laud speculators down there do not get your money the train vobbets will, the only advantage being the boomers' methods are not so trying on the nerves. The lire Insurance companies doing business In Iowa have already or ganized a bureau to light any attempt by the next legislature to pass a "valued policy" law, and this committee nunounces it Is ready to furnish liter ature to any newspaper which will publish It. Such laws have never been entirely satisfactory to Insurance com panies, but Nebraska policy holders have never entered any serious com plaint against them. Tho reason given by Charles II. .Mor rill, one of the outgoing regents of the State university, for declining to lie a candidate again Is that, having served In that capacity ' twelve years, the younger men should be given a chance. The position Is one of responsibility that should conimand both business experi ence and broad general culture, and a young man possessing these qualities can certainly bo found within repub lican rankH for tho place If Mr. Morrill Is determined ou retirement. run ixnvsTiiiAh vr..u;r.. The steel strike again Invites ntten lion to the subject of arbitration a a means of settling differences between capital and labor and maintaining In mistrial peace. Last December there was held In Chicago, under the auspices of the Natlonnl Civic federation, a eon fcrenie for the discussion of Industrial arbitration. It was attended by men prominent In the religious, educational professional, eonnnercliil and Industrial world". It resulted in a declaration that peace In the Industrial world could be best maintained by the represeiita lives of labor and the representatives of capital meeting In Joint conference on common ground and entering Into trade agreements llxlng the rate of wages and regulating the conditions of employment, such agreements to re main In force for one year or more. A committee was formed, embracing employers of labor mid the olllclal heads of a number of trade organlza lions, together with representative men engaged In professional, educational ami religious work. The duty of this committee, when Its organization Is pe reeled, will be to endeavor to secure and maintain Industrial peace by pro motlng agreements between employer and wage-earners. It Is the opinion of. President Mitchell of the I'liited Mine Workers that this will prove to be a potent factor in the solution of the labor problem. He thinks that the Intervention of some strong, Intelligent, conciliating force would tend to allay the pussh ns which labor conflicts gen erally arouse and to Induce the con tending parties to apply reason and conservatism, Instead of resorting to the most extreme measures to determine the question at Issue. In a communication to the New York Kvenlng Post, .Mr. Chillies Francis Adams proposes that public boards be created, empowered to Investigate the causes of Industrial disputes and set the facts before the public. Ills Idea Is that these boards should not have power to compel obedience to their recommendation, but simply to In quire Into all the facts and lay them before the public, which he believes would In most eases be aulllclent to bring about a settlement of the con troversy by the parties concerned. Com pulsory arbitration, it Is the opinion of .Mr. Adams, Is not practicable, for the reason that "no practical method of causing the award of any tribunal to be respected and obeyed has yet been devised and it Is dllliciilt to see how- one can be devised. It Is obviously Im possible," argue Mr. Adams, "by any provision of law or decree of equity to compel a man to carry ou a business which he Is not willing to carry on; and, on the other hand, It Is equally im possible to force an employe to labor ir he preiors to be Idle." In a word, -Mr. Adams would rely largely upon public' opinion, when all the facts In connec tion with a labor controversy were given publicity, to enforce a settlement. Prof. Hlchard T. Hly Is another who attaches considerable Importance to the iutluciujc of public opinion In this mat ter, but he would give the boards charged with the duty of Informing and educating public opinion sulllcleni power so that they would not be con temptible. No question Is of greater Interest to thu American people, none more urgently demands their thoughtful and most serious consideration, than that of devising a plan for promoting Indus trial peace. The labor problem con tinues to bo of paramount importance. Tin: swamp IjAXD cuaii m:cau.rd. Tom Keunard's hoary and be whiskered claim against the state of Nebraska for $i:!,llM) alleged to be due htm as commissions for manipulating the swamp land and Indian land claims lias bobbed up again as serenely as if it had never been laid under the table by a half dozen legislatures and the su preme court of Nebraska. Tho Keuuard swamp land claim agency was linked In with the proline claim agencies of the late Patrick O. llawes, but, while llawes managed to logroll a periodic appropriation through this legislature by his persuasive elo quence and percentages, Kennard s commissions failed to materialize be cause they were regarded as altogether too rank. As a matter of courtesy the legislature referred the Kennard claims to the state courts, where they could be considered dispassionately on their merit, but llndlng no merit In them they were referred back to tho claimant. mil roin iMMinarti is not a man to ne ....l...,r...l ...II.. II.. r..l!...l l.. ,1.. I M-uuiii-u ni uumij. win in i.iui-.i ill im; state courts, lie now seeks to recover the repudiated commissions lu the federal court, and the attorney general will be called ou to defend the state against this Irrepressible swamp land claimant. Incidentally, the revival of this claim forcibly recalls an Interesting chapter of Nebraska history. Hack lu the early 'Til's congress enacted the so-called swamp laud laws that conveyed to such states as Arkansas ami Florida all pub lic hinds that were covered by swamps. In lST:t Thomas P. Kennard logrolled a bill through the legislature of Ne braska authorizing the governor to ap point a laud claim agent ou such condi tions ns might be deemed Just and equitable. Within a few months after the passage of tho bill Kennard secured a commission under this act by the terms of which he was to receive fid per cent of the claims collected. The ex travagant terms of this contract were denounced by tho press and the legality of the entire transaction was called in question. , With this fat commission In Un pos session Kennard proceeded to organize the now famous swamp land ting, which had for Its object the conversion of mil lions of acres of unsold public lands In Nebraska Into swamp lands and tho division of the M per cent commission on tho sale of the lands among the members of the ting, which Included not only legislative lobbyists and crooked members of the legislature, but also members of congress and United States senators. The plan mapped out by the ring was to secure the passage of an nut by con grcbs donating to the state of Nebraska TIIK Q3IAIIA DAILY HET, WEDXESDAY, all the swamp laud within Its bounda rles. These swamp lands were to bo se leetcd and designated by an agent of the general laud ollice, who was ex pected to co-operate with the ring and share In Its prollts, There were to be millions In this deal, as the agent was expected to designate as swamp lands every unsold piece of land In the state which exhibited the least sign of damp hess on the surface and have It set apart as such under the swamp land act. Hills proposing to donate to the state of Nebraska all the swamp lauds within Its boundaries were Introduced III both houses of congress and the Ingenlou scheme would doubtless have succeeded but for the refusal of congress to enact the swamp land bills. Tho failure of the conspiracy left the swamp land schemers high and dry and the area of the Nebraska swamp lands suddenly contracted to Insignificant proportions rut: cinstisK tamff. It Is announced that an agreement lias at last been reached on the Chinese laiifl and according to the reported ar rangeineiit It Is rather more favorable to the L'nlted States than to some other countries. Flour and corn are on the free list, which promises an Increase of our exports of Hour to China and perhaps also a linger market there for corn. Paelllc coast shlimers of tlonr imd feared that a higher duly would lit placed on It. but they may now go ou with Increased enteriirlse in nuttlm? nieiican Hour on the Chinese market There Is every reason to expect that lu making Hour free a great stimulus will be given to our trade In that com modify. Tho new tariff Is to be fi per cent gold, which Is double the present tariff, and It Is Impossible to foresee what the effect of this will be upon Chinese trade. It will necessarily somewhat In crease the price of articles Imported into C'llua and the tendency may be to reduce consumption, the general condi tion of the people of China being such ns to compel economy. However, there Is no other means by which the till ne.se government can provide for the in deinnlty. .Meanwhile the tariff agree incut contemplates the maintenance of the "open door," with perhaps the ex ceptlon of .Manchuria, that It may bo made to apply to that province also and should do so If the assurances given th(! other powers by Hussla are adhered to. Tin: vuiiax ntKsmnxcv. Undoubtedly there are many men In Culm who would like to be the litst president of the new republic, but the number qualllled to start the republic on Its career Is small and of these the best equipped show an unwillingness to accept the o I llee. The national party wants General .Maximo Comez, but the veteran soldier appears to be llrm lu his decision not to be a candidate. He announced some time ago that he did not aspire to the office ami he has since shown that he meant what he said There appears to be no reason to doubt the entire sincerity of his late letter to the Havana committee of the national party. lCstrada Pnlnia, whom (Some, favors, Is well qualified for the position and he Is particularly friendly to the United States. Hut Palina seems to apprehend that the task before the tlrst president of Cuba will be of such great dllliculty that he Is unwilling to undertake it. He llnds in the present disjointed state of public opinion a promise of much trouble. In his recently published let tor he said: "As Important matters will have to lie dealt with by the tlrst government of Cuba, such as treaties, the relations with the United States and the payment of the army, there is likely to be a great deal of trouble and disagreement. If the president does not have congress behind him lie will full utterly." In his view tho chances are that a majority In the congress will not be with the executlvu and therefore he thinks "It Is not likely that any honest patriot will care to undertake the presidential ollice." ll therefore appears probable that .someone ol the smaller and less scru pulous politicians will be chosen as the tlrst head of the new government, lu which event the Cuban republic may not only get an unsatisfactory start, but conditions be created that may pro duce grave trouble. The fears expressed by Palina go far to Justify the policy of the United States toward Cuba. The republican committeemen for . . M)UU1 Ullllllia llllVO tUKCU it lipoll tllClll- selves to disregard the plain provisions of the resolution under which the dele gates to the state convention are to be chosen. The county committee ordered caucuses to be held lu each of the old four wards of South Omaha. The South Omaha committeemen have seen tit to consolidate all the ward caucuses Into one. This Irregular proceeding may not make any material difference lu the delegates selected to llll the quota ac corded to South Omaha ou the dele gation, but it Invalidates their right to certlllcates If objection Is made. If South Omaha can Ignore the conditions Imposed In the call, so can every ward in Omaha ami precinct lu the county. Should live or six country precincts see tit to hold but one caucus, such action would open the way for the general disfranchisement of thu voters when the purpose of the caucuses Is to give the republicans of every ward and precinct the right to make their 'own choice of delegates. Hefore tho concessions are let the managers of the coming Ak-Sar-Hen carnival should have It duly Impressed upon them that Omaha has passed the stage where It will longer tolerate the so-called confetti-throwing practice. Not only Is the confetti tournament abused by boisterous and uncontrollable spirits who Indulge their rudeness, but It is positively dangerous to health and conducive to serious accidents. Carnival parties can have a good time without showering one another with paper dust and tilth. Tho loss of a single eye would never be compensated by nil. the prollts uud royalties of tho confetti counter, j If Ak-Sar-Hen does not call the confetti business off, the mayor and police will be asked to stop It with an effective Interdiction. In reckoning up the great wheat pro ducing states Nebraska Is not gen erally enumerated by the majority of people, while Oregon and Washington would not be omitted from any list. 'The llgiircs, however, tell a different story and were It not for the fact that corn and live stock overshadow the smaller grain lu Nebraska the wheat output would attract more attention. This year Oregon nnd Washington are boasting of enormous crops and yet Washington Is credited with only L',",- (H)0(00 bushels, while Oregon Is con slderably less. The Nebraska crop will put these llgures far In the shade, In fact will likely aggregate more than both these western wheat states. Does anyone Imagine that If any mem ber of the school board had any knowl edge of Illegal collections by anyone connected with the city administration the democratic county attorney would hesitate to Hie Informations against thu guilty parties? The county attorney has been looking ror Just such a chance ever since he connected with his ollice and Im would require less evidence to ground a complaint against a repub lican malefactor than any grand jury would for an Indictment. The fact that the county attorney has not made a move Is the best proof that the school board gossip-mongers have nothing ex cept gossip of their own nianufacttire. The American representative has been named to look after the Interests of Colombians In Venezuela during the war, If one should occur between the two countries. Dining recent years tho representatives of this country have been chosen more often than all others to act In similar cases. This Is at once a testimonial of the fairness of our foreign representatives and an ac knowledgment of the disinterestedness of the United States, which has always held aloof from the quarrels of other countries. It Is a good thing for the world to have one power strong enough ti be respected In position to tender Its good otllces lu times of trouble. While American manufacturers are pluming themselves on the progress they are making lu securing the world's markets they sometimes get. a Jolt which serves to keep them awake for awhile. The award to a Swiss llrm of a large contract for electrical machin ery for use at Niagara Falls Is In point. While Switzerland Is not a large country and does not make much fuss, It Is lu proportion to population the great est manufacturing country lu the world and will bear watching. Mncliiy nil n Stayer. Haltlmoro American. Historian Maclny has not yet turned In caitiff lllght flora hlB $2.24 per day Job. Kiln for KimlonlntN. Clnclnnatljrnnicrclnl-Trlbune. Good motto for the denio-llryanlte- pnpullst-Hllver republicans of Nebraska: United wore licked and divided we'ro dumped." CniisnlliiK' for ( 'll til in I it h. Chicago News. Mr. Cummins of Iown may think all Is plain sailing, hut let htm wait until Fred White Invests himself with tho customary nomination and takes the stump. Time to Tell I s, Minneapolis Tribune. Tho government weather bureau claims that, only one In live out of Its weather predictions Is Incorrect. Now If tho bureau could only warn us when' It Is going to predict wrong we might be comparatively happy. Vlrulnlu'N Vimnry. Huffulo Uxprcss. Tho Virginia constitutional convention Is proposing to ordain the adoption of Its new onstltutlon without submitting it to vote of the people. As the negro voto nlready Is 'suppressed this betokens distrust of the white voters. AVnmlnn- to Wnrrlorn. St. Louis niobe-Demncratr-A valiant and honored admiral In tho United States navy has been officially rep rimanded for rushing criticisms of his associated ofneers into print. The fault of tho admirals, captains and such Is losing their temper nnd tnlklng too much. .ot ii tni-Nt ion of Xante. Milwaukee Wisconsin. Ono nf tho questions In the official In quiry to discover why girls shirk employ ment as houso servants Is. "Ho you dis like to bo called by your first name?" It Is to be noted that men who go Into politics nre subjected to tho risk of bolng called by their first names, but that doesn't seem to restrain anybody from entering politics. I'hnfTec's t'oud ennui i Ion Cninnieniled. Brooklyn lCagle. (Jood for General Chaffee! Ho has moral as well as physical courage. Ho speaks right out In meeting about this attempt to got lfi.OOO taels and ninety-six ncres of land for tho benefit of a corporation of missionaries in China, as a "squeene." That's Just what It Is and dishonesty nnd rapacity and oppression are no prettier hen practiced by American Christians than when they nro practiced by tho heathen Chinese I.nlior I'nloiiH nml Liberty, Indianapolis News. If labor unions have lost In popularity and public estimation It Is simply because they have not been willing to nrcord to every mnn tho right to work. They have tried to Instltuto n now maxim for that of personal liberty and declare that all men nro entitled to life, liberty and tlm pursuit nf happiness except those outside tho labor organizations. The Idea of per sonal liberty must bo recognized by every body or we rovert to tyranny and progress ends. CroirilliiK the I'rofr ahIoiik. New York Tribune. Medical Journals nro puzzling over tho problem of finding patients for the thou sands of fledgling doctors who are now graduated year after year and nro begin ning practice. Tho professions of law and of medicine nre already overcrowded. Of course, there Is room at the top, hut the lower rungj of the ladder are besot by a throng of young men who nro trampling upon each other In their eagerness lo get foothold. In American towns and villages lho ofilco signs of physicians nro overplentl ful already, and attorneys nre so multi tudinous that tho prospect nf their se- rrnrlnv Ian I ci tl. - rt, VuV .ncwr-glnSr AUGUST U, 1001. fTKIll, STHIKr. M i(!lTIO.S. Now York Sun; A thousand ShnlTers can not orerthrow the constitution of the United Stnte, but It in Infamous that tha American worklngman should be robbed i f millions of his earning nmt saving that Shaffer may try to overthrow It. Ilrooklyn Kanle; Now that the associa tion has burned Its bridges Sharfcr can srt his face ngalnst violence. He can make some sort of a hid for public sympathy by declaring that the man who strikes the first blow Is an enemy of labor. And In doing this he will be telling the truth and notic ing but the truth. Jllood should not supple ment blunder, Hpangueld Kcpubllcan: Tho machinery docs not exist even for a determination on the part of an impartial and duly constl tuted board of tho points nnd merits of tho controversy. Industrially tho nation has not ndvniiccd beyond tho stage of feudalism when the pence and order and progress of society were at tho mercy of warring barons and their retainers. Indianapolis Journal: What Is true of tho so-cnlled steel trust Is true of the labor trust of which Mr. Shaffer Is presl dent. Uoiisorvulvo people will conclude that tho power of ono or n dozen men to order 200,000 men to leave their employ mcnt, brenk their contracts and lose thotr wnRos Is too much llko the czarlsm of Hussla to be tolerated In n freo country. Consequently tho legislation which restricts combinations of capital will, In some way, curtail the dictatorial power of labor magnates, Chicago Post: As against President Slinffer's extraordinary ethics tho South Chicago lodges cite nn admirable letter written In 1897 by his predecessor, M. M. Garland, In which a breach of contract wns regretted nnd condemned and which con tained this sentence: "Our practice Is that a contract once agreed upon should be held Inviolable by both" parties. An abandon ment of that practice In favor of Mr. Shaf fer's arbitrary policy would wreck the asso ciation nnd discredit tho cause of legltlmato unionism. Chlcngo News: President Shaffer, It would seem, has reckoned without his host. Union labor le no less loyal to union In terests than It ever was, but the working- men of South Chicago, Milwaukee nnd else- whero npparontlj feel that this Is neltlur the time nor the occasion to strike a united blow for an abstract principle. They pre fer to wage the war on that issue at some tlmo when It enn bo plainly seen that they nre waging it In defense of tangible Inter ests or In redress of actual wrongs and when public sympathy must bo with them. New York Kvenlug Post: It Is wnr which the Amalgamated association declared and tho rigors of wnr It Is already experiencing. The swift reply of tho steel corporation to tho assaults upon Its property nt McKees port Is an order to dismantle the works. Th' men may have that field to themselves nnd the wonderful mayor who had announced that he would not protect mill property Is likely to find himself and his municipality without any mill property. Strikes and labor organizations have caused tho grnss to grow In the streets of more thnn ono Now Knghmd town, and why should they not do it In .McKeesport? Cincinnati Commercial Tribune: A seri ous condition confronts the members of tho Amalgamated association. They h,ive tin right to refuse to work; the steel combine has the right to close or to dismantle Its mills; the Amalgamated association nsked nnd secured a scale of wages, and, having secured it, refused to abldo by It and re fused to enter tho mills nnd opernte them. Is the association standing on tenable ground? Can It hopo to succeed while fol lowing tho lend of a president who, ad mitting the contract, advises his followers In the nssoolntlon to disregard nnd break It? Is Its cause sufficiently Just and are Its Blnows of wnr sufficiently sttong to enable It to win out? The question has now becomo much more serious for the ns tinclatlon thnn It Is for tho general public. New. York Times: Thnt the fact of his previous employment of this man gives tho man a vested right In the job he threw up when he thought It to his Interest and to the Injury of his employer to do so Is clsaiiy an unwarranted assumption on tho part of labor. If nfter a strike or a shutdown tho owner of a plant should demand tho return of his old workmen nnd seek to compel by mandamus proceedings those who were un willing to do so he would be laughed out of court. Tho rulo' would seem to work ns well one way ns tho other, but we have rather fallen Into the habit of looking nt matters of Interest to labor through the lenses of sentiment and of reasoning very loosely concerning them. Perhaps the last thing tho average -worklngmnn wants Is to have applied to hlmsolt the rules which he insists apply to his employer. Now York Tribune; Mr. Shntter, the president of the Amalgamated association, advises and instructs his constituents that the contracts Into which they have entered with tho companies are voidable at will be cause of their prior and superior obligations to tho Amalgamated association. "Hefore you agreed to any contracts," ho tells them, "you took nn obligation to tho Amnlga-' mated ausoclatlon. ' And so, at tho demand of their nrsuclatlon, they must repudiate those contracts. According to that princi ple the contract made by a member of that association would not be worth tho paper Jt was written upon. For what Is n mnn'o oath worth If ho Is freo to broak It at the word of somo othor? We connot bollcvo thnt In cither affairs of stato or those of private business any bucIi codo of treachery and perjury can permanently prevail. LOW STAXDAlin OF MOIIAI.H. An I : x Ii 1 1 1 1 of Hint Prevalent In llnll ronil Circles, Chicago Tribune. Tho officers of certain weotcrn roads have agreed to report to tho commissioners of their association all cut rate contracts with shippers of freight to and from Colo rado nnd Utnh. Hut ono railway official Is quoted as saying thnt the roads novcr will rovenl n majority of their secret agree mcnts with the Inrgest shippers. Tho rea son assigned for this Is that "while It Is truo that these contracts aro illegal, being made in violation of the Interstate com merce law, the railroads have assumed u moral obllgntlon which they will not ills own." This "moral obligation" grows out of tho fact that In many cases shippers have mado contracts for tho delivery of goods at a price based on the Illegal concessions the roads had agreed to make. Tho railway officials say that If n road were to vlolato ono of these illegal agree ments, then It never would get any more freight from tho shippers with whom theso agreements had boon made. Therefore, the only agreements to ho rovealed nro thoso which have been mado with small ship pors whoso sain of goods Is not based upon freight rates. The roads have not tho same consideration for tho feelings of small ship pers thnt they hnvo for thoso of largo ship pers. There has been a hopo that thn extension of the "community of Interest" policy would put a stop to these Illegal dlscrlmlna lions between shippers. It does not seem to hove done to as regnrds tho Colorado nnd Utah traffic. This is not cheering news. Nnr is it cheering to henr a rallrond'officlal speak of tho "moral obligation" attaching to nn Immoral and Illegal agreement. A road, In definnen of Inw nml equity, grants to ii largo shipper special ratei, which rn Hble him to undersell his competitors, nnd railroad officials say coolly that tho road Is under a "mornl obligation" to live up to that agreement. There nre some rail road men who need n little Instruction In the elements of law and morality. IJXI'AMO IX ItAMCIMI IHMMCSS. Hon- tin- ('npltiil Stock Waxen IHk oh Its (In n Coloaxnl lll Mends New York Independent The enlargement of the capital of tho Mrst National hank furnishes fresh evi dence- of the recent rvmarkabto growth of the tuuku of New York In resources and power. Hy otlng to Increase th bank's capital stock from 1500,000 to J10.00O.00O the stockholders of the First National made that Institution the largest bank In thr L'nlted States nnd on the continent, upon ft basis of capital and surplus combined, foi the surplus Is $10,000,000 and will be main tained at that sum. There are two other banks whoso capital stock Is $10,000,000 lho National City and tho National Hank of Commerce but tho surplus of cither of these banks docs not exceed $7,000,000. This Increase of capital was followed by the pur chase of tho National Hank of tho Republic tcapltnl $1,600,000. with $1,300,000 in sun plus and undivided profits), tho prlco offered nnd accepted having been $276 per share In cash, or one share of First National for two of Republic stock. Tho two banks have been Joint owners of tho building nt the corner of Wnll street and Hro.idwny, in which tho offices of both aro situated. The stockholders of the First National prac tically own the Liberty National bank nnd nlso control the Astor National. The increase of capital from $."i00,000 to $10,000,000 was accompanied by tho payment of n dividend of 1,000 per cent. This oner mous and unprecedented dividend has been tho subject of much comment, mainly be cause it directed attention to the great profits of the bank's business. It will l.o observed thnt tho sum divided was Just enough, $9,500,000, to provide for tho In crease of capital. It was really used for that purpose, the stockholders thus obtain ing the additional shares without any other expenditure of cash. There nro only eight een stockholders nnd n controlling Interest Is held by five of these. Although tho an nual dividends for ten years past have been 100 per cent (on $500,000) the profits have accumulated in the bank. No shares were for sale, the recent nominal quotation hav ing been $0,000 (par value $100), with no offerings. The bank's business was profitable years ago, when It was sometimes called "Fort Sherman," because of Its prominence In connection with refunding operations when John Sherman wus secrotnry of the treas ury. Its more recent Investments In se curities linve been highly successful. There was n large profit In Its sale of the Central Rnlltoad of New Jersey some months ngo to J. 1. Morgan & Co., who transferred tho proporty to tho Heading Railroad company. In tho Inst two years there has been n great Increase In tho value of stocks which It owned nnd which may have appeared In public statements at tho prices that were paid for them. It was an easy matter for the few stockholders to use $!i,500,000 of their undivided profits for this huge divi dend and the Inereaso of capital. The First National's president Is George F. Haker nnd Its vice presidents arc II. C. Fnhnostock and Francis L. Hlne. Owing to his largo Interest In the Institution this bank, llko tho Hank of Commerce, is associated In banking circles with, tho nnmo of J. Pier pont Morgan, Just ns another great bank, tho National City, Is associated with tho names of the Standard Oil capitalists iVki,! i:xcn or low.t. I'liitform rroiiiiiiiicemciit of ttenuli- I ten ns I Wnrmly ('omiiienileil, lloHton Transcript. Tho Iown republican convention not only differentiated Itself from tho general republican apathy on tho negro problem, but also took decisive nnd Interesting action In favor of action by congress, pro viding "for tho relinquishment of our authority In Cuba," tlujs giving the em phasis of n great party in a great com monwealth to "the fact that our author ity" In that Island "Is tho result of a war not waged for nggrandlzetnent but In tho name of humanity and must forever gov ern and Inspire our relations" to It. The voice of Iowa always commands respect In national councils and it is not Impossible thnt n son of Hint state may lecolvo largo consideration In tho next nntlonal conven tion, so tho declaration of thnt body was nn attempt to volco public sentiment ns It was Interpreted In the state. Tho ground taken was positive ground. There was not merely nn nbsence of Jingoism, but n direct affirmation of the principles opposed to Jingoism nnd nil that grows out of It. Moreover, there was more of n flavor of sincerity In nil this than wo seo In many platforms, for thn convention went out of Its wny to declare Itself upon points thnt might have been Ignored without cnusing comment had It not fully meant whnt It said. It did a good piece of work, and. ns we have before remarked, it means leadership nnd influence beyond tho state's borders. lMlllSOXAl, AM Oi'lll'.H wisi: Chnncollor James Tt. Day of Syracuse university has declined tho presidency of Northwestern university nt Kvnnston, III. Prof. Edmund H. Hrlggs of tho Catholic University nf America hnB been appointed n division superintendent of schools In the Philippines. J. Plerpont Morgan has given tho Ameri can School for tho Deaf In Hartford, Conn., $2,500. Tho gift was ono-qunrter of tho nmount needed to complete tho payments duo on the building recently erected by tho schooj, Surgeon Klnyoun, recently of San Fran cisco nnd now In charge of tho Marino hos pltnl nt Detroit, has been detailed to visit Japan and China to Inspect the work of the marine hospital scrvlco with special refer ence to tho plngue. Mrs. Kdward Pisco of Denver, who started Inst October on a trip through the east, south nnd north to obtain funds for tho National Jewish Hospital for Cnnsump tlvcs, has reached her heme with $20,000 ns the fruits of hor work. Thomas Johnson, "R years old nnd worth $150,000, who died In Vincennes, Ind., tho other dny, wns n curious ehnrnctor. He did not know how to reud or write, never entered n church, was ono of the most profano swearers and hnrdest drinkers In tho city, wns mnrrled four times and al ways voted the democratic ticket. Among tho present-day Highland chiefs few are nhlo to speak Gaelic, one notable exception being tho duke of Athol, who, In addition to being nhle to converse In tho classic language, Is doing his best to encourago its oxtenslvo use. Gaelic classes wore, under his Influence, held nil Inst winter nt Hlnlr Athol, his ancestral home, nnd tho examination of tho pupils showed good results. The millionaire Gnvrll Ssolodovnlkoff, who recently died at Moscow, left all his possessions, valued at 2r,,000,000 rubles, for tho founding nf high schools for girls, train ing schools for workmen nnd cheap lodg ing hniiBcs for the poor. During his life he hnd already spent largo sums for a music school and a hospital, yot ho was not es teemed, becauso In private life ho was known ns n miser and an Inexnrnblo cred itor. Mrs. Tom Mooro, or "Zeeke," la ono of tho oldest Indians on tho Pacific coast. She Is a Maknh Indian woman of Washing ton, born and reared at Noah Hay agency, and Is without doubt more than 100 years old. Thn first thing she will ask a stranger for Is tobacco, which she onta with a great rellBh. Sho lu nearly blind and can Just tell daylight from night. Her husband has been dead for over thirty ypars nnd she has no relatives living, being supported by rations furnished by the government. noosnvni.T .xn itintnATio.v. Vice President I'roiiilsen AssUtnnpe In n Wextern Project. Denver Hepubllcftn. Vice President Roosevelt's friendliness lo tho west was never better evidenced than In his speech at Victor, In tho course of which he referred to tho Irrigation which Is deserved nt tho hands of tho nntlonal gov ernment. Colonel Roosevelt's outspoken declara tion In favor of national Irrigation Is tho result of long study of tho west's condi tions and demands, t'nllko many of tho eastern statesmen, who oppose Irrigation on the mistaken ground that It will bo rlnss legislation, Colonel Roosevelt has recognized thnt the question Is too broad to admit such n nnrrow, penny-wlso view Ho has spent much of his time In the west, living among Its people nnd study ing Its developed nnd undeveloped re sources. He realizes thnt a utilization of wnsto land through Irrigation will not affect tho Interests of tho west alone, but will add to the riches nnd prosperity of the entire country. In consequence of his study of tho sub ject nt first hand Colonel Roosevelt has not hesitated to express himself frenlv In favor of a policy nf Irrigation at govern ment expense, while many of his follow statesmon, who lack his practical experl ence, Imvo blocked the progress of the movement to reclaim the nrid lands. There Is no doubt thnt Vice President Roosevelt's espousal of tho cause of national Irrlta Men will give tho movement a new Impetus nt Washington nnd will materially strengthen tho chances of securing favor able action nt the hnnds of congress. nvn.s or i:.Tixr. ai.oxi: ('oniinin.v Not Only 'ontlnclte, lint XeeesNitr.1 to Olui'st Ion, Kansas City Star. Hoarding nt n restaurant, ns most men will agree, Is an unsatisfactory way of living. If it Is kept up for any length of tlmo lho meals grow distasteful. Tho meats seem without flavor, tho vegetables wooden, tho pn3try dry. The gastronomic side of existence becomes fiat, stale nnd unprofitnble. The restaurant habitue usually tries to find an acquaintance to go with him. It he falls u nowspaper or n book must servo In tho friend's ntend. To sit down alone and eat n silent incnl without diversion of any kind three times n day Is beyond the power of most men. Alexnnder Sel kirk's opinion of solitude is confirmed by the experience of countless generations of eaters lu restnurnnts. The London l.nncet gives tho mcdlcnl explanation of this disinclination of men to eat alone. The average mnn, It says. sits down with newspaper or novel, de termined to prolong tho meal to tho proper length. He becomes nbsorbed In his rend ing until ho finds his chop Is cold and demolishes It In a few mouthfuls. Or, ho neglects his paper and plunges Into tho men!. nnxiouH to got dono nml have nls reading undisturbed In his armchair. Women, tho Lancet says, fare even worso than men. The mnn may nt least ho trusted to tnle food enough; tho solitary woman uhunlly takes too little. Fre quently when doomed to dine alone tho docs not ent at all. The continued un unsntlsflcd crnvlug of tho stomach Induces dyspepsia Just ns surely ns overloading does. Fow housewives, of course, arc com pelled to tako more than ono meal a day alone. The cook does not fnre so well. The work of prepnrlng a mcnl tends to dis gust ono with the food. Hut If tho ono who gets the dinner can he diverted while eating It she need not suffer. The cook In a prIv.Ho family not only has to ent In fiolltude three time a day tho meo she has prepared, but she usually sits down surrounded with the dishes which contain the remnants of the household's food. It Is n wonder under tho circumstances thnt her stomach does not rebel altogether. Tho Lnncet's conclusion of tho wholo mn'.ter that a man should not eat nlone, or think much during his mcnl. but should talk and bo talked lo whllo he feeds. Everybody .has noticed the effect of sor row or nny strong emotion on tha nppe tito. Tho man who Is left alone during nil his meals Is apt to be moody nnd do pressed. Loneliness may nffect him na nny other emotion does, by checking the notion of the digestive organs. When he is inucing with somo ono ho Is Inclined to bo cheerful, or hlo giuom Is nt least more of tho lntollect than of the feelings. Under the lnflucnco of tho pleasant mood tho functions of digestion nro nnrfnrmnil easily. Evidently man Is a gregarious an imal and It Is not good for blm to ho alone. I.OOTIil) I.HVITY. Hoston Transcript: The Visitor-You seem What 'liTt? I"tcrrst0'1 ln ,no' ' mt K'rb Tho Little Girl I don't. see how vour fnen can be so smooth nnd clear, I'npn says you hnvo traveled nil over the country on Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph: "Pnter son, N. J., seems to bo the )i"ino nf nnarrh Isth nnd king killers," said fcqullillg to Mc Swllllgen. "Yes," added the latter; "I suppose they nre getting ready to organize under tho KiWS of New Jersey." Clevelnnd Plain Dealer: "They ought lo nave nt least one dnnclng muster on ihn Schley Inquiry bonrd." "Why?" "So ns to decide whether the Brooklyn's waltz movement wns well timed or not." Catholic Slumlord: "My experience nn tho links," said Fonrde, "Is that yoi enn never Judge n player by his looks." "That's right," replied Crnbbe. 'i know lots nf people who wear golf logs, but who have too much common sense to ever piny the game." Judge. Deacon Poakchnp I'll remernbnh dat sermon nli you's Hunday lo my dying day! Parson Oldchlek Yo will? Now-er. what wuz do speshul pint about It to fix It so strong In yo'r mcm'ry? Deacon Ponkohop Right in de middle ol It someone swiped mah umbrella! Baltimore American: Rudynrd of West minster asks: "Can u person get nnythlnx for writing ragtime songs?" Not yet. but there Is n movement on foot to give him ninety days fur tho first of fense. IMIO.M Till: "AMIJX COHXHII." Josh Wink In Haltlmore American. (Prof. TrlKgs "f Hie Chlcngo university hns crented considerable dlscusslen bv claiming that mo;t of tho hymns are "dog gerel." They snv the hymns Is dngg'rol that they ain't refined enough; That nil the time we've sung 'em they'vo been nothln' elm hut stuff; They say they need rovlsln' wo must makn 'em more polite, "On Jiudan's Stormy Hanks I Stand" in not cntiHtruided right; Hut, Just the same, perfessor, you hud bet ter lot "em be The Lord I lo understands 'cm so they're good utiouch for me. I s'poso there's nothln' finer than that good old "ltculnh Iind," And when our Lizzie sings It you enn w the glories grand; When "Rook of Ages" rings out from tho hallelujah shor I tell you this old Tinner ain't a goln' t) drift no more; And when they strlko "Amazln' Grace, each filler Hlngln' free Tho Iird- Ho understands It so ICb good enough for me It Isn't what you're Hlngln' why. 1 often times forget And pralsti Hie !onl to muslo with thn good old alphabet, Until I strike the words again, nnd I don't think It's wrong It Isn't what is In It, hut tho soul behind the .mug. So, I tell you. perfessor, you hid better lei 'em be Thu lord He understands 'rm so they're b'ood cnouGh fur mc.