Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 16, 1901)
THE OMAHA DAILY I33CE: MONDAY, DECKMHTCH 10, 1001. Tiie omaha Daily Bee. K. HOSHWATKH, 12DITOH. ITHLISHKD UVKIIV MOHNINQ. TKHMS OF HIHSCIUI'TION. Dally Hee (without HuiHlfiy, one Year.Jg.M Pally Hee and Holiday, One Year 8.W Illustrated Hee, Ollw Veiir Hundav Hee, One. Year Huturil.iy Hue, One Year Twentieth Century Farmer. One iear.. l.W dhlivkhed hy caiuuisu. Pally Hen (without Sunday), per copy... 2c Pally Hee (without .Sunday), per weoK...lJc Pally Heo (including Samluy), per week. lie Humlny lie. pet -jpy v. livening Ueo (without HJtiduy), per week. loo Evening lieu (Including Sunday), per week Cotnplalnu of irregularities In delivery hould ho addressed to City Circulation De partment. 1 OI-'KICES. Omaha Tho Hco Uulldlng. ,, Bouth Omaha - City Hall Building, Twenty-fifth mid M streets Council IllurfH -lu I'enrl Street. ChlcaKo-KXO I'nlty Uulldlng. New York Temple Court. Washlngton-601 Fourteenth Street. COHUESrONDKNCK. Communications rclatlntj to news and celt torlal matter should ho addressed: Omaha Dec, Editorial Department. UUH1NHSH LETTERS. Business letters ii nd remittances shoJld ho dddresscd. Tho Hue Publishing Company, Omaha. REMITTANCES. n-i. v... .I-,.. v..r.su nr nnntill order. payablo to The lieu Publishing Company. Dnly 2-ccnt stamps accepted In payment 01 mall accounts, Personal chocks, except on Omaha or eastern exchanges, not aceopiii u. THE 3 HEW PUULIHIIIU LUJU-A.U. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. George U. TzbcIiucIc, Bpcretary ot Tlio Hee Furnishing Company, nemg auya n : thni tin mi I immtinr nf fllll tiritJ complete copies of Tho Pally. MofnlnS; Evening and Sunday Hco printed during Iho month of November, lDvl. wus as fol lows: 1 :io,8i:o 16 :n, ooo 2 :in,n io 17 :io,tto 8 HO.IIO 18 ilO.tWO 4 :io,77 19 :io,:ito 6 ito.Hso 20 :to,mo 6 IKI.MIO 21 .'-u0 7 Ill, MM) 22 UO.iMO s :to.io 23 :io,:t:io o :to,too 24 :to,ur.r. to .to.n.-.o 25 :o,iio n ho.tiio 2(.....: :u,aiu 12 :to.7o 27 :. 13 ao.noo 28 ao.itio u :io,7io 20 :to,iio 16 :io,:t:io 30 ..:h,imo Total Less unsold and returned copies.... 1O,U0t Net total sales ""'fli! Net dally average vVc ' Hubscrlbed In my presence, nnd sworn to before mo this sum uuy or "fvei"u fjoi. M. U. HUNuATL, (tJeul.) Notary l'ubllc. Ar a Nnnoleon of finance, Millard Pill Sioro Funlthouser, tho democratic chair man of tin; iltmn.ee commltteo of the Bchool board, stands without a iteer. Tho verdict of acquittal In tho llonlno caso Is simply another Illustration of tho oft-demonstrated fact that It Ih lmpos ilblo to convict a pretty woman of a lerlotis crime before a susceptible Jury. From tho (inlet that prevails In Iowa no one would suspect that the leRlsIa' turo will be called on only next mont.t to elect a United States senator to rep resent the Ilawkeyo atato at "Washing ton. If the Omaha Heal Kstatc exchange fiuccceds In securing a more equitable distribution of iho tax burdens Itf will have accomplished a great deal in tho Uriftlrm of reduced taxation and lu creased property values, i To the Intimation that the school t.nnnl order reoulrlni: six periods of class room service Instead of live from each High school teacher has- been Inrgely Ignored, Principal Wutorhouso ontcrs a confession lu avoidance. Tho supremo court of Nebraska has decided that -a road overseer is not an olllcer of the district, but of tho town ship In .which the county road Is sit tinted. Hut suppose there is no town shin division in tho county, then what? Tho bureau of Identlllcatton of tho nn,- tlonal organization of police chiefs Is gathering a collection of photographs of anarchists which it hopes to make com plcte. Anarchists who have not yet been ldeiitllled will please send iu tho! photos. Only one freo sliver colnago bill so far Introduced Into congress, and that by an obscure backwoods member. tho silver billionaires still pin faith to their propaganda they should seo to It that at least tho usual number of "by requests" put lu their appearance. That bill to reimburse the Pun-Anicrl can exposition losers out of Undo Sam's treasury does not seem to hav Bounded on hospitable ears. It will be hard to persuade anyone that tho Hur falo fair would not have come out In fairly good shape had It been less ex travngantly and more Judiciously muu aged. Did you notice the well-patronlzed ad vertlslng columns of The Sunday He as compared with alleged competitors And Tho Hee does not have to glv away cigars or roses to' bamboo.lu ad vertlsers to take Its space. The He gels tho advertising patronage because The Hee's patrons get full money worth. If Presdent Hoosevelt's advice t break up the Indian tribes and trea the red man like any other mau Is fol lowed out what will become of tho In dian agent ami the Indian trader and the other reservation Invaders who havo looked to Uncle Saul's guardianship of tho tribal Indians as the source of their incomes V 'Nebraska republicans regained control of , the state only after sintering purga tion through the ordeal of tiro and water. To retain tho ascendancy the party must make an honest effort to execute every promised reform. No republican back Bllder can ever justify himself by point ing to some populist predecessor who did us bad or worse. As expert mathematicians In long division and cube root, the legal rep resentatives of Omaha's franchlsed cor porations who havo demonstrated to their own satisfaction that their clients tire overtaxed deserve recognition In the form of honorary degrees for masters ot the abstract science. If they should delve into the mathematics of four di mensions they would soon prove that tho city oweil the franchlsed corpora tion nioueyx A MATT EH A'OT SETTLED. Governor Savage has ventured to as- suro the people of Nebraska In an In terview In tho World-Herald that the controversy over tho Improper manipu lation of the state school fund for pri vate gain lias been settled. The gov- rnor Is quoted as saying: You know It has been charged that ho Invested tho school fund for his own bene fit and that tho great fund was In danger of being lost. I want to say that I, with tho members ot tho Hoard ot Educational 1-ancls and Funds, personally went to tho treasurer's ofllec, looked through every rec ord and counted every dollar of cash on hand. Wo found every dollar thcro In cash or properly accounted for, and wo found that Treasurer Stuefer has Invested within ten months over $1,000,000 of tho public school funds to the best of his ability. I want to tell you that every dollar of Ne braska's money Is In snfo hands, for I be llovo that Stato Treasurer Stuefer Is ns honest a man as tho sun over shone upon, and when the last day of his olllcc expires you will llnd that every dollar of Nebraska's money will ho there, not In certificates of deposit on broken banks, but In cold cash, ready to bo counted out. You may depend upon It. That settles ono matter. Governor Savage may depend upon It that this explanation does not settle the matter with tho intelligent people of Nebraska, by a long ways. His assur ance that tho records of the stato treas urer are accurately kept and that in tho exhibit made to tho Hoard of Educa tional Lands and Funds every dollar of tho school money was cither there In cash or proiwrly accounted Is not called In question. Hut the mere fact that the books of the treasurer balance with tho certlllcates of deposit and cash on hand does not explain the shady bond deals and speculative transactions by which the school fund has been milked by several thousand dollars that have gono into tho pockets of middlemen who had not a dollar of their own nt stake, but on the contrary were given the uso of state funds and securities by tlio state treasurer. Tho assurance given by Governor Savage that every dollar of Nebraska's money Is lu safe hands and that at the expiration of Mr. Stuefer's term as state treasurer every dollar of public money win uo there in cold cash win be very gratifying to taxpayers of Nebraska, but that does not meet tho point at Issue. The question that still confronts the governor as chief executive of the state is whether the state treasurer has. lu mauing investments ot the permanent school fund, paid heavy bonuses to fa vorcd bond speculators when he could and should iiavo dealt directly with the county boards and either given the re spective counties the benellt of the ex cessive Interest cojpons or placed the coupons to the credit of the school fund The delusion under which Governor Savage has been Impressed with tho Idea that the Stuefer Incident is settled may perhaps be dispelled when ho reads the comment of J. Sterling Morton that appears hi the last number of tho Con servatlve, which hits the nail on the head lu this fashion: Thcro Is an old-fashioned way of clarify ing muddy water with alum. When tho Missouri river jiackots wcro doing all tho carrying trado for uassenctrs and frplL-Mts betwceu'St. Louis und Nebraska points tho drinking water was puro Missouri river aqua, settled nnd clarltlcd with alum. Tho accounts of Stato Treasurer Stuefer need clarification. Hut whether alum or something moro stringent Is required for tho process Dr. Ilosuwater has not yet seemingly, determined. A big frog sitting by a limpid stream tho bottom of which Is visible to tho nuked eye, can mnko tho water very muddy tho moment ho Jumps Into It, and so all tho Hurt county, Otoo county and other bond purchases wero cjulto queer and lncxpllca. bio until Stuefer Jumped Into tho discus slon of them, and now they aro raoru Ine.v pllcablo than over and queerer and mud dicr and nastier. Lot Stuefer havo an ex pert In truth-telling Inform tho people of Nebraska about his school money Invest mcnts. Surely Mr. Morton Is not prejudiced against Treasurer Stuefer or hostile to Governor Savage or any other member of tho Hoard of Educational Lauds and Funds, and Mr. Morton rellects the views of ninety-nine out of every huu tired people who have given the subject any thought. KEOHOAXME THE SEHVICK. At Us recent convention tho National Civil Sen-Ice Heform league considered tho question of reorganizing tho cousti lar service and thcro was general ap proval of the bill for this purpose framed by Senator Lodge. There 1 also a movement on the part of numcr ous commercial bodies looking to the reorganization of the cousular service As the president Is strongly committed to this there Is very favorable promise of action on tins Important subject by tho present congress and probably at this session. The Lodge bill Is a comprehenslv measure, which not only recognizes th civil service reform principle, but pro vldes for tho cooperation of tho civil service commission In the examination ot candidates for appointment In the consular body. The bill proposes tho gradual re-examlnatlon and re-classltl cation of the service within two year of the passage of the act. The exam Inlnu' board Is to be composed of tho secretary of state, or such person 1 that department as tho president shall designate, and a consul general or cousul of tho United State whom the president shall desig nate, In conjunction with tho civil service commissioners. This board is to determine the scope and method o the examination, but among tho subject it must Include In Its tests shall bo either tho French, German or Spanish language. The service Is graded by tho bill Into six classes, and from those passing the examination the names o the live highest shall bo submitted when a vacancy arises, the president making selection from this list. Tho bill provides for 4 consuls geu oral of the tlrst cluss, 13 of the second class and It) of tho third class. The consuls nre to be (17 of tho tlrst class, a,') of tho second class, 00 of the third 10 of the fourth, ill) of the llfth and r.O of tho sixth, the salaries ranging from $i,000 a year down to $1,000. All fee with the exception of those of cousular agents, nre to bo turned into the treas ury, consular agents receiving one-half .their fees as compensation.. .Tho bill laees the consular service on substan tially the same basis as that obtaining in the army and navy. Tho president is mpowered to move consuls around from place to place, as he may think advisable, substantially the same as ho now disposes of tho olllcers of the army and navy. Doubtless this measure will undergo some modlUcatlous, but lu Its general provisions It contemplates such u re organization and remodeling of the con sular service as could not fall to greatly Improvo the service. It Is very generally conceded by those who have given at tention to the matter that the consular service Is now In the main elllclent. A majority of those engaged in It are capa ble, diligent and faithful men. Hut as was said by President Hoosevelt In his message, "a standard of excellence can not be permanently maintained until the principles set forth lu the bills here tofore submitted to congress on this sub ject are enacted into law." The great Interest being manifested by the com mercial bodies of the country In this ubject should secure the desired legis lation, A CAXAl, CUMPL.IVAT10A'. What is known as tho Maritime Canal company, organized uutier tne laws oi New Jersey, is threatening to further complicate tho NIearugun canal project This company claims to have purchased tho route surveyed und recommended by the canal commission and alleges that all franchises nnd concessions have been conveyed to It by tho government of Nicaragua in consideration of a large sum of money. That government, it appears, has admitted tne sine oi minis to the company and the granting of rauclilses and concessions, but has stated to our government that the sale had been annulled and the franchises evoked since it was made public that lie Nicaragua route had been selected by the commission. The Maritime com puny protested against this action, pre sentlng its protest to the Department of State. It is stated that Secretary hay has leclded not to consider the claims of tho company, but to regard the action of Nicaragua as olllclal and dual, and upon the suggestion of the secretary of state the senate committee on Inter oceanic canals has decided to pay no attention to the claim of the Maritime company and will proceed with the bill which It has reported providing for tho construction of a canal. How this sum mary way of dealing1 with the matter will be regarded by the .Maritime com pany remains to be seen, but If It be true, as stated by the company, that It has ex ponded $1,700,000 for lands ami fran chlscs It Is not to be expected that It will make no effort to recover tills. The State department lias recommended that the company be paid for the lands held by It, which according to the Nlcaraguan government cost about $100,000, but It is questionable whether the company will be satlsilcd with such an arnuige- incut, which would return to it but one seventeenth of the money It claims to have expended. It Is not apprehended that this new complication will delay canal legislation, but It may Interfere with the beginning of construction unless congress or the government of Nicaragua shall make a fair settlement with the Maritime Canal company. MEHCEH'S llttmur: IMA.. That bill Introduced by Congressman Mercer for tho construction of u bridge at South Omaha, according to tho press dls patches, Is a matter of speculation. General Munager Kenyon of tho Stock Yards com pany haa wired Mr. Mercer for a copy ot tbo bill, for, as a matter of fact, no ono here knows what It means. Moreover, If tho gov ernment or nnybody else Is to build a bridge across tho Missouri at this point It is very probablo that tho Pontoon Bridge and Ferry company wuuld havo to bo "seen" on tho proposition, Inasmuch as that company has some rights and privileges, especially on tho othor side. However, everybody, It 1 snfo to Bay, hopes that congress or some body clso will eventually construct a bridge at this point. World-Herald. For once we fully agree with our eu tcrprlslug contemporary. The South Omaha bridge bill Introduced by Con gressman Mercer Is apparently "a mat tor of speculation." Tho inspiration for tho proposed motor bridge may not em anate from the managers of the Pontoon Hrldge and Ferry company or from the general manager of the stock yards. It Is purely "a mntter of speculation," but could, If It passed congress, be annexed to the multiplex air line system of su burlmn roads projected by Congressman Mercer's chief fugleman. In these days of Industrial evolution there is a good deal more money In handling electric motor franchises nnd bridge construction privileges than there Is lu selling town lots and farm lands, A COXD1T10XSUT A THEORY. The taxpayers of Omaha are con fronted by a most serious situation. Tho enormous Increase lu taxation within the past llvo years has made the burdens of local government almost unbearable On an assessment presumed to represent 10 per cent of nctuul value the tax levy for this city and school district aggre gated '-'." mills in 1801), was Increased to L'S mills lu 1000 and In 1001 It was raised to !I4 mills under pretense that the lu creased revenue would bo applied to tho payment of the dellclt then existing I the school fund. Now it trausnlrcB that this dellclt not only was not wiped out, but it has been enormously Increased. Unless a ver, material Increase lu the nggregate as sessment of property in Omaha can bo made tho city tax for 1001! will not fall below UO mills and may have to be raised to 10 mills. Tho lowest posslbl estimate for city and county tax for 100- will aggregate tl icr cent, excluslv of special taxes levied for Improve mcnts. This means a tax of from - to -!! per cent on the nctuul cash value o every foot of ground and every building within the city limits to maintain the city anil county government for ono year. With Mich tnxes staring them in the face capitalists who have money to In vest are not likely to venture Into the purchase of Omaha realty. The .(pies tlon that presses for Immediate consii erntiou Is, What can bo dono to avert thin meuueo to tho growth and prosper lty of .Omnha? There are only two ways to bring nbotit a reduction In the levy: One Is by Increasing the aggre gate assessment, and the other is by decreasing the aggregate expenses. The first can be done only by rnlslng the assessments on individuals nnd cor porations who have hitherto managed to keep their assets .covered or who have been specially favored In the mat ter of valuation. The other can only bo accomplished by radical retrenchment in all brandies of the public service. There is some merit In the claim of the gas company that tho annual roy- lty paid by It of 5 per cent on Its gross receipts Is in the nature of a payment for the franchise that gives it a practi cal monopoly for furnishing gas for lighting und heating purposes to the cit izens of Omaha. Tills royalty for the ear 1001 is said to aggregate $15,000 The payment of a bonus for the fran- hlso does not, however, constitute an xemptlon from taxation; It simply fur- Ishos a basis to the assessor for reach ing an estimate of the value of the fran chise, Irrespective of the gas generating and distributing plant. In other words, while the gas company has paid for the privilege which constitutes the franchise tho payment in itself does not operute as an exemption from taxation. Under the constitution of Nebraska the fran chises of corporations are subject to tax ation Independent of their holdings in realty or personal property, und tho mere fact that the franchise has been acquired either by purchase or by tho payment of roynlty cannot exempt the corporation from taxation. The Hee still maintains that tho best and most economical way to have af forded temporary relief Ho the supreme court would have been to have called iu the district Judges to serve as ref erees when not busy on their respective benches, rather than through the costly and cumbersome supreme court com mission. Now that we have the com missioners, however, they ought to be superseded at the earliest possible mo ment by additional duly constituted Judges of the supremo court. The .court cannot be lawfully enlarged except by constitutional amendment. The saving In money, to say nothing of the bene nts or a, responsible judiciary to pass 11 tut 1 judgment upon weighty matters of law affecting life, property and cousti tutlonal rights, would Justify nn extra session of the legislature to provide .for submitting the much demanded propo sition at the next election. Accordlug to the World-Herald, which s the recognized organ of tho finance committee of the school board, the ap parent dellclt In the school fund on .Ian nary 1 will be $150,000 in round llgures. Hut whut the actual dellclt bus been during the past several years or what it Is now is an open question. If this is true the Commercial club coterie that made tho big tight for Mr. Funkhouser as a brilliant llnanclnl manager is not In position to shower boquets upon itself. , . , Tho principle, .,thut should .govern In tho distribution of federal patronage Is the recognition In each community of the men who did the work that helped bring Nebraska back.lnto the republican column. To seek to avoid factional dif ferences by bestowing the favors upon some one who did nothing at all simply demoralizes party organization .and dls courages thoso whose active efforts arc needed to keep the republican party lu power. Governor Savage wants to let the members of the local bar make the se lections for vacancies on the district bench. In this the governor endorses the home rule principle which thoso who aro advising him to usurp tho powers of the mayor and council over the police commission would have him violate. lint Time lu Hot Count rlen. lloston Transcript. Now four moro South American repub lics nro girding themselves for war. Tho military fovcr Is catching. A I. fl-llniiilel IK-ltukc. Haltlmoro Amcricun. Hy donating $10,000,000 to tho cnuso of higher education Mr. Cnrneglo has Indi rectly rebuked that young man Schwab who used to work for him. Suprrlluoiin IiifurniHttoii. Clovcland Loader. Whonovor a bank cashier or teller runs away with money not his own tho news papers hasten to say that ho was a "trusted employe." Kvery mon In n bank Is "trusted;" If ho wero not he wouldn't bo there. An Kxplntuitlon Wnntcil. Washington Post. Jurtgo Dunno holds that It Is nil right for n newspaper fo criticise a court decision after It has been rendered. We are qulto suro that this eminent and just Chicago jurist Is a son of Ireland, else ho would havo taken the pains to explain how In tho dlckons a newspaper could criticise a deci sion before It Is rendered. 1'rclinlc to n Kick, San Francisco Call. Now that the Amorlcan peoplo havo taken to raising money for tho relief ot tho women nnd children In thu British concen tration camps In South Africa It will not he long beforo they will begin to urgo tho government to Interfero on behalf of the Doers. Whon tho American begins to put his money up for a causo ho Is getting ready to talk business. Jimt n I'liiKcr or Tun, Brooklyn Kagle. It Is reassuring to discover that navnl and military ofllcor enn take a wee nlpplo without falling Into disrepute or undor tho table. Tho fact ought to bo forced upon tho attention of tho Womon's Christian Tompcrnnco union, for otherwise that for vont body will start In pursuit of tho sup posed offenders and chasa them with pro testing shrieks from hero to Manila. Where n CriiMir Ii NrcuVil, Philadelphia North American. Tho Hrltlsh censor is not attending to his business. Ho should cither censor tho speoches of government otllclnls, who con fess that tho concentration camps aro eo bad that they aro being broken up, or blue pencil private and anonymous letters, printed by tho Loudon Times, describing feasts and pink teas In thu camps and as sorting that tho reconcentrado Dorrs aro so bountifully supplied with luxuries that they do a thriving trade In tho salo of food to tnslr tfuard stii.i, cAi.t.iMi on ti iirr.it. Wnun Gazette: Our friend Stuefer should follow tho example of Admiral Schley and demand an Investigation. His silence on tho matter cnii havo but ono effect furnish wind to tho sails of his ndvcrnrles. Lets havo tho whole story, Mr. Stuefer. York Republican: Thu temper of the peo ple of Nebraska Is such that they will not enduro doubtful transactions In tho manipu lation of tho state's permanent school fund. Two deals, wherein several thousands of dollars havo been realized by speculators, havo been ventilated. It may be, as tho treasurer says, that ho had to buy tho bonds lu tho markot, but tho question Is. Why wero they paid for by tho speculators with Treasurer Stuefer's checks? Dettcr al low soma of tho funds to remain idle than to Invest them by methods that certainly warrant suspicion. It would bo wlso for tho state of Nebraska to pay a big man a big salary to look after tho Immense Interests In the treasurer's ofllec. St. Paul Republican: It Is now up to Tho Omaha Heo to say that tho Investigation and report of the olllcers who checked up tho state treasurer In the matter of thu school funds Is wrong. It Is either that or an acknowledgment that Tho lire Is wrong. Mlndea Gazette. Don't quibble, Jeff. It Isn't worth while. You know nn well ns nnyono that tho In vestigation mado hy tho stato officers and tho report of the stnto treasurer himself havo nothing to do with Tho Hoe's chnrges. Tho Republican defended Mr. Stuefer dur ing tho campaign upon tho ground that ho Is not permitted hy tho law to plaro tho trust funds In depository hanks and that ho could legally report them only as a "balanco on hand." Tho charges mado In this connection hy tho fusion organs havo been refuted by tho Investigation. Hut Tho Hoe's charges have not been dlsproven, nor hns any attempt nt Investigation been made, if Mr. Stuefer Is guiltless tho best thing he can do Is to demnnd a searching olllclal examination of tho Hurt, Cuming nnd Otoo county bond deals: If guilty, ho has only to continue tho rolo ot tho In jured Innocent to convlnco his best friends of tho fact. Stanton Picket: Tho report mado and given to tho prrcs by Treasurer Stuefer last week was all right so far ns It related to tho stato school fund. It shows that there Is at tho present time but a trlllo moro than $18,000 of the school money uninvested. This balance Is, or was at the time, In tho stato treasury. This is certainly a good showing so far ns it relates to tho amount of money Invested. Hut there was nothing In tho Htntcment which places Mr. Stuefer In a better light as regards tho charges that wero mado against him. No Intimation has ever been mado by nnyono that his books were not properly kept or that ho Is short In any of his accounts. The charge mado against htm Is that he has conspired with a close business associate to purchase county bonds and then turn them Into the stato school fund nt a handsome profit und nt tho expense either of the said fund or of tho counties Issuing them. Thu charges were strongly mndo and It seemed to most peoplo that Mr. Stuefer has thus far mado only n trail attempt to disprove them, as having so attempted hns signally failed. If ho has nothing moro to offer, nnd with tho cvldenca Implicating him In tho nllalr tin rebutted, wo cannot do otherwise thnn bo llove that he, to say tbo least, willfully as sisted Mr. Nollgh to milk thu stato school fund. It Is n rnso which admits of no whitewashing, nnd If Mr. Stuefor Is Innocent of any such offense as Is charged it does appear to us that It ought to bo no very ditll cult matter to make n showing In thu mat ter which would bo plain and satisfactory to his constituents. Until ho does so no amount of lottor writing or newspaper clip pings can cbango our views of his actions or our attltudu thereto. Wo aro sorry that appearances seem to convict hlra of wrong doing ns they do nnd feel that if he has tiny defensu to mnko aside from bluster ho Is doing nn Injustice to moro peoplo than himself hy refusing to do so. Eacli day delayed only makes stronger tho conviction of his guilt. PIIKSO.VAL AM) OTIIKItWISi:. Como In nnd shut tho door. Tho Kansas City expert Is not tho first man to go Into a franco when a surplus of wives found him out. If King Edward's coronation comes up to tho prospectus, it will materially Increaso tho gaiety of Juno days. Peoplo who wero awarded wcdals nt tho Pan-American exposition can sucuro thu prize by puttlug up tho price. If wo could only can a few tons of surplus cold nnd tap It next July, human comfort would bu raised several degrees. A Now Jersey mnn who acquired tho tranco habit, returned to consciousness Just as his wlto was closing a deal for a new husband. Tho mean thing! Two families In a legal mlxup In Phila delphia have flvo lawsuits on hnnd nnd moro In prospect. Phllndelphlans resort to despurato means to keep nwako. Spring clothespins to muzzle tho lips ot unruly boys aro In usu lu Massachusetts schools. Somo people point to tho liny statu as a model commonwealth. Tho story current lu tho enemy's coun try to thu effect that Hryan'B Commoner and Carry Nation's Hatchet havo formed a clubbing combine, Is without foundation. Tho Hatchet Is burled. Captain H. P. Leary, hero of Samoa, and first governor of Ouniii, Is about to bo re tired as a rear admiral. The ntory of Leary's llfo In tho navy would throw "FlKhtlnc Hob's" In thu sluulo without a slnglo draft on tho imagination. At tho lnstanco of lire Insurnnco com panies department stores In eastern cities havo nbanfloned displays of Christmas (lnery In their ahow windows. Herotoforo thoso displays of Incendiary material caused many Insurance companies to sweat blood. A bunch of students at Ann Arbor uni versity havo tiled a hot protost agnlnst hash and hamhurgor steak as a sternly diet. No doubt bucIi a bill of faro Ib weighted with tho germs of rovolt, but do tho btudents expect thu fat ot tho land for $3. GO a week? Ex-Mayor Samuol A. Orccn of lloston has given to tho Harvard art museum hoiuo gorgeous articles of wearing npparel worn by Harvard students of his ancestors upon their graduation in tho eighteenth contury. Or. Green's grandfather graduated In 1781. Captain W. A. Mercer, who distinguished himself as managor of tho Indians at tho Omaha exposition, has been relloved from duty as Indian agent nt Leech Lake, Minn. Tho captain proved very obnoxious to tho timber rooters In that section, nnd they havo sought his scalp for three years. Kansas City Is proparlng to accord n hospitable reception to Minister Wu Ting fang on December 19, when hu wilt attend tho annual banquet of tho Kansas City Commercial club. A publlo function will bo hold at tho clubhouso In tho nftornoon In order to give tho women a chanco to meet tho Chinese diplomat, nnd a commlt teo has been appointed to show him tho town. Wyoming, tho smallest state In popula tion excopt Nevada, Is growing In voting strength. In tho prcsidentlol election of 1900 tho voto for Ilrynn on the democratic ticket w-us only 71 less than In 1890 nnd tho gain In the republican voto was 1.-H5. There aro thirteen counties in Wyoming and tho republicans carried them all In tho presidential election of 1900, an unusual showing for a party which polled less than 60 per cent of the total vote of tho atato, HITS OP WASHINGTON Lll'll. IKeliltiR of Men unit Event nt Hir Nnlloiinl Otiillnt. Th?ro Is fnlr promise of n revival of spellbinding periods In tho upper house. Tor souio time past speeches of senators havo been businesslike, with little attempt n oratorical flights. A letter to the New York Trlbu.io foreshadows n change, for among thu new senators nre "two capable, of mold ing and uttering eloquent perorations Dnlley, thu beautiful, from tho Louo Star state, and lltirton from Kansas. An an nouncement that Mr. Hal ley would speak Invariably filled tho galleries of tho house, nnd n devoted following hung breathless upon his words, enthusiastically comparing him to Webster, vhom In tho enrly days of his ambition ho took for a model and to whom ho has nlways been faithful, llcforc ho left tho other aide of tho capltol Mr. H.Uley threatened to 'stir up' things In his new sphere, but n new senator must bldo his time. Like n freshman at college, ho requires discipline nnd Is not encouraged to assort himself. No matter, therefore, what his Intentions, how ardently ho hopes to quicken the pulse of the senate, It may ho fome tlmo before an opportunity occurs for him to fill the senate rhIIoHcs or thrill his colleagues by tho eloquenco thnt is fa much appreciated In Texas." Senator Hurtou of Kansas was nt one tlmo teacher of elocution, nnd ever slnco ho took his degreo nt college, whero ho had already won n namo as an orator, ho has been sought after ns a publlo speaker. In 1SSS tho speeches he mndo In his own stato brought hint such famo thnt ho was Invited to stump Indiana and Maine, nnd since then ho has been ono of tho most popular of the national Bpellblnders. Ills answer to Ilrynn In tho Union Lenguo club, Now York, oc casioned much favomblo comment, nnd Is still remembered nnd referred to. la the last campaign ao spoko In 100 counties ot his Htnte and Is sold to havo been as fresh at the end of his tour as he was at tho be ginning. Senator burton Is n native of Indiana but has lived moro than half of his life In tho stnte of his ndoptlon. Ho Is a lawyer by profession, and It has always been his ambition to bo elected to tho United States sonata. For tho last twelve years. Indeed, ho has frankly worked for tho nomination, nnd six years ago was de feated by only ono vote In tho caucus. Hut after this repulse ho showed no rancor or bitterness nnd worked so earnestly nnd zealously for tho success of his party that hu earned tho substantial reward of a seat In the upper house. A few days ngo Senntnr Cullom of Illinois wns credited with remarking upon tho vo ulfrrnusuebs of President Hoosevelt, who, ns Is well known, does n6t hesitate to speak loudly whllo holding conferences with his visitors. Yesterday morning, rclntes tho Washing ton Post, Mr. Cullom went to tho White Housa. As soon us ho iippuarcd In thu presi dent's reception room tho president saw him and walked over to him. With much solemnity Mr. Cullom took Mr. Roosevelt over Into a corner of tho room and whis pered Inaudlbly Into hU ear for fully llvo minutes. Tho president listened with Binn ing countenance. "All right, senator," ho said In n loud voice whon Mr. Cullom had finally concluded his confidential communication, "nobody shall ever hear what I Bay to you In the future." "Hut how about this particular matter?" queried tho anxious senator. The president put his linger to his Hps. "Sh-u-u-h!" ho whispered, "not a word! Somebody might hear us." And so tho senator went nwny. Ho does not know yet what tho president might havo said. "I notice In coming from tho weBt to tho east that the farther I travel tho moro I seo of pnper money of small de nominations," Bald Mr. Martin Wnllaco of Sioux Falls, S. D.. to a Washington Post Interviewer. "Out where I llvo ono doosn't seo a pnper dollar onco In six months. If you glvo a dealer a ten-dollar bill out of which to take a quarter ho will glvo you back a half dollar, u quarter and nlno silver dollars, ,1'vo been cast about a month now nnd haven't had a silver dollar given mo In change. I inquired Into this and have been unablo to llnd nn explanation. Tho only posslblo reason 1 have discovered Is that thcro nro n largo number or govern- ment employes In this section of tho coun try nnd thnt they aro nil paid In small paper. Ono also finds more goiu in circu lation hero than In tho west. "This reminds mo of tho peculiar b-b-torn of tho westerners have of paying for small articles, such as lco cream, liquor, Boda wntcr, or nnythlng that doesn't cost over n dollar or two. In tho first plnce. tho westerners always carry their hllver loose in tho trousers pockets. You seldom seo a man with ft purso. After ho has taken a drink nt a bar ho will dive down Into his pocket nnd pull out a whole hand ful of silver dollurs, half dollurs, dimes und nickels, tho amount varying from flvo to fifteen or twenty dollars. Ho pours an this out on tho bar nnd spreads it out ns n man does In counting money. Tho bar tender selects whnt ho wants for tho drinks nnd tho mirchnser sweeps the money off tho bar Into his pocket. The prnctlco arises, I suppose from tho fact that tho westerner dors not wnnt to Indlcato ho Is at all un willing to settled nn: coon oi.n timhs. Diij of Our Dmlillen No llrHer 'limn tlir I'lTtniti Chicago Tribune. It Is a frequent habit of the morallRts, as well ns of soclologlcol Btudents, to sigh for the "good old times" nnd to compare tho morals nnd mnnncrs of tho present day with thoso of the days of our grand fathers nnd grnndmothers. Tho smart ness and faatness nnd boldness of modern society moru than onco havo furnished thomes for pnotB and essayists ns woll as for tho pulpit and havo boon placed In contrast with tho modesty nnd dignity and propriety of thoso old days so often, In fact, that wo hnvo como to regard our forbears as patterns of exemplary conduct. It Is refreshing, however, now and then to find testimony thnt somo of tho grand mothers wcro no bettor thnn somo of their descendants. Testimony of this sort Ih contained In a letter which was sold lu on autograph aalo in Now York. tho other dny. It wns written nt London In 177S by Sophia Montague, wifo of tho English ad miral who commanded on tho North Amer ican station. Lady Mnntaguo had loon to a supper 'nnd with feminlno frankness and enthusiasm describes It to n friend. It waB tho best supper she ever "aupt nt." Kvorynno was drunk, "on my con science," but sho did not conBldor that any matter, "for wo wero good company." Then Lady Sophia gives a description of London women In general. "Thoy turn day Into night and night Into day" and aro "as mad ns March hare." Sho thinks their dress Is preposterous. They "paint and pinch their bodies In tight stays till they sink, for to bo very small at bottom and hanging over at top Is qulto tho fashion." No natural color Ib another fash ion nnd "feathers fifteen IncheB long In tho head" Is another. Lady Sophia's letter closes with this sweeping lndlctmont ot social life: "Inconstancy, tho fashion; separation, tho fashion; to bo with any body but your husband, at tho top ot tho fashion." Familiar aa It all sounds, this Is not a Iplcturo of society In 1901, but In 1775, time to which wo nro referred so often for social practices which should bo Imi tated by society today. Wcro tho old times any better than tho new times'' Were they as good? Thoso who abuso modern manners nnd society must go ha. k of 1775 to llnd their "good old days." Hut they cannot find them this sldo of the fall of man and the banishment from tho Gar den of Kden, avi: "will ii:mi:.mhi:u thu maim:. liuliMtrlimii Clnlm Akcii JoffRlnv the Nntttm'n Memory. I'hlhidolphla Hccord. The Industry of tho flalm agent Is Inde fatigable. Given a ghost ot a chanco to ob tain u slice out of Undo S.un'e "pork" harrcl, that hard-working person will scour tho country to llnd claimants whoso cases might bo wire-drawn so ns to consti tute plnuslblo demands. Ono might havo suppoicd that clnlms arising out of the do struotloa of tho Malno hod been tcttled, so far as tho United Stntes was concerned, by tho relief net passed by congress on March .10, 1S9S, for tho benellt of tho sufferers; ono would have believed thnt Spain had mnde atonement for a crime (lis responsi bility for which remains unproven) through tho sacrifice of tho lives of its sons In battle, tho destruction of Its fleets nt Mnnllft nnd Snntlago nnd tho loss of Its West Indian nnd Far Knstorn colonics. Those who have cutertnlncd nuoh notions ni these, however, havo reckoned without tho claim agent. A long list of clalnw Ii.im1 nun inini. suffered lu tho explosion of our battlonhlp has been submitted to tho Spanish Treaty Claims commission, and tho demands foot up to a goodly fraction of a million dollars Tho undertaking on tho part of tho United Stntrs (In necordunco with tho terms of the treaty of peace) to "adjudicate nn.l settle nil claims of Its citizens ngnlnn Spain" Ik the excuso for this attempt 1 1 raid the federal treasury. The rase of Hi, United States marines killed nnd wounde i nt Valparaiso, and tho Indemnity exacted from Chill on that nrnmni. tmvn tmnn I , ... . ns precedents lu Justlileatlon of tho prrsen. uomanii. on tho other hand, It is enn tended that In view of tho Inability ot the naval court of inquiry to llnd clenr ovldonce of tho uuthorshlp of tho destruction of tho linttlcshlp and of tho fact that tho United States had, hy virtue of tho rollcf net aforementioned, decided to rocognlzo tho right of the sufferers to lndomnltr tut a claim ngalnst themselves, therefore, tho occurrence could not bo mado tho founda tlon of n duplleato demnud. In this connection tho defectiveness of the trenty of peaco with Spain is ngaln brought to light. Tho government'" brief controverting the demunds ot tho Malno claimants asserts that the treaty in quns tlon was not Intended "lo provide for, hut to relinquish and leave In oblivion, as sot tled In tho tribunal of war, tho grievances icferred to." It is n KrftV0 fault of thu treaty that It failed to glvo expression to tho Intentions of the Blgnntorlos In thU nnd several other Important particulars. I.INU.S TO A .S.MU.i:. Chicago Tribune: "Why, r couldn't be EVi'i to. ,olJ " half thu things she has said about you," quoth Mrs. Selldom Ho me, pausing nt last for hrontlu , 111 J1" IThid! ' exchilmod Mrs. Nexdore, with a Joyful little gasp. ' I'hHii'JclPlila Press: Ferry re-I Ftlll think there Ih hope for me; nlthough sho said no. sho wns very sympathetic.. Jack Nowitt-My dear hoy, that's the end of you. No woman ever marries thu man whom sho rejects sympathetically. Somervlllc Journal: If tho married man would only try the experiment somo ilav of saying to his wife somo of the charming things that he nays to other womon. he would bu surprised nnd gratlUcd at tho I fault. Washington Star: "Is you nil gwino to hang up any mistletoe ills Christmas?" asked Mr. Krastus l'lnklev. "Deed I l?n" answered Mips Miami Hrown. "I's got n llttlo too much pride to advertise foil de ordinary rourtCHles dat n. lady has a right to expect." Chicago Trlbuno: "I dono tho shootlnV protested tho boy with tho shotgun, "and now you wnnt to hog all tho game!" "You bet!" said the boy In tho pood clothes. "Didn't 1 do nil tho hollerln' all' yollln'?" liillad.'lphln Press: "Of rnurse," snld Miss Cinldrgx'H lover, "I realize that your daughter Is an hell ess, but 1 assure vou that t would be Just as anxious to marry If sho wcro n pauper." "That settles you." replied hop fnthor. "we don't wunt any such fool ns that In tho finally." Chicago Post: "Hluks seems to be a great friend of yours mid yot he nover calls nt your home." "Tlmt's because ho Is a sclf-sacrlllclng friend." "Mow?" "He lets m;i put tho blnmo on him when ever I stay too long ut tho club, nnd ho hn has become persona non grata to my wife ' wife." Washington Stnr: "Our church fair was a sple mini success, saui young Sirs. Tork Ins. "Did you sell lots of things?" "Yes." "Yes, Indeed. Everything wns over so useful. I can't think of a slnglo nrtlclo thnt couldn't bo saved up und donated to bo suldit tho next fair. ' 'I'll Kit K IS NO DIIATII. J. L McCrcery. Thero Ib no death! Tho stars go down To rlHo upon somo other shore, Andbright In heaven's Jowuled crown They shlno for uvormore. Thero Is no death! Tho forest leaves Convert to life tho viewless ulr; Tho rocks illsorgunlza to fend Tho hungry moss they bear. Thero Is no death! Tho dust wo tread Shall change, beneath tho summer ahow ITS, To golden grain, or mellowed fruit, Or rultibow-tlntL'd Mowers. Thoro Ib no death! Tho leaves may fall And (lowers may din and pass awny; They only wait, through wintry hours, Tho warm, sweet breath of May. There Is no death! Tho choicest gifts That heaven hath kindly lent to earth Are ever Ilrst to seek ngaln Tho country of their birth. And all things that for growth or Joy Aro worthy of our lovo or care, Whoso loss has left us desolate, Are safely garnered thero. Though llfo becomo a desert waste, We know Its fairest, sw-cctcHt (lowers, Tiansidanted Into Paradise, Adorn Immortal bowers. Tho volco of blrdllkn molndy That we havo inls'Md and mourned so lonjr Now mingles with tho angel choir In everlasting song. Thero Is no death! Although wo grieve When beautiful, familiar forms That wo havo loarnodvlo lovo are torn From our embracing arms Although with bowed and breaking heart, With sable garb nnd silent tread, Wo bear their senseless dust to rest, And say that they uro "dead." Thuy are not dead! They hnvo but passed lliiyoiid tho mists that blind us hero, Into tho now and larger llfo Of that sercnor sphere, Thoy have but ilroppod their tobn of clay To put their shining rulmont nn; They have rot wandered far away Thuy uro not "lost" nor "goau." Though disenthralled and glorified, Thoy still aro hero and lovo us yet; The dear ones they havo left boh! nil They nover can forgot. And sometimes whon our honrts grow faint Amid temptations flereo und deep, Or when tho wildly raging waves Of grief or pusulnn swuep, Wn feel upon our fevered brow Tlnir gentle touch, their breath of balm Their arms infold us. and our honrts Urow comforted and culm, And over near ua, though unnenn, Tho denr, lmpiortal spirits tread For all tho boundless unWorno Is Life thcro are no dead I