THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: MONDAY, FEMIUAHY 3, 1002.
Hie umaha Daily Bee
: E. ROSEWATER, EDITOn.
HBLISHED EVERT MORNINO.
( TERMS OF PfBBCRIPTION.
Dally Be (without Sunday), On Tear.. WO
lslly Bee and Sunday, On Year 8
Illustrated Bee, Ore yar 2 0
Pundny lee. One Year
Halurday Bra, One, Year 1 60
Twentieth Century Farmer, One Tear... 1.00
DELIVERED BT CARRIER.
Daily Bee (without Sunday), per cony.... 2e
Dally Bee (without Sunday!, per week... .120
Dally Bee (Including Sunday), per week.. 17c
Punday Bee, per capf .c
, Evening Bea (without Sunday), per week.lOc
1 Evening Baa . (Including Sunday), per
week 1R
C'omplalnta of lrreg-.;arttlea In delivery
should ba addressed tu City Circulation !
i part ment.
OFFICES.
Omaha Tha Bee Building.
, South Omaha City Halt Building", Twenty-fifth
and M Streets.
Council Bluffs 10 Pearl Street.
Chicago 140 Unity Building.
New fork Temple Court.
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CORRESPONDENCE.
Communication relating to nawa and edi
torial matter should ba addressed: Omaha
Bee, Editorial Department.
BUSINESS LETTERS".
, Business letters and remittance! should ba
, addressed: Tha Baa publishing Company,
Omaha,
REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft, express or postal order,
payable to Tha Bern Publishing Company.
Only t-oent stamps accepted In payment of
mail aecounta. Personal checks, except on
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TUB BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION,
fate of Nebraska, Douglas County, .:
Oeorge B. Tsachuck, secretary of Tha Bea
Publishing Company, being duly sworn,
says that tha actual number of fulUand
complete copies of Tha Dally, Morning,
Evening and Sunday Bea printed during
tha ruunth at January, 1902, was aa fol
lows:
1 SO.B60
2 80.S10
I 80,000
4 80,110
II
IT
II
II
10
21
21
80.10
so.ino
...8O.S80
S0.8.-.0
SO, too
bo.:0
BO, IBS
80,480
80,8K
80,830
80.1TO
8O.400
I
23
14.....
21
M
17
28
80,200
80.130
80,000
80,460
9
10
ll....
12
U
it..:
is
. .80,180
..ao.aoo
..80,480
..80,470
..80,190
..SO.OTO
Sl.lOO
80,000
29 SS.OIO
10 BO.StSO
. 81...... ,. 80,800
Total . 4i,eos
Lars unsold and returned copies.... ,S4
Net total sales B83.070
Nat dally average so.oor
GEO. B. TZ8CHUCK.
Subscribed In my preaenca and sworn to
befor ma this 1st day of February, A. D.,
1S02. M. B. HUNQATE.
(Seal) Notary Public
Tut it down that In no other coun
try In the world would a war tax be
taken off so soon after. the close of a
costly war.
One of the principals In the Fremont
postoffiee fight la again on the ground
at Washington and another compromise
may be expected.'
Since the uncovering of that $183,000
pot hung up to get . a street railway
franchise through the St Louis city
council, the Chicago alderman mwt
bang bis head In shams. ...
Ex-Treasurer Meserve will not be
blamed for putting the school funds
Into the banks for safe keeping. But
how could putting the interest paid for
their use Into ' hie -own packet make
theiu any safer ..., .-.
f
The most effective way to apply the
pruning knife in local government Is to
compel every man who draws a salary
to do the work devolving upon him In
stead of sub-letting the job to some
body else while he is looking on.
The upbuilding of the west depends
upon the occupancy by settlers of every
acre of ground capable of intensive cul
tlvatlon. No scheme of disposing of the
public lands which shuts out the small
settler can promote its development by
making the west more populous.
The , taxpayers of Douglas county are
to pay 3,705 In witness and Jury fees
alone for the luxury of Investigating
well-defined rumors.' How much would
it cost to Investigate all of the lU-de
fined rumors that have been floating In
the air within the past twelve months T
The council seems to be making one
egregious mistake. It is falling to pro
vide In its estimate of the year's ex
penses for the customary drafts made
on the city treasury for the back salary
grabs of discharged firemen, and police
men promoted by the contingent fee
lawyers.
The Indictment of ex-Treasurer Me
serve for farming out the school funds
for private gain again emphasises the
urgent necessity for a special session of
the legislature to solve the problem of
school fund Investment by the requisite
legislation and submission of constltu
tlonal amendments.
Although the sun has set upon the
Pan-American exposition at Buffalo and
not yet risen upon the Louisiana Pur
chase exposition at St. Louis, the
Charleston exhibition Is at the height
of its glory, so .that people Incurably
Infected with the exposition fever can
still have their wants satisfied.-
Prince Henry must not be allowed to
become Imbued with the delusion that
the little trip covered by his Itinerary
Is going to familiarise him with the
power and resources of this country
When be sets sail .on the homeward
voyage he will still have touched only
the edge of Uncle Sam's domain.
According to hints given the Lincoln
Journal man by one of his deputies sent
to Investigate the records in the state
treasurer's office. County Attorney
Shields is not snxlous to prosecute ex
Treasurer Meserve on the bill found
against him by the Douglas couuty
grand jury. What else could be ex
lected? t
Statements already made by the offl
cers of the greet railroad companies In
dlcate that not less than f-IJO.OOO.OOO
will be expended during the coming
year for betterments and new rolling
stock. These are colossal figures snd
If they do not contain the usual per
centage of water carried by railroad
financiering they Insure an unexampled
activity in all lines connected with rail
road construction.
LET THHC HITS TALL WHERE THE THAT
While blowing ,lwt and blowing cold
about treasury embeczlers snd treasur
ers who farm out public funds for pri
st? gain, the official organ of Nebraska
populism makes a desperate . effort to
convince the allied forces . of reform
hat their late State Treasurer Meaerve
Is a victim of the most foul political
conspiracy ever hatched In Nebraska.
To bolster' op this assertion, this organ
of reform, the Nebraska Independent.
Indulges In the habit of Impudent falsi
fication. For the Information of the re
formers. The Bee proposes to nail a few
of the little lies fabricated for con
sumption by the credulous and Ignorant.
It Is charged by the Independent that
the Douglas couuty grand Jury that In
dicted Mr. Meserve was drawn secretly
under personal direction of Judge Ba
ker. This Is absolutely untrue. The
names for the Douglas county grand
Jury were drawn by the democratic
clerk of the district court out of the
same box and in the same manner as all
other Juries are drawn. Three-fifths of
the names in that box were selected by
the three democratic members of the
county board and two-fifths. by Ihe re
publican members more than a year be
fore the drawing and without even a
suspicion that a grand Jury would be
drawn from the list
It Is charged by the Independent that
the grand jury, was manipulated and
controlled by Tom Dennlson, who Is
alleged to have the monopoly of all
gambling ln'Omaha, and that in conse
quence the grand jury : "never brought
an Indictment asalne Tom Dennlson or
any of his notorious open gambling
houses." As a matter of fact the grand
ury brought several Indictments against
Tom Dennlson and also . Indicted the
keepers of ill the gambling resorts
against whom complaint was made. If
Dennlson owned that grand jury, be
ought to have had Influence enough to
keep himself from being indicted.
It is charged by the Independent that
Rosewater Is the Associated Press
agent at Omaha and all the dispatches
that go to the Associated Press are
bent from "The Bee office. lie took
care that in every newspaper la the
United 'States there should be printed
an account of bow the recent populist
state treasurer had been indicted by an
Omaha grand Jury for embezzlement
which was a He out and out, as embez
zlement wss not charged in the indict
ment" As a matter of fact, the Associ
ated Press has had no office in The Bee
building for two years and nobody by
the name of Rosewater is agent of the
Associated Press or has anything to do
with preparing or sending out Associ
ated Press dispatches. Of the two news
correspondents now maintained by the
Associated Press In Omaha, one Is on
the staff of the World-Herald and the
other Is Independent of all papers.. ,
Furthermore, the report that the re
cent populist state treasurer was in
dicted for embetzlement Is not "a lie
out and out," but Is the exact wording
of the Indictment But If the Indictment
bad charged Meserve with appropriat
ing to own use Interest collected on state
money, It would not have made the or
fense any milder.
With these few corrections, the men
dacious organ of reform may be par
doned for floundering around in the
quagmire Into which It has been plunged
by the man whom of all others it had
exalted and worshipped as the e in bod I
ment of the highest Integrity. So far as
The Be Is concerned, It. . has always
been willing to hew to the line snd let
the chips fly where they may. It bom
barded Bsrtley while he was treas
urer to make him disclose the where
abouts of. the school moneys. It hum
mered Mr. Meserve from time to time
for following In the footsteps of Bart-
ley In refusing to make public the
amounts In the school funds and the
places where they were deposited. It
has pounded Treasurer Steufer for fail
ing to comply with the demands of the
republican state convention -end has de
nounced in unmeasured terms the deals
by which middlemen hsve been allowed
to use the school fund In speculative
bond purchases.
In exacting the most scrupulous hon
esty In' the handling of public funds,
The Bee recognises no partisanship snd
admits no favoritism.' We contend that
It would have been much more credit
able for the reform organs to rebuke
the betrayal of trust on the part of their
former state treasurer than to try to pal
liate his offense or seek to shield him
under the pretense that he Is a victim
of political persecution.
. LOO&11H TO THE SENATE.'
The position of the republican leaders
In the house of representatives has not
entirely discouraged efforts to secure
tariff concessions for Cuban sugsr and
tobacco. The advocates of concessions
are hoping that the senate will accede to
their demands and are also expecting
the support of the administration. Ac
cording to some of the Washington cor
respondents, there is a belief that the
president Is very much dissatisfied with
the action of the way and means com
mittee and may embrace the first op
portunity to let cougreas and the country
know what he .thinks of that action.
It Is also said that some of the senate
leaders do not hesitate to assert their
determination to provide at this session
of congress a means for the tariff relief
Cuba asks. It is suggested that the
mate will force the bouse to pass a
reduction bill in the closing days of the
session, or If this Is not done the same
result may be secured through a resort
to the treaty-making power of the gov
ernment While President Roosevelt iu his 'mes
sage to congress earuestly urged tariff
concessions to Cuba and doubtleaa still
believes this should be done. It is uot
probable that he will exert any extraor
dluary preaaure upon congress la this
matter or in auy event go further than
to reiterate the recommendation of his
message. As to the senate. It Is doubtful
If a majority of the republicans are
prepared to antagonize the bouse repub-
llcan loaders on this question. There
has been no general expression on the
part of the senators regarding conces
sions to Cuba, but there Is no reason to
believe that a majority of the republi
cans are not In accord with the house
leaders.
Meanwhile the gloomy predictions of
disaster snd distress to Cuba If the
concessions asked for are not granted
grow In volume and fervor, while the
danger of political strife In the Island
and the threat of annexation are stren
uously urged In behalf of the adoption
of a policy which would be seriously
damaging to If not utterly destructive
of Important American Interests. If
the maintenance of peace and order In
Cuba Is dependent upon concessions to
the industries of the Island, where will
the demands for concessions stop? If
the Cubsns cannot be trusted to estab
lish and carry on an Independent gov
ernment unless they receive special fa
vors, iiss not a mistake been made in
assuming that they ere fitted for self-
government?
The fight for the preservation of the
American sugar and tobacco Industries
Is not ended, but there Is favorable
prospect of Its success.
GERMAN CVRDtALITF.
The expressions of friendly Interest
toward the United States on the part of
the editors of leading Germsn newspa
pers are certainly pleasing and in re
sponse to them American editors can sin
cerely say that an equally cordial
feeling obtains here toward Germany.
While there has been reason to com
plain of that country's policy toward
the United States commercially and
there Is still ground for apprehending
discrimination which we should regard
as unfair, th, American people have
never entertained any distinctly un
friendly feeling toward Germany, and
at . present no other European nation
stands higher In the respect of our peo
ple. Whatever of distrust may have
been caused by reported designs of Ger
many In this hemisphere antagonistic
to American policy has been completely
dissipated by the ample assurances of
the German government that It had no
intentions or purposes hostile to our in
terests or in contravention of the prin
ciple regarding foreign aggression In
this hemisphere.
Whatever the commercial rivalry be
tween the United States and Germany,
and this will be more active in the
future than in the past it should not
be permitted to . Interfere with the
friendship between the two nations.
What both should seek Is to establish
between themselves more Intimate trade
relations, and this may be hoped for
In the not remote future, since it is ob
viously to the Interest of each to bring
It about .
KXPLAXAT10SB CHEERFULLY HADE.
Will The Bee explain or defend tba ex
penditure of ever 115,000, half for Janitors,
elevator ceaductors, etc., snd half being
for supplies, for maintaining tha city hall
last year, whan ether large buildings hav
ing mora oceupants and frequented by mora
people only expend from $5,600 . to $9,000
for tha same service and supplies?
Will Tha Bea explain or defend the em
ployment of sixteen persons. In addition to
the city engineer, in tha elty engineering
department, stating tba necessity of ons
chief and four assistant draughtsmen in
addition te two engineers and of tba other
ten employee when tha city is doing very
little public work, and almost all of It done
In six weeks of time last year?
Will Tha Bee explain or defend ba
present extravagant manner In which tha
legal and the Board of Publio Works da
partments are conducted T
Will Tha Bea defend the city council In
agreeing with tha heads of different city
departments that they must have as much
money out ef tha general fund to expend
during tba currant year ss they expended
laat year? World-Herald.
The Bee has never been the defender
or champion of taxshlrkers or taxeaters
It has always opposed wsstefulness and
extravagance on the part of public offt
clals and has never failed te denounce
favoritism and discrimination in the as
sessment of property. Its dollar and
cent Interest in the reduction of the levy
would be almost as large as that of the
World-Herald. By a reduction of 1 mill
in the city tax its owners would ssve
$201 where the savings of the owners
of "the World-Herald would be less than
$10, but The Bee will not stoop to arrant
demagogy to make a point la any dis
cussion.
The Bee makes bold to assert that the
expenditure of over $15,000 a year for
the maintenance of the city hall is not
excessive. The $15,000 Includes, with
the salaries of the superintendent of the
building, Janitors, elevator men, en
gineers and firemen, $4,706 for fuel.
lighting, wster, gas and Ice used In the
city hall building. It also Includes an
expenditure of $3,000 for repairs of ele
vators, supplies, plumbing and furniture.
That is certainly not too much. The
cost of the maintenance of The Bee
building, Including fuel and repairs, was
a. fraction less than $2J,000 for the yeur
1901.
. The expenditures of the engineer de
part ment and Board of Public Works
are explained fully In our local columns
by the bead of that department Whether
the mayor and city council are justified
In retaining the employes of those de
partments or whether their prevailing
salaries are excessive is a matter of dla
cretlou. The same Is true with regard
to the legal department which we pro
pose neither to condemn nor defend.
The World Herald's Interrogatories
have altogether too much political flavor
and seem' to be inspired more by a de
sire to match the cut made In the court
bouse thau a sincere desire for tax re
duction. The spirit In which these ex
plauatlons are asked Is In very marked
contrast with the frensled effort made
by the World-Herald to prevent re
trenchment by the school board, at
though it is well sware that a material
reduction, of the city tax levy for 1002
la Impossible without a material reduc
tion of the school tax.
According to Washington dispatches
the Department of Agriculture Is being
torn up from center to circumference by
the question whether the Inspectors of
lire mutton are to be stationed In the
sky parlor on the Nebraska state bouu-
dsry line or allowed to do their Inspect
ing of sheep scab under shelter this side
of the line. The decision of this com
plex problem depends, we are -told, on
the sblllty of the department to buy
railroad tickets for the Inspectors or to
allow the Inspectors to procure paste
boards on credit and have them charged
up to Uncle Sam. The more agreeable.
If not more practical, way would be to
let the Inspectors travel on passes and
have them charged up to the govern
ment What the sheep breeders, mutton
packers and mutton esters think alout
this subject has not as yet been di
vulged, but The Bee ventures to remark
that they are not very particular.
Senator Depew enjoys not only the
distinction of occupying a greater
amount of space for the recital of his
life work and public service In the new
edition of the Congressional Directory,
but also the privilege of having bis
biography brought strictly up to date
the official chronicling? of his recent
marriage, which took place scarcely a
month ago. With this exhibition of the
modern news-gathering mania on the
part of the compiler of that ornate yet
useful document, no one can truthfully
charge that publication with dealing
solely In ancient and putrid history. A
new edition of the Congressional Di
rectory will be smply Justified at what
ever draft on the , contingent expense
fund every time Cupid captures a dis
tinguished senator.
The World-Herald thinks the mayor
and council should not be given full
credit for keeping the city expenditures
for 1001 well within the limit of re
sources, because the tax rate for 1001
was lsrger-than usual. But It carefully
conceals the fact that the chief Increase
the tax rate was due to the unnre-
cedented demands of the school board.
The school tsxes produced a bigger
revenue for 1001 by far than In any
preceding year, yet the overlap In the
school fund was not appreciably re
duced, whereas, according to the World-
Herald Itself, the city funds subject to
the mayor and council are better off by
1110,000.
President Roosevelt's order against
federal officeholders spending their
time trying to lobby salary increases
through congress should be the prece
dent for similar action on the part of
state executives with reference to stste
officers and employes. Nothing is so
disgusting as the swarm of official lob
byists that infest our legislatures In the
interest of larger appropriations for this
office or that state; Institution. If the
needs of the different branches of the
governmebt were' presented in official
reports and a stop made there, the legis
latures would deal just as fairly with
each in the make-tip of the biennial bud
get .. '
The Germsn government has notified
the Reichstag thfii It retaliatory duties
are Incorporated, 'in.the tariff, bill, the
government will tjeject the measure. It
points out that (Germany must have
raw materials from abroad and must
get then! from he ' countries against
which the retaliation is aimed. This
fact has been pointed out In this coun
try to those who .were inclined to be
alarmed by the commercial hostility of
a certain portion of the German people.
The United States Is In a position to
peaceably enforce fair treatment abroad
and until conditions change. Its manu
facturers need not be alarmed.
The record shows that during the
year Just closed a total of, $107,300,000
was donated oy wealthy Americans for
public purposes. ' While the men of
large affairs in this' country are piling
up vast fortunes; It is unquestionably
true that in no other country in the
world are they using their money to so
great an extent for unselfish purposes.
Great accumulations of money may be
a menace, as some hold, but an appre
ciation of the responsibilities of wealth
certainly robs it of most If not all the
danger. . ,
The grand Jury bills, presented to the
county commissioners, amounting to
$2,005 for juror services and $1,640 for
witness fees, all In all $3,706, exclusive
of sheriff's fees and Incidentals, have
been referred to the proper committee,
would hare been in accord with the
eternal fitness of things to have referred
these bills to the defunct finance com
mlttee of the school board that made
Itself famous as the "committee on well
defined rumors."
It U to be regretted that the majority
of the county board which started out
on a course of retrenchment based on
business method!! should have yielded
to pressure from parties Interested In
continuing sinecures on the couuty pay
roll A firm stand on behalf of TSe tax
payers will be appreciated, but every
step backward will offend a thousand
people for every one It gratifies or con
cllltatos.
A Needles Test.
Philadelphia LfrUer.
Our troopa la the Philippines ar t-bo
log the heroism of endurance a well as
tha courage of conflict. Tbey are Jemoa
stratlng that tha American sold'trl a very
sigh type of manhood, but we have learned
all this before; do we need further sacri
fice to prove it?
tlaa's Prerogatives la Peril.
Ban Francisco CalL
Aa Oakland Judge has mad most se
rious assault oa the vested rights of tha
mala of tha human species. This learned
Jurist makes tha astounding decision that
a wife has the aam liberty as a husband
to stay out Bights and keep knowledge ef
her whereabouts te herself.
Hcaalatlaa ef Carparatlaaa.
Boston Post.
What w need la a law la all state that
will compel full and detailed public reports
by all corporations whoa stock la listed on
stock exchange or sold publicly. These
report should be sworn t by a majority
f the director aal a atata prison ea
tear should be tha penalty for naaklug
Ule returns.
Fusion Press
West Tolnt Democr: wnderf,i! what
an amount of gall some of the republican
papers of tha state display when they criti
cise ex-State Treasurer Meserv on being
'ndlcted by the grand Jury for embeiiling
tba small sum of $1,500, and not mentioning
the charges made against the republican
state treasurer. Why not ko after large
s well as small game, gentlemen?
OrH Journal (pop.): The dally paper an
nounce that the grand jury In Ttouglas
county has found an Indictment against ex-
Treasurer Meserv for embetilement of
stat funds, by not accounting for as much
Interest ss he should. Mr. Meserve says It
Is politic and persecution, and that he ac
counted for every cant of state money and
turned It over to his successor. It does
look a little like an effort was being made
to divert attention from Stuefer bond deals
and Baraga's pardon of Hartley. However,
If Meserve Is guilty ha should pay the pen
alty. But there -Is considerable difference
between nn Indictment and a conviction.
Albion Argus (pop.): It Is reported now
that ex-State Treasurer Meserve has been
Indicted by a Douglas county grand Jury
for depositing stat school funds with an
Omaha bank and receiving Interest
thereon to his Individual profit while he
waa la office. If this is true, then he Is
no better than his republican predecessors.
No, he Is worse, because he represented
people who war tired of the Bartlcy-Moor
regime and elected him with the hop of a
lawful administration. It Is Intimated that
he Is not guilty, but that this Is the work
of political enemies to .harass him. W
hop this may b the case, but If he Is
guilty, as charged, then go after him.
Tork Democrat: An Omaha grand Jury
laat week returned an Indictment against
J. B. Meserve, former fusion atata treas
urer, for embexxllng Interest en stat funds
deposited while stat treasurer In a South
Omaha bank. It seems farcical on Its face.
but the Indictment having been returned
the republicans who are behind tha matter.
It they are honest, will push It to trial
without delay. Turn on the light. If J. B.
Meserv has embesilad any money belong
ing to the people of Nebreska tbey want to
know It. A popocratlc thief la no better
than a republican thief. When Jobn B.
Meserv la brought to trial It will be
speedily shown that b Is not an embezsler.
Neltgh Teoman (pop.): A Douglas county
grand Jury has Indicted ex-Stata Treasurer
Meserve en a charge of taking Interest, on
school money deposited In a South Omaha
bank and falling to turn It over to the
state. It Is claimed that this action Is
taken to divert attention from the Bartley
pardon and tha Stuefer Investigation. The
Investigation of the case will show whether
there Is foundation for the charge. Quite
likely It is merely a political diversion,
but sine tha charge Is mad It Js best that
tha matter ba cleared up. There will be
no disposition to shield a populist official
from any merited censure. Investigate Me
serv, but In the act, don't overlook tba
fact that the Stuefer matter hasn't yet
been satisfactorily explained.
Aurora Sun (dem.): The Omaha News
and World-Herald denounce the grand jury
that has bean Investigating crookedness la
Omaha, as a fake, a sham and a disgrace.
They covered np real crookedness and ex
hibited rank partlsanism In tholr efforts.
They let gamblers and thieve escape and'
Indicted many on flimsy charges and little
or no evidence. Ex-Treasurer Meserv was
Indicted for embexxllng stat funds after
the Jury twice voted a majority against tha
Indictment, because of tb utter lack of
testimony to convict, for no other than
political reasons. However, if there, is a
scintilla of truthful testimony- in support
of the charge, we are glad that ba was
held, and If convicted should b thoroughly
punished, put It It Is a political attempt
te distract attention from republican
thieves, while besmirching an honest offi
cial, th dastardly effort will redound to
the injury of the party making the assault.
Columbus Telegram (dem.): Employment
In the Nebraska stat treasury seems to be
a stepping stone to crime. As the records
now stand, every Incumbent in that office
during a dozen years stands before bis
fellows branded as a thief. Stuefer, who
Is certified by our Savage governor as th
most honestest man under th Nebraska
sun," is dally charged in to puoiio press
with crooked handling of th school funds.
Tb Telegram does not know . that th
charge is true. We hop it is false, but
the evidence Is strong. His predecessor, th
Immaculate Meserv, has been Indicted by
a Douglas county grand jury for stealing
from tha school tund. Perhaps ba la Inno
cent. We hop so and yet strong evidence
of hla crime waa preaented to the grand
jury. Stuefer is a republican. Meserv Is
a pop. Perhaps both are tb victims of
political paraecutlbns. We do not know. But
w do know it la time to begin making
public thievery odious la Nebraska, Sine
the state waa organised vaat auma have
been stolen by public official. Not 1 per
cent of the stealings has ever been re
covered from the bondsmen. Not a dollar
of th publio money has been stoles from
tb Holt county treasury sine th day
Barrett ScoU was vac Inated by those
Holt county farmers. It is barbarous to
vaccinate publio officials whose finger get
sticky, but It la a sur preventive when
thievery Is In tb air.
St. Paul Phonograph (pop.): Eight years
ago. when we reorganised mo nowoi u
county treasury, w established It upon th
baaio principle that all public money, re
gardless of whatever hocus-pocus of law
they may be classified. Is tha property of
th public and not of tb treasurer, aa
otbera had contended, and hence every
penny of Intereat upon every penny of
principal belongs In the treasury. At that
time w supposed that this was a populist
principle, and despite th silent ill-will
and the audible ridicule which this course
elicited, we still have lb crankiness te de
clare that this Is the only honest snd cor
rect system and to hop that Ita contlnuaaca
In this county may remain permanent.
Tb experience thus gained and which
cannot ba shaken by Mis sophistry or
worse spurred us to agitate for th appli
cation of this principle In all treasuries,
Including that of tha stat. This nort
has wholly fallen upon deaf ears. Not a
singl journalist nor political leader has
down to date shown any willingness te ad
vocate absolute honesty la publio treasur
ies. So, if Meserve Is proved (ullty of th
act of pocketing interest received on th
publio money, bis character as such Is th
product of th public mind. Just as the
acta of Bartley and his predecessors wr
creatures of the same source. In all proba.
blllty, Bartley became an embessler of the
Interest befor he became an embesrUr of
th principal. It ha bad never touched
the intereat he would never have touched
tha principal. Wa hav her shown the
primary source of responsibility, becauae
It Is right that it ahould be shown, and not
with any object of ualng It for Meaerve's
defense. It ha Is proved guilty, w say
that ba should suffer tha peualty of tha
law, even though that law la customarily
a dead letter, only aroused oa special occa
sions. Tha present effort la supposed te b
a political move, for th reason that W
aerv baa been set dows aa a possible can
didate for governor, sad further, that aa
offset to republican blemishes would prob
ably hav soma value for them In th
Thla I Sa Saddea.
Minneapolis Journal.
Geaersl Bell aa that on womaa Is mora
fflcltst la pactfrUg the rtltplaos tha a a
on Meserve
coming campaign. We shall, however, re- 1
serve Judgment until after th affair Is
closed. If the people who hav Instituted
this Investigation of Meserv will us the
same teal in Investigating tb sbady bond
deals of present Treasurer Stuefer, and
also his relation to the Interest account
of the school fund; If tbey will Investigate
and ludlct former Treasurer Bartley for
the enibexxlement for which he has not yet
been indicted, then they will prove them
selves to ba actuated by Just motives. But
If they stop with Meserve, that fact itself
will brand the whole proceeding as po
litical humbug, as far at th motive Is
concerned.
Fremont Leader (pop.): Tha man In thla
state who dares to oppose a certain gang
who have long ruled Nebraska and shows
them a better way of concluding th stat
and Its finances, must b crucified. The
gang, when they secured a grand jury
that would obey their mandate, put the
screws to do tb work that they say nailed
Meaerve Instead of Stuefer. If they have
called Meserve, as tbey claim, then where
are w to look for an honest man? Ex
Treasurer Meserve could have carried ov
the work of the treasurer's offlce as hi
predeoesor had don and the atsta would
have lost half a million dollar. But no.
every on know he saved millions to the
stat Instead, and Invested the school
funds in good securities, and bought state
warrants ss fast as he could obtain them.
By good management be raised state war
ran ta to a premium after being at a dis
count of about 10 per. cent, thus rendering
the most faithful service until partisans
blacken his character In an Inquisition
chamber. Thia has been his record up to
thla time and actual settlement by cash:
and we expect, when th case Is brought
Into court, If ever, he will prove that be
wa a faithful servant of th people. Jf
not, he ought to die with th other political
dead duck. Until then we will bellsv
In th man who aet the state finances going
In a businesslike manner.
Rushville Standard (pop.): The grand
Jury has Indicted ex-Treasurer Meaerve, ac
cusing him of receiving Interest on school
inoney and refusing to turn It over te the
schirCi fund. That there Is political chican
ery behind this movement very few people
doubt. The republican political ring have
made every effort within their power to
trump up some charge of dishonesty against
soma populist official to offset th thieving
of the republican state officials. They first
raised an accusation against Secretary of
Stat Porter, and tried for awhile to make
a cinch of It, but were beaten at tbelr own
gam. Their next mov was to go after J.
N. Oaffln, tha state - oil Inspector. They
claimed he waa short in his accounts to tb
tunc of $795.02, but again they were foiled
In their attempt to bring dishonor on an In
nocent man and the populist party. With a
bulldog tenacity they are hanging on and
seem determined that soma trumped up
charge must be brought befor the people
to balance their side ef Bartleytsm, so
charges are brought against Meserve. . If
ex-State Treasurer Meserv Is guilty of the
charges brought agatnst him no paper In
tb state would advocate bis punishment
quicker than tb Standard, hut w will hav
to hav more proof of that guilt than has
yet been In evidence. Meserve gave bends
In a surety oompany and at the end of his
term the surety bond company checked up
his accounts and reported every penny an
counted for. Mr. Stuefer, hla successor,
checked over' tha aecounta again and found
a perfect balance. We anxiously await Snal
results.
Madison Mall (ex-Senator Allen):' Last
week, just befor th district court ad.
Journed and as a fitting finale to Ben
Baker's partisan judicial career, the Doug
las county grand jury found an indict
ment against Hon. J. B. Meserve, late state
treasurer, for embextllng state money. No
one believes Meserv guilty, and we predict
that when the caae ta triad h will stand
higher In tb estlmattoa of the people. If
that be possible, than ever. It Is claimed,
aa we .understand the charge, that Msaerv
received Interest on state deposits which
he did not account for and that th act
constitutes embczslemant. Mr. Meserv of
course emphatically denies the accusation.
But If tba claim be true he did no more
than follow the unbroken precedent of re
publican stat treasurer during th en
tire history of the state, and republicans
ought not object to fualonlsts following In
tbelr footstep. . But no on places any
reliance on the charge. It wa not mad
because It was supposed Meserv Is guilty,
but to draw publio attention from the
record of Savage and Stuefer and other de
linquent state officials and to enable re
publican journals to counterfir oa fusion
Ists. It Is purely a rotten partisan affair
and a very dirty one at that. The intereat
of no political party require that th
nam of aa innocent man b besmirched
by an accusation et this kind, and .the
charge against' Meserve will fall flat and
recoil on those who instigated it. The
grand Jury, of Douglas county which found
the indictment was a ragtag and bobtail
body, such aa can be easily convened la
a center of population and Induced to in
dict almost anyone at th suggestion of
alnlster Influences usually found hanging
around the courthoua in such places.
Heretofore th judiciary of Dougia county
has been reasonably free from Jobs of this
kind, but Bea Baker's court has left a stain
on ita fair nam that cannot be easily
erased.
Broken Bow Beacon (pop.): The grand
Jury of Douglas county, last week, indlcte
ex-State Treasurer J. B. Meserve for em
bexslement of public funds. The South
Omaha stock yards bank officlala furnished
the teatimony upon which the Indictment
waa based, and It appears that he Is
charged with having appropriated te his
own use, while acting as state treasurer,
the Interest for ene year oa $60,000 of
school money. Mr. Meserve has given
bond to appear at the next term ef court,
but stoutly denies that there Is anything
whatever la th charge. It will be re
membered that Mr. Meserve was th popu
list atate treasurer from January, ISa", to
January, 1901, and aa such officer mad a
splendid record In th investment of school
funds and ta the skillful management of
tha stat financ generally. In fact, h
mad a record that was pointed to with
prld by all, not Influenced by partisan
seal. Tb Beacon is loth to bellav that
Mr, Meserv wa recreant to duty. His
accounts were checked by his bondsmen,
' sad he settled satisfactorily with bis suc
cessor, accounting for all moneys la his
control as custodian of publio funds. But
if ha is guilty of misappropriating the
money, let him pay th penalty for the
crime, and tha sooner ha is put behind
th bars, th better th people will feel
about It. Tha speculation, misappropria
tion and deliberate embetilement of public
fund ha become too common la this stste,
and, although th attempt to make an ex
ample of either Bartley, Mosher, Moor
or Bolln waa abortive. It I time to call
a halt, and yat fix tb stigma wher It
belongs. Now what Is wanted, I a fair
and Impartial trial, Th Beacon will with
hold judgment until th guilt or Inno
cence of th accused Is established by tb
tribunals designated by law te mt eut
equal and exact Justice.
company of soldiers. Let u marry off tha
whole army la tb Philippine. This w'll
b equivalent to a army of 4.000,000 men,
according to General Bell's Ideas.
caies or. bisiskss FAii.rnr..
How o rroSt by the Mistakes at
Others.
St. Taul Pioneer Tres.
Thrr Is a whole ' sermon addreasM r
the man about to start In business for
himself In aa analysis, la the ' current
Bradstreet's, of the causea of the 10, M.
failures In 1901. These failures are classi
fied under two principal -beads, according
te th primary causa of ach dlaaster. In
the first clasa are enumerated, the fallurea -caused
by the faults of those falling and
In the second class the failures caused by
th faults of others. The rauaea enumer
ated under the first class are (1) Incom
petence Irrespective of other causes; (2)
Inexperience without other Incompetence;
(3) lack of capital; (I) unwise granting
of credits; (S) speculstlon outside of regu
lar business; (() neglect of business due
to doubtful habits; (7) persoosl extrava
gance, and ($) fraudulent disposition ef
property. Under the second clsss are
enumerated (1) specific conditions, such
aa disasters; (2) failure ef apparently sol
vent debtors, and (3) undue competition.
Of the failures In 1901 71.4 per cent were
attributable to the faults of those falling
and only 28 per. .cent to the , faults of
ethers. In 1900 these percentage stood at
77.4 and 22.S respectively. The primary
cause of non-success, as usual, waa lack
of sufficient capital, which la credited with
having brought about SO.S per cent of the
fallurea In 1901 against 32 per cent In 1900.
Tbe next cause la order of Importance wae
Incompetence, which wa responsible for
19 per cent. Inexperience was responsible
tor 7-1 per cent; unwise credit for l. per
cent; extravagance for t per , cent and
apeculatlon for 2.S per eeat. Fraudulent
disposition accounted for only 4.4 per cent
of th failures, against 10 and 11 per cent in
1900 and previous years. -
Of the csueee. which th business man
cannot control, speelfle conditions, which
this year Included th ateel strike,' th corn
crop failure, the assassination of the presi
dent and the lower price of cotton, were
Drlmarllr responsible for 1S.4 of th rear
commercial disasters, while undue competi
tion accounted for 10.9 per cent, leaving 1.x
per cent to be accounted for by the failure
of apparently solvent debtors. '
A 11.6 per cent of all th raunre wer
of firms trying to do business on $6,000
capital or less, the moral of these statistics
Is evident. The business man wno piaya
the markets, or tbe ene who Is extravagant
or Indulges bad habit to the negleot of
business, cannot find comfort la the lew
percentage of fallurea arising from suoh
causes. The low statistics merely go te
show the generally stable chsraxter ef th
American business man. Probably all the
men who are credited with falling for these
or other faults attributable to themselves
are vigorously laying th blame on some
one else and could prov conclusively that
th statistics should be eerrected.
PERBO!fAL HOTKS. -
President Schwab aeems to have adver
tised th United States ftulte extensively
during his European tour.
Booker T. wasningTon a .uvouiu-jr-.ym.
"Up From Slavery." tranalated Into French,
German and Hlndoostanee, Is now to be.
anna tnta Finnish and 4nto Span I ah tor
Cuba. ,
President Roosevelt's bljgrtphy ce "OH
ver Ciomwell" Is about to ba published la
s. Trench edition through the efforts of the
Soclete Rrancalse d'Imprimerte et d LI
brarle of Paris.
John F. Dryden, tbe new senator from
New Jersey, Is an expert mathematician.'
He has studied figures In all tbelr com,
blnatlpns for recreation err since he wa
a. boy and . canolve .the mostdlfflcult
problems offhand.. a ''. ,'. . , .
It Is a dull day In which Kansaa doe not
work off a prosperity story. A Wichita,
woman was robbed of $1,000 worth of,
diamonds at high noon and went to a re
ception the nlgbt following, without a trace
of nervousn .and every curl in place.
William M. Ramsey of California has
just purchased Weatover, the famous' coun-
tory Is well traced for 200 years. H will,
reetor th ettate to Its colonial magnifi
cence, but will not mar Ita colonial archi
tecture. Richard Elklns, son of Senator Stephen'
B. Elklns, is described as a chip ef th old
block. On January 1 he sold hla father a
tract ef coal land In West Virginia and
cleaned up $12,000 oa th deal. A friend
secured th. options for young Elklns aad
be engineered the deal with his father. .
Mr. Lessler, th man who defeated Perry
Belmont for congress, Is not quit Ave feet
tall, weighs little more than eavwaty-flve
pounds and wears hoy's shoes. la defease .
of his small stature he philosophically re '
marks: "Alexander Stephens waa the
smallest man la congress, and yet eae of
tbe greatest."
CHEERFUL CHAFF.
Somervllle Journal: Fhllosopher-aSverjr
young man ahould have a high Ideal.
Ollded Youth That's what I say. The
girt I'm engaged to Is s feet S Inches tall.
Washington Star: "What canal rout da
you favor?" asked tha statesman' friend,
"I don't know yet," waa the answer. "I
have refrained from going on record befora
my constituents In the matter until I learn,
which rout I likely to b adopted."
Detroit Free Press: SheLet m ee, the
laat tlra I played bridge with you, didn't 1
win all your money?
He Why, no. Don't you remember ther
wer twe other women la tha party?
Chicago Post: "W pay on publication,"
explained the editor. 1
'And publication will be?" suggested th
anxious contributor Inquiringly,
"When we pay," answered th editor
cheerfully.
Puck: Th Amateur Sometime I think
I hav artistic talent and sometimes I think
not. -
Her Friend Well r you can't b ml.
taken all th time!
Washington Star: 'I man dat la sua.
nlrloua of ev'ybody may be wis," aaid
unci Eben; "but you can't help thlnkln'
dat ha must of kep' mighty po cpmpany
at some time or another.." i u . -
Philadelphia Press: "John," sh aald to
her husband, who wa grumbling over hi
breakfast, "your lov haa grown cold."
"No It haan't," ha snapped, "but my
brenkfast has."
"That's jst It. If your lov hadn't grown
cold you v-ouldn't notice that your break
fast had." ,
Chicago Trlb'-ne: "Why I It.1 asked th
pnrson in search of Information, "that a
hatchet la so often used aa a symbol of
truth? Haa It any other origin than th
Own WsHhincton story?"
"Oh, yes," replied the eynlcal person. "A
hatchot is sugiiestlv of truth. becau
are likely to do a great dead of mfachUsf
with it unless you handl it with CfV-nV
"SOMBt OF THESIS DAYS."
Frank L. Stanton, In Atlanta Constitution.
eunia of these days" that' th way that
we sing it; .
"Sam of the das" so th merry bells
ring It; ' t
In th dark c eha war (
AH tha stars r a-blas
O'er tha dreama that are leading te "Bom
of thea days!"
"Soma of these days" that's th old song
forever;
Llf- will reach height crowning every en
deavor; And prsyer will b orals .
Where anthems We'll rats
In tha beautiful eunrta of "Soma ef th
days:"
"Soma of these days" that's th wsy for
th singing! .-.
"Soma af ihM days" Ut th balls keen
a-rlnglng!
Though sorrow betrays
And the thorns those, th ways,
God rosea will bloom, for u "Sum ef
thea da:"