Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, June 21, 1902, Page 6, Image 6

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ttltE OMAltA DAILY HEE; SATURDAY, JUNE' 21, 1902.
Tim Omaha Daily Dee.
E. IlOSEWATKIl, EDITOR.
rtTHLISHED EVERT MO UN I NO.
TEIlilS Of SfUSCUirTION
f tally I (without Sunday), One Year. 14. 00
'ally liie and Hunday, one Year 6 .)
Illustrated ijce, One car I.W
Bunday Hee, One Year 2.1W
fcntuiuay Hee, (.mo ear 1.6o
'twentieth Century Fanner, One Year. l.W
DELIVKllKD BY CAKKI KR
Pally Bee (without Sunday), tier copy.. 2c
Dally ilea (without Sunday), per week. .12c
lially Hee (Including Sunday), per week. 17c
humlay Hee. pr copy 6c
Evening Hon (without Sunday), per week.Wc
Ecvtnmg jjee (including uunuay), per
Week 15c
Complaints of Irregularities In delivery
ttjouid be addressed to City Circulation
department.
I OFFICES.
I Omnha The Bee Building.
. B'J'itli Otnaha city Hall Hulldlng, Twen
! ly-lilih ami M streets.
j Council UIu(Tb-1i Pearl Street.
Chicago Mi, L'nlty Building.
J r-tw York Temp's Court.
r Washington uul Fourteenth Street
t CORRESPONDENCE.
t Communications relating to news and
j yvjiiuiini niuiier snouia ne addressed:
) vuuma iiee, juitorial Department.
BUSINESS LETTERS.
J .Business letters and remittances should
, nuuressau: i ha Bee Publishing Cora
j puny, Omaha.
j REMITTANCES.
Rom,lt tjy .arart. express or postal order,
payable to The Hee Publishing Company.
jniy -cent stamps accepted In payment of
inaii accounts. 1 ersonal checks, excem on
Ifmaha or eastern exchange, not accept
iiiE BEE PLBLISiiINO COMPANJ
ed.
Y.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION,
ptate of Netiraaka, Douglas County, si.:
, Ueorge B. 'i'ZHchuck, secretary of The Bee
publishing Company, being duly sworn,
ays that th actuul number of full and
tompietn copies of Ths Dally. Morning.
Evening and Sunday Bee printed during
(he mouth of May. 11W2. was a follows:
U itu.uoo
9 SU.42U
I stv.ovo
t xw.usu
B 30,JiaO
6 uo.aoo
30.700
V0,MO
Ji0,70O
i9 XtMMO
U iii,eus
JI ltn,U,10
1-1 2U,R34
U 2i,u:m
IB ..20,S70
M uu.suo
17 2O.0UO
18 SO.CMIO
i zu.oao
20 ao,U)o
21 2t,(MO
22.....'. 21,50
23 29,470
24 21,nNO
23 20.R40
26 211,040
27 21,R30
28 21l,rMO
J 20,4.10
SO 2tt,UU0
tl .....20,010
t ToU1 81,U80
Jxss unsold and returned copies.... 10,700
liet dally average no 31U
Rnh.rrih.4 . QEO- B- TZ8CHUUK.
kernrf ,dJnom' fe'ence and sworn to
t8e,u- II. B. H UNGATE,
Notary Public.
David B. inn cvldoutly still labels
fclmscU as n democrat.
To anxious Inquirer: No, the corona
tion bas nothing to do with Carrfenation.
With the house pnlllnjr for Nicaragua
j find the striate for ranama, au nrbi-
j tratlon committee will have to come to
the rescue.
Douglas county democrats right It out
tn their primaries, but they never know
vho they are for until the convention
starts working.
Coming down to hard pan, the only
really tall timber before the republican
fctate convention was planted In the
lieutenant governor's place.
- What would our esteemed World
llerald do to fill up its editorial columns
if It did not have Hosewater as a peren
nial subject for discussion? v
When the New Jersey silk mills re
pumo, after agreement between men and
Dwners, the word will come that every
thing 1s again "liner than silk."
An Omaha man suddenly dropped
dead after voting at a democratic pri
mary. Moral Voto the republican ticket
that you may live long and prosper.
France's historic king will hare to
Jake off his hat to the Omaha school
iraurd when It comes to marching up
the hill and then marching down again.
Colonel Bryan's advantage as an
editor will now come Into play. lie can
take his pen In hand and tell Just what
lie thinks of the oratory served up at
the TUden club feast
We presume tho democratic system In
Vogue here with a day Intervening be
tween primary and convention is de
signed especially for the benefit of those
rho operate on the political live stock
exchange.
Congress Is expected to adjourn
rlthln another two weeks, but the leave-to-print
privilege will not be withdrawn
until all members have ample oppor
tunity to get their campaign speeches in
type at government expense.
Not content with casting advance
'boroscopt's for the convention, the po
litical astrologers luslst on making mind
readings to explain the results. And
their postprandial dissertations are
about as wide of the mark as their pre
vious diagnosis.
The north hulf of the Louisville rail
road bridge was assessed in ludiana for
$1,000,000 for 1001. The west half of
the. Union raclnc Omaha bridge is as
sessed for $1,508 in Nebraska. The
railroad tax bureau can explain this
discrepancy by pointing to the fact that
.The Bee building was assessed for only
$15.000 in 1001.
The attempt to name a street adjoin
ing , the federal building lu Baltimore
Kafter Our Dave failed because It was
misplaced. It should have b'eu directed
toward glvlug his name to the street ad
joining the house that Mercer builds.
Iu that case, however, we will probably
have to look for Mercer street neither
In Baltimore nor tn Omaha, but in Min
neapolis. Ex-rresldent Cleveland' references
,to a democracy for the future "uncor
rupted by offers of strange alliances"
were doubtless designed for 4 he benefit
of democrats lu the western states stuck
to the fusion fly paper by molasses of
patronage and spoils. But Mr. Cleve
land's admonition will only make the
Nebraska flies more greedy for the fu
sion adhuslv plaster .
RAILROAD TAXATIUK LV Kt.VTtTjrr.
By a decision of the court of appeals
lh railroad corporations of Kentucky will
be compelled to pay eri yesr Isrue sums
to the various towns and cities. Only re
cently the assesHmenU of the railways of
the state have been Increased from SO to
100 per cent by the Stats Boird of t'alua
Hon and Assessment, and under the decision
handed down today the same basis b
employed by the cltlea and counties, tiitiE
greatly Increasing the fixd charges of ILe
various railways, and particularly the
Louisville Nashville, which suffered an
Increase of 100 per rent, its franchise
belnir valued at $60,000,000, as against
$.10,000,000 heretofore. The decision was Id
the case of the Southern Railway ngalnst
Auditor Coulter and other members of the
State Board of Assessment and Valuation.
It upheld the Judgment of the lower court.
Fr-tnkfort (Ky.) special to Chicago Tribune.
This righteous decision of the Ken
tucky supreme court establishes a prece
dent which sooner or later will be fol
lowed In every state of the union iu
spite of railroad attorneys and tax bu
reaus. The railroads have always ex
erted a powerful political influence In
Kentucky, but in spite of all of the
pressure they could bring the assess
ments have been increased by the State
Board of Assessment this year from
30 to 100 per cent
It will bo noted that the assessment
of the franchises of the Ivoulsvillo &
Nashville alone has bien raised from
$30,000,(XX) to $iJ0,(()0,(HK'). If the fran
chise of the Louisville & Nashville rail
road Is worth $00,00,(X)0 in Kentucky,
how much Is the franchise of the Union
Pacific worth in Nebraska? How much
Is the franchise of the Burlington worth,
and how much those of the other roads?
Up to this time these franchises, which
are worth not less than $1:00,000,000.
have escaped taxation altogether, but
that is not all. The tangible property
of the railroads has practically been ex
empt from taxation for municipal pur
poses. i Under the decision of the Kentucky
supreme court the property aud fran
chises of railroads will pay Just the
same taxes in titles as all other classes
of property. That principle will In due
time prevail lu Nebraska. Nowhere is
the discrimination more flagrant than
In the assessment at Omaha. Under the
assessment made by the stale board
this year the west half of the Union
Pacific railroad bridge, assessed for
$l,.rjtW, will pay Just $47.04 into the city
treasury of Omaha, when it should pay
at least $3,000 to $5,000. The Fremont
& Elkhorn road for all Its property, In
cluding right-of-way, depot grounds,
depots, terminals and property of every
description, is assessed at $12,000, and
will pay $3S7 In city taxes, when It
should by rights pay at least $1,000 to
$tl,0O0. Tho Burlington passenger and
freight depots, depot grounds, terminal
facilities, sidetracks and equipment will
pay only $522 In taxes for city purposes
in 10O2, when they ought to pay at least
from $0,000 to $10,000.
When all the railroads and other cor
porations enjoying valuable special
privileges pay their share toward the
cost of state aud city government, the
tax rate will be reduced proportionately
and property values will increase. In
the end the consumer pays the freight.
The railroads levy the taxes on the
products of the state and their own
taxes are Included and collected before
they pay their assessments.
THE SPUONER SUBSTITUTE.
The passage by the senate of the
Ppooner substitute for the Nicaragua
canal bill that passed the house will be
satisfactory to everybody except the ex
treme advocates of the Nicaragua route,
who are unmoved by argument or facts.
The substitute is, of course, a com
promise. It does not determine the
route to be selected, placing this re
sponsibility upon the president under
certain clearly specified conditions. If
the president finds that the Panama
Canal company can convey to the
United States a satisfactory title and
there can lie secured from the govern
ment of Colombia by treaty control of
the necessary territory as specified in
the bill, then the president shall select
the Panama route. Should it be found
that these requirements cannot be met
the president is authorized to proceed
with the construction of a canal by the
Nicaragua route, having first secured by
treaty with Nicaragua and Costa Rica
the necessary territory and other con
cessions. it is the opinion of some of the ablest
lawyers in the senate that there will be
no difficulty in securing a clear and
satisfactory title to the property of the
ranama Canal company. As to the
concessions that will be required from
Colombia, It Is also believed that there
will be little difficulty in obtaining them.
The government of that republic has
shown a most earnest desire that the
United States shall complete the canal
and has recently signified Its willing
ness to grant the most liberal conces
sions to this government There are
certainly no greater difficulties, as
shown by negotiations thus far, in the
way of secuiiug uecessary concessions
from Colombia than from Nicaragua
and Costa ltlca. All these countries
are anxious, there Is no doubt to make
the best bargain they can, but they will
finally accept such terms as the United
States deems to be fair and reasonable.
The two routes have received the most
thorough investigation and considera
tion and the weight of expert and scien
tific" opinion is unquestionably on the
side of Panama. Both are practicable,
but the Panama is the safer route, as
has been abundantly demonstrated by
recent conditions. The highest scien
tific opinion is unfavorable to Nicaragua
and although the extreme partisans of
that route have persistently endeavored
to discredit this opinion it la undoubt
edly accepted by a large majority of the
public. A canal on the Panama route
would cost for construction consider
ably less than by the Nicaragua route
and as the cost of either will be great
the fluancial consideration is Important.
Whether or not the house will adopt
the Spoouer substitute for Its bill Is a
question about which no confident pre
diction can be made. What is known
as the Hepburn bill was passed by the
house with practical unanimity, onlv
three votes being recorded against It
Undoubtedly there has since been a very
considerable change of opinion amomr
house niemlKrs, but perhaps not stifli
dent fo pass the substitute. The proba
blllty is that the house will adhere to
the Nicaragua bill and la that case
there will be no canal legislation at this
session.
PARTT OUUAXlZATIOa.
A question has arisen whether the re
publican state convention Just held
placed the authority to appoint the sec
retary aud other officers of the state
committee with the state chairman or
with the candidates on the state ticket
Tho precedent was set by the state con
vention of 1!H)1 to vest the chairman
with the power to name the secretary.
Wo think this precedent is all wrong be
cause It proceeds on the mistaken theory
that the secretary Is a clerk to the chair
man instead of au officer of the com
mittee who should derive his authority
from and be responsible to the 'same
body as the chairman.
The convention itself, of course, Is the
embodiment of the party and after its
adjournment tho party organization is
represented by the state committee,
whose members re directly accountable
to their constituencies In their respective
districts. The officers of the committee
should be chosen by the convention or
by the state committee. The secretary
In particular should bo a man of ca
pacity and experience, in touch with
political conditions and able to perform
his duties without waitiug on the chair
man for minute directions.
Under present circumstances, It may
make no difference In the character of
tho officers no matter by whom they are
named, but the principle of direct re
sponsibility to the rank and file of the
party through Its convention or state
committee should be applied to all the
officers of the party iu its organized
capacity.
DEMOCRATIC REHAblLlTATiOH.
Grover Cleveland and David B. Hill
have told the democrats of the country
what they deem to be necessary to the
rehabilitation of the party. Both rec
ognize the fact that the partly is badly
disorganized, that It has wandered away
from its traditional principles and that
the only hope for it is to get back upon
the old lines. Both plead for harmony
and both profess faith that tho democ
racy will somehow or other escape from
Its present unhappy condition and be
restored to popular confidence.
Mr. Cleveland deprecated the calling
of harsh names and inaugurating a sys
tem of arbitrary proscription and ban
ishment, as has been done by the Bryan
ites. He also administered a slap to
that political element when he said that
tho democratic party never thrives "by
au insincere play upon unreason
ing prejudice and selfish anticipa
tion." He must have had In mind
when he made this declaration the class
appeals and the Invocations to prejudice
of the democratic leader in the last two
national campulgns. In the opinion of
Mr. Cleveland tho democracy has al
ready iu store the doctrines for which
It fights its successful battles and, of
course, he regards the tariff as chief in
Importance. He did not overlook the
"huge industrial aggregations," which
when president he did nothing to re
press, but he was chiefly concerned
about the system of tariff taxation
"Whose robbing exactions are far be
yond tho needs of economical and legi
timate goverment expenditure," and he
wondered that this had been subordi
nated by democrats, apparently forget
ting the bitter experience of the country
as the result of his tariff policy.
David B. Hill discussed the democratic
situation as a politician who Is not
averse to playing the part of dema
gogue. He assailed the foreign policy of
the administration, denounced President
Roosevelt for what he said In his Dec
oration day addresB, charged that free
speech had been suppressed, talked
about the failure to do something for
the Boers and abused General Wood.
What this has to do with rehabilitating
the democratic party is not apparent,
but this and much more of the same
character, constituted the greater part
of the speech made by Mr. Hill at the
opening of the Tilden club quarters In
New York. He further disclosed his
character as a demagogue by lauding
Clevland and extolling Bryan which
must have been anything but
pleasing to the former, who is not
a demagogue or a hypocrite. There is
nothing In the speech of Mr. Hill that is
likely to bo helpful to the democracy.
The democratic party was never in
a more hopless condition than now. The
course of its representatives in congress
has Increased the party demoralization,
aud the efforts of some of the leaders,
or would-be leaders, to reorganize the
party, have only had the effect of ag
gravating its unhappy condition aud
still further weakening it la popular
confidence, by more fully exposing its
lack of statesmanship, patriotism and
progressive ideas.
It is evidently not so much what Rose
water did In the convention that wor
ries the local popocratlc organ but what
he did uot do. It was hoping the con
vention would renominate Savage and
Stuefer aud suppress the demand for
the taxation of corporate franchises and
that Uosewater would cVeate a scene on
the floor. Because the convention put
up new candidates for governor and
treasurer, gave Douglas county the lieu
tenant governorship, and Inserted a
strong tax reform plank in the platform,
the popocrats are dismally and dread
fully disappointed and, as usual, want
to lay the blame for all their woes on
Rosewater.
The railroads of Nebraska must have
money to burn but not to pay taxes.
Their tax bureau has made a contract
with an Omaha agency for placing
cuts of 312 inches of their Bulletin
Number 11, advertising Uosewater and
The Bee as tax shirkers, with the fol-
Y lowing Instructions; 'Tkase send copy
of your paper to epch of the railroad
offices in Omaha, the B. & M, Union
Pacific, the Klkhorn and to m for
checking purposes each week. If this
work Is done In good shape we expect
to continue beyond the 312 Inches." If
this work keeps up the railroad mana
gers will wake up some morning to find
tho state all ablaze and no escape In
sight even In a cyclone cellar. Whom
the gods wish to destroy they first make
mad.
A trip through Nebraska at this sea
sou of the year, when corn shoots are
leaping out of the ground, affords the
best object lesson on what constitutes
the basis of Nebraska's greatness and
prosperity. As a corn state, Nebraska
brooks no competition.
Mutual Relief.
Baltimore American.
From the eagerness with which Boers and
British are falling on each other's necks it
Is evident that each la grateful tor ths help
given to let the other go.
A Common Impulse.
Chicago Post.
Hats off to Rear Admiral Clark! Here is
at least one officer of the rank who has
kept his uniform free from dust and bas
done nothing to cause any brother officer
to use a clothes brush.
A KoreRone Conrltislon.
Baltimore American.
A letter was lately received at the pen
sion office asking that the writer's pension
be reduced, as be thought it was too large.
When the first shock was over an Investi
gation was made. The writer waa found to
be Insane. A bit of practical comment au
patriotic human nature is to be found In
the fact that this result Surprised no one.
Is It Money W ell Spent t
Philadelphia Ledger.
If Secretary Root can sustain his asser
tion that the alleged bribe of $25,000 paid
to Gomez was not only a legitimate ex
pense, but actually averted such a war with
Cuba as we have had with the Philippines
It was one of the bent payments this coun
try ever made. Such a service would have
been cheap at a thousand times the price.
REAK ADMIRAL CLARK.
Dratonsl of Honors Conspicuously
Well Deserved.
New York Tribune.
The promotion of Captain Charles E. Clark
to be a rear admiral of the United States
navy is conspicuously well deserved and
will be applauded by the people of the
United States with rare unanimity. There
can be no lnvldlousness In saying that he
was among those who did the nation best
service in the Spanish war and concern
ing the value of whose services there was.
and Is, least ground for doubt or dispute.
We have only to recall the simple facta of
record. When the Maine was destroyed and
war was seen to be inevitable the eyes of
the nation turned to Captain Clark and his
ship. The hope of the nation was placed In
his bringing the Oregon around to Join our
fleet In Caribbean waters and thus making
the latter strong enough to cope with any
fleet Spain might send against it. All
through that long and arduous voyage the
Oregon was followed by the American peo
ple with an anxiety seldom known in our
history. When at last her safe arrival on
the Florida coast was announced, ready for
instant combat, there were universal relief,
exultation and confidence sentiments amply
vindicated a little later when the Oregon
played so indispensable a part In the great
sea drama off Santiago.
We have only to remember these things
to realize the nation's debt of gratitude to
Rear Admiral Clark. Tho man who, at little
more than a moment's notice, could aet out
with his ship on a voyage such as no other
battleship In the world had ever under
taken; who could take her through two
oceans and three zones and all around a
continent at racing speed with never a
mishap or an hour's delay; who could rush
her into the goal after such a voyage ahead
of schedule time in perfect trim for imme
diate action; who could make her give so
superb an account of herself in the ensuing
battle, and who through it all could be so
modest and void of mere eelf-seeklng such
a man is made of ths right stuff for high
command in the service which has known a
Decatur and a Farragut. We may not
revive within us in these quiet days the
thrill and the enthusiasm which the
very name of the Oregon aroused only four
years ago; but unless we would repudiate
tnose rormer sentiments as spurious we
shall do well to recognize with fullest
earnestness the fitness of honoring the man
who was responsible for and who is to
be credited with the unparalleled achieve
ments of the Oregon in 1898.
SWELLING r-PXSlOX ROLL.
How the Roll of Honor Grows with
the Years.
Chicago Record-Herald (rep.).
It Is reported from the office of the com
missioner of pensions that the number of
pensioners April 30 was 998,303, and that
there were 355,259 claims pending, of which
33.611 are due to the war with' Spain.
The correspondent of the Record-Herald
who sends the figures suggests that some
surprise will be felt at their magnitude.
Surprise Is certainly a mild feeling under
the circumstances. It Is now thirty-seven
yeara since the close of the civil war, yet
the number of pensioners Is the largest, in
our history. There bas been a steady in
crease, with but a slight setback in 1899
1900 since 1878, when the total was 223,998.
This Increase went on with accelerated
speed toward ths close of the decade 1880
1890 and was given a new Impulse by the
disability pension act of the year last
named. During 1891 and 1892 It was at ths
rate of 200,000 a year, and in 1893 the total
stood at 966,012. By that time the force of
the new legislation was fully developed,
but additions to the rolls have continued
as indicated by the totals for the years
named in the following table:
1HM 969,544ira9 991.519
1W5 970.54 11 !W.i.5lD
1K) 970.678 11 9H7.735
17 976.014 lau2 9U8.3IJ3
18"J8 9tl3,714
In considering these figures It must be
remembered that there is a large number
of deaths every year among the older pen
sioners and among those claiming from
them. This accounts for the slight increase
at the present time, and not any lack of
applications. The last report of the com
missioner of pensions showed that the orig
inal application on account of the civil
war for the fiscal year ending June 31,
1901, amounted to about 30,000, and that
the applications on account of the Spanish
war for the same period numbered nearly
20,000.
The pending Spanish clalma of 33,611 rep
resents a very large percentage of the
troops who saw actual service, and un
doubtedly many of them should and will b
disallowed. It is simply Impossible that an
army of young men such as waa called to
gether could present that number of lust
claims. Another noticeable feature of the
applications in connection with ths Spanish
war is the large number of "remarried
widows" who ars claimants under ths act
of March 3, 1901. Over 3.000 of them had
appeared before June SO of that year to
seek restoration during a secoud widow
hood or divorces. And tbs possibilities
from this vicious legislation are only dimly
realized as yet.
Through Populist Glasses
How Republican Convention Looked from Behind Them. -
Nebraska Independent (pop.)
The republican state convention Wednes- The Bee pretends to champion. Just prior
day renominated all the present state of- to ths convention Treasurer Stuefer wlth-
flcers except governor and treasurer. This drew, "In the Interests of harmony," but
will bo regarded by Mr. Rosewater as a really because of The Bee's onslaught,
victory for himself, he having driven Oov- Treasurer Stuefer stands exactly on the
ernor Savage and Treasurer Stuefer out of same ground as does Auditor Weston on
the race. the railroad assessment yet Rosewater
Right from the start it waa noticeable made fish of ona and flesh of the other.
tnat the Elkhorn-Unlen Pacific combination
back of Roberston and the Burlington forces
behind Dinsmore were tn for a sham pro
tracted atruggle. Early In the day It was
said that Thompson and Rosewater had
combined to make Speaker Sears the nom
inee, but after the third ballot that gentle
man was practically out of the running.
The night before the convention senti
ment seemed to point to Dinsmore of Clay
aa the man whom the Burlington was push
ing to the front, although the expression
was frequently heard: "Well, I don't know;
you see, Mickey Is neutral ground and It
may go to him." "Neutral ground" had
reference simply to the railroads. Mickey
la regarded as a Union raclnc man. located
In what is-really Burlington territory. He
is the man who was mentioned a week or
so ago by a prominent railroad roan at the
Llndell hotel as the one "we have picked
out."
John H. Mickey is a resident of Osceola.
Polk county. He Is described by the Stats
Journal as a "farmer, banker, old soldier
and pioneer." By a curious coincidence
he Is president of the same bank that Gov
ernor Nance was president of when he was
nominated for governor; but Mr. Mickey
waa nominated on the thirteenth ballot
and that undoubtedly mrans that the par
allel win go no further.
Rosey had his way in a great cart. He
had previously driven Governor Savage
from the field because of the Bartley par
donyet Governor Savage stands for an in
crease in railroad assessments, something
OTHER LAI)S THAN Ol R9.
Blemarck'B Idea of Germanizing the Polish
provinces of Prussia has been readopted
by the Landtag and a credit of 100,000,000
marks Is to be voted to further the scheme.
The money Is to be employed to purchase
Polish estates upon which German fam
ilies are to be settled and the expectation
is that the Polish gentry will "blow In"
the price at the gaming table. What hap
pened before Is likely to happen again. No
less than 400,000 acres were purchased from
Poles out of the fund created at Bismarck's
instance in 1886 and the land was resold on
easy terms to 6,000 German families which
w ere installed on the same. But the Poles
did not go to Monte Carlo. What they did
was to encourage the peasantry and small
tradesmen of their nationality to make lifo
unendurable for the newcomers by the
methods familiarly known in Ireland as
boycotting. Sooner or later the Germans
were glad to sell out at any price and the
thrifty Poles became repossessed of their
acres for a song.
Drouth bas always been the curse of a
great part of Australia and has been more
than usually persistent for six year and
more. Conditions have been growing stead-x
liy worse and worse, and now seem to have
reached something like a climax. A corr
spondent of a London Journal writing from
Sydney gives a doleful amount of the conse
quences of the seventh year Si dryness. The
only districts which have escaped, he says
are the northern rivers of New South
Wales and parts of Rlverlna. The losses
of sheep have been enormous and even the
. kuuim mo DiaiTlUK. IBB rBDDll IS W peSl
in Australia, but Its destruction Is only a
very amall compensation under the circum
stances. In parts of western Queensland
came are sunertng ana the outlook Is ft
serious one,, for when agriculture suffers
in Australia financial interests ars largely
involved. The question of water storage and
irrigation is one of the most serious prob
lems to be solved by Australian Statesmen,
The state governments of New South Wales,
Victoria' and South Australia have been con
ferring together recently and have ap'-
pointea a committee of engineers to lnves
tlgate and report-
The recen election of deputies In Bel
glum was of uncommon Interest, because
some considerable effect' of the Socialist
strikes was anticipated. It should be
noted, however, that violent political
changes are unlikely under a system by
which only one-half of the members of
the House of Commons are chosen at each
biennial election. But seventy-six of the
152 seats were balloted for In the May
elections, and under these circumstances
the gain of four seats by the Socialists was
all that could have been expected. It
seems likely, Indeed, that the rank and file
of the Socialists felt that the recent strikes
had been precipitated without due censld
eratlon or provision, and accordingly gave
to their leadera only a languid support-
That the Socialist agitation Is not wholly
fruitless appears from the announcement
that the Clericals, with their clear ma
jority of twenty-four, will abolish the
triple vote. This at present Is granted to
those who hold certain diplomas of higher
study a class which naturally Includes
many priests. It would be a substantial
concession on the part of the Clericals,
though. still far from the one-man-one-vots
system which the Radicals and Socialists
desire; so It appears that the Socialist agi
tation even while Ill-timed and badly di
rected, was not, as most observers held,
a wanton display of brute force. If It were
merely that, the ruling party could not
afford to consider its demands.
A Turkish garrison in Macedonia has
mutinied because the paymaster has not
been seen or heard of for months. It may
be perplexing to aome people that the
hardy and patlejt Mussulmans who serve
the Sultan in uniform should rebel because
their pockets are empty. But it Is prob
able there are hollow voids In tbeta stom
achs also. It Is a well known article of
faith among the followers of Mahomet that
the pious warrior who dies in battle goes
straight to hia longed-for heaven. But ths
Koran has nothing to say concerning the
future happiness of soldiers who are on
the edge of starvation in peaceful ttmsa,
and even the muezzin's call to prayer as It
sounds from the slender minaret may fall
to appease ths gnawlngs of appetites made
ravenous by days and nlghta of enforced
fasting outside the month of Ramadan. To
draw the walstbelt .tighter, to say "kis
met," and try to be stoical, may keep the
rebellious spirit in check for a brief
season; but It the Sublime Ports does not
Increase Its supplies of food In soms of Its
garrisons, and does not dole out a pittance
of .long overdue wages now and then, the
throne of the Caliphate may totter. For
many a year it has been propped up by
bayonets. Were any large part of the army
to be disaffected to the extent of aa out
break, that support might be so weskensd
that the map of Eastern Europe and West
era Asia would need recasting.
Significant of the Increasing number of
tourists in the Alps is an order recently Is
sued by ths prefect of Savoy to ths effect
that all nerson collecting flowers or pluck
ing plants in the French Alps will be prose
cuted. The nsw regulations apply to the
mountainous regions, where ths edelweiss.
Alpine rose and other, species of Alplnt
plants grow, and the reason for It is that
these flowers ars rapidly disappearing and
without soma such regulation would soon
Norrls Biown "sounded the keynote" In
his speech as temporary chairman. As a
keynote it was. rather squeaky. He didn't
hesitate to repeat the republican lie, told
so often that some really believe It. that
the present administration has conducted
the state institutions a year and have a
"surplus" left of $87,231.61. Any one at
all conversant with the matter knows that
these figures are based on calling eleven
months expenditure the expenditures for
a year." It Is also well known that Mr.
Brown's figures do not Include the expend!
tures at the penitentiary, where the re
publican warden used up the $35,000 main
tenance appropriation In ten months and
will have about $49,000 deficlenly by the
time the next legislature acts; that thry do
not include the Kearney Industrial school
where Secretary Mallalleu used about $60,
000 In one year of a $97,000 appropriation
intended for two years. Brown makes an
excellent speech of the "Joshing" kind, but
his statements of fact cannot be relied
upon.
The platform Is exactly what one could
expect from a ' republican convention
dominated by the railroads. After all of
Kosewater's howling, the taxation plank is
simply a lot of glittering generalities quite
acceptable to George W. Holdrege and his
coadjutors. The convention indorsed
Roosevelt's attitude on the Cuban reel
proclty matter and thereby threw the har
poon Into Senators Millard and Dietrich.
H. C. Lindsay was again made chairman
of the state committee.
become extinct. In many parts of Savoy,
particularly In the Chamounlx district, tho
edelweiss has completely disappeared. No
such law exists In Switzerland, but unless
similar measures are taken there that coun
try will lose one of its greatest attractions
uniy a few years ago edelweiss could be
round at a height of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet
but now it is necessary to go to at least
3,000 eet levels in order to get It.
POLITICAL DRIFT.
In the Cleveland. Hilt and harmony ban
quet the peerless leader was conspicuously
among the "and other absentees."
Minneapolis promises to rival St. Louis
in the number of "eminent citizens" who
are dodging indictments for municipal
grafting.
A former pugilist named McMlchael has
been elected to the senate of Georgia. It
is hardly necessary to add that the senator
is a fluent speaker.
Boirrke Cpckran is booked to succeed to
the leadership of Tammany and Is likely
to be sent to congress. No wonder Croker
is weary of politics.
expert accountants who examined the
books find that the democratic financiers of
Missouri milked the state for $11,000,000 In
thirty years. Taxpayers got off cheap.
Senator Quay proposes to Inaugurate an
era of reform in the politics of Pennsyl
vania that will make all former reform
movements look like thirty cents. What
Quay says goes in Pennsylvania.
A clever remark Is this by Senator Black
burn: "The position of the senate commit
tee, on privileges and elections In regard to
tne Dill ror the election of senators by di
rect vote of ths people reminds me of the
man in Kentucky who got mired while
driving an empty wagon down a hill. He
couldn't unload and he couldn't back up."
Robert Burke, the Croker of Chicago de
mocracy, Is aptly nicknamed. Last winter.
when the Cook county grand Jury became
offensively active, the western Croker paid
$30,000 Into the city treasury by check,
claiming to have mixed that much public
money with his own. When the storm blew
over the check was recalled and payment
suspended. Burke still runs the democratic
machine.
Mayor Harrison of Chicago and former
Mayor Hopkins of the same city mussed
each other's hair at the Illinois democratic
convention. Both were out for scalps and
Hopkins won out. Now he proposes to fol
low the scalped mayor to his tepee and
knock the lid off several things hitherto
kept out of sight. The sanitary depart
ment of the party la likely to have a hot,
all-summer lob.
Mayor Collins of Boston announces that
In the future he will refuse to see office
seekers, who are now referred to the heads
or departments In which they desire to
seyv. Mr. Collins says that ever since his
election in January he has been working
night and day trying to see everybody and
he thinks It Is time to stop, all the 13,000
positions In the city service being filled.
He declares that since taking his seat as
mayor he has seen about 15,000 callers who
wished to secure places for fheraselves or
friends.
Rhode Island, although a small state.
enjoys the distinction of having twice voted
on ths proposition to pass a prohibition
law once for and once against. This year,
In November, the voters of Rhode Island
will pass upon a constitutional amend
ment providing that 5,000 voters may pro
pose specific amendments to the constitu
tion, such proposed amendments to be sub
mitted to the people at the polls. If ap
proved by a majority of ths electors voting
at town meetings the amendments will be
come part of the law of the state.
w
Good All Summer
The liain Coat is good all summer, not only for bad
weather, but for the sea shore or the country.
In fact it is indispensable, it takes the place
of the top coat on water or on cool evenings.
$12.50 to $25.00
If you want the most stylish thing in Fancy Flannel
Suits we have them from $7.50 to $15.00.
AND SEKOES IF YOU FJUJFI'R.
No Clothing Fits. Like Ours.
Exclusive Clothiers and Furnishers.
Q. S. Wilcox, Manager.
COAL t'OSSIMKRg MtlWKXCn.
S iBM-Bl
Millions K.taelrri In Kirenn of Res.
onahle Prices.
New York World.
About 200.000,000 tons nf coat of both
kinds are being taken every year from th.
United States mines. This total output wn
valued at the mines last year at $:l00.0on.
000 which Is $1.50 a ton. These are round
figures, but quite close enough to give clear
view of the basic conditions underlying the
strike.
The coal fields of the country contain
over 1.000 billion tons of coal equal to a
5,000 years' supply at the present rate of
consumption. In view of the assured dis
covery of new methods of heating by oil
gas, electricity, etc. this Is practically an
Inexhaustible store of coal.
Yet, with the labor cost of mining coal
only 60 cents per ton, and Its total value
at tho mine's mouth only $1.60 per ton,
the American people are paying on an
average about $6 a ton for their coal, tak
ing hard and soft together, and cannot
tell from day to day when $1 or $2 per ton
will be added to that rrlce, nor whether
they will be able to get It at any price.
No candid student of these figures, and
their rlnln disclosure of the fact that the
price of coal to the eensumer Is ten times
the labor cost and four times ths total
cost of production, can doubt that at least
$1.50 a ton on an average, or $300,000,000
per year, is the fine levied on the people,
la excess of reasonable prices, by the pri
vate monopoly that controls tholr coal
mines, free from any effective regulation In
the public Interest.
namniore World: "I trlod to teach
dog to lumu over mv I "
my
"Hid he catch on? '
Chicago Post
Rested.
"Let's mako up," ho sug-
"Hut we haven't
tested.
quarrelled." she pro-
ever mind
Let's make up anyway."
New York Sun: NoiKhbor-Your husband
Is getting to be quite a literary Hon
Mrs. Bonis Lion? Yes. that's tho riohi
-WE .rUenCOme
Philadelphia
rress: "Haven't von ren.)
tnat mveiv new
novel 7" askinl the llrst
ummer girl
iSO, replied the other
tlon
'the only edl-
of It I've seen has n
gow.''"1 "ord with any of my
ofn1'h0er,f p'-r VVsorear
m1oVf7,V,H,,,Ill,1,r,ea,mS,, Can t 1 "
enough of it!" 81 nul1
Boston Transcript: Hrlggs Weaver h
Or ggs How did you hear of It?
tirlggs You don t mean t! Why. the
fellow Ik Bhan iiiIv J.,." ' .
- nicago Tribune
ne,.. ' onitine, mn I
ririh'rS"J? Trlh".n',: "Hapa." said the sweet
rud",e- "wasn't my commencement
Skinned1 r"'07 1 h"d ,he oth
2tn(l thl l!" he girl," said papa, sadlv
whoso graduating essay was 'An Api, i
Pres",,:'" 8la''dar18 of Thought ancl'lixl
ChicagoS'ost: "Who was that fellow who
was so anxlojB to drive a meat waeon
when the strike was th. mJl
point?" v u-uHc.i.ia
h "',tknow his name, but I understand
he s a professional base ball umpire."
Washington Star:
"So, my brave bov."
you are going Into the
Bald tno
veteran.
army?" y
MaU..ah8T'1;fdJne hlgh-browed youth.
My motto shull be 'Excelsior'' "
vJii .1lopt.ny BUch mo,to as that."
..!..! ,ne". Conquer or die!' "
.NO.
."What wo,,,o: you suggest?"
Inlnk before you speak.' "
SIDE TALKS WITH LITTLE BOYS.
J. J. Montague In
Come hither, little children, who wou'l.i
.w''an accumulate
"UhwhtllethyeouBtwPa!,t.neCW"",y ot WOrk"
First get a high achoo! h'story of fifty
Whose author for his copy used the things
he dldn t know.
Then get some stock expressions like "the
Wlltl HlMrmlnu Hfim, "
"Have done." "Enough." "Unhand me .irV
and "Ry my ha4idom,"
Mix all together In a hat and take them
OUt hv rnnnno
And weave them firmly In a strong his
torical romance. .
You'll need a King or two,' perhaps, and
make them base and bad,
Your Knight must be full panoplied, a
A gentle Princess, shrinking from a wed-
uiiiB wjui a iving,
You'll have to have to give the tale the
true ro.Tlflntlc rlnv
Then nut a witty Jester in who's handy
with a rhyme.
And In a minstrel phow you'll find the
tests Of hlf own Hrnn
Give all these persons all they need of
uncles and of aunts.
And call them characters In your hlstorlcM
romance.
But think not. little children, though the
tale you thus have made,
Be strong enough to put both Scott anl
Dlckena In the shade.
The labor vou have started on so brsvely
now Is done.
Without the most Important thing It la not
half begun.
For you will need to advertise no. not
you story book,
But you yourself, tell what you do, and
wear, and how you look
If you are of the common folk, and call
your trousers pants,
These things must all be known ere men
will purchae your romance.
Bend photographs of your pet cat to every
mugazlne, ,
Get half tones of your Sunday clothes, and
of your soup tureen.
And have them published every week In
papers far and wlda,
Write stones of your awful grief when
Pat, your bulldog, died,
And In the publications that the women
only lead.
Write essays on "My First Orat Book,"
on "How One May Succeed, "
And then you'll find that people all will
gladly take a chance
And give up their one-tlfty for your popular '
romance.