Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, October 25, 1902, Page 6, Image 6
- i i , . TITE OMAnA DAILY BEE; SATURDAY, OCTOBEtt 25, 1002. 1 -.. . i i i,. . - - - Tim Omaha Daily Bee E. ROSE WATER. EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Dally ISe wlihut Hur.Ut). One YeJ..4") JJaliy It ana feunday. One lttr ' Anuatratr-d tu-f, On! ar 2v Itunoay one Vesr IW fcaturuay I-e, one iear 1 W 'iweoiirth Or lury Farmer, One Year.. 1U0 DELIVERED 1JY CARRIER. Daily !!, (without Sunday;, par copy... Zc Daily ilee iwltnout H'jmJa ). ix-r w-ea...Uc Daiiy litre (including: eunuayj. ber week..! feunaay Hee, p-r copy &c Evening Jlee (without Sunday. r week c nlng ifc-e (Including Kundayj, per : week , loo Complaint, of irregularities In delivery nould oe addressed to City Circulation IM paurivuu OFFICES. Omaha The Hee Building. Mouth Omaha City Hail tlulldlcig, Twen Iv.fltth n4 X C3 ... 1 Council Bluffs l'i Pearl Street. Chicago lW- L'nlty Building. itw lork SiH Park Row Uullding. Washington 44 Fourteenth Htreeb CORRESPONDENCE. ' Communications relating; to news and edi torlal matter should he addressed: Omaha tunc. Ldllorlal Department. BC8INE8S LETTERS. '.Buslnms letters and remittances should t addressed: lbs alee Publishing Com lay, Omaha. , REMITTANCES. i Remit by draft, express or postal order, Bar&cle to 1 he tfee Publishing Company Only 2-cent stamps accepted in payment of mail accounts. Personal checjts, except on Cm a hi or eastern exchange, not accepted. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska. Douglas County, ss: . Ueorge H. 'liscbuck, secretary of. The Bee Publishing Company, being duly sworn, say, that the actual number of full and complete copies of The Dally, Morning, Jbvening ana bunday bee printea during vn e mourn oi bepteaioer, iwi, was aa lul WSi 1 30,130 1 81.1KO n... 30,740 30,530 30H0 ....31,070 30,420 2M70 30,000 30, TWO 31,030 30,H'Mi 31,230 31JCOO 17 11 It 20 a 22 23 24 25 2 27 a ...31,020 ' s !! w it u u 14 .. .31,140 ...31,ltM ...31.430 ...2W,70 ... 31,000 ...34.SO0 ...32,240 ...31,200 .. .30,770 ...30,830 ...20,023 29 3UMJO U 31,000 . 31,160 Total mnjEU Less a mold ul returned copies.... 10,144 Net total sales 918,081 Net daily average 3O.U02 GEORGE D. TZSCHUCK. Subscribed in my presence and sworn to oeiore ma tnis autn day of September. A. V.. 1S02. U. B. H UNGATE, . (6eaO Notary Public i Have you .registered? . Last chanpe next week Saturday. To our departing guests of the Chris tian church convention come agajn and. coma often. TVby should the small home owner pay the taxes that should be borne by the great railway corporations? -Why? Even after the registration. lists have been closed It Is not too late to register a kick on election day against non resident representation. Some people are never satisfied. Ilere Is one set of critics trying to find fault with President Roosevelt for not settling the coal strike before the men struck. ' ' The danger is that members , ot.' the strike arbitration commission) who are supposed to serve without pay may strike for higher wages,-and. ; shortfx hours. , . Governor Cummins has beep-compelled to abandon his campajgnjlng tours be cause of almost total loss of the use of bis voice. Colonel Bryan's vocal powers, however, are stlU unimpaired. Don't forget that a constitutional amendment is to be voted up or. voted down by the people of Nebraska' at the coming election. . Vote. on the propcv sltion one way or the other don't let it drop by mere neglect Itemember that the school board has unlimited power to impose taxes on all the property in Omaha.. The demand for a reduced tax rate must be met as much by the school board as by ' the members of other local taxing bodies. In a general way, Elizabeth Cady Stanton agrees with the supreme court of Nebraska only she thinks, that, if expurgated la accordance with her theory of woman's rights the . bible might then be. safely; rea4 in'tlieryblic "schools. " - , , ; 1 Governor, Stone has ordered- tha Term iylvanla National Guard .withdrawn from the coal field1 as no longer. Deeded. jThe taxpayers of Pennsylvania, how ,tver, will have' a forcible reminder of jti;llULQ dress parad.wnenthe.bUla coma' in i It -will be a long time before ; the jTJnlted Sfatcs government -will see the fcolor of Turkish money In payment of Mis Stone's ransom. But It the ,brigands could be compelled to' listen to ber lectures they would doubtless cheer fully, return every cent' Out In Colorado Colonel Bryan is flght ,lng the populists, who have full. state, county and legislative tickets In the field. The colonel is doing bis very best to defeat them and" it Is only where they are playing second fiddle to the democracy tfiat he Is sweet on them. v If the weather measured out to Omaha when . entertaining chiycn convention Is a criterion, our Christian friend must be In far greater favor than our Meth odist brethren. When the Methodists held their great quadrennial conference in Omaha it rained almost Incessantly tvery day of their sojourn. Owing to misplaced types in the local democratic organ, the democratic candi date for governor Is made to declure that be "gives full credit to Roscwater" for tbe-settlt-iuent of the great anthra cite coal strike. The editor of The Bee baa been blamed so often for Imaginary ofTenseg that to be given credit that does not belong to biui Is a new aud novel experknea. " - ' MA1XTA1X THE XTAGK STAXDARD. In one of his sieeches Just before re turning to Washington rresidpnt Roose velt said that the tariff rate must never fall below that which will protect tli Anurlian workingman by allowing for the difference between the general latxjr coft hTe ami abroad, so as to at least equalize, the conditions arising from the difference In the standards of labor hen and abroad "a difference which should be our aim to foster insofar a It represents the needs of better edn cated. Itetter paid, lietter fed and bette clothed worklngnien of a higher class than any to be found In a foreign coun try." Mr. Rooevelt added that at all hazards and no matter what else is sought for by changes of the tariff, "the American workman must be protected In his standard of wages that Is, in bis standard of living and be must be secured the fullest opportunity of em ployuient" This is the sound American policy, always observed by the repub lican party Wages In England, according to a re cent official report, have materially de clined In all of the Industries within the past year and a further decrease Is threatened. The explanation Is readily found in the decline of British industries, which In the opinion of so competent an authority as Andrew Carnegie are not likely to recover fully their former stand ing. In Germany wages have not been so low at any other time since the be ginning of the Industrial development of that country, a quarter of a century ago, as at present In other countries of continental Europe the labor con ditions are no better, end In some of them much worse, than in Germany. An American who recently returned from an extended tour of Europe stated that he found the condition of the working classes in nearly every country deplor able. Evidence of this Is seen In the large European emigration. Certainly . no considerable body of Americans can wish to see labor in this country reduced to European, conditions, Well employed and well paid labor Is the basis of prosperity. When all the people are at work at good wages every Industry thrives. "To insure our growth n civilization and wealth," said one of the wisest of American statesmen, "we must not only have wages as high as they are now, but constantly and steadily increasing. In my Judgment upon wages and the consequent distribution of consumable wealth Is based all our hopes of the future and all the possible Increase of our civilization." How shall the wage standard be maintained? Manifestly by continuing the policy that has given the United States the first place among the Industrial nations and created here the greatest labor market of the world. The democratic tariff policy proposes a departure from this. It demands the overthrow of protection, the only guarantee of the American wage rate and the American standard of living. . It proposes that which would destroy thousands of Industries, throvr millions of people out of employment and bring down the wages of labor hero to the European level, No class of our people, are so deeply concerned In this as the wage earners, with whom it largely rests to determine whether or not republican tariff policy shall be sustained and continued. TBK CUMMtSMOX OROA SIZED. The "anthracite coal strike commis sion," as it is designated In the presi dent's letter of instructions, has organ ized, with Judge Gray as chairman. It Is presumed that everybody who has taken an Interest in the appointment of this commission is aware of the fact that Judge Gray Is on the bench of the United States circuit court, to which he was appointed by President McKlnley, previous to which be was a United States senator and held other very im portant public positions. The president's instructions are brief, merely stating that the. commission will endeavor to establish the relations between the employers and the wage- workers on a Just and permanent basis and as far as possible do away with any causes for the recurrence of such diffi culties. The prompt response of the members of the commission to the ln- itation of the president shows them to be deeply interested In the task that is before tbem and gives promise that there will be no unnecessary delay in prosecuting the inquiry and reaching a decision. Meanwhile, the situation in a part of the anthracite region continues some what unsettled, but there Is reason' to hope that within a week or two every thing will "be satisfactorily adjusted. A 8TKA1X OX tlCMAX CHKDCLITT. President Ja,mes J. Hill, in bis testi mony at St Paul In the merger case, overshot the mark and put too great a strain upon credulity. The Great North ern magnate insisted that the stock holders of the merged companies acted solely as individuals and of their own free will and accord in exchanging their stocks for those of the holding com pany. If be bad rested the case of the merger on purely administrative grounds be might have gained credit at least for candor. For It can be plausibly argued that Important economies may be effected by consolidation of management anil that a holding company can be used to Betuire protection against speculative raids In the stock market and the at tacks of hostile interests. These and similar considerations are a legitimate pology for consolidations. But when President 11111 asserts that no thought of restraining competition was In the minds of the few manipu lators who have sought to bring under common control the two great directly competing systems of the Great North ern and the'Northern Pacific, together with the Burlington system, and that the multitude of their stockholders acted individually and es free agents, be simply Impairs bis own credibility. It U true, of course, that UvAlvidual stock holders coulj'gire or withhold their consent, but the scheme would have been carrlod through Just the same. The majority of them, counted by the head were not consulted in forming the t l.1 and their consent was not essential to Its consummation. Their disoent If per sisted In, would simnly have Involved them In Inconvenience and loss.. It Is not strange that they went through the form of agreeing to the Inevitable, wnetner they believed that Its result would le advantageous or not to thel Interests as minority stockholders. The point of the government's case I that the merger operates essentially In restraint of trade and competition I'resident Hill fails to meet this point although lie tries hard to do It. It is doubtless true that he can specify some specific reductions In the printed rate schedules of the different systems since the merger was conceived. But he docs not show a single reduction on any other basis than the old "one of charging all the traffic will bear, and the merger necessarily takes away any check of competition, so far as the merged sys terns are concerned, which existed when their fundamental Interest as lndepend ent systems was to get all the business possible away from each other. It will be better for all merger managers to be candid and to meet squarely the facta which are obvious to everybody. TiJfg FOR A SPECIFIC DkCLARATlOX. The candidates for the legislature on the republican county ticket are, in the main, well qualified for representing the citizens and taxpayers of Douglas county in the legislature and would, un der ordinary conditions, receive the un divided support of the rank and file of the party, even though they owe their nominations to delegates elected by Im ported voters and repeaters, who carried four or five wards In the city of Omaha. to Insure the nomination of David II. Mercer. The failure of the county convention to make any declaration with regard to the vital local issues, or to pledge the candidates nominated to reforms de manded by the great majority of tax paying citizens, has naturally created the Impression that the men on the re publican legislative ticket are Identified with the tax-shirking railroad corpora tions as against the taxpayers and can not be depended upon to stand up for the interests oftheir constituents against tntf interests of the corporations. There Is also a widespread Impression that the candidates on the republican legislative ticket, who owe their nomina tions in part at least to the Mercer Baldwin police commission, will oDDose home rule in every shape and form. In other words, that theywlll oppose any change in the charter that would give umana the right u elect its police and fire commissioners instead of leaving tueir appointment to the governor. On the other hand, the eandlilntoa n the fusion legislative ticket are Dledeed by their state platform to the abatement of grievances resulting from the under valuation of railroad property, and while they have as yet failed to give positive assurances individually that they will strike out of the city cbartet the pro vision under which more than J15.000.000 worth of railroad property is assessed for less than 2 per cent of its value, by the platform on which they were nomi nated they are morally bound to do so. On the home rule Issue the fusion dele gation Is squarely committed, and es pecially on the provision abolishing governor-appointed police and fire commis sions, collectively and Individually, and thousands of republicans who favor these reforms will vote for them unless the republican legislative candidates come forward Individually and collec tively with satisfactory pledges In sup port of these reforms; ' ' ' The time for making such a declara tion is now at hand. It remains for the candidates on the legislative ticket to define their positions. If they fail to do so they must take the responsibility for the consequences. In Wisconsin the republican candi dates stand pledged to Increased rail road taxation. Why should not repub lican candidates in Nebraska emulate their example? The Wisconsin railroads paid $1,050,000 in taxes this year, but the republicans of Wisconsin insist that they have not paid enough by about fl.000,000. The Nebraska railroads claim to have paid fl,100,000 In taxes last year, and that Includes taxes on lands and properties outside of their right-of-way, when by rights they should pay from $2,000,000 to $2,200,000. According to the Associated Press dis patches, the directors of the Union Pa cific railroad at their session In New York Thursday informally discussed the threatened strike of trainmen, but It has not been divulged whether they dis cussed the lockout of the machine shop men and the derangement of their train service all along the line, which has al ready caused so much inconvenience and loss to patrons of the road. s The purport of President Hill's testi mony Is that the Burlington-Great Northern merger is a purely humani tarian and, benevolent enterprise in which no such sordid motive as cor poration gains was dreamed of. The court must have felt like taking up a collection for so zealous and mist-lush a missionary scheme. Give Them Hoora. Chicago Record-Herald. Some of the independent steel companies re getting ready to fight the big trust. Or H may be that they desire to be absorbed profitable figures. A La Boston Transcript. One does Dot hear much about "im- perlallam" in tbt campaign. To be aure, thera are references to it In democratic platforms, but the real party leaders fight shy of It or denounce it very mildly. All of which suggests that the democracy will. n ins event or succeeding to power, simply oosldcx our "possessions" to be th same 1 . Ill I .1 ' - - . . . I as our ox tier territories. There Is. appar e-ntly, a growing disposition with the aver age voter to regard imperialism" as about as vital aa Mrs. Camp's friend. Mrs. Harris. tp te the Coal Healers. Philadelphia Record. Now that peace is restored between the miners and the mine operators it is about time for the retail coal dealers to make peace with the public. Hot Air froaa 'P.arolod. Baltimore American. The sultan of Bacolod renews his demand ior one war, hot, with tobasco sauce. The sultan of Bacolod may find, when his order Is served, that the check Is so Urge tha he will be unable to fee the waiter. Staagerlag- Sample of Graft. Eoston Globe. A British blue book discloses the fact that Captain Smith, the officer who bought mules in New Orleans for South African service, jnrcketed a commission on every purensfe, making 1500.000 thereby, tbey ss In New Orleans. This is an Item In the price that stagrers the British taxpayer. Meatal Alarms Stilled. Minneapolis Journal. And now that the dreadful imperialistic army, which used to deprive our democratic friends of much needed sleep. Is reduced to 60.CKH), what has become of that menace of militarism and those predictions that for years and years we would be pouring the youth of the land Into the maw of the Philippine war? Admirable Leadership. Chicago Record-Herald. Even those out of sympathy with the ob Jects and policy of the Vnited Mine Work ers' union cannot withhold from Its presi dent, jonn Mitchell, admiration for the candor, patience and singleness of purpose he has displayed during the prolonged coal strike. From the beginning he counseled moderation In the making of demands and throughout he opposed anything like a re sort to violence Inc2lprclng them. He first sought to obviate the calling of a strike by negotiation, and has consistently advocated arbitration for Its settlement The miners overruled his Judgment In declaring the strike, but throughout its continuance tbey have accorded to his leadership devoted and unfaltering support. Last renaitr for Misdeeds. Minneapolis Times. A life of tragedy has come to a tragic close. James younger, outlaw in his youth. wounded many times in battle with officers of the law and their posses, prisoner of the state for many years and finally re leased on parole, has put an end to his own life by the pistol. It Is said that there was an affair of the heart In the drama. but the difficulties of his new life and suf fering caused by the wounds received long ago may have had much to do with the determination to put an end to his exist ence. Of his early career naught can be said In extenuation. That he behaved well n prison and strove to be a self-support ng member or society after his release is a fact. He has paid the penalty of his misdeeds; the chapter Is cloBed as It be gan. DISTniBl TIQ THE CREDIT. Part Payed by Newspapers la SettUag the Coal Strike. Philadelphia Press. A good many efforts are being made to ap portion the credit for bringing the coal strike- to an end. Much praise, and Justly, is given to President Roosevelt for his share In the result. President Mitchell of the miners' union is also given his allow ance of commendation, and, lastly, public opinion la praised lor aiding materially in the settlement. There ls a fourth .factor, however, of which' little notice has been taken, but -without which the third factor, or public opinion, would have been largely inopera tive. And that fourth factor is the news papers. They could easily have misled or influenced public opinion and so have pro longed the strike and encouraged violence and bloodshed. To their credit be it said they did neither. They kept the public cor rectly Informed as to occurrences from day to day all through the five months' struggle. and in their comments they held the balance so Impartially between miners and opera tors that all could know what was hap pening and form a correct judgment as to the situation. In this way public opinion was not only informed but crystallized and brought to bear on both sides and a happy result reached. . In all Its long career of . usefulness It 1b doubtful if the newspapers ever rendered a greater service to the public than they did during the recent strike. They also demonstrated the long stride taken in the fairness and fullness with which events are chronicled and treated by the newspapers. No labor trouble was ever reported so fully or criticised so fairly as the recent coal strike, and as a consequence the public knew exactly what waa occurring, what the merits of each side of the controversy were and how It ought to be settled. This service of the newspapers should not be Ignored In pportlonlng the credit for bringing In sight happy end to the great coal strike of 1902. MAMA. FOll UAMBLIXG. tense Ambition to Get Rich Becom ing; a. National Epidemic. Harper's Weekly. Among the many world records held by this country at the present time is that of gambling. It crops out all over the coun try In the street urchin; in the university youth; in the clerk and the workman; in aoclety; in the family even (where one lght a week is often set apart for an "In nocent" little game of poker); In the gambling establishments which the law is powerless to supprers ; at the race tracks, nd, above all, in Wall street. ' It is safe to say that more gambling goes on In Greater New York every day than In any other community in the world, not except ing the kingdom of gambling, Monaco. The dishonesty, corruption and misery en tailed are stupendous and heartrending to contemplate. At first sight this Incurable mania for gambling with which we are filleted seems a heinous and unmixed evil. It is bad enough. In all conscience. nd it la not our purpose to plead for It. But as madness is often the reeult of some ne quality or power becoming excessive or going wrong, ao gambling seems to be diseased form of a spirit which has mads the prosperity of America the spirit of en terprise. In fact, enterprise is a sort of gambling. A man gauges bis savings, his time, bis energy, in a scheme which he hopes will yield him fivefold, tenfold, a hundredfold, but whose success Is almost aa problematical as the fall of a roulette ball, the finish of a horserace, or the uctuatlon of the s'.ock market. The differ ence between gambling and genuine enter prise is that in the former a man wagers on pure hazard, often pitting his reason against a mechanical thing that has nothing to do with reason except to mock it, while in the latter be bets on his own power and resource. Gambling and enterprise ars both the expression of an Intense ambition o get rich. And as long as that ambition remains the moving principle in American activity, there will be this double ex pression of It enterprise and gambling, the one leading to prosperity, the other, more often than not, te poverty and ruin aid all egradatloa. OTHER LANDS THAN OCRS. Some recently published statistics In re lation to the expaaslon westward of the Polish rare In Prussia have provoked much uneasy comment In Berlin. In 1S61 the Pole outside the eastern provinces of the monarchy numbered: la Pomerania, 1.577 la Brandenburg, IS; lu Rhenish Ptussla, 16; in the province of Saxony, 1. Accord ing to the census of 1900, the numbers were as follows: In Pomerania, 14. 100; in Bran denburg, 24.300; In Saxony. 24,700; in St hies wig-Holsteln. 4.200; in Hanover, 10,600; In Westphalia. 91.&00; In Hesse-Nssesu, 1,500; In Rhenish Prussia 15 .500. In Bc-.lln alone, with its suburbs of Charlottenburg, there are no fewer than 18,500 Poles of pur? race, while in Prussia there are 3,333.000 persona of Slavonic race who speak only Polish, or Wendlsh, or one of these lan guages and German. Is la estimated that 10 per cent of the whole population of Prussia is Slavonic, while the proportion of Slavs In the population of the whole empire is 6S per cent. The statistics of 1S61 are, doubtless, Imperfect, since In those days no accurate record of the pre cise distribution of languages In Prussia was obtainable. There fan be no doubt however, of the enormous expansion of the Polish race, and the westward migration of the? Poles to Brandenburg, Saxony, Westphalia and Rhenish Prussia conse quent upon the recent industrial develop. ment Is a most significant fact. According to consular reports, Berlin, al though a busy manufacturing city, is one of the cleanest and best kept In Europe. The smokeless condition of the Berlin at mosphere Is ascribed to three facta: The preponderant use of coke and briquettes which are practically smokeless ; the skill ful scientific construction of boiler fur naces and chimneys, and, finally, the high standard of skill that Is taught and en forced among firemen who stoke furnaces with coal for steam and manufacturing purposes. Before a man can assume euch a charge he must be taught the theory and practice of economical, scientific firing, by which the coal Is distributed in such a manner and quantity over the grate sur face as to secure the most perfect com bustion of Its volatile elements. The Sl- lesian coal used in Berlin In most large steam plants and factories Is rich In bitu- men and would rank below many of the bltumlnous coals of the Vnited States, and yet the long, dense, trailing clouds of smoke from mill and factory chimneys w hi are so familiar a sight in many American cities are rarely seen in that eectlon of Germany, where the lndlscrlm- Inate shoveling of raw bituminous coal Into the steam and other furnace Is considered an ignorant and wasteful proceeding. The mortality from cholera la Egypt, where no less than 30,000 have perished from that scourge since the middle of July, has raised the whole question of England's responsibility, especially in rela tion to the Mecca privileges. Most compe tent authorities are agreed that if it were not for these migrations of the faithful it would not be difficult to keep the cholera out . of Egypt. Some pertinent and Incon venient questions are asked now by casual correspondents of the London newspapers. Among them is the inquiry whether Eng land, having undertaken the administra tion of Egypt is not bound to protect her inhabitants by the enforcement of obvious sanitary regulations? It la a matter of his torical record that Lord Cromer brought this matter to the attention of the Khedive some time ago, but the latter then shrank from taking any measures which might be considered aa a wilful interference with the rights of true believers. Now, how ever, when his people have been dying by the tens of thousands, there Is a grow- Ing feeling that religious 'prejudices ought to be subordinated to the general inter- ests of humanity. Wholly apart from the loss of life, the cholera- pjagwe. ba been the indirect causa of a large - decrease of revenue. To make matters worse, tnere waa a "bad" Nile, this yeart and only the most strenuous exertions can prevent wide spread . suffering among, the" fellaheen. Sooner or later the Mecca pilgrimages must be regulated or abolished, , but: the matter one of extraordinary .delicacy and dif ficulty. The politics of Crete has been Intermit tently active since the days of. the Min otaur, with no sign of subsidence embellish ing Its ever romantic and enchanting hori zons. At present Its contending parties are battling for and against annexation to Greece, with no advantage la the betting n either side. Greece, herself Is in lead ing strings, financially run by the rest of Europe, and In poor circumstances gener ally; the annexationists with the peninsula I'Bi.! hlch promises any efficient measure of re lief. The present regime produces burdens quite as heavy as Its former Turkish rule Im posed, though the government Is admitted to be much better and more equitable. In the political settlement after the Greco Turkish war the island demanded self-government, and got it, but it now seems to be nearly as discontented as before. But there Is no pleasing some islands, whatever may be done for them. The last section of the tail of Finland's I lndependent nationality has Just disap- peared down the ravenous Muscovite gullet, and the whole fabric Is now undergoing the benevolent assimilation which Russia has lways been so ready and willing to pro- I vide for Its neighbors. The four new ordl- nances just promulgated at Helslngfors provide, first, that the senate and its pro- I ceaures snail be wnouy under the control of the governor general; the second em- I powers the same authority to dismiss any I official not appointed by the czar; the third puts the law courts under like control, and under the fourth it la forbidden to bring any official of the atate or any grade to trial without the consent of his auperlors. So far as statutes go the country Is as com pletely Russianized as the Russian section of Poland and with the same effect on the sentiments of those - belonging to the ex tinguished nationality. The British admiralty Intends to find out. If It possibly can do ao, what the trouble Is with Its torpedo craft, several of which have developed structural weakness within the last twelvemonth. To do thta the ad miralty will sacrifice the 6-year-old de stroyer Wolf, which cost $1,250,000. This vessel has been placed In a specially fitted dry dock, where It will be hung by Its ends, Its middle being unsupported, to see if the strain amidships is enough to break its back. If it survives this experiment it will be bung across a cable. Its ends being left unsupported. It would seem that a less ex pensive investigation might be made, but If the British naval authorities find why their torpedo craft are too apt to go to pieces at aea the cost of the experiment will not be considered exorbitant. The nature of tha experiment ahows how greatly the admiralty Is disturbed over the weakness ot its ves sels. Wha; Makes (or Temperance. New York World. It Is a fact proved by drink statistics that America is becoming more temperate, but the best authorities do not attribute the Improvement to the effects of legal penal ties. Hard drinkers are no longer counte nanced by desirable society. This Is one reformatory force, and a stronger one yet Is the increasing demand in many lines ot business for nieja who ars always sober and reliable. TIGHTENING HIJ CRIP. Mr. tlarrlman's Meves ob (he Railroad Chess Dward. Portland Oregonlan. Every move la the transcontinental rail road field reveals additional firmness la the fffp of Mr. Harriman. Through t!s sew contract with the St. Paul he rets Into the territory of the northern tints about as effectively as the northern roads entered Vnion Pacific territory through acquisition or the Burlington. By the same stroke he destroyed the motive of the St. Paul for building an Independent line to the Pacific. thus protecting Vnlon Paelflc Interests at an Important point. Now he announces comprehensive navigation plan that will give htm advantages In the Oriental trade and adequate facilities fcr reaching all parts of the Pacific. These moves show clearness of vision, a steadfast purpose and executive strength. The bare announcement of the Inten tion of the Oregon Short Line. to father steamship lines from Portland to the Orient and along the American coast from Mexico to Alaska leaves the project open to a great variety of speculation. The Harriman In fluence Is supposed to dominate Pacific Malt now and for many years operating from San Francisco. It has for some time been clear, however, that Pacific mall does not fl" M lhe BeeJ" r tn Harriman system for transportation on the Pacific Pacific ocean. This was first apparent when the Portland Asiatic Steamship company was first organized. Presumably the Portland ft Asiatic was put In the field as an expert ment and Its success Is the basis for this movement for more expansive service. At any rate, It bears evidence of a well ma tured plan and there will be great Interest in Its development. Mr. Harriman has transmitted the St. Paul from a fierce competitor Into an ally. He has thereby deprived another com petitor, the Missouri Pacific, of an impor Unt lne!it jn its plan of reaching the r-aciuc coast- on an independent basis. But the Missouri Pacific Is not yet baffled, and there Is great reason to believe that it will yet reach tidewater on this coast. It is possible that this will be effected through some arrangement with Harriman lines, but tDe two systems are competitors at so many points that the question of harmonizing their divergent Interests presents many dif- ficultles. The Missouri Pacific, and Its allies, the Rio Grandes, now reach west to Salt Lake City. Being Interested In getting away from the Union Pacific everything possible at Its eastern end, the Missouri Pacific will probably find much trouble in getting satisfactory terms for use of Harrl- man lines at the western end, inasmuch as granting Missouri Pacific facilities for get ting to the coast would inevitably result in Increasing Its competition In the east. It Is to be noted that Harriman and Gould are together In several Important properties. They are on the boards of the Union Pacific and Pacific Mall. But this does not establish relations that Insure har mony among all the properties Mhey are In terested in. Harriman's move toward breaking away from the exclusive rule of Pacific Mail, and Gould's Ill-concealed de sire to reach the Pacific seaboard with his own lines, suggests possibilities that may yet bring discord Into the transcontinental field. It is not likely that St. Paul will be used aggressively against the northern lines not so aggressively, perhaps, as the pro posed new steamship service oa the Pa cificbut it will serve as a foil for Burling ton, which Harriman has needed ever since he lost control of Northern Pacific through retirement of the preferred stock. Now It may be that taking the St Paul alliance from the Missouri Pacific will give the latter road direction on Us way to the Pa cific that will rob it of danger to Union I Pacific interests. It this theory should turn out to he true. It would shed additional light on'recent transactions and add luster to Mr. Harriman's reputation aa a railroad diplomat. OCR GRAND ARMY. Millions In the School the Hope ! the Repwblle. Chicago Record-Herald. It Is a good thing for the American who Is Inclined to listen to the doleful lamenta tions of the pessimist to turn away from the army In the Philippines tor a moment and look at the greater army and mightier army described In the annual report of the United States commissioner of education. Just submitted to the secretary of the In terior. The report of Commissioner Harris shows that the total of pupils in the schools, ele mentary, secondary and higher, both public and private. In the United States ior tne .11 T..- 4A 1QA1 1? ?QQ 2.1A n o;7r the pVeviou. year. Of this numoer la.tiu.iiat were en rolled In schools supported by local and general taxation. If we add to this enrollment those who attended certain special institutions like evening schools, commercial schools and schools of cookery and of special trades and vocations, we have a grand total of over seventeen and three-quarter millions of the population that received education for a longer or shorter period during the year, An interesting feature of the report is the increased ner caDlta expenditure for educa- tion. In 1870 the expenditure for schools per capita of the population was $1.64; the last year it was $2 93 per csplta, the highest n the history of the country, This army of seventeen million youngsters is the hope of the republic. It Is the In- vincible defense of our institutions and of our democracy. No other army on the globe lis comparable to it as a rorce ior civinza- tlon and as bulwark for free and popular government. W7 If you are looking for exclusive styles in Children's Suits you will find the handsomest and completest stock here . These are very different from the ordiv nary clothing store qualities. Tbey are made for those who appreciate good materials, workmanship and styles that" are new and correct. Furnishings and hats to go with the suit. No Clothing Fits Like Ours. R. S. WILCOX, Mutineer. V rOLiyCAl DRIFT. Tom Johnson' 3hlocIrrus essU II.Oc a" dsy, but Tom. df sa't tount th cost when working the )lda pepls- If President oevlt should become th guest of Grove Cleveland there will hs a warm ruDllosls Lancaster county, Ne- brrka. I Hon. DavM L Hill Is asain attracting attention In N York state. A riled clU ten recemiy td him hs was a descendant of Ananias. t The porulist cte in Georgia dwindled to less than 6.004 at the state election In October. Ia 19-1 they east over 2J.000 votes fcr their candi-ae for governor. A rude swindlr has victimized about 150 members of tb) Vermont legislature by collecting $1. Breach from them for' a photographic sofvenir which hs failed to deliver. It Is zhr proposed to appoint a guardian for th members. Former Conglstman James Hamilton Lewis of Washlqton, one of the old r-" of Bryanism. hai followed Charley Tows into the ranks o plutocracy. He has de cided to locate lot'hlcago and become gen eral counsel for corporations. The Jane Jefferia (women's) Democrat! club ot Denver ha I taken out a thirty years charter. It Is bopd by the originators that the club, which wS named la honor of the toother of ThomasJefferson. will ultimately become a nation organization of demo cratic women. I State Senator Imes R. Lanyoa of tha Sixth district c-9 Connecticut understands the full signlflr jco t lbs axiom, "mis fortunes never -me singly." While tbs vote which defeated bis renomlnatlon was being taken In republican convention some villainous rook relieved him or a gold .watch, tim la cash and securities valued at $12,0 The Massachusetts republican campaign managers are bstlrrtng themselves. Sear ator Henry Cabot Lodge bas canceled nearly all bis outside sites to take the stump la bis own state, aid Senator Hoar, It Is an nonnced, will make at least three speeches before the close of the campaign. One of the three speeches be will deliver la Tre- mont Temple, Boston. The democrats of the Seventh district of Massachusetts have gone over Into another district to select a man for representatlvs in congress. Tie gentleman nominated is ex-Mayor Arthuf Lyman of Waltham. Tbey have a good prtredent. Democrats elected William Everett of Quincy to congress some years ago to represent a Massachusetts dis trict of which be was not a resident. George T. Beck, democratic nominee for governor of Wyoming, is a son of the 1st Senator Beck Kentucky. The young matt weighs over tft pounds, but carries ne superfluous flesL being of vast frame. All over the far vest be is known for his athletic powers, no man In the Big Horn basin caring 4 tackle him single-handed. He is a rancher and with certain rich men is interested it a scheme to reclaim by irrigation a larie area ot arid lands. LATCHING GAS. Chicago Tribune: Well, Rlggsy. hnw ara you making It? Got a situation yet?" "Niw! NuttlnAbut a Job." Washington Sta "What did you tell yoh los when be fount oa you waa wearln' his clcthes?" 1 "I done reproveclhlnl fob. bis lack of ap pteciatlon. 1 remfided film dat imitation v ere do slncerest flattery." Philadelphia Press: "I came to tell you.' said the visitor, "that at one time I bad little faith In your, panacea " "But It cured you?" Interrupted the pat. ent medicine man, eagerly. "Yes, of the Utile faith I bad." Tonkers Statesman: She I always beard) tea was bad for the nerves. He Oh, it can't he; I see Lipton says he's ccming over again to lift that cup. Cleveland Plain Dealer: "The sultan of ' Bascolod wants to flihl Unci Sam." i "I don't aea how be can." ... "Why can't he?" ' "Because there Is no place for bim to go and get a reputation." Washington Star: "I can't understand why so Intensely thoughtful and sedate a. man as Mr. Rooks weaia those loud check erboard trousers!" "He says they assist him In mental re laxation. He uses them in figuring out chess problems." . . Baltimore News: "And do you take a great deal of exercise??'" we asked a, man with the phenomenal muscular develop-, ment. "Well." he replied, "my wife Insists It Is my business to employ and discharge the servants." Philadelphia Press: "See here!" said the hotel clerk, "you'll have to move on. We can't have any loitering around this hall." "Why," replied the offender, "the head waiter told me to stay here till he came. I'm after a Job as waiter." "Oh! I beg your pardon. I thought yo were only a guest." TALKED A BO IT. Nixon Waterman. The neighbors talked about ber nearly everywhere they met: They talked about her till she died; they talk about her yet. The high and low all spoke of her, aa did the old and young. And every gossip tossed ber name upon her nimble tongue. 'Twas she -who kissed the baby first and blest Its happy birth; Twas she who helped to guide Its feet through all the paths of earth; 'Twas she who watched beside the bed whereon the dvlns lav: "Twas she who soothed the stricken friends when one was called away. The neighbors talked about her nearly everywhere they met; They talked about her till she died; they talk about her yet. They talked about her wondrous bands, ber heart ao full of love. And now the angels talk, of her who dwells with them above. Children's Suits.