I
6.
TITE OMAHA DAILY 11EE: 8ATUIIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1902.
'niE UMAHA Daily Bee
E. ROSEWATEK, EpITOR.
rt'BUSHED EVERT MORNING.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Dally Bee (without Huuday,, One Year.St.Ov
iwliy Bee and Hunday oim Kear ."
Illustrated Bee, One Year J.iM
Bunday bee. One lear i.im
Saturday lice, One Year 1 ju
Iwentielh Century Farmer, One tear.. l.ou
DELIVERED BY CAHKiLH.
Dally Bee (without Sunday;, per cupy.... 2c
Dally Be (without Bunu, per et...l
Dally Bee (including eununyj, per wetn.-l.c
biiiiuay Bee, per cupy be
Evening Bee (without Bundayj, per week fee
livening Dee (Including ttuiiday), per
ween lOu
Complalnta of Irregularis In delivery
ahould be addressed tq City circuiatiun Ur
partiuenu
OFFICES.
Omaha The Bee Hulldlng.
South Omaha city, Hall Building, Twenty-tilth
and M (Street.
Council BlutTa Id Pearl Street
Chicago I Wo Lnlly Building.
New fork 232 l ark How- Building.
Washing Ion 4ol fourteenth btreel.
CORKEHl'ONDENCE.
Comtnunlratlona relating to new and edi
torial matter ahould be addreaaed: Omaha
Bee, Editorial Department. ' '
BUSINESS LETTERS.
Business letter and remittances ahould
be adrireed: The I Bee I'Ubilsblng Com
pany, Omaha. !
REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft, express or postal order,
Sayable to The Bee .Publishing Company,
nly il-cent stamps accepted In payment of
mall account, eraonai check, except on
Omaha or eastern exchange, nut accepted.
TUK BEE PUBUbHliNU COMPANY.
STATEMENT OP CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County, aa:
Oeorge B. T huck. aecretary of The
Bee Publishing Company, being duly sworn
aaya that the actual number of full and
complete coplea of The Dally, Morning,
Evening and Hunday Bee printed during
the month of October, limi, waa aa follow:
1 841,700 . 17 31,ao
z ,...ao,ao u ai,4Bo
t .i... si, too ' is ao,4O0
4 80,070 ' 20 891,240
I ssno ' n sii,aao
81, TOO 22 81,670
7 SO.UIO U.. 81,740
1 81.07 U 8a,lSO
81,000 25 81,140
10 81,100 M 80,835
II 88,000 27 81,070
11 29,020 SB 81.UOO
U 81,850 r 2 31,030
u 8i,23o '" to '. aa.aoo
U 8i,04o -,' u ai.auo
M .....82,700
Total IMiO.OlS
Leaa unaold and returned coplea..,.. UJiJ'A
Net total salee.....; t5t,T43
Net average aalea ao.OSt
GEORGE B. TZ8CHUCK.
Subscribed In my presence and aworn to
before me thla fiat day of October, A. D.,
W02- M. B. HUNOATE,
(Seal.) Notary Public.
It must be about time for some of
those cattle that have been fattening
on soft com to be getting to market
Tom L. Johnson's phenomenal alienee
since election Is being much commented
on. rerhaps it Is due to the fact that
he bag stopped to think. -
Black. Uills people show signs that a
situation which requires a three or four
day Journey to reach their state capital
gives them that tired feeling.
If Colonel Mosby follows the program
he has mapped out he will be busy for
some months and. he will at the same
time keep a lot of other people busy.
The sooner Hie Leim American coun
tries learn that the Monroe doctrine
does not contemplate protection of In
ternational scullduggery' the better (t
will be for them.
The St Louis Lou ml ana exposition has
reached the point where members of toe
United States commission are charging
the managers with Inefficiency and inac
tivity. The 8t Louis show may amount
to something yet
No compromise with public land
thieves appears to be the president's
motto in the light of the Instructions
.given to Colonel Mosby to see that the
Illegal fences come down. When Presi
dent Roosevelt gives the order he means
to have it executed.
The killing of sixty and capture of a
like number of robbers In one of the
Philippine districts 'shows that the na
tive police are . rapidly acquiring civl
y llaed ways. At this rate a fair degree of
public order and security ought to be
established everywhere within a few
years. "" ; ' ' " '
Now that It is conceded that "Uncle
Joe" Cannon is to be speaker, the press
of all parties la emphasising the fact
that no suspicion of corruption ' ever
fainted n official act of big,, Ad that
very fact bad a great deal to do . with
settling the speakership contest In bis
favor. - -
Again we suggest that the proper
Commercial club committee proceed to
Inquire whether Omaha is not entitled
to relief from discriminating Insurance
rates aa a credit for the burial of the
electric .lighting wires. If It were the
other way, the rate would be raised
soon enough. '
The constitution of Nebraska prohibits
the granting of any exclusive franchises
In this state, so that the only way mo
nopoly can be established Is by those in
. possession of franchises preventing th
grant of any others irrespective of the
more advantageous terms the public
might exact
. H the Torrens land title system, which
is to be urged upon the coming Nebraska
legislature, would reduce the amount of
work In registering real estate transfers,
It may.JIook for opposition from the reg
ister of deeds' ofllce. Only If it does not
threaten deprive anyone now on the
public pay roll of bis job, it will be al
lowed toaluk or swim on Its merits.
The ! United States mints -are now
coljxlug, as required by. law. 1,500,000
, sliver dollar coins, but the bullion will
boo n be exhausted. Notwithstanding
the fall In the price of silver, no peril
results to. business now from silver,
astfio degree of It use Is strictly 11m
lted, although It -would still be possible
for an administration. If of the radical
. etiverite type, by executive action to
menace the parity of our currency.
TARirrcvMiuissiuy sot mob j utr.
Thrre appears to be pretty general
opposition among the republican niem-Im-pi
of congress to a tariff commission
of the character proposed by President
Hoosevelt. The consensus of opinion is
that Mich a commission could hnre no
practical result. The prevailing view Is
doubtless expressed by Retiator Allison,
who said tlint there are certain diffi
culties In the way of the accomplish
inept of results by a commission. Iu
the first place a bi-partisan or non
partisan commission Is not to be de
sired, In the Judgment of Mr. Allison,
because the republican party being In
control of both branches of congress it
must -accept the responsibility before
the people and ' any commission ap
pointed to revise the tariff should re
flect the political complexion of con
gress accurately, or Its conclusions will
not be accepted with any confidence
whatever.
The Iowa senator said further that the
tariff must be considered from a prac
tical standpoint and there are so many
men In congress who have made a spe
cial study of the tariff that necessarily
In the end their, views must prevail.
"A commission Would be a good thing
if its decisions were' at all final, but
In the nature of things the purely sci
entific tariff theories of even the ablest
commission would have to be examined
In detail by congress and this- simply
means doing the work twice over."' Mr.
Allison thought it possible that a com
mission might be authorized consisting
of three re-elected members of the
house ways and means committee and
three members of the senate finance
committee, to consider tariff revision
and report to the next congress, but It
Is very unlikely that this will' be done.'
It seems an entirely safe prediction.
therefore, that the proposition for a
tariff commission will have few support
ers among the majority In congress. It
is also certain that no attempt will be
made at the coming session to revise the
tariff generally or to modify any of the
schedules. A few republicans have in
dicated an Intention to propose changes
and may do so, but they will not be
able to accomplish anything. The situ
ation is in the complete control of those
who believe that to undertake tariff
revision at this time would be . most
detrimental to the business of the coun
try, and who also regard the popular
verdict in the congressional elections
as being distinctly against any present
Interference with the tariff. This ques
tion will be left wholly -for the next
congress to deal with and if then it
shall appear that popular sentiment Is
largely In favor of tariff modification
and conditions shall be such as to war
rant It, there is reason to expect that
the law will be revised, lowering duties
wherever It shall be deemed expedient,
but preserving the principle of protec
tion for all our Industries and in the
interest of American labor.
THAT BOVNDART QUESTION.
The recent statement byjan official of
the Canadian government regarding its
views on the Alaskan boundary matter
elicited from Mr. Frederick W. Seward
a reply that quite effectually disposes
of the Canadian claim. In a letter to
the New York Tribune Mr. Seward
points out that the chief contention of
the Dominion government, that the
treaty between Great -Britain and Rus
sia might be construed so as to allow the
British to have outlets to tidewater
through the Russian territory and to
own harbors ou its coast Is utterly
unwarranted and untenable. As to the
willingness of Canada to submit the
Issue to arbitration, Mr. Seward re
marks that of course that government
wants this, for in arbitration It could
lose nothing and would have every
thing to gain, while the United States
could gain nothing and would have
everything to lose.
Mr. Seward Is quite correct In thinking
that be voices the view of a good many
other American citizens in saying that
we prefer to stand upon what has al
ready been decided and to maintain the
boundary as we received It from Russia
and as it bad rested undisturbed for
half a century, until Canada Invented
ber so-called claim. The effort of the
Dominion government to obtain Amer
ican territory in Alaska' is futile and
it is not to be doubted that this Is well
understood by the British government
DmruAticmstMtaT i vihqixia.
The new constitution of Virginia
makes a sweeping disfranchisement of
negroes. It is said that about 150,000
negroes who voted for congressmen in
that state two years ago were not per
mitted to vote this year. The question
of the validity of the disfranchising
provision of Virginia's constitution is
to be determined by the federal courts,
a case having been brought asking that
the entire congressional delegation of
the state be thrown out because of tho
illegality of the election- The Impor
tance of this can lie understood when
It .Is said. that It may bring to a con
clusive test the constitutionality of negro
disfranchisement in other states of the
south.
It is time that this question should be
judicially determined, since It Is mani
festly one of very great political im
portance. The southern states that dis
franchised negroes still have the same
representation In congress and in the
electoral college as before. Virginia,
while refusing the suffrage to her col
ored citizens, has suffered no decrease
in the number of ber congressmen. At
the late election in Mississippi, where
most of the negroes are not permitted
to vote, the rate of votes to each con
gressman was less than 3,000. That this
Is a gross injustice to the stabs in
which the suffrage la unrestricted Is
perfectly obvious and Indisputable. It
is an even more serious matter consld
ered In connection with the electoral
college.
The decision In the Virginia case will
be awaited with great interest by all
who understand the great and far
reaching Importance of the matter,
which Involves the political rights under
the federal constitution of millions of
citlxens.
1 m
TAXATIVX vr MVBTOAOtS.
The taxation department of the Na
tional t'irlc federation has started out
as Its first step In the direction of gen
eral taxation reform to secure legislation
In the different states for more uniform
taxation of mortgages. In this case the
problem to be solved Is that of doublu
taxation of the same property by the
state In which the mortgaged property
Is located and again by the state In
which the holder of the mortgage re
sides. Recognizing the fact that our state
revenue systems are almost entirely
based upon the property taxed, the pur
pose Is to have each not only confine
Itself to Its own jurisdiction, bnt also to
follow the same rule In determining
what property Is subject to taxation In
its jurisdiction. The plan recommended
by the tax department of the National
Civic federation Is for each state to tax
the mortgage at the site of the mort
gaged property, either separating It as
between the mortgagor and mortgagee
or levying the tax exclusively against
the land and leaving the parties to ad
Just the payment of the tax between
themselves. In theory and also in prac
tice, when the conditions of the money
market are quite free, the burden of a
tax on mortgages Is shifted to the mort
gagor and must be borne by him. If
there Is double taxation that fact : is
taJten into consideration In the terms of
the loan and the borrowing party Is com
pelled either to pay all the taxes or to
pay the share of the mortgagee In the
form of higher Interest or harder terms.
Here In Nebraska the law as strictly
Interpreted contemplates the taxation of
the value of the mortgage In addition to
the value of the laud, but it has never
been applied in this way. In practice,
taxation in Nebraska conforms to the
plan of the Civic federation by suffer
ance rather than by legal legislative en
actment If our revenue laws are to'be
revised at the coming legislative ses
sion this point should not be overlooked.
PItKSlDKAT AND HACK ISbUC.
President Roosevelt, like other presi
dents before him, finds himself Involved
In the vexed race question, especially in
the disposition of patronage In the south
ern states, but no president has ever
met that question with greater candor
and directness. Whatever view may be
taken of his position, no one will com
plain that he equivocates in his state
ment of It, and the most prejudiced
critic in South Carolina will concede
the president's courage and honesty.
The president's position is that the
door of hope and opportunity should not
be absolutely closed to citizens solely
by the fact of color and race. It will
be difficult to criticise It on ethical
grounds or on those of reason and pub
lic policy. The real difficulty Is race
prejudice, which Is perhaps less amena
ble to reason than any other species of
prejudice, and the president's statement
will very likely be greeted by a large
element In the south with inconsiderate
denunciation. -
But there are evidences even In the
south of the growth, though it is not
rapid, of a more moderate and liberal
sentiment The bugbear of the social
equality of the races has largely disap
peared, and that of negro domination Is
losing Its terror for muny whites. The
more progressive whites perceive that
the return of the carpetbag regime of
a third of a century ago Is an utter Im
possibility. In the meantime the colored
race has made great progress and has
produced the leadership of Booker T.
Washington, who with many other able
men are showing the true highway to.
success. It would be strange indeed if
a basis were not thus being gradually
laid for a better adjustment of the rela
tions of the races.
The fundamental position taken by
President Roosevelt Is In fact the very
reverse of that which the south formerly
so bitterly opposed. The evil of carpet
bag government on which most stress
was laid, was that It resulted in po
litical preferement of the worst ele
ments of the black race. The rule laid
down by the president where colored
citizens are appointed Is to Insist on
high character and good capacity. He
has not crowded, and he does not pro
pose to crowd, federal places in the
southern states indiscriminately with
colored men, but he firmly refuses to be
bouud by the dictum of unreasoning
race prejudice that no colored man,
however high his character and ca
pacity, shall be barred solely because of
his color for a chance for political
recognition. The progressive spirit of
the uge will vindicate that principle,
and it is to be hoped that under chang
ing conditions even the unreasoning
south may gradually come to accept It
The supreme court bus expressly de
cided that for the purpose of fulfilling
the conditions of the law requiring the
publication of notices of liquor license
applications in the newspaper of largest
circulation iu the county the circulations
of the Evening World-Herald and of the
Morning World-Herald cannot be com
bined as of one newspaper. That is not
preventing the publishers of those sheets
from trying to work the same old bunco
game again this year. No liquor dealer
should be a voluntary victim of such a
hold-up.
When the officials of the Illinois Cen
tral entered into the scheme for pen
sioning Its employes some years ago, It
waa with doubt and purely as an ex
periment It turned out however, so
satisfactory on every account that they
soon greatly enlarged and perfected the
plan, which Is now being adopted or
considered by other railroad companies.
One of the most beneficial features Is
the tendency to keep good men In the
service, So that as a rule their promo
tion Is more rapid than it would be
If they should change frequently from
one company to another. It takes time
to build up the relations of confidence
on which promotion so much depends,
and the Inducement of a pension after
ten years of service and on a scale pro
portioned to average wages, causes men
to think twice before going to another
road for employment
In his annual report to the secretary of
the treasury Director of the Mint Rob
erts recommeuds that the mint at New
Orleans be abolished, explninlug as the
reason that the capacity of the mints at
San Francisco and Philadelphia and of
the new mint about to be opened at
Denver Is sufficient to meet all the re
quirements of the government This
may throw a little light on the bunco
game Congressman Mercer tried to work
on the people of Omaha with his promise
of a new mint to be located in this city.
The government would be likely to
add to the mints at Its disposal while
closing up one of them because of hav
ing no Immediate use for It But the
cheap trick of having a bill providing
for the establishment of a superfluous
mint reported to the house out of cour
tesy to Its introducer Is just about Our
Dave's size.
Booker T. Washington needs to offer
no apology for giving advice and In
formation, when revested by the presi
dent or anybody else, regarding the In
terests of the black race. No man has
reached more Intelligent conclusions on
that subject, nor expressed them more
temperately or with better sense.
North western's foot boll players
brought two carboys of drinking water
with them all the way from Evanston
to Lincoln but even water could not
fortify them to the point of scoring
against Nebraska.
Another Gates Coming.
Brooklyn Eagle,
The Pennsylvania friends of Mr. Dalzell
claim that the speakership figures sent out
from Washington in favor of Mr. Cannon
are merely guess work;, but it aeems highly
probable, that the Pennsylvanians will have
to guess again.
Shallow Grievance of Baron.
Chicago Chronicle.
One of" the grievances of the coal barons
In the arbitration business is the fact that
John Mitchell "was permitted to occupy
four and a half daya with his testimony."
As three and a half of the tour and a halt
days were consumed by the trust's attorneys
In cross-examination it looks as though the
grievance of the barons really lay against
their own lawyers' rather than against
Mitchell. This Impression is strengthened
by the notorious fact that the high-priced
legal expert employed by the trust came
off second beat in a contest of wits with a
man who never went to school after he was
14 years old.
Clereland and Third Terra.
Philadelphia Record.
There Is neither wit nor force In the sug
gestion that ex-President Cleveland's appeal
to the democracy to fall back on solid
ground Is inspired by a desire tor a third
term in the White House. Those who best
know Mr. Cleveland's private inclinations
and who appreciate the lofty patriotism that
aotuates him are sure that no such Monition
Inspires his public utterances. He long ago
for that matter put himself on record as
opposed to third term aspirations. His ad
vice to democrats must be weighed solely
by its Intrinsic merit and soundness. So
Judged, we do not doubt it will commend
Itself to the fafr consideration of those to
whom it is addt-essed.
Steel Traat Iltvala.
Springfield Republican.
! Any number of Independent concerns are
trooping Into the field of Iron and steel
production as competition of the big trust.
Many of them, considered by themaelves,
are large affairs; beside the huge trust the
largest of them looks vemall, but together
they will prove formidable. The most Im
portant single concern of this Independent
group is the Union 8teel company of Pitts
burg, which has Just absorbed the Sharon
Steel company. Both of them have large
plants for the production of various kinds of
Iron and steel products and both own valu
able ore beds In the Mesaba region. Their
new capitalization will probably exceed
$50,000,000, and they contemplate the build
ing of an Independent railroad from Pitts
burg to Lake Erie for the hauling of their
ore and other materials. They say now
that they expect to live on terms of peace
with the big trust, and so. they will as long
as present demand keeps up, which is large
enough to give plenty of work for all. But
when the Inevitable slump In demand
comes, there will be anything but peace in
the Industry, where the foundatlona have
already been laid for a great overproduc
tion. R1HAL FREE DELIVERY.
Plea (or Extra Allowance lor Care
( Carrier' Horaea.
W, B. Ball of Friend, Neb., carrier on
Route 1 of the rural free delivery In that
vicinity, makes a strong plea for an allow
ance for the care and keep of horses in use
by carriers. The arguments he preaents are
Intended for the ears of men similarly em
ployed, but they are also of general public
Interest as an Illustration of the difficulties
and meager emoluments of the rural mall
carriers.
In a letter to The Bee, Mr. Ball says la
part:
"Our first and greatest expense Is feeding
our horses, for which we should have an
allowance. I believe, taking the state over,
on aa average of one horse a year will be
worn out by each carrier, allowing two
horaea to do the work. The best wagon on
the market will not run over three years
without extra expense for repairs. We
must, as a rule, keep our horses ahod If we
uae them as ws should. We are required
to wear good, respectable clothing and we
must wear warm clothing. If there la
rural carrier who does not earn as much as
any city carrier who Is required to keep a
horse I don't know where he Uvea. Now I
think the carriers should Impress upon
their congressmen the tacts, not that they
simply want mors money, but that they
earn more and that the expense is so great
that something must be done, and the
sooner the better.
"I have carried the mall for two years
on Route No. 1 from Friend, Neb., and I
know by experience that we need an extra
allowance for expenses if we keep this up
to the standard, as we are required to go In
all kinds of weather and all klnda of roads.
If we fall we do not get pay for the day we
mlaa, no matter if the roada are not pasa
able "I think all carriers should look into this
and aee if we can't get what we earn. I do
not doubt we will get aa extra allowance
in the future, but If it is worth mors to
carry the mail ore years from now It is
worth mors right new."
POLITICAL DRIFT.
For the first time In twenty years the
New York Sun Is throwing bouquets at
Orover Cleveland
Except school taxes there Is no stale tax
levied In New Jersey other than that de
rived from corporations.
The cost of tbe twelfth cenaua is now fig
ured out to have boon $12,854,818, and It Is
Further added that this Is an average cost
of 15 '4 cents per capita in the Unite! States.
Dr. Edward B. Clements, who was chosen
to the legislature In Macon county, Mis
souri, at the recent election. Is the first re
publican to be elected In that county since
1868.
A man died in New York the other day
whose chief distinction in life was to vote
the straight party ticket ever since Andy
Jackson's campaign. Out of respect for his
memory his heirs refuse to embalm ths feat
on his tombstone.
The office of superintendent of public in
struction in Colorado Is held by a woman.
She Is a democrat. The salary Is $3,000.
She has been re-elected on the democratic
ticket, though the state has generally gone
republican.
There will be 131 new members In the
next national house of representatives. The
latest revision of the roll of members shows
that only two parties will be represented
and that there will be a republican majority
of 80 there being 208 republicans and 178
democrats.
The retirement from the United States
senate in March next of John P. Jones of!
Nevada will leave William Boyd Allison of
Iowa the senior senator In unbroken length
of service. He first took his seat In that
body March 4, 1878, and by subsequent elec
tions has served continuously ever since.
Immediately previous to that he served four
terms continuously In the national house of
representatives.
The candidates for offices at the recent
election In Kansas have been filing their
accounts of expenses. James O. Ferry, de
feated candidate for justice of the peace la
Prairie township, suburb of Kanaas City,
said he spent 60 cents for cigars. The man
who defeated him, J. T. Barker, made this
characteristic statement: "Gave nothing to
nobody; made no promises; bought no ci
gars and didn't spend a cent during the
campaign."
PERSONAL NOTES.
Now that Mr. Cleveland has told the
democratic party what to do, It's ten to one
It 11 do something else.
Mr. Hunter and. Mr. Fltigerald quar
reled In Kentucky, and Mr. Hunter killed
the other In Guatemala. That is carrying
a feud too far.
A portrait of Judge John H. Regan, the
surviving member of Jefferson Davis' cab
inet, is to be placed In the confederate
museum of history at Richmond, Va.
King Charles of Portugal has a few bits
of property he wants to dispose of, so be
paid a viBlt to King Edward. If the latter
hasn't the money Uncle Sam might buy
something. Islands preferred.
Tolstoi Is apparently In robust health, If
we may judge by the list of the works
upon which he is engaged. He Is writing a
book on the essence of religion, a novel
dealing with Russia's acquisition of the
Caucasus, an essay on the land question
and a play whose subject was taken from
real life.
In a habeas corpus suit for the posses
sion of a daughter, brought by the father.
Judge Hiram Brownlee of Indiana ruled the
other day that a mother's love and care are
of more benefit to a child than all the
money, clothes or support that a father
can give. The child In the case was given
to her mother.
James Culps, a traveling man, died In
Macon, Mo., last week and In deference to
hie expressed wish his funeral waa con
ducted without ceremony or flowers save
a wreath made from tbe artificial blossoms
In a hat belonging to his wife. Just before
bis death he requested that Mrs. Culps on
the day of the funeral play the musio of
his favorite hymn on the piano. , The
widow did so, though almost overcome
with grief.
Eleanors Duse, the Italian tragedienne,
waa discussing woman suffrage not long
ago with a male friend. The latter, by way
of poking fun at the woman's rights move
ment, said: "Man was made first, you
know, and woman sprung from man. She
Is his Inferior or that would not be nat
ural." The actress replied: "I cannot
agree with you. It Is natural for the flower
to come after the stem, but you surely do
not call that an evidence of inferiority."
PROBING THE LAND SCANDAL.
Raids oa the Public Domain Attract
taar Attention.
St. Louis Republic.
A case is now before the federal grand
jury in Omaha which promises Interesting
developments. The western cattlemen, who
have for years used the unoccupied public
land for grazing purposes, are In danger
of feeling the heavy hand of the govern
ment. They have paid no rent for these
enormous tracts and have no property In
terest In them. With the gradual settle
ment of the western country the herding
areas became more restricted, and finally
the cattle growers began to fence la land
to which they had no claim or title. Thla
plain violation of law stirred up tbe gen
eral land office, and Colonel John 8. Mosby
of confederate guerrilla fame was sent west
to Investigate. As the result of his report
the wheels of justice have been set In
motion.
It has been tbe government's policy to
hold the public lands for actual settlers
under the homestead act, which limits any
individual holding to 160 acres and requires
actual residence thereon for a specified
period. The government charges wholesale
violation of these provisions.
The legal proceedings threaten the very
existence, of the great cattle growing In
dustry as at present conducted. Ths cattle
men have foreseen and resisted the danger
for years, and, it is alleged, not slways by
legal means. Land grabbing through what
ars known aa "range widows" has long
been In operation. Soldiers' widows are
not required by law to live on the land they
take up, but only to make oath that they
want It for themselves. Certain cattlemen
conceived the plan of Inducing these widows
to file claims to lands and then transfer
the claims to themselves. It Is charged
that this has been done on an enormous
scale, and that during the first half of
November no less than 600 of these entries
were made in Nebraska alone.
It la the government's purpose to indict
for conspiracy to defraud the cattlemen
who have held out these Inducements.
Many of the "range widows" are also in
danger, sines charges of perjury will be
pressed. Tbe federal authorities claim that
90 per cent of the entries thus transferred
were fraudulently made snd that tbe women
were not always Innocent parties to the
transaction.
Tbe cattlemen have had Introduced in
congress a bill providing tor the leasing of
public lands for graxlng at t cents an acre,
the proceeds to be devoted to Irrigation
purposes, and the landa to remain subject
to bomestcid entry. Of the 600,000.000 acres
and more of this lsnd now given over to
pasturage a great part 1 worthless for
other purposes without Irrigation. The
plan proposed would bring In an annual
Irrigatlea fund of ever $10,000,000.
OTHER LANDS THAN OIR.
The carrying out of Mr. Chamberlain's
plan to visit the Uganda railway will prob
ably place In ths hands of ths public mors
thorough Information la regard to this Im
portant feeder to ths projected Cape-to.
Cairo line than has yet been acquired.
There have been two foreign office reports
Issued within the yesr, neither of which
can be considered satisfactory. The first
gave an elaborate description of the Una
up to Lake Victoria, which point It was
supposed to have reached December 16,
1901; the. second, which has corns to hand.
Indicates that there remains still another
year's work to do In ths construction of
bridges and la laying the permanent way
before the line can be declared open for
traffic. The speculation la land values,
which set In with the beginning of tbe rail
way, has not only abated, but prices hsvs
gradually returned to a very little over
that at which they stood when the line
was commenced. Should produce coma
down from Uganda In any volume, there
will no doubt ones mors be a boom. Apart
from the large permanent staff employed
on the construction of the line, who were
fed on rations Imported, by ths administra
tion as part of their pay, there were many
contractors and subcontractors who em
ployed large numbers of men. When these
contracts terminated the Importation of
food stuffs and provisions for the men
under them ceased. The permanent staff
of the railway Is also being considerably
reduced.
The legalising of the metrlo system of
weights and measures Is the purpose of a
bill which Is likely to be introduced at ths
next session of the English Parliament.
Thla Is an old agitation In England, as
In other countries that are not already
using ths new system, but in England
the movement seems recently to have
gained some force. A Parliamentary com
mittee that investigated the matter some
years ago made a glowing report of the
advantages of tbe new system, finding
that in addition to the drawback to for
eign trade offered by the present system
its mastery in tbe schools of ths coun
try required an additional year's time for
study on the part of the children. Many
bankers endorse ths change as doing
away with the present cumbersome sys
tem of computation. Those In favor of
the change think its Introduction, first by
legalising It snd somewhat later by mak
ing It compulsory, would Involve, but lit
tle Inconvenienoe or confusion. This,
however, Is regarded by many as an un
duly optimistic view, and it does seem as
If the doing away with the time hon
ored pounds, shilling and peace of the
British nation were an operation so diffi
cult as to be practically Impossible.
Capetown, South Africa, Is Just now a
lively place, where tbe adventurer and the
charlatan are reaping rich harvests, though
the wages foi working people snd artisans
are not nearly so inflated as they always
have been In new and booming towns on the
frontiers of civilization, and ths harvests
referred to are to that extent curtailed.
But It Is the British soldier, returning to
the town frcm the north tor shipment back
to his home, that brings most of the "easy
money" that the Industrious find lying
around. Each of these soldiers reaches tbe
town with from $100 to $200 In his posses
sion, and many of them are easy prey.
Even the officers find the poor and expen
sive hotels and similar accommodations of
the place quits luxurious after the depriva
tions they have suffered at the front. Not
a few of the soldiers, robbed and rendered
destitute soon after their arrival In Cape
town, have themselves turned "sandbag
gers" on their own account. Of course, the
merchants and hotel men are making plenty
of money In a legitimate sort of a way,
though some of the prices are near to rob
bery, and everywhere the first-class prices
are for second-class goods, service or en
tertainment. The Berlin Society of Business Men and
Manufacturers is an organization formed
for tbe purpose of preventing unfair com
petition In business, snd lawa that have
been passed by the German Parliament to
that end are, under the watchful care of the
society, being strictly enforced. In Ger
many, it Is stated, a "bargain sale" must
actually be a bargain sale. There Is a
heavy fine for the Improper use of trade
marks or brands, for the disparagement of
any other business or goods, for concealing
the name of the manufacturer of goods, for
changing goods from one place to another
secretly or for betraying business secrets.
It is also a misdemeanor to falsely declare
that goods are sold off owing to an "ex
piration of lease," when really they are
articles specially bought for the "reduction
sale;" or to state that goods are sold "un
der cost price" when they are really sold
at a profit. In such matters a fine not ex
ceeding $376 can be Imposed for the first
offense, and ths second Is punishable by
Imprisonment. Deception as to the quality
of goods Is also punishable by fine.
The government of France having deter
mined, by legislative enactment, to dimin
ish. If It cannot entirely abolish tbe drink
ing of absinthe, the absinths users have de
termined to make reprisals snd they are
agitating against what they term the opium
habit. It absinths makes people silly, they
say, opium makes maniacs of them. If ab
sinthe may affect generations to coma,
opium attacks the present generation. Tbe
vice has not taken serious bold upon Fsrls,
but In the southern cities, and especially
Marseilles and Toulon, It is alleged the
opium maniac Is at large and the stste of
things is equal to tbe worst corners of any
Chinese town, there being whole streets
where opium dens ars to be found In every
house. Men. women and children pass
hours under tho Influence of tbe drug. It Is
GET THE BEST
Mum nt , a rim1 1 ''jj1.,-i ,, 1 1 'i in vfrrr1 if ur v,,,1 1 17. : m
This doesn't mean the most costly in clothing, If
you'll coirie here.
If you will pay f 25 for a Suit or Overcoat you'll get
as good a garment as can be made. If f 15 is your limit
you. will findthe same perfect cut' and excellent aervice
in our line at that figure.
No Clothing Fits Like Ours
Re S. Wilcox
F0r DRINKING.
COOKING
ifcin RAKING
ALWAYS OSE-
BLUE
, WRAPPER
Baking Chocolate
UNEQUALLED
rcR PURITY FLAVOR
and STRENGTH
COSTS NQ MORE THAN OTHERS
GET IT AT YOUR GROCERS
said, and the only relief oan corns from
placing an absolutely prohibitive tariff upon
tbe distillations of the poppy.
For two years the municipal council of
Paris has been endeavoring to do away with
the octroi or tax collected on certain com
modities as they enter ths city, but In the
end it has been obliged to Increase the Ux.
ss there hss slways been a municipal deficit
to make up, and ths octroi Is ths most
easily applied of all taxes. This yesr the
councilors began with their usual good In
tentions, then the prefect of tbe Seine, who
Is a stats official, showed them a deficit of
7,600,000 francs, and suggested new imposts
on cheese, preserves, fish and fruit, while
ths minister of agriculture devised means
by which ths mayors of the communes may
within the existing law be empowered to
raise taxes on bread and meat tor the ben
efit of the state Thus ths city fathers, or
whst stands for them, imagine that the
stats hss entered upon a campaign of
tyranny, and as they are nationalists by a
Urge majority, their words of protest are
bitter.
LIGHT AND BRIGHT,
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Waitress (at
quick-lunch stand) Do you want to- eat
thla sandwich here or take It with youT
Gentleman Both.
Chicago News: "This young man," said
the proud father, "Is my nly son'
"And you may well be proud of him."
rejoined the aged philosopher, "If be ever
amounts to anything."
Washington Star! "Sometimes, said
Uncle Eben, "a man pertemla to be ajtln'
yon advice, when In reality he jes' happen
ter Imb a little time an' wants somebody
to pay' tentlon while he kicks."
Kansas City Stan: "Do I look like any
one you know?" asked a bright Joplln
youth at a card party the other night of a
venerable old man who had been gaslng
at him intently.
"Yes, I b'Mevo ynu do, returned the old
man. "You look like an aunt o' mine that
died twenty years ago. 1 b'lleve, though,
that she had jlt a little mure mustache
than you hev got." ,.
Philadelphia Catholic Standard: "80 you
don't mind my piano - playing, Mr.
Skorcher," remarked Mies Nexdore.
"Not at till," replied Skorcher. "I like It
bent when you're coaming."
"When I'm coasting?"
"Yes, when you keep your feet off the
pedals."
Indianapolis News: "She's evidently ths
apple of his eye."
He told me she was a peach."
"BoT Well, at any rate, they are a fine
looking pair."
' DBS OATMABBKI,.
As told by Swan Swaneon to a talented
Nebraska member of the Sports Afield
Family.
Sports Afield for December.
Aye yoost bane oop bay Mlnnesotl
To mm may Onkcl Yon;
Aye stop may bay Sen' Powl a while
YooBt for a little fun.
Aye see may there one "oatmabeel"
That bane de' name you call
En you can took a raid on heem
Without some horse at all.
Hay bane a purdy nalce masheen
Mid roober tires en things;
Yoost sit hem lak a vagon en'
Hay toon yoost lak mit vlngs.
Aye esk dhl man. "What mek him got"
Hay lay may hald got wheels;
Hay say hay fetjd heeiu plenty oat
En' call heem "oatmabeel.
Aye say Aye know Aye bane green Swede
YooBt cooin fon Nord Dukot',
But Aye don't b'leeve hay mak heem go
Bay feedin' vagon oat.
Aye vlnk may ave en say, "Aye bane
Sometime en Mlstsouree;
Aye know Ay'm green, but yoost tho same.
You bate n.ay lalf, 'show me!' "
Det man yoost laff, en only say,
Aye bane good show mayskelf;
Aye say, "Aye dank Aye pooncb your bald
En' lay you en des shelf."
Aye pick may oop a little atlck
Bane lay In in des seat;
En', bate may lalf, det oatmabeel
Yoost started oop tbe street I
Aye holler "Whoa!" but hay don't stop
En' then, you bate may lalf!
Aye weesh Aye bane bay Nord Dakot'
At home wit' Ann, may wife.
De oatmabeel hay boomp may oop
Des sidewalk on, en stop.
En' buck may troo the window In,
Off one dam butcher shop.
Hay spleet may nose bay may face oop,
En imetti may almost dald;
En poofich the eenalde off may mouth
All oouide off may bald.
En hurt may eye so bad een one
Ay'm blind yooat lak a beetle;
En Oder one Aye can aee soma
But only yooat a leetle.
The tart Aye seen that maahaen of
Hay been a boockln' still;
Aye tank hay feed too many oat
To that dam oatmabeel.
Aye tell may wife m( Ays get well.
You bate may lalf, Aye will
Not monkey some anoder talra
With any oatmabeel I
Manaser.