THE OMATTA DAILY BEE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1003. 0 ! It; I -: ' u 1 Tie umaha Daily Bee. E. P.OSEWATER, EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Dally Be (without Sunday), One Year. M OO laJly Bee and Humlay, One Year JOO illustrated Bee. one Year J tatuniay Bee, 'one Year 50 .wentletn century trraC., " L,nol t). rharirp. assorting that UEL1 VKRKD BY CAKR1LR. tally Bee (without Sunday), per copy... ; .Pf X"rJLZl .Kit wYiS - ....-"...b .... ie I i l.venlng Bee (without Sundny), per week o evening Bee ilncluJlng (Sunday). Pr , " Complaint! "of Irregularities In Jever should be addressed to City Circulation V- lartment. OFFICES. Omaha The Bee Building. , South Omaha-:ity Hall Building, Twenty-fifth and M Streets. Council Bluffe-lu Pearl Street. Chicago )4 Unity Building. New York-aat Bark Row BulMlng. Washington "1 fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news Itorlal matter should be addressed. Omana l.ee. Editorial Leparlment. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. State of Nebraska, DouRlas County, " publishing compiiny. being duly s worn, i rays 1 82.3HO t a 1,120 J 81,470 4 Sl.OUO .. 31,00 6 ai,sao t 2M,IO 'g 3U.I1UO 1 80.U0W i) 8ii,ir.o U 30.1MW 1 8O.07O 1J 80,040 i it.s.aiiu ji ao.mo 1J 8O.01O is ...... ...... 'ut0 i 8o,w as 7oo 22 i!!!"!"".'80000 22 ao,o 24. .30,000 26 """"ao.sao 25 27 3o,bto 28 ifU'lLI jq' sit.MUo 8i!!!!!'.!""...80'TO Total 0B2.B40 l ess unsold and returned copies.... u,io - at f 114'.4-t I . . I Net tvrlltlM,!M!!!!!!M!,.' w,4j GEORGE B. TZflCHUCK, a..k.eikaii Im mv Ttgttnr! nd flwom tO I . for m this 31t day or "mD"L,S- " lit 12. M. B. HUNOATh, Heal) Notary Public. No wonder the conl man usually car ries a side line of Ice. Like the street car, the legislative bill hopper bears the sign, "Always loom for one more." If the tariff alone Is responsible for the trusts, the conl trust ought to col- lapse forthwith. But will It? If It Is left to a vote of the Filipinos, Governor Taft will stay in the Thlllp- (hat the actual numner ui .eta copies of The Dally. Morning, Even ing and Sunday Bee printed during tne . ..T.k nr l r.mhr ii2. was as follows: pines as long as the present form of possible safeguard, be desires to thor irovernlng the Islands is maintained. oughly understand what he can do and The railroad attorneys are protesting Bjaln against the assessment of railroad property for city taxation on the same basis aa other prftperty. That 4 what t liey are paid for, Chief of Police Donahue draws the line at dealers lu futures and options who call tnemseives --clairvoyants, me next thing he will be after the preach ers and bucket shop men. The legislatures of several states are Just now engaged in doing tlicig utmost to convince doubting people that the election of United States senators by direct vote has become an Imperative necessity. Apostle Heed Smoot has landed on the r.omlnation for the United States senate from Utah with both feet The other senators down at Washington may not like his compuny, but they will not be !! to hpln tlitMusoIvcs. The action of the German Reichstaz in adopting resolutions directed against the Standard Oil company Is perhaps Intended to be notice to Mr. Rockefeller to plant a little of his money in endow ments for German universities. The usual number of legislators who want to achieve notoriety by , Intro- ductus freak bills are manifesting them- Kt-lves In various legislatures now In session. Fortunately the freak bills seldom go beyond the Introduction e;ae. - It Is good to have the governor of Ala - nania uenounce ij-ncuiug m siuu vigor- ous terms In his message to fhe legls- lature, but tt would be much better If the southern states would do more to re- press the lynching habit by practice rather than preaching. Judging by the number and va rlety of bills Introduced at the very out ret of the session, the people of Ne braska must be convinced that they have been governed very poorly Indeed and that everything is out of kilter and needs meuding very badly. Real Estate exchange men say they pre encouraged at the prospects of rev- i nue legislation In accordance with their recommendations. But they must not h't their encouragement make them neglectful. The only way to secure the legislation Imperatively demanded Is to Ueep everlastingly after it The management of the St. Louis ex position Is losing no chance to make hay while the sun shines at the national live stock convention. The territory comprised In the states carved out of the Louisiana purchiie constitutes the jreatest live stock country of the world, tnd f the live stock exhibit at St. Louis does not outdo all others there will be ret disappointment. Delaware democrats offer to fuse with .he antl-Addlcks rvpublican8?u au agree ment to elect a rvpubllcuu to represent Delaware in the I'uited States senate for the loug term lu return for the elec tion of a democrat for the short term. Another epistle from Colonel Bryan will be In order, showing this to be a plot it the money power to capture the Dela ware democracy for the reorgaulzers. The fusion of Bryau democrats and popullHts In the west is all right, but any fusion of democrats and republicans In the at l all wioug. THK CHAHVK OF DIMCLICTIOB. We have heretofore referred to the charge of dereliction mmle against the law officer of the government, chiefly on the part of democrats, la regurd to enforcing the anti-trust law. In the United States senate on Wednesday Senator Tollman, who Is a representa- tive democrat at least of hla section, " ' " ul... ' , prooi, pii-nuiiiKo ruuu unu presented to the attorney general "warn j i I-,- ui 4 K a x lllK BUU Urglllg U1LU IU J'lum l iur yrrv- pie against the Impending danger, but he has sat quietly In his office and done nothing." If this be true then indeed. Attorney General Knox deserves un qualified condemnation, but there Is no evidence adduced to sustain the charge and fnlr-mlnded men will not accept the bare and unsupported statement of the South Carolina senator, whose habit of reckless assertion Is well known. It Is the view of some thoughtless per sons that as soon aa the coal situation became menacing to the public interest, or they received from some source a re port setting forth the existence of a conl combination, the law officers of the cat",e tne arrest of coal operators, rall- war managers and any other who might be Implicated. For Instance, a New orlt newspaper publisher sent to the attorney general a statement charging the existence of an Illegal combination or conspiracy among railroads engaged in transporting and , selling anthracite conl an(l proffering evidence In support of the charge. It was referred to the United States district attorney In New York with instructions to receive the evidence and report to the Department r TnaflnA Thtta aaa Vi T Tif a A j v tt tinin.r, a mo rna inv int'ut i -v via but because no suit has yet been brought the attorney general has been criticised for failure to perform his duty, though those who do this know nothing of the evidence and have no reason to suppose that the United States district attorney In New York and the officials of the De partment of Justice are not prosecuting a necessary investigation Hasty action In a matter of this kind would be most impolitic and unwise. It was discussed a short time ago In the United States senate and Senator Spooner said that "Where a lawyer is bringing suit against men with un limited capital, who nave punt around themselves, through the assistance of most skillful and able lawyers, every to thoroughly explore the whole situa- tion before he puts the matter Into cQurt. He wants to be reasonably cer- taUi as a inwyer that he can succeed." Senator Foraker of Ohio, an able law- yer, said In regard to testimony pre rented that the attorney eeneral would t . t to MnmIne tt to th &ct but he wou,d want ,f he thought there was testimony to be bad that would support the charges, , to examine other questions. He would not only look at it as to the sufficiency of testi mony and as to Its availability, but he would also have to consider Jurisdic tional questions. The charge of dereliction against the attorney general of the United States has nothing to support It and we be- He Is wholly unwarranted, ne is an ble lawyer and a conscientious public official and there is not a reasonable doubt that he Is faithfully performing nls dutv' . wrrr nvn.. urn v n w . The 8f,nflte committee on foreign re latloD8 wln wPrt the Cubnn reciprocity treaty, amended so as to guarantee that there shall not be a further reduction of the sugar duty, which la placed at 20 per cent and providing for a 40 per cent reduction on American cattle ex ported to Cuba Instead of 20 per cent There will perhaps be no objection on the part of the Cuban government to the first amendment but it may not be dis posed to concede so large a reduction on our cattle. It is the expectation of I tne Cubans to develop cattle raising as an' important industry of the Island, 1 which la practicable, so that It Is quite probable they will view so large a re- auction 0f the duty on cattle as likely to be unfavorable to the building up of their own Industry, However, this one amendment to the treaty will hardly prove an obstacle to Its ratification by Cuba, since there Is chance for a compromise. The prospect, therefore, Is to be regarded as favorable for the early establishment of closer commercial relations between the United States and the young republic, with results which It Is confidently ex pected will be mutually advantageous. There Is talk of an effort on the part 0f Bome of the democrats of the senate to defeat ratification, by a resort to filibustering, but It Is doubtful If a suffl clent number of them can be Induced to take this course to prevent rati flea tion. QRUfTMQ JMPATlEttT. The statement that the president Is growing Impatient at the delay in tbe canal negotiations with Colombia Is not surprising. The vacillating course of that country In the matter has been well calculated to produce such a feeling or even one of Irritation. At the outset the Colombian government manifested the most earnest desire to have the United States take the Panama canal aud complete Its construction. It pro fessed a willingness to make any fair aud reasonable concession which this government might require. But as soon as congress had expressed a preference for the Panama route, by the passage of the bill giving authority to the pres ident to negotiate for tt, the Colombian government experienced a change of feeling and the efforts to conclude nego tiations uiou teruis which the United States can accept have been fruitless. President Itooscvelt Is anxious to have the trithmlan canal matter disposed of Ix-fore the close of the reoent congress and it Is stated that U Columbia does not speedily come to terms he will nego tiate a treaty with Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which could be done, It Is under stood, without delay. It Is probable. therefore, that the question whether tlie United States shall build the Tanama or the Nicaragua canal will be determined within the next three or four weeks. It would be a disappointment to a ma jority of our people Interested In an Isth mian canal if the l'nnama route should have to be abandoned, but our govern- ment cannot submit to any exactions or to conditions that would unduly limit its authority over the canal and the neces- sary contiguous territory. It has been said that the attitude of Colombia Is due to German Influence, but the German Foreign office has taken the trouble to deny this state ment, as obviously absurd as some others regarding German designs in this hemisphere. THE THREE KSSKZtTlALS. j As the basic principle for the proposed compulsory municipal ownership bill, its godfather assures us three things are essential: 1. The enforcement of the right to purchase the plant 2. Keeping the enterprise out of politics. 8. That none but honest and com petent men be appointed as appraisers. This Is about as practical as William J. Bryan's proposition that the standard dollar should have the same purchasing power at all times and under all cir cumstances. It Is an old adage that you can bring a horse to water, but you can't always make him drink. We have the right to acquire the water plant, but It is another matter to com pel a community to exercise that right whether the conditions are favorable or unfavorable to It. To keep the water works out of politics by conferring upon the governor the power to appoint the appraisement commission is to presume that governors have no political affiliations or political aspirations. ironing nncKwara at governor-appointed nonpartinan police commissions, governor-appomiet. uou- partisan normal school boards and boards of charities, we discover names of very prominent politicians, and we And ourselves face to face with some of me most rotten aeais in pontics mat nave ever aisgracea eorasKS, Dm tne most cuuuiiKe ana niana propo sition Is the assumption that we can create strictly honest and competent men by law. On that point we feel sure the Real Estate exchange com mittee to whom the compulsory pur chase bill has been referred will have no difficulty In reaching positive con elusions. The mill to convert dogs into sausages j was patented years ago, but the device to grind out honest men by passing themt through the legislative hopper Is yet to be discovered. If any man can Improvise that kind of a mill hU fortune Is made. PUBLISH THl IXVEXTORY. At least once each year every well managed business bouse takes an Inven tory of Its tangible property to enable It to make a correct balance, sheet. The same business methods should be ap plied to public corporations. The tax- payers of .Omaha, South Omaha and ti,o-1q mimtr who BOT-ornllr nnd Jointly constitute the business firm for whom the Board of County Commis sioners, the respective mayors and city councils and school boards are the man agers, have a right to demand that an Inventory be taken at the beginning of each year or tne tangible assets or tne county, .city and school district. These exhibits of tangible property should be given the widest publicity through 'the press, so that the people may know periodically what materials and properties are held in trust by their nt.ll rBntH Vor pi amnio: ThA people 01 uougius county uave a ngui to know bow many grading machines. teams and tools the county owns. They ought to know how much furniture owned by the county Is in the court house and how mucn at the county poor farm, the character and quantity of supplies the county carries in Its storehouse and other Institutions under direct control of the county. The taxpayers of Omaha ought to know what machinery, engineering In- strumenta, furniture and tools, etc., the city owns In the various departments, as well as tbe number of horses, fire en- glnes, fire hose and other fire apparatus f it . . . - ' . , t in the custody of the fire department. and what otner cnauei property me city may have on hand In each of tbe de partments. A like exhibit should be made by the respective school boards. The people have a 'right to know how many school books are now in ' use In the various public schools and bow many In the High school library, what apparatus In the laboratory and what materials of every description subject to the control of the school board Is on hand, and what Quantity In the school board storehouse. The taking of these Inventories would Impose considerable labor on the cler- leal force aud custodians, but by rights that should be part of their duty. The omnibus public building bills at Washington have suggested omnibus public building bills at Lincoln. Omni bus building bills ore iiernlcious, de moralizing and dangerous. They foster extravagance and jobbery and become a source 01' legislative corruption in directly by making members tie up to support measures and appropriations In conflict with their conscientious con victions simply because there is some pork In that barrel for their constitu ents. VI Inston l hurchill, the . brilliant novelist, who happens to be a member of the New Hampshire legislature. wants a law euactnl by bis mate that will compel the reading of the constftu- tlon of the United States and the con stitution of New Hampshire In every public school once a year. This Is Just about as rational as would be the enact ment of a law requiring children of all the kindergartens to be able to recite the Declaration of Independence by heart. It Is doubtful whether BO per cent of the member of American state legislatures. Including those of New Hampshire and Nebraska, have ever read the whole constitution of the United States or that of their own state. The Postofflee department has an- nounced its determination to establish n mor nnl free delivery routes over raa8 lnM require tne payment 01 turn P,Ke t0"8- ltur&' "ee oonvery nas ex erted an important influence for the good roads movement and If It serves to hnsten the abolition of the turnpike toll roads still remaining in different parts of the country it will be entitled to anoiner credit mark. uen it comes to K'vlng up rural free delivery or giving nn private toll roads, we may be sure that free delivery will have the prefer ence if the people themselves are al lowed to decide. In order to placate competing candi dates for the United States attorney ship, Nebraska Is to be divided into two federal Judicial districts, although there Is scarcely business enough to keep one court grinding A few years enter the race for the district attorney ship congress will doubtless be asked to divide the state Into four districts. No wonder hogs grow spontaneously on every bush in Nebraska. Ex-Speaker Sears seems to be imbued with the strange Idea that the state should try to clear up its debts before plunging headlong into additional ex pense for new state institutions and new buildings. Mr. Sears must be labor lng under the delusion that the state's buglneBS Bhould run on the Bame bu8,nesg principles as a private business establishment deadlv blow RtrHk -t thft Iong.naIred( battle-scarred swashbuckler by a bm ntrodnced In the lower hoU9e of the iPiRiBtllP(, nrntin.r imnn a flne and imprisonment for carrying concealed weapons on second convic- tlo Gatllne mins and navr revolver as side arms are of course to be priv ileged. Stse of the Dally Sqneese. Washington Post. It is estimated that the coal-consuming public Is now being done to the extent of 13,000,000 per . day. . Who la getting the money T Another ffoghorn Retired. Spring-field: pepubllcan. General A. J. Warner of Ohio is another of the leaders In the free silver movement who finds In the greatly Increased produc- tion of gold and the rising. tendency in prlcea a present satisfaction of the esson tlal demands of that 'movement. Silver re monetizatlon, he says, is no longer an issue, Beyond Reach of Change. New. York Bun, The Hon. George rred Williams of Ded- ham, Mass., has founded a party which he calls "The People's Rules." The rules are these: Initiative and referendum, public ownership of municipal utilities, restriction of "government by injunction." No matter I nw many new parties may De tormea, Mr, Williams will continue to be the same old party. Tribute to Governor Taft. Philadelphia Ledger. The demonstration, made by the Filipinos in protest against the proposed retirement of Governor Taft Is a flattering tribute to nlm as a man and to the United States as I a colonial power. Our new colonial service htt8 Rne far t0 Justify Itself when natives so recently In Insurrection rise up not to rebel against our rule, but to oppose the plan for the wlthdrawal of our governor. The incident Is one that should reassure our anti-lmperiallsts and reconcile them to Ue continued occupation of the Philippine Improving? the Schools, New York Tribune. The common school system has been the boast of Americans, but enlightened teach era are waking ud to the fact that our progress has not kept pace with our pride We have been developing fads, but wehav not developing lo proper measure ex- whlch would make th, ,reat My of bojr, an,i girn efficient and useful men and women In the spheres of life In which they w, be P,aced- " u one of the most Important questions which can face the state, and the governor will do a great I ' Bervlce if he can indicate how the central authority can within reasonable limits ot expense make our common schools more efficient Instruments for the development of cnaracter .nd the tralnln, of chndren for practical life. Expansion of American Capital. Philadelphia Record. American capital is not yet adequate for the country's Industrial opportunities and needs, and a good deal of foreign capital will long be Invested here. But In the last few years we have taken up a good part of ur obligations to Europe, and the amount mei-t abroad is an Important Item In the world's finance. Consular reports have di rected attention to tbe Investment of $300, 000,000 or more United States capital In Mexico, a large majority of whose railroads are controlled in this country, and to tbe Imposing list of American Investments la Canada. American capital la developing Cuba and our Insular acqulaltlons, seeking gas works In Japan and Paris and contest lng with Itself for the control of London raxld transit. latrodnrtloa of Fake Caatlea. Springfield Republican. Some of our millionaires, In building hi hmuH irfl hnthered. no doubt, to And ,rchltecturai atyiea which suit them. One thing, however, they ought never to do, and that la to build an imitation In whole or In part of some European castle dating back to the middle agea. Nothing could be more absurd in an architectural sense than tbe Importation of the castle style Into America; for the castle waa the ape- clal outgrowth of feudal conditions ot war fare and It has no reason for existence to day except as It may survive to tell Its own hlatorv in the lands that developed It But more than that. The Introduction of I fake castles Into America, to emphasize the social Importance ot their millionaire build era Is excrutlatingly vulgar, abnormally snobbish and disgustingly alien 10 the air we breai&e. ROl D AltOtT SEW YORK. Ripples on the Current of l.tfe la the Metropolis. The tax roll for 190J, Just completed by the assessors, gives New York taxpayers the aeverpet Jolt experienced In a genera tion. Values have been boosted nrarly f0 per cent. In round numbers, the Intrenso In the real estate asossmrnt Is $1.42i!.0OO, OOO, while the personalty aseessmcnt Is '.i36.000.000 higher than that of last year. Vnder the plan of assessment at full value taxpayers are assured that taxes will be reducpd In proportion to the inrrensrd as sessment, but. If newspaper comment re flects the sentiment of the town, very few axpayers bank on the professions of the officials. The Sun In a double-leaded roar pronounce the assessment an attack on real property but little removed from con fiscation. The personal assessment rolls contain some Interesting figures of the reputed value of the personal property of well known men. For Instance, Andrew Carne gie's assessment of $ri.000.0nn Is the highest on the rolle, and Is Just twice that of John D. Rockefeller. John Jacob Astor and Russell Sago come next with $2."0(t.00 each. Howard Gould Is let off with J.iiO.OOO, while the assessment of J. P. Morgan Is placed at $600,000. Charles M. Schwab Is on the rolls for 1500,000, Reginald Vander bllt for $350,000, August Belmont for a like amount and Cornelius Vanderbllt for $250,000. Among the local politicians w. B. Devery Is down for $'0,000 and Jonn . Carroll for $100,000. Mayor Low Is the wealthiest of the city officials, his asfess ment being $57,000. Richard Canfteld's personal property Is valued at $100,000. Among those not taxed by reason ot naving . . . . . , sworn on tneir taxes on ip- sruunu u being nonresidents are Richard Croker of Wantage, Hermann Oelrlchs, William Wal dorf Astor, George J. Gould and klbrldge T. Gerry. The real estate assessments are also es pecially Interesting this year, as they show presumably the full value of familiar prop erties. Conspicuous Increases In this year's assessments are euch cb the Hotel Savoy, hlch is raised from $1,000,000 to $2,200,000; the Manhattan hotel, from i,ou,u"u to $2,200,000; tho New Netherlands, $1,000,000 to $2,200,000; the Herald building, $1,000,000 to $1,800,000, and the Hanover bank, $1,200, 000 to $2,750,000. The new Macy store is put down as worth $6,000,000. Tho Carnegie mansion and grounds are assessed at $2,000,000. The Astor house goes up from $2,000,000 to s.i,- 000,000. The new Fuller building la valued at $2,500,000. and the new Stock exchango at $4,600,000. The Metropolitan club goes up from $950,000 to $1,500,000 and tne Metropolitan Opera house from $1,435,000 to $2,165,000. Delmonlco's Is doubled and Sherry's Increased 60 per cent. The lessee of a New York hotel who thought he had earned enough to retire from business aud enjoy his fortune In leisure recently had an offer for his rights . t i 1 i 1 1 l..ll i. t fink in ma easiness m v- a consultation with hla attorneys he settled on $8,000,000 as a reasonable sum. There was no formal consent, to sell for that amount, but that was tho figure that seemed Just aftef a hurried view of the situation. There came from the intending purchasers an intimation that they were willing to do business Immediately on that basis. Luck ily nothing definite was done until the lawyers set out to make a more thorough investigation as to the value of the prop erty based on the Income It yielded an nually. On that basis the hotel was vastly more" valuable than It had at first been considered. The proprietor's personal profit for the last eight years bad averaged $1, 000,000.' In view of these profits, tbe price placed on the hotel was Increased to a figure which It was quite Impossible for the syndicate to pay. In view of the large amount he found himself to be earning annually, the proprietor was quite satisfied to remain in harness a few years longer. A retail merchant of New York has had hla lesson. He believed that he had a right to abuse bis employes as the fit took him. He told a young woman to hand him a box of hosiery. She gave him the wrong box. He threw it at her and struck her on the side. Then he took a hammer and threatened to kill her with It. He Btruck her with his fist and Bhoved ber-against the wall. She sued for $2,000 damages. The Jury gave It to her with less than ten min utes' consultation. It is said they would have given her a much larger sum If abe had asked for It. The honored name of President McKlnley has been bestowed upon an Institution which Is to wage war on Indigestion. The recently chartered McKlnley Memorial hos pital Is for tbe treatment and cure of dis eases of the digestive organs. Said one of the originators: "There Is certainly a field white for the harvest. Diseases of the digestive organs are an American falling, and a systematic effort must be made to check the Inroads of gastric troubles. It la desirable that scientific research should be directed In these channels." INCREASE IN JIDGES SALARY. Difference la the Meaanrea Pending; In Con area. Philadelphia Press. An increase in the salaries of United States judges ought to be made by con gress, and there appears to be a strong probability of snch action. . The senate passed a bill making the salary of the chief justice of the United States $13,000 and that of each associate Justice $12,500. The house judiciary committee agrees to that part of the bill, but cut down the salaries of circuit and district judges from $7,500 and $6,230 agreed to by the senate to $7,000 and $6,000, which would be an increase of $1,000 each over the present salaries. If tbe difference between tbe tiro houses does not defeat any legislation It will be fortunate. An increase Is badly needed, and if it is only $1,000 tbat would be much (letter than the existing rates Tbe amount fixed by tbe aenate for the circuit and district judges was not too much, but the cut made by the bouse com mlttee Is not very large. Tbe lord high chancellor of England re ceives $30,000 a year and the three lords of appeal and the master of tbe rolls $30,000 each. The lord chief justice receives a salary of $40,000, while various other Judges Including tne fourteen on the queens bench, receive $25,000. Such salaries are not expected In this country, but tho United States can well afford to pay rea sonably well. A Judge In New Jersey re cently resigned because he could not live satisfactorily on a $9.0'i0 salary, which la $4,000 more than la paid to the district Judge of the United States. The judges of the. supreme court in New York City receive $17,500 each and the judges of suh ordinate courts In that city receive twice as much as Is r1'! to circuit Judges of the United Statea. No aenslble person favors what might be called large salaries for United States judges, but the amount agreed upon in the senate bill Is not large, but only sufficient to enable these' judges to live In a re spcctable manner soJ leave something for their families when they die. The house of representatives ought to pass tbe senate bill, but an agTeemtnt even on tbe house bill will be a great Improvement ovir th existing situation. . FIfil HUG on 1004. Democrat le rnlrnlatlona Pat Through ManatllnaT Machine. Philadelphia Press. It Is a far cry to the presidential elec tion of 1904, but some democrats are figur ing on the outlook and constructing tables of electoral votes showing how a demo cratic president might be elected. The fol lowing Is one of these tablea with the ad dition of the republican pluralities given In 1900 and 1902 In the states outside the south, that must be carried to enable the democrats to obtain a majority In the elec toral college: Rep. Pluralities. Blectnral States. New York New Jersey.... into. 1B. Vote l3,60fl 8.803 17. 1M 2.5;o U.O0S 16.479 36.2&1 13.W2 7.TM 2.4SH 1.W8 13.W1 7.50H l.97 4.154 39 U 7 13 4 3 8 7 98 151 249 9 10 Cornecticut ... lmllnna Rhode Island.. Nevada Maryland Ix-laware West Virginia 21.022 12,763 Total electoral vote. Add solid south Necessary to a choice. Majority Democratic. 1901 plurality. It needs only a glance to show what a strained calculation this hi. Only two of the states mentioned outside the south went democratic In 1902 and trey were Rhode Island and Nevada, with a total elec toral vote of only seven. The latter alone went democratic In 1900. The attempt to argue that because most of these states gave smaller republican pluralities In 1902 than they did In 1900 they are drifting to ward the democratic party la to forget all previous premises. The same states gave smaller republican pluralities In 1898 than they did In 1896, but they all swung Into line again In 1900. In the table of states there Is probably only one that is likely to go democratic In 1904, and that Is Nevada, with three elec toral votes. But, taking the table aa it stands, the fllmBy basis on which It Is built la readily discernible. At the most It gives only ten democratic majority In ths electoral college. The loss of Connecticut and Delaware, or of West Virginia and Ne vada, would make a tie and throw the election Into the house of representatives. Either New. Jersey's or Indiana's vote would defeat the democratic candidate. In fact the construction of such a table re veals the weakness of the democratic out look. An attempt to figure out a possible chance for the election of a democratic president In 1904 is like a child's house ot cards. It falls to pieces at a touch. SIGX1FICANT POINTERS. - 1 Vast Improvements Projected by tbe Railroad. Chicago Tribune. The plans of some of the leading railroads of the country are fairly eloquent In tbelr significance as bearing upon the industrial outlook for the present year and the con tinuance of tbe prosperity of the year Just closed. During 1903 the New York Central management of the Boston A Albany rail- roail wiU Bpend $4,000,000 for grade cross- . .,i im,m,. Th. York Central also will expend about $25,- 000,000 upon the reconstruction of Its termi nal In New York City, and. Included In this, will be the cost of Installing electric Instead of steam service within 'the city limits and suburbs. The Union and Southern Paciflo companies will spend $40,000,000 in reducing grades, shortening lines and adding to their transportation facilities. The Pennsylvania company la to begin next month upon eon structlon contracts amounting to $50,000,000, neludlng the terminal In New York, the enlargement of buildings and yards In Pitts burg and the erection of the new union sta tion In Washington. The appropriation of this large sum ot about $120,000,000 by four railroad compa nles alone, to which millions more must be added to completely represent the plana of all the railroad companlea for the Increase of their capacity to move the already con gested accumulations of fuel, grain, lumber, Iron and steel, and make ready to handle the product of this year, shows that not only they have confidence In the continuance of the prosperity which made last year such a noteworthy Industrial one, but that the logic of the situation warrants them In these heavy outlays. Expenditures upon so large a scale mean an Increased consumption of material, an Increased demand for labor, and, naturally. a largely Increased distribution ot wages. The last item means a higher standard ot living. It also means an increase of gen eral business, for a large share of wages goes to the retailers, and what helps tbe retailer helps tbe wholesaler, and what helps the wholesaler helps the mill and the railroad. In all directions. Indeed, the promises are bright for another prosperous year. PBRSONAI. MOTES. It Is the good fortune of the new German ambassador to have an American wife. An American wife Is a mascot tor any Euro pean statesman. Captain Francis Marion Schell, the fa mous scout and plainsman, has Just died. He took the Drat wagon train to California in the gold excitement of 1849, Slgnor Marconi, the Inventor of wireless telegraphy, is said to have discovered method by which oxygen may be extracted from air at very slight expense. There are three living ex-secretaries of war In the United States senate Mr. Proc tor of Vermont. Mr. Elktna of West Vir ginia and Mr. Alger of Michigan. Mrs. Betsey M. Stevens, the surviving sister of the late General Benjamin F, Butler, has Just celebrated her 95th birth- day at tbe old homestead at Nottingham. tI N. H. Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island ran short of coal the other day and was compelled to replenish bis bins from tbe village of Centerville, some distance from his home. Tbe coal cost him $15 a ton, with $3 a ton added for cartage. There is no more enthusiastic hunter In either branch of congress than Senator Burton of Kansaa. He has trophies to prove his skill in the chase. While In Hawaii last summer he enjoyed some royal port after the wild hoars there. Billiard experts In congress yield the palm to Senator Mallory of Florida, whose work with the cue Is of the highest order. Only Congressman Cochran of Missouri and Con gressman. Lanbam of Texas are aupposed to be In his class, and both concede the Florida man's superior skill. A recently appointed second lieutenant In the army on his first public appearance at one of the president's receptions had some .difficulty with his sword and tripped over It several times while he was In tbe line. It got between his legs and dangled about In a most perplexing way. "Young man," said Major General Corbln In a most kindly manner, "tbat thing you are wear ing Is a sword, not a hurdle." During tbe speech of Senator Nelson ot Minnesota against tbe admission of Okla homa, New Mexico and Arizona as states the senator said that 60 per cent of the population of New Mexico la Spanish and Mexican. Delegate Kodey of New Mexico, who was listening to the speech, scribbled a note and sent it to Nelson. It said: "Dear Senator I recently had occasion to Inquire Into tbe matter, and, much to my surprise, I find that 57 per cent of tbe population of Minnesota ia Norwegian. How on earth did that alate get lot" CHECKMQ DRIFT TO CITIES. Rleetrleltr Working; a Traaaformatloa In Conn try I.I fe. Fortland Oregonlnn. Country life is becoming more attract ive, and It la probable that the census ol 1910 will show a material check in the drift of population to the cities. The weat. Iways most progressive, exhlhlta more ot the modern movement to etimint h Isolation and uncouthness of country life than does the staid east, but even there It Is notable. And In tho new states, having vast areas yet unsettled, the modern agen cies or communication and comfort closely follow the frontiersman, who complain that the world Is growing too small. Oregon. It Is believed. Introduced the barbed-wire telephone to clvlllaatlon, but the device Is now widely used, both east and west, and the service ie being rapidly extended. The substitution of wire for wood fences Is a great promoter of this modern convenience. But It Is to be ob served that the farm fence Is made to do telephone duty only where the expense ot regular telephone lines would he burden some. In many sections tho density of population and prosperity of the people require regularly equipped telephone sys tems for the service of the farmers, and the farms have tbelr own little systems con necting stock barn, granary, spring houee and back lot with dwelling. Instead of trudging miles In the dust and heat of summer, and mud or snow and cold ot winter, to the country postofflee for the weekly mall, the farmer may now And his paper and letters at his gate dally. Through telephone and mall delivery the fanners may keep as closely In touch with the world aa the city dweller. The young folka also get companionship In this way, and the duties of the farm are relieved of lrkaomeness. But the east wind's moan Is not emptier than a lover's kiss by telephone, and the spreading lines of trolleys add a material factor to the growing popularity of country life. They make It easy te get about, for the people to come In busi ness and social contact, and for the va riety of Intercourse that adds charm to life. The young folks find here relief from the hard conditions that have so often made the farm life a prlBon from which almost any escape was welcome. Tho trolley car glvee quick and cheap trans portation for people and produce, and It Is reaching far across country and carry ing light and prosperity to the homea that have been burled In the deep, dense coun try. Electricity Is working most of the trans formation in country life. The telephone and trolley car carry city convenienses to distant farm homes, and In some cases the residences and barns are lighted by the electrlo glow. The dally poatman. however. Is the pioneer In modernizing most localities, and the taste ot progress which he gives sets on foot agencies that cure the country ot the disabilities It has long labored under, without reducing Its na tive charm "and usefulness. The process will In time relieve the congestion of cities and make the country populous and fruit ful. It will give our civilization a better balance and contribute Immeasurably to the vigor and stability of tha race. FLASHES OF FUN. Dalton How that English charaVlld laugh at your Joke I e Waller Yea; he must have heard It be fore. Boston Transcript. Rich I ao von have a silver watch now. What did you do with your gold oneT Short Got poor, and you Know circum stance alter eaeos. Pennsylvania fundi BowL , Ctty Friend In this house occurred New York's most famous murder mystery. Country coueln indeed 7 wnicn ao you mean? City Friend The one the police solved. Judge. "What kind of a time did you have at the party?" asked the old friend. "First rate," answered Mr. Cumrox. "You see, it waa a masquerade party, and mother and the girls couldn't Identify mo and criticise my grammar and deport ment" Washington Star. "How did you like that play of rural "I7fs a fraud." answered Mr. Trullrural. " 'Tain't true to nature. I understand all them farm folks on the stage stays up till 11 or 12 o'clock every night o' their Uvea." Baltimore Herald. "Success." I asserted, sagely, "to due to our ax-curate Judgment of human nature." "And," retorted the man who always carries things to extremes, "to Its Inaccu rate Judgment of us." Brooklyn Life. Mrs. Gayman My husband resolved to stop drinking on New Year's, but he didn't keep his pledge long. Mrs. Newbrlde My hueband made the same resolution and he Isn't having any trouble at ail. He Just eats cloves every time he feels like taking a drink. Phila delphia Preaa. Wife Don't you think you might manage to keep house alone for a week while 1 go off on a visit? Husband I guesa so; yes, of course. Wife But won't you be lonely and miser able? Husband Not a bit. Wife Then I won't go. New Tork Weekly. "I am glad to note," aatd the friend, "that gambling la a vice that has no temptation for you." "None whatever," answered Senator Sorghum. "1 am unable to find any excuse for a man's risking hla money when there are ao many sure thliiKe lying around bog ging for attention." Washington Star. "WAIT TILL YOU'RE DEAD." W. D. Nesblt In Chicago Tribune. You grieve because men do not seem To understand your worth? Because the good you try to do Remains unknown on mint I Because no laurel fits your brow. Or bay entwinee your neaaf Twill all be yours one of these days Walt till you're dead. It aaddens you because your faults Are blazoned to tha skies. While all your virtues mem to be Uased on by stfc-htiesa eyes? Why worry over euch a thing? Why not rejoice, Instead, Because of all the coming fame? Walt till you're dead. Folks do not understand your plans, '. Appreciate your deeds? They do not laud you when you meet Bome weaker brothor's needs? They eo not say kind things of you? No rose leavea for your lied? They'll prame you, all In goodly time Wait till you re dead. Walt till you're dead. They'll tell It then; They'll chisel It in etone. And put It In a chosen place, Beoluded and alone. Perhaps your splendid traits may all In epitaphs be read At any rate they'll stretch the truth. Walt till you're dead. Your Eyes May Hoed Attention. I Keed It nadir. Why doa't yon a-lve It to thruf Von put It off front day to day. I yon know tbe risk yon rnn f J. C. HUTESON & CO., Ill S. Ida Btreet, Ptxtoa Black. 1 ;