THE OMAHA DAILY nEK: SATUIIDAY, rKHRUAHY 7, 1003,
0
Tiie omaha Daily Bee
S. ROSE WATER, EDITOR.
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itorial matter should he addressed: Omaha
Bee, Editorial Department.
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ti... i .. 1 1 u.in b.venlna ana
Sunday Bee printed during tha month of I
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18..
1..
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....ao.Bao
....81.&SO
21.
22 80,440
J3 8O.030
24 SO.TBO
25!,...; aH,M
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G EC ROE B. TZ8CHUCK.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before me this Hist day ot January, a., u,
1803. M. B. H UNGATE,
(Seal.) Notary Public
In the meanwhile the alleged local
coal trust Is enjoying a peaceful armis
tice.
Latest advices from Morocco are to
the effect that the pretender has es
caped. He always escapes In all the
comic operas.
President Roosevelt has so far shown
remarkable ability in steering clear of
pitfalls In the Venezuelan matter and he
may be depended on to continue to
avoid embarrassing entanglements.
U. r. Baldwin does not propose to
take any chances with a public debate
on the question of railroad tax-shirking.
He has been admonished before that his
weakness lies In talking too much.
Montana law makers have had the
discourtesy to turn down the demand
for woman suffrage by a decisive vote.
The suffrage brigade will not be saying
such nice things about the Montana men
from now on.
That Nebraska City railroad organ
must have got an extra order to turn
over Its whole editorial page to the rail
road tax bureau and send the bill for
the cost of setting and inserting the
ready-made stuff.
The marquis of Castellane thinks the I
United States and France should get
together on a commercial alliance. We
thought that Is what the two countries
did when his son, Count Bont, married
the daughter of Jay Gould.
Omaha will be gratified to see the
walls of the auditorium building rise
from the foundation with the opening of
spring, but a good many people in
Omaha are from Missouri they want to
see the last bricks laid before they
Jubilate.
After sifting all the evidence adduced
In tlie Investigation into the Lessler
bribery charges the conclusion is forced
that the bribes were all offered without
auy bribe givers behind them. Just as
Topsy grew up without any father or
mother.
The question presents Itself that if the
fees of the sheriff's office have fallen so
that they will not pay the salaries of
the deputies and office help, why. has
not the work of the office been reduced
enough to permit of a reduction of the
sheriff's force?
It seems that the tangle in the Dela
ware senatorial contest Is not to be un
raveled forthwith upon the niere offer
of Addlcks to withdraw, especially when
there Is a well-defined suspicion that the
withdrawal has some kind of an invis
ible string attached to It
Petuocratlc leaders are exerting them
selves to bring tho race problem to the
frout north as well as south. Hut they b'uatlon or conspiracy letween the rall
can not square their Remands for equul M"00118 n(l operators, has been author-
treatment of. the brown people in the
Philippines with their denial of civil
rights to the black people of the south.
Hobson of nuiiMi war fame thinks
that his efforts to secure retirement
from the navy Lave bveu frustrated by
a political conspiracy that fears his pro -
Jectlon into the' political arena In the
Alabama district In which he resides.
A man with bis fighting reputation
ought not be abashed by obstacles of
this kind.
ine insurance companies are very
strenuous in their opposition to any
change In the revenue laws that will
make them pay more taxes than they
have been paying. That Is perfectly
natural, but the representatives of the
insurance companies w 111 have to ex-
plain why Nebraska should not levy in
lurance taxes on the same basis that
jbtalna In Illinois, Iowa aud Missouri.
OMAHA AtfD Tflt StATt.
Omaha and Nebraska are bound to-
frotbcr for bfttor or for worse by tics
that rannot l severed. Whatever pro
motes the growth and t)rosierlty of
Omaha lieneflts the state at large.
Whatever retards the growth and pros-
perlty of the state hurts Omaha. In the
parlance of the trades union, an Injury
to one la an Injury to all. The hot wlud
that Misters the corn flcMg In central
Nebraska, the drouth that withers the
crops In the Republican valley or the
blizzard that destroys the lire stork In
the senil-arld region depresses business
and retards the growth of Oninlm. The
closing down of the Omaha smelting
works or meat packing houses, the fail
ure of 1U principal banks, In fact any
disaster that cripples Omaha would also
seriously affect the prosperity and well-
being pf every section of -the state.
The taxable wealth of Nebraska, In
cluding railroads, Is computed at S 1,200,-
000,000 to $ 1,300,000,000, of which $ 140,
000.000, or thereabouts. Is located In
Omaha and South Omaha. These two
cities are practically one, and together
they pay more than one-tenth of all the
state taxes. In round figures, Omaha
alone has paid ,jnore than $1,000,000 In
state taxes dnrlng the past ten years,
and Its proportion of the state tax will
grow as the city grows In wealth and
population
If Omaha were wiped out by a con
flagration a deadly blow would be In
flicted not only upon the city, but upon
the whole state. If Nebraska were In
the position of the state of Kansas with
reference to Its commercial metropolis
as Kansas City Is In Missouri, or If
Omaha were located In Iowa, the bulk
of the burden of state taxation now
borne by Omaha would be thrown upon
the shoulders of the state at large. Give
Omaha a population of 250,000 and tax-
auie weaiLU or $-u,iiu,uvu nnu tne Dur-
HI. aaa ruu , 1
aen or taxation now earned by the bal
ance of the state would decrease propor-
tlonately, while Its land values would
Increase correspondingly. With 12 per
cent of the state population at Omaha
and South Omaha the producers of the
state have a home market for a large
portion of their food products that
would otherwise have to be marketed
beyond the state, and the producers In
Nebraska would lose the difference In
the cost of transportation to Omaha and
the eastern markets.
Manifestly It is to the Interest of the
people of Nebraska outside of Omaha to
back Omaha In every enterprise and ef
fort that tends to promote Its growth
and Increase its taxable wealth.
The demand of Omaha for the enact
ment of laws that will compel railroads
to pay their Just proportion of municipal
taxes In addition to the' taxes thev rmv
toward the maintenance of rmblio
schools, county and state government is
stigmatised by the railroad tax bureau
as supremely selfish and calculated to
rob the balance of the state of the tils
trlbuted value of railroad terminals and
improvements at the Nebraska metro p-
oll
This idea is sought to be Insidiously
Inculcated through paid editorials fabri
cated by the railroad literary bureau
under the supervision of .John N. Bald
win, but the people of Nebraska are too
intelligent to swallow such chaff. They
are awake to the bunco game the rail
road taxshlrkers have been, playing for
years. They know that the values of
the railroad terminals at Omaha have
never figured in the assessment of the
railroads by state boards. They know
that not a dollar of the value of these
terminals has ever been distributed to
their county, school district or state,
They know also that the assessment of
these terminals for state, county and
school district taxes distributed on the
mileage basis from Omaha to the west
boundary of the state will in no way be
affected by their assessment for city
taxes at Omaha.
On the contrary, the assessment of the
terminals, depot buildings and other iin
provements In Omaha will lower the
state tax rate and raise real estate val
ues In Omaha. To be more explicit if
I the railroads are compelled to pay their
I share of municipal taxes the city tax
I rate will go down, real estate values
will go up, and when real estate in
Omaha is relieved of the excessive bur
den by which It has for years been de
pressed It will be sought by foreign cap
ital for Investment and improvement
An advance In real estate values will
Increase Omaha's contribution to the
state treasury and the outside counties
and school districts will pay that much
less into the state treasury. Incidentally
an increase in real estate val hp in
Omaha will stimulate an advance of
land values all over Nebraska, just a
the growth of Chicago and St. Louis has
stimulated the Increase of real estate
values in Illinois and Missouri.
WILL COXTiyUE 1NVKSTIUAT10H.
The congressional committee charged
with an Investigation of coal transporta
tion, and aa to whether there was a com-
iaed to continue Its Investigation and to
visit such cities as might be necessary.
This is the proper course. The testi
mony taken by the committee at Boston
pretty exclusively demonstrated that
there was au understanding between
I operators and. railroads
in regard to
1 the transportation of coal, the effect of
I which was to deprive the New England
markets of the supply they might have
had.
There Is not a doubt that a similar
state of affairs existed elsewhere and it
is most desirable that the fact be fully
ascertained and exposed. We do not
know what can bo done in the matter
whether those guilty of such a con
spiracy, Involving suffering to many
thousands of people aud serious Injury
to Industries, can be punished, but at
j aay rate a thorough aud searching In-
- 1 vestlgatlon should be made and un
I doubtedly the committee can be trusted
I to do this. . If wiat was disclosed at
Boston Is found to have existed In New
York, Philadelphia and elsewhere. It
will at least suggest the expediency of
devising a way to prevent the recur
rence of such a condition.
A X tl-Tttl'ST LF.GlSLATluy.
The house of representatives passed
without debate the Elkins bill providing
against rrbntes and discriminations by
common carriers and enlarging the pow
ers of the Interstate Commerce com
mission. We have heretofore given an
outline of tho provisions of this meas-
re. .which relates principally to rail
roads and Is really supplementary to the
nterstate commerce act. It will un-
oubtedly be approved by the president
nd Its effect will be to render the ex-
sting law more effective. 'While .some
f the'great combinations, as the Stand-
rd Oil company, for example, are no
longer asking rebates because being
more or less Interested In the railroads,
ct the new law will afford protection
to the numerous small shippers who are
now at a disadvantage by reason of the
discrimination In rates In favor of the
larger shippers a condition that It has
seemed Impossible to remedy under ex
isting law. A good feature of the bill
Is that It applies to persons or corpora
tions who solicit or receive any rebate
or discrimination as well as to corpora
tions that grant them, the penalty being
the same for each.
Whether or not anything more will be
done by the present congress In the way
f anti trust legislation is uncertain.
The bill creating a department of com
merce, now In conference, contains an
anti-trust provision added by the senate
and It is expected that this will be ac
cepted by the house, in which event it
is thought that nothing further will be
enacted. This amendment provides for
publicity and It Is said that together
with the Elkins act goes as far as the
party leaders and the Administration
propose to go at this Juncture. At all
events some progress will have been
made toward meeting the public de
mand for legislation to put a stop to
railroad discrimination and the super
vision and regulation of the combina
tions engaged in Interstate commerce,
and with this done there should be less
difficulty In taking what further steps
shall be found necessary to the carry
ing out of a comprehensive policy of
trust regulation and control. If the at
torney general is given authority to ex
pedlte proceedings against corporations
amenable to the law and is provided
with adequate means to carry on prose
cutlons there Is every reason to expect
good results In the not remote future.
The administration can be depended
upon to make every effort to enforce the
laws to the extent of the authority
given It
THK BAT10XAL CREDIT.
It is an interesting fact both as evi
dence of the national credit and the
abundant supply of capital that the sec
retary of the treasury has been deluged
with letters from persons who want to
bid for the Panama canal bonds that
are to be issued to defray the cost of
constructing the Isthmian waterway. A
Washington dispatch says that from the
amount of Interest shown by the public,
Secretary Shaw is inclined to believe
that a flat 2 per cent loan could be
floated at par. The last bond issue was
made at par, but In addition to bearing
2 per cent, interest the bonds were worth
another one-half per cent interest when
deposited by national banks to secure
circulation. Some of the treasury offl
clals feared that unless the canal bonds
were placed on the same basis as the
2 per cent bonds of 1900 they could not
be sold at par, but the great desire man
ifested by the public to buy them has
changed this feeling and the opinion is
that they could be sold at par without
difficulty.
The Panama canal measure authorizes
the secretary of the treasury to borrow
on the credit of the United States from
time to time, as the proceeds may be
required to defray expenditures author
ized by the act tho sum of $130,000,000,
or so much thereof as may be necessary
and to issue coupon or registered bonds,
redeemable In gold coin and bearing In
terest In gold at the rate of 2 per cent
per annum, to be disposed of at not less
than par. All citizens of the United
States are to be given an equal oppor
tunity to subscribe therefor. It will
be seen that the bonds are to be Issued
only as required to meet expenditures
and they are not made available as
security for bank note circulation. Yet
there Is no doubt tnn they would be
promptly disposed of, since undoubtedly
a considerable amount of capital Is not
returning even so small an Interest as
the bonds will bear.
The Bee's position relative to the
Howell-Gilbert water works bill Is not
on the ground of opposition to municipal
ownership of the water works or any
desire to obstruct the purchase of the
plant. It has objected to the bill mainly
because It overrides the principle of
home rule, not only in providing for a
governor-appointed water board to per
form purely local functions, but In legis
lative prescription of what Omaha must
do In a strictly municipal matter. On
the same theory that the legislature
undertakes to make the purchase of the
water works compulsory. It can make
the purchase of the gas works, the elec
tric lighting plant the telephone system
or the street railway compulsory. If It
can make the purchase of the water
works compulsory irrespective of the
wishes of the people who must pay for
them, it can later make their sale com
pulsory. Overturn the principle of home
rule and the legislature can direct the
use of property belonging to the munici
pal corporation in any way It sees fit
If It can compel Omaha to-buy the plant
that supplies water to South Omaha, It
can compel South Omaha to buy the
plant that supplies gas to Omaha. Ie
part from the principle of home rule
and there are no limits to legislative
intrusion and confusion in our munici
pal government
The Minnesota legislature has ap
pointed special committees to Investi
gate personally Into conditions at ft
Louis before taking action on an appro
priation for the state's participation In
the Ixnilsiana Purchase exposition.
With this brilliant example before them
It M ill devolve upon some of our enter
prising Nebraska legislators to work up
Junket of their own to ft Louis at
the Joint expense of tho state and the
exposition management.
The speedy adjustment of the threat
ened strike among the Job printers and
pressmen of Omaha shows what can be
done to avert labor troubles when all
parties go at It with a spirit of mutual
confidence. If the Union Pacific sfrlke
could now bu settled on some plan
satisfactory to both employes and em
ployer, the labor situation here would
be completely relieved.
It seems that the fraternal Insurance
bill endorsed by the state convention of
fraternals as Just the thing for Ne
braska does not satisfy all the frater
nals. It will be In order now for the
friends of the measure to charge the
opposition with being stirred up by the
Jealousy of the old line companies.
The governors of three states, Illinois,
Indiana and Iowa, will participate as
stellar attractions at a Washington's
birthday banquet at Teorla. This will
present an opportunity to repeat three
times over what the governor of North
Carolina said to the governor of South
Carolina at their famous meeting.
Congress has Just agreed to legislation
that will grant moderate Increase of pay
to all the federal Judges, so that the
federal district Judge, who Is lowest on
the list will hereafter receive $0,000 a
year Instead of $5,000. In Nebraska we
are still paying our Judges of the state
supreme court $2,500 a year.
Correct Diagnosis.
New York World.
The best thing about our 11,000,000 fight
lng men is their practically unanimous de
sire to make fighting the very last resort.
Working tke Elevator.
St Louis Globe-Democrat
Germany is trying to raise the blockade
and Venezuela is trying to raise the money,
In the meantime Uncle Sam is expected to
give both of them a friendly lift.
A Senatorial' Surprise.
Indianapolis Journal.
If the senate did not surprise Itself in
passing the Elkins anti-railroad discrimlna
tlon bill it surprised the country. Just
how that body got at the bill is one of the
things which is not explained.
A Bright Prospect.
.. Washington Post.
We have made a start In the right direc
tion In the matter ot providing adequate
pay for the Judges ot our courts. Some
day they may be as well paid as our base
ball players add vaudeville artists.
Willing: to 1'a.y the Price.
. New York Tribune.
It might be supposed that the prevailing
high prices for meats of all kinds would
cause vegetarian societies to prosper and
expand as never before in fact, to flourish
like unto green bay trees. But in some
things this is undoubtedly a perverse gen
eratlon, and total abstainers from flesh
food are still few and far between, except
among infanta and invalids. The consump
tion ot beefsteaks and chops continues to be
enormous. Americans-want hearty meals,
even at high prices.
Prise In the Alaskan Dispute.
Kansas City Journal.
Canada is much in need of a port on the
Alaskan Pacific. Lynn canal is a magnifi
cent body ot water, as Important in a
strategic way aa any on the western coast
of this continent, and should it become
possessed of this great land-locked harbor
it could place its goods and merchandise
into the Yukon valley without paying
duties to a foreign nation, it would be
hundreds of miles nearer to the Orient and
might be able to defy and threaten our su
premacy In the Paclflo at some critical time
when least expected.
TWO ENGIKKKRS IN TUB CAB.
Cleveland Plain Dealer: It has been sug
gested that every locomotive cab, at least
the locomotive cabs' ot express trains,
should have two engineers, who can divide
between them the responsibility of con
stant watchfulness of the track ahead.
When the lives of so many are dependent
upon the steadiness and constancy of a
single pair of eyes, it would seem as if
this were a happy suggestion.
New York Tribune: The Plalnfleld hor
ror and other railroad disasters prove the
necessity of having two engineers In the
cab of every mlle-c-mlnute express. Two
pilots stand in the wheelhouecs of our
ferryboats. It one of them is overcome
suddenly by illness the other Is at his side
ready to relieve him. As a mere matter
of economy the railroads would save money
by putting two engineers close to the
throttles of the metenrs on the rails.
There's a tidal wave of public opinion
here and now which comes rolling in to
overwhelm unwise disregard of public wel
fare in transportation policies and meth
ods. Who can stand against a tidal wave?
Two engineers In the cabs of fast passen
ger trains are as necessary as two pilots
in the wheelhouses on the ferries watch
ing for possible dangers. Railroads which
refuse to meet so reasonable a demand will
nqt long enjoy public confidence.
Springfield Republican: The fearful acci
dent on the Central of New Jersey railroad
Is likely to result in the voluntary or en
forced practice by railroads using a certain
type of locomotive of placing an extra man
In the cab besides the engineer and fire
man. On the ordinary locomotive the Are
man is always close by the engineer In
prosecuting bla work. But on the so-called
camel-back locomotives the fireman Is
placed beyond the assistance of the engi
neer when coaling and stoking the Ores
Such an engine was drawing the express
which telescoped the local train at West,
field, N. J. According to the dying state
ment of tho engineer, he was giving hi
momentary attention to a break which was
filling the cab with steam, and so missed
the danger signals thrown along tha rear
of the delayed local train. If the fireman
or a third employe bad been In the cab
with the engineer the accident would In all
probability have lecn prevented. The
blame would seem to lie upon the railroad
company quite as much as upon the engi
neer ot the express. It provided an engine
w hich kept engineer and fireman apart, and
left to one man the du'.y of regulating
speed, looking out for signals and attend,
lng to any little accidents that may happen
at any time t the mechanism of tha loco
motive,
OTHER l,AM)l Tit Otn.
Since the return of the Boer leaders to
South Africa there hss been some shifting
In their attitude towards the new govern
ment and towards each other, and the new
rulers are at losa as to whether to be
amused or worried about It. Botha, who
took the lead In Europe, has fallen back in
favor ot Delarey. Pelarey, since the bat
tle of Maeersfonteln, bas displayed con
siderable hostility towards Kruger and
Cronle. He always considered that the In
capacity and onotlnacy of Cronje In the face
of the advice Be offered was tne csuse 01
the Roer disaster at Taardeberg, and thtt
Mr. Kruger showed equal stupidity In his
upport of Cronje, despite strongly wornea
protests from Delarey. Altogether Delarey
was dissatisfied with the old administration
and he is now willing to accept loyally the
new condition of affairs. Botha, it Is
known, has decided that his children shall
at present be educate! In Holland, that hot
bed of antl-Brltlsh feeling. Dewet stands
aloof from his comrades, a stubborn, vin
dictive character. The fact that ex-Presl-dent
Steyn is spending hie time on the
continent and that his children are being
educated by foreigners Instead of In Eng
land seems to prove that he, line noma,
has no desire that hia sons should be
trained to love the British empire.
French foreign policy, in certain circum
stances, was the subject of a rather sensa
tional speech, which was delivered In the
French Chamber the other day by Paul
Deschanel, who formerly presided over the
deputies, but has not been active in poli
tics for some time. There are a good many
Frenchmen, he said, who believe that the
true policy ot the country was to organize
its existing possessions, not to prepare for
fresh conquests. They wanted a policy of
peace with dignity. There was, nowever,
a vast ainerence oeiweeu nu siimo
policy and a policy of absolute renuncia
tion. Latterly there had been a new pol
icy by which France had been made the
loser in Asia,- Africa, Europe and the far
esst. According to this policy they were
forbidden not only to speak, but even to
think of the lost provinces, for fear of en
couraging a sentiment that might be dan
gerous. This course was not o fatel to
Chauvinism as it was to the finest aspira
tions of the purest patriotism. He bade
them remember that the men who opposed
numhetta and Jules Ferry were the very
men who surrendered Egypt to England
and very nearly gave Bizerta to the triple
alliance.
The operations of the British Postofflce
Savings bank became so vast that the old
headquarters in London were no longer
adeouate. and the bank was recently
moved to a more imposing and commo
rttnua building. This Is the third struc
ture built for the Institution since its
foundation. The popularity of the Postofflce
Savings bank system is shown by the
statement that the numoer ot depositors
In 1880 was 2,185,000. In 1903 they number
9.000,000. The amount due depositors in
1880 wit 33.750,000; in 1903, 145,000,000,
The Postofflce Savings bank receives depos-
10 fmm individuals, from a shilling to
60, in one year the total not to exceed
1,000, Including Interest. The British
government is also engaged lit the business
of life insurance to a limited extent. An
nuities are granted on the life of anyone
over 6 years old, and life insurances are
granted to persona between 1 ana oa
years of age. Children between 8 and 14
can be Insured for 5. The maximum
iin.it nf anmiltlea and life insurance la
100.
Th Polish question was the subject of a
more or less animated debate In tne f rua
i.n TMet the other day. The official eatl
mate Included about $330,000 for Increase of
salaries and premiums to schoolmasters ana
officials in the- Polish districts, and $750,4
ooo for the establishment of garrisons In
Schrimm and Wreschen, the Idee, being
h.t imrv centers stimulate national
feelln and loyalty. Herr Frltzen, a cler
leal deputy, said that he had no doubt that
the union of the Polish districts with
Prussia was final and insoluble, but he
did not think the government was
ntn at all the right way to work. All
these bounties to schoolmasters and other
officials, he said, only made mem tne au-
loot preatures of tne central numui mco
and added to the mistrust ana irnumuu
of the Poles. He doubted whether the lin-
.1.1 at Rtrasbura- had been 01
n nractical use. and was not at all aan
gulne of the beneficial effects of the royal
residence oronosed at Posen. Count von
Buelow, in reply, affected Indignation at
the Idea that the government would at
tempt to exert any pressure upon the
schoolmasters, and maintainea tnai iv w.
. v.. i, npr-PMirr to strengtnen iu
uauiui.i;
German element in the eastern provinces
by establishing German settlements, main
taining a avstem of large ana smau pru-
prtetora, fostering the development of
towns, and promoting the growth of a Ger
man middle class. .
When the embassy now on its way from
London to Teheran to present o behalf of
King Edward, to his great and good friend
th fihah of Persia, the order ot tno unricr
gets back to the British capital, it may db
possible to alft the truth out of the many
stories that have recently been circulated
rnn.emlnr the shah's harem. The story
that has most persistently gone the rounds
is to the effect that after his recent return
fmm EuroDe the Persian monarch was tm
bued with the spirit of reform ana mat ne
weeded from his harem or l,7uu aamseis
less than 1.640. Each of these, tne
chronicler asserts, was given the sum of
$1,000, and they went out to be quickly
married, It being considered a great honor
to have a wife from the royal harem. That
the shah had a gay time in Pans ana
Berlin and Vienna and other cities cf the
nontlnent Is admitted, but that he became
so dismayed at feminine frailty and his
own weakness as the story Indicated is
gravely doubted. On the omer nana 11 is
declared that no shah ever had so largo
a harem aa 1.700 women, and even the
notorious Nasr-ed-Din. who approached
Bolomon nearer than any other, had but
v.., ar.n and 870 wives. The harem
nf the nresent shah, It Is asserted, is
very modest one, containing not more than
twenty or thirty women.
Official reports of the French government
on sociological matters are always very
late, but whether they have any bearing
on the question of France's dwindling pop
ulation or not, these reports, as they re
late to the Industrial work of women from
1866 to 1896, are still interesting. In 1866
there were 4,642.000 women workeri in the
republic, and in 1896 6,382,000. In com
merce 296,000 women were employed In
1896 as against 158,000 In 1866, or one
woman to two men. The Increasing num
ber of women employed in the post, bank
ing carrier trade and transportation busi
ness la still more striking, being from 15.000
In 1866 to 164,000 in 1896. whilst In several
Independent callings the numbers have
increased nearly fourfold. It appears, too.
that the trades and industries from which
women are excluded are declining.
Actually Down to Shootlaa.
Chicago Chronicle.
Int- '.ilgence from Honduras Is to the ef
fect tnat a civil war Is la progress, but the
proceedings Indicate that it is really an un
civil war. At least the opposite factions
are shooting at each other just like the
participants In the recent "peaceable"
blockade down In Venezuela. There ap
pears to be a good deal of confusion In the
use ct adjectives la these matters.
WHAT WE BIT.
statement of Property f nrladrit la the
Panama Canal Pnrrhase.
Brooklyn Kagle.
This government docs not propose to turn
over to the new French Tanama Canal
company the euro of StQ.POO.onO without re
ceiving adequate return. This money Is
not to be given as a payment for the rights
and concpssiona of the French concern, but
Is what our experta have decided the com
pany la entitled to on account of what has
actually been accompliohod In the construc
tion of a canal. It Is eotlmated that the ex
cavation done on the route Is worth
$27,000,000, while the Tanama railroad stock
at par is worth almost $T,000,000. The
maps, drawings and records of the com
pany are quoted at another $2,000,000, mak
ing a little over $36.0W,000 In all. To
this an addition of 10 per cent has been
made to cover omlsnlons, bringing the total
up to a round $40,000,000
For this big sum of money the French
men Will give tO Slir rorernment mnn
other things about 30,000 acres of land,
which, with the lands belonging to the
railroad company, cover nearly all the
ground required for the actual construc
tion of the canal. Something like " 300
buildings will fall into tho possession of
our government on concluding tho bargain.
among mem being offices. Quarters, store
houses, hospitals, shops, stables and mis
cellaneous structures.
There Is an Immense amount of ma
chinery, consisting of a floating plant of
tugs, launches, dredges and snare nsrts:
rolling plant of locomotive cars, etc.: sta
tionary and seml-statlonary plant. Including
excavators, cranes and Dumni. In adrti.
tlon to all this there Is a quantity of sur
veying and other instruments, office sup
plies ana stationery, surgical and medical
outfits and miscellaneous supplies cover
ing thousands of Items.
The official estimate of the time re
quired to complete the Panama canal Is
ten years and the estimated cost Is $184.
000.000. The Walker commission thought
It would take eight years to build a canal
at Nicaragua, with a greater probability
of exigencies causing delay at this place
than at Panama. The estimated cost of
maintenance and operation of the Panama
canal la xi.300,000 a year less than the
proposed canal at Nicaragua. The Pan
ama route would be 184 miles shorter than
the Nicaragua route from sea to sea. with
fewer locks and less curvature, both In de
grees and miles.
The estimated time for deep draft ves
sels to pass through the Nicaragua canal
was placed at thirty-three hours, as against
twelve hours for Panama, theee estimates
being the time of actual navigation and
not Including delays for winds, currents 01
darkness. If the passage were made with
out interruption about a day could be saved
by the Nicaragua over the Panama route
by ordinary steamers handling commerce
between our Pacific ports and all Atlantic
ports, and about two days by steamers of
the same class trading between our gulf
porta and North Pacific porta. The time
advantage of the Nicaragua route would be
less in the case of fast-powered steamers,
the use of which is Increasing. Between
Atlantic ports and the west coast of South
America the Panama route has the ad
vantage of about two days, and between the
gulf ports and the west coast of South
America the Panama route haa the ad
vantage of about one day. The trade of
the western coast of South America Is a
very Important one and has hitherto been
chiefly in European hands.
POLITICAL DRIFT.
Oregon's new senator answers to the
name of Levi Ankeny. He halls from Walls
Walla.
There are sixty-one counties In New Tork
state and only nine of them have demo
cratic sheriffs.
A New Tork legislator who travels on a
railroad pass la liable to forfeiture ot office.
This will oblige tha railroads to hand out
prepaid tickets.
Maine's receipts from fees for the organ
ization of new corporations were nearly
$100,000 last year. The corporation fees are
doubling annually.
Senator Matthew Stanley Quay Is closing
up his forty-sixth year as a public officer.
A consultation of physicians Is not neces
sary to determine that Matthew has the
grip.
Some members of the Pennsylvania leg
islature, In their haste to sell the $100
worth of stamps allowed to each of them by
the state, accepted $87.50. Now the market
price haa risen to $97.50.
The territorial debt of Arizona Is $2,700,
000, of New Mexico $1,100,000 and of Okla
homa $527,000. The assessed valuation of
these territories la: Arizona $68,000,000,
New Mexico 436,000,000 and Oklahoma $75,
000,000. v
Lee S. Overman, the new senator from
North Carolina, Is 49 years old. He is s
lawyer of ability, a native of Salisbury, and
in 1874 graduated from Trinity college.
North Carolina. He was private secretary
to Governor Vance and has been a member
of the state bouse of representatives five
times, having been speaker once.
A defeated candidate for office in Wiscon
sin, complying with the law respecting cam
paign expenses, filed an Itemized bill con
taining several specifications calculated to
provoke a gob of sympathy from the de
feated. Listen to these significant items:
"Expenses within two hours after receiving
nomination, $24; organizing the Bart a du
Rudd club in the Third ward (I never saw
the club). $5; seeing people and being
showed, $6.50; beer, ginger ale, brown pop,
etc., $45; cigars, good, bad and Indifferent,
$20."
Under the Massachusetts law the legisla
ture may interrogate the supreme court as
to the constitutionality of proposed laws.
The system is exceedingly convenient and
useful, and tends to prevent the passage of
bills ot doubtful constitutional validity. A
series ot questions was recently addressed
to the court by the house of representatives
respecting a bill giving cities and towns the
right to establish municipal coal yards and
to sell coal. The full bench sent In the
reply. It was held that only In times of
extraordinary exigency does such a right
exist. One of the Justices dissented.
OUR
filled with Clothing and FuraiKhingH, and ponder
ous KigiiH showing aa they do the reductions on
our "own make' of tqileiidid clothing ought at thin
season to be a great inducement for you. Think of
your wants and of us at the same moment. Thus
economy will lead your footsteps hither.
wo rioTHia fits like oi ns,
rovAmf-J--(9
FIf'y Years tho Standard
warn
Awardad
Klghtsl Honors World's Fair
KIghitt tuts U.S. Gov't Ch.mlstt
paio baking aowosa OO.
CHICAGO
a wije jinan.
Proprietary Rlahta In Clrcna Posters
Jndlrlallr I'pheld.
Minneapolis Times.
Justice Holmes of the United States su
preme court has come bravely to the de
fense of the circus poster. He haa de
clared, In a formal opinion, that the pic
tures of gauzily and abbrevlatedly-clad fe
males on the show bills are as much en
titled to protection by copyright as any
other work of art. When they are drawn
to order and printed In many colors at
great expense, they should be the property
of the circus company wherever they may
stick, whether on tho side, of a couutry
barn or on a city billboard. As property
they are entitled to protection the same as
any ether advertising device.
So rules the court and so say we all of
us. One of the sweetest pleasures ot the
springtime Is tho contemplation of the
bright new circus bills. They are as wel
come as the dandelions and the cowslips.
They cheer onei even as the chirp of the
early robin cheers. They even seem to
have a fragrance of their own and perhaps
they have if the paste is sour but be their
perfume what it may, they give promise of
returning summer and that is sufficient.
Let them be protected. We cannot all
view the creations of the masters, but we
can all see and enjoy the showbills and we
want them defended so that they shall be
better and brighter with each returning
summer.
I.IXKS TO A LAUGH.
"That's a beautiful rug. May I ask how
much It cost you?"
"Three hundred dollars' worth of furni
ture to match It." Chicago Tribune.
Photographer How was It that woman
refused to tuke her pictures? I thought I
heard her say they looked like hftr.
Clerk It wns her friend who said that.
N. Y. Herald.
Mrs. Henpeck I read this morning about
a man who was arrested twenty minutes
after his wedding and sent to prison for
llfteen years. Ihii t that awful?
Mr. Henpeck Oh, I don't know. The law
doesn't compel him to take his wife to
prison with him Baltimore Herald.
"What's the matter? What are you shiv
ering about?" demanded the flrnt rabbit.
"There's a dude out there with a gun,"
replied the other.
"Well, he doesn't see us at all."
"That's Jum It. He's aiming at some
thing else. Philadelphia Press.
Harry You ' and Tom, appear to be the
best of friends.
Dick Why ahouldn't we be? We'nevir
say what we think of each other. Boston
Transcript.
Merchant Did you find out what that
gentleman wanted?
New Clerk No, but I found out what he
didn't want
Merchant What? How dare you
New Clerk And I Bold it to him. Phila
delphia Catholio Standard.
"What you need, my dear sir, Is exercise."
"Exercise? Why, doctor, I'm the floor
walker In a big department store!"
"I know It. I repeat It, sir: what you
need la exercise." Chicago Tribune.
"They tell me your aon is a close
atudent."
' lie has to be; l aon t auow mm out a
dollar a month spendln' money." Cleveland
flaln Dealer. . .
"I tell you," snld the proprietor of the
mountain resort hotel, "there's no life like
that In the mountains. It's good living In
this glorious air." ....
"I guess there In a good living for you
In this air," replied the dlegruntlcd giiest.
"That's about all you appear to feed to
your guests." Philadelphia Press.
Fadds A dentist ought to have a regular
training as a physician.
Fldds (with a dentist's bill for $SO In his
pocket) Oh, I don't know. They seem to
know how pretty well as It Is. A dentist
can generally pull a man's leg as well as
he can pull his teeth, and quite as well as
a surgeon. N. Y. Sun.
WESTER Itl.OOn.
Juliet W. Tompkins in Scrlbner's.
My tower faces south and north,
And east It opens wide,
But not a window-pane looks forth
Upon the western side.
I gaze ojt north on. city roofs.
And south on city smoke,
And to the east are throbbing hoofs,
Tho rush of city folk.
Put net a ray of western light
May I: '1 across my work,
No crcvlca opens to the night
Where western eyes may lurk.
ly c
Of earer cltv thinxs.
And when the little birds fly wet,
1 would not hear their wings.
But they v-ho once have climbed the Towt
When daylight lingered lute.
And WHti-bed the western nun go down
Athwart the biirr.Whcd Oate,
And felt the rolling fos descend.
And scc-i the lupin blown
(And know: what tilings u western frleno
May offer ; s hlB own).
Ah. they can never still, for long
He knows what would lie best
Who built my tower hiuh ami strong.
And closed It to the west!
WINDOWS
K. S. WIIcqs, MSr.
