0
TITE OMjVITA DAILY BEE: THUHSDAY, JUNE 11, 1003.
Tiie Omaha Daily Bee
E. ROSE WAT EK, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED EVERT MORNINO.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Dally Bee (without Bunday). One Teor..$4.nn
tiiy ana Sunday, one xear.
Ilustrate1 Hre. One Year
Sunday Hw, Unit Year
Saturday Hee. One Year
Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year.,
DELIVERED BY CARRIER,
Fally Res (without Bundsy). per copy..
1R' iim. fm.Khn.it Bunrlavl ner WWR.
6 00
too
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. ic
120
Lally Re (Including Hunday), per week..lc
Sunday Hee. per ropy J
Evening lim (without Sunday), per week. So
Evening Boa (Including Bunday), Pr
weed 10e
Complaints of Irregularities In delivery
hould be addressed to City Circulation De
partment. OFFICES.
Omaha The Bee bulldlnf.
South Omaha City Hail Building, Twen-ty-fllth
and M Streets.
Council HIiifTs 10 pearl Street,
("hlrago 164H Unity Building.
New York 232 Park Row Building.
Washington oOl Fourteenth Street.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Communications relating to news and edi
torial matter ihould be addressed: Omaha
Bee, Editorial Department.
REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft. express or postal order,
payable to The Bee Publishing Company.
Only 2-cent stamps accepted in payment of
mall accounts. Personal checks, except on
Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted.
THE BEhJ PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss.:
George U. Tsschuck, secretary ot Tne Be
Publishing Company, being duly sworn
says that the actual number of full and
complete copies ot Tne Dally, Morning.
Evening and Sunday Bee printed during tin
month of May, UM3, was as follows:
1 8MMM 17 88,480
t ao,75 u ai.oao
uo.itoo i ,o,tso
4 ao,BIH 20 80,800
1 80,730 21 8O.8T0
85,670
7 80,070
1 30,810
1 80.T4O
10 17,77B
11 30,440
12 80,370
13... so.uao
14 30,730
15 SO.USO
14 80,H
J2 30440
ZS.. 8O.8U0
24 28,230
36 30,830
26 80,700
27 8O.7B0
28 80,680
29 80.W00
30 81,!W0
1 27,000
WW.tMHI
Less unsold and returned copies 10,348
Net total sales U4U,SBil
Net average sales 80.43T
OEORGE B. TZSCHUCK.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before me this Slat day of May, A. D. WO.
M. B. H UNGATE.
(Seal.) Notary Publlo.
Joseph Chamberlain must feel like the
man who picked up the hot end of tho
political poker.
To the other adjectives used to de
scribe the Mississippi we will now hare
to add the word deceitful.
How accommodating of the fire fiend
to wait until summer before disporting
himself at the Florida winter resorts.
The marriage of Governor Bailey of
Kansas to a Nebraska woman may be
taken as. a celebration of the Kansas
Nebraska act.
The county seat fight In Boyd county
has been terminated without loss of
life. These friendly frontier contests
are not what they used to be.
- (Senator Clark of Montana will pre
side over the coming session of the ir
rigation congress. Senator Clark's ex
perience with stock watering gives him
special qualifications for this position.
The question who is to pay the engi
neers engaged to appraise the water
works property is not half so important
as the question whether the city has a
fair show with the appraisement board.
11
Omaha has fortunately had no serious
automobile accidents as yet That Is
no reason, however, why precautions
should not be taken to prevent them
by speed regulations and boiler inspec
tion. The ' antl-macblne councllmen are
standing nobly by the machine mayor
while the machine councllmen are try
ing to toss him over their horns. The
spectacle is exhilarating as well as sug
gestive. Tho city council has repeatedly turned
down various propositions to supply
street signs for the privilege of using
them also for advertising purposes. The
proposition has no more merit now than
when presented the last time.
Is it not Just barely possible that the
friction over the ratification of the Pan
ama canal treaty Is being encouraged, if
not Incited, by people interested In the
Nicaragua route? If the treaty goes
through the Nicaragua project Is dead,
while should it fall Nicaragua will have
another chance.
It is to be noted that according to the
city comptroller's exhibit the Judgment
'fund which started out with I? fun nl
five months ago has already dropped
down to $1,083, with seven months of
the year to hear from. Unless the new
city attorney gets down to business
better than he has so far, the Judg
ment fund will be the chief contributor
to the municipal overlap at the end of
the year.
The fact that the receipts from police
court fines are overtopping the record
does not mean that Omaha Is more dis
orderly or more lawless than usual. It
means that we have a police judge who
has no special falling of leniency to
ward petty offenders, that w have a
police court clerk who Is vigilant In the
collection of fine money, and also that
the people arralgnid in the police court
now have the wherewithal to pay the
penalty.
If we wll! believe President Baer, the
anthracite coal roads are following in
the footsteps of Jim Hill's community
of Interest combines In conducting trans
portation business on a philanthropic
basis. Mr. Baer would have us under
stand that his corporation Is making no
profit whatever out of the coat business,
but, on the contrary, is yielding Its right
to reasonable compensation out of pure
soft-heartedness for the poor coal con
sumer. The .question is, has Mr. Baer
really pursuaded himself to believe his
own story or does he think the public
la more gullible than he is!
DOMMATUta THt TACIITIC,
The Interest crested abroad by the
statement of President Roosevelt that
the United States Is destined to domi
nate the rnclfle ocean, meaning thereby
that this country would ultimately have
commercial pre-eminence In .that great
sea, has been regnrded even In this
country, as well as In Europe, as a
somewhat extravagant assumption. Yet
a little thoughtful attention to the con
ditions can hardly fall to bring con
viction that there are excellent reasons
In support of the president's view. In
deed, It would seem to be Inevitable
that In time this nation, unless Its people
should become utterly indifferent to
their great opportunity, must attain and
hold a pre-emlnenence In the commerce
of the Taclflc which will give It prac
tical domination there. This does not
mean that any other nation is to be
excluded from the trade of the Pacific,
for that Is not the policy of this country,
but simply that the United States is to
enjoy in that ocean a larger measure of
commercial Interest and power than any
other country.
A Pacific coast paper very well ex
plains the situation In saying that the
United States is the dominant power
In the Western hemisphere, being su
perior in strength, in Influence and in
authority to all other American states.
This indisputable fact does not involve
the idea that this nation claims to ex
ercise any dominion or direct authority
over any of the other American states.
It does not exclude from consideration
the fact that there are other powers
having interests on the Pacific which
they are expected to care for and pro
tect Great Britain, Russia and other
powers have Interests in the Pacific
which they .will care for and endeavor
to promote. But all these are inferior
to the interests of this country, if we
properly measure what should be ours
In the vast possibilities of Pacific com
merce which the future holds. It Is
this which Mr. Roosevelt had in mind
when he spoke of the dominance of the
United States in the Pacific ocean. He
had no idea of the exercise of an au
thority not entirely peaceful and having
a due regard for the rights and privi
leges of every other nation. He had no
thought of any such impossible thing
as a domination of the Pacific to the
exclusion of any other country. What
he obviously meant was that by reason
of the position of the United States in
relation to the Pacific it is inevitable
that this country must secure and main
tain a pre-eminence upon that great
ocean.
It is impossible to doubt that this
will come, though the time of its attain
ment may be somewhat remote. Ameri
can enterprise, however, Is already
being directed toward Its achievement
and this Is of a nature that promises
success. There is being, shown a belief
in the possibilities of Asiatic commerce
which is of a very practical character
and there is good reason to expect tliat
this will be more strongly manifested
from year to year, as the opportunities
in connection with this trade become
more fully appreciated. Meanwhile
there can be no doubt that the forecast
of Mr. Roosevelt in regard to our com
mercial dominance in the Pacific was
made wisely and with a substantial
basis.
CUTTING OUT POLITICS.
It is said to be the determination of
President Roosevelt and the postmaster
general that hereafter the Postofflce de
partment is to be rnn independent of
politics. A Washington dispatch to an
eastern paper says that the future pol
icy will be to abandon the policy of
notifying congressmen of prospective
changes la their postofflces. The de
partment will go right ahead .and ar
range Its own affairs to suit the judg
ment of the responsible officials. All
necessary information will promptly be
furnished senators and representatives
when requested, but an effort will be
made to eliminate the postal service as
a factor in local politics throughout the
country.
This proposition Is stated to have orig
inated with Postmaster General Payne
and to have received the hearty ap
proval of the president Doubtless
such a change from the method thnt
has been pursued would be found bene
ficial, if it be practicable, but it Is safe
to say that it would encounter a very
strong opposition from congressmen
generally, with whom the naming of
postmasters Is a prerogative that most
of them will be very unwilling to sur
render. There is of course no valid rea
son why the department cannot select
J e"e meM without the intervention
of senators and representatives, or that
If this were done the selections would
not be quite as satisfactory as under
the present method, but the course that
is pursued has prevailed so long that the
proposed departure, assuming the report
to be well founded, will not be readily
accepted by members of congress gen
erally, however strongly approved by
popular opinion.- That the elimination
of the postal service as a factor in polk
ut-B in ui-eiraoie IS SO 0DV10US OS not tO
need argument.
IT HA T B KPUB L ICA AS A R C S TITL C D TO.
Commenting on a gratuitous remark
in one of the country papers to the ef
feet that the really good thing the re
publican state committee did at its last
meeting wss to reduce the representa
tlou of Douglas county in the coming
state convention, the Lincoln Star com
bats the intlmstion that representation
wss reduced and declares that "at any
rate Douglas county will have all the
representation that it Is entitled to in
the state convention." The Star would
go even further and have the
vote on governor adopted perms
neptly as the basis of representation
because the candidate for governor
aspires to the chief office in the state
snd is entitled to the full' party rote,
While this discussion is purely aca
aemic so rar as tins year s conven
tkn U concerned, there la bo km t
fogsring the political atmosphere in
which it is enveloped. There Is really
no more reason why the vote on gov
ernor should be the lmsts of delegate
spportlonment to conventions than the
vote on congressman, on treasurer, on
school superintendent or on university
regent As a matter of fact, with the
exception of Hayward In l&W, the re
publican vote on governor bus not been
the basis adopted In Nebraska for ten
years past After each presidential
election the vote on president Is usually
accepted and it has so happened in
this state that on several occasions
besides the last the vote on governor
has not reflected the relative party
strength of different sections of the
state and has therefore been discarded
in favor of some candidate more rep
resentative. What every political party should
aim at In Its conventions is to accord
Its members a proportionate voice Ir
respective of the particular county or
subdivision In which they happen to
reside. If abnormal conditions have
entered Into the vote for governor
the vote for some other officer Should
be taken, or perhaps, the average vote
cast for all the candidates on the ticket
To give a county extra representation
because the particular candidate hap
pened to live there and to receive a per
sonal vote from the opposition is just
as unfair as to cut down the vote ot
the home county of the opposing can
didate, where the latter would natur
ally run abend. The party policy above
all things should be directed toward
building up by attracting new recruits
and not toward tearing down by driv
ing away support Just to punish some
county In which for local reasons a par
ticular candidate for governor happened
to be unpopular.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
The affairs of the municipal corpora
tion known as the City of Omaha are
administered by a president, under the
title of mayor, and a board of nine di
rectors, designated by the charter as
councllmen. The mayor and council,
that is, the president and board of di
rectors, are, by the city charter, made
jointly responsible for the appointment
of all officers and employes on the city
payroll, except such as are made elec
tive by the people.
While the mayor has the initiative of
selection and appointment the council is
empowered to pass judgment upon his
appointees and may ratify or reject at
its pleasure, or rather accordlug to its
best judgment, such of the mayor's ap
pointees as it may deem Incompetent,
unworthy or unsatisfactory. In this re
spect the council differs In no essential
particular from the board of directors
of any other corporation whose presi
dent is required to recommend subordi
nate officers for ratification or rejection.
The refusal of the city council, acting
In the capacity of a board of directors,
to confirm appointments submitted by
the mayor does not necessarily reflect
upon the integrity or sound Judgment
of the mayor, nor does it imply that the
rejected appointee is incompetent or dis
honest The refusal to confirm may, as
in the present conflict between the
mayor, and council, simply Indicate a
lack of courtesy or discretion on one
side, and an insistence upon mutual
recognition and mutual co-operation on
the other. In other words, the majority
of the council have locked horns with
the mayor over appointments because it
feels slighted by the mayor's attempt to
ignore its prerogatives as a co-ordinate
branch of government. .
Such a contention is by no means new,
although deplorable for many reasons.
As a general thing these conflicts be
tween governing bodies occur between
representatives of opposite political par
ties when, for example, the mayor Is re
publican and the council democratic or
vice versa or, as in the controversy be
tween the Board of Public Works and
the council, the one body is democratic
and the other republican. But there Is
really no excuse for such discord where
the mayor and council profess the same
political creed and belong to the same
political denomination or faction. In the
long run such contests are like the
marital debates between man and wife
the woman always has the last say
and so has the council, unless there Is
mutual concession and conciliation.
South Omaha voters are being bom
barded, importuned and Instructed by
working men, who do not labor, ' and
taxpayers who do not pay taxes except
over their nom de plume, to vote for
every bond proposition submitted for
the coming special election. One of the
reasons advanced to clinch the bond
proposition is that South Omaha may
be annexed to Omaha, and that when it
becomes a part of Greater Omaha it
will either be slighted or totally neg
lected In the matter of public improve
ments. Such calamity forecasts are not
borne 'out by the experience of other
towns annexed to larger cities. In every
Instance of annexation, notably Chi
cago, Cleveland, St. Louis and other
cities whose limits have been extended
and whose governments have been
amalgamated the territory annexed has
secured more improvements in the first
year after annexation than they had
prior to their absorption. Does It stand
to reason that if South Omaha became
a part of Omaha that Omaha would not
extend its paving districts, sewerage
districts and fire protection to Sou,h
Omaha, not merely as a matter of pub
lic necessity, but as a matter of pride?
Congressman Burton, who has been
looking Into river and harbor improve
ments abroad, suggests that the French
system of requiring the localities di
rectly concerned to share in the ex
penses of the improvement work is
worthy of serious consideration by con
gress, with a view to a-orporatlon Into
the American scheme of river and har
bor improvements. It is safe to say
that if the state or other subdivisions
wltbia which ths appropriations hava
been applied had to put up BO per cent
of the fund a whole lot of questionable
enterprises would be struck off the list
especially in the south, which has been
the most voracious guest at the river
and harbor appropriation table. On tho
other hand, some very Important pieces
of work would likewise go undone bo
cause the localities especially benefited
could not be Induced to shoulder the
financial responsibilities.
And now The Bee Is pilloried by the
brass band charity organ because it has
not deigned to announce that Mayor
Moores has forwarded $3,000 to the
Kansas sufferers. This omission Is, of
course, charitably interpreted as "de
priving suffering human beings from re
ceiving succor and support" Inasmuch
as The Bee had published the main facts
and figures it was cheerfully disposed to
allow the Ram's Horn organ the monop
oly of self-glorification since no special
announcement of the remittance of the
funds was deemed necessary. Inferen
tial! the World-Herald committed an
unpardonable offense and proved itself
a deadly enemy of all humanity when it
failed to editorially commend the editor
of The Bee when be mailed more than
$2,000 in checks to the McKlnley Memo
rial Monument association, and more
than $1,000 to General Corbln for the
relief of the widow of General Lawton.
Lawyers for the Northern Securities
company deny the Jurisdiction of Minne
sota over Its operations on the ground
that it is an interstate corporation sub
ject to federal control, if to any control
at all. When they get Into the federal
courts these some lawyers will probably
contend that there Is no federal Jurisdic
tion because federal control would be nn
invasion of state's rights. It is a cold
day when the corporation lawyer does
not catch them coming and going.
The patrons of the World-Herald are
being regaled, as usual, with cuttlefish
editorials on the half shell and Salvation
army exhortations with brass band and
Castanet accompaniments. Not a word
about the water works appraisement,
not a word about the county fund de
posits, county board extravagance, po
liceman-slaughter, or any local Issues
that concern the taxpayers and citizens
of this community.
It did not take the seventh son of a
seventh daughter to foresee that the
novel and unique plan of checks and
counter checks which requires all public
works employes, from street commis
sioner to street sweep, to be confirmed
by the council, would beget confusion
and contention. But the Douglas dele
gation in the late legislature had to get
even with somebody. .
The speaker at the commencement ex
ercises of a private ' academy here in
Omaha is said to haye drawn invidious
comparisons with !tiie- public cchools.
Tho public sctiools-tiaiy' be subject to
Just criticism for abuses' or for misfits
In the teaching' fofceV but the public
school system needs, no defense, .
To the Select Few.
Baltimore American.
A trustmaker said - in an address be
fore a college lately that one good thing
about trusts Is that they give opportunities.
That appears to be the principal objection
to them. They leave no opportunities for
anybody else. .
Oae Rare Advaatage,
Chicago News.
Mr. Roosevelt has one advantage not en
joyed by many of his predecessors. He Is
so certain of renomlnntlon that he can run
the presidency as he pleases without paus
ing to consider how some one or other of
the factions In the party Is going to feel
about It
Extraordinary Extremes.
Philadelphia Record.
It required many days of rain to raise
the great flood which has wrought suck
destruction down the Kansas, Missouri and
Pes Moines rivers, and which, still on Its
way to the sea, Is overflowing town snd
country southward from where the Mis
souri joins the Mississippi. But less than
one night of rain caused the flood that hat
destroyed, In and around Spartanburg, B.
C, about as many lives snd nearly as
much property as did the Kansas or Kaw
river flood at Topeka. - More destructive
of life than either flood was the tornado
which leveled a part of Gainesville, Ga..
last week in shorter time than It takes to
tell. It has already proved a year marked
by extraordinary extremes In 'the manifes
tations of atmospheric forces. The north
eastern states, with their drouth now pass
ing beyond all recorded precedent for this
season of the year, are not worse afflicted
than some other parts of the country are
in other ways.
WI1T PEOPLE PEAR THE TRISTS.
Bedrock Baals of Popular Dread aa4
Snaplcloa.
Saturday Evening Post.
Regiments of arguments for capital
trusts and labor trusts are hurled at the
people of this country, but they continue
to be suspicious, continue to listen atten
tively to anyone who comes forward with
a plausible "remedy" for what the trust
advocates say Is not disease but a national
development of healthy growth. What is
the reason for this tenacious, not-to-be
reasoned-wtth popular Instinct? The usual
answer Is "popular Ignorance." But that
Is as shallow as It Is easy. Analysis dis
closes the truth, the bedrock basis for pop
ular dread and suspicion. It Is expressed
In the one word, power.
The people of this democracy know that
their liberty rests upon equality, that In
our social scheme no man and no group of
men Is permitted to have Irresponsible, un
endable power The corporation has al
ways been sharply watched by the people
because It looked like a something pos
sessed of real power. The combination,
that amaslng expansion of the corporation
Idea, la suspected and dreaded because It
la obviously a depository of genuine power
the brains and muscles and capital of
thousands Intrusted to, one man who Is In
no way responsible to anyone or checked
fey anyone, so long as he earns dividends
and Interest, no matter how. And for
obvious reasons this applies equally, will
presently apply as forcefully, to the labor
"combine."
"No other depositories of power than the
people themselves." says Jefferson, "have
ever yet been found which did not end In
converting to their own profit the earnings
of those committed to their charge." And
this the people believe and can't be rea
soned out of by plausibilities or philanthropies.
ROV5D ABOl'T MCW YORK.
Ripples the Carreat ef Life ia the
Metropolis.
The deadlock In the building trades In
New Tork City since May t Is estimated
to have cost In wages alone 114,000,000. Be
tween 110,000 and 120,000 skilled mechanics
are Idle. The number Includes 10,000 car
penters, 7,500 bricklayers, t.000 plasterers,
4.000 helpers, 1,000 Iron workers, J.0W elec
trical workers, besides boiler makers, ma
chinists, marble workers, tile layers,
glaslers and (0,000 unskilled laborers.
The shut-down In the meantime Is esti
mated to have tied up 1200,000,000 ot capital,
has retarded work on the schools and made
conditions under which many owners and
Intending occupiers of new buildings are
bound to lose money. There are 2,000 build
ing contractors Involved In the present
trouble whose loss of profit rents and
other expenses are said to figure up be
tween 17,000,000 and W, 000,000.
Several millions of dollars are estimated
to have been hopelessly lost by enterpris
ing merchants who had hoped to occupy
buildings at a given' time, so as to catch a
certain class of trade. Small storekeepers
whose sole custom Is that of worklngmen
are beginning to lose heavily. In a great
many cases they have been paid from week
to week and now they are keeping their
customers on credit so as to hold their
custom until the shut-down ends. Many
of their customers have gone to other cities
for work. In which case the debts of the
customers are little likely to be recovered.
The strike. It Is estimated so far, has cost
employers, employee and others In the
neighborhood of t2S.009.000, Including the
losses of persons Indlreotly affected.
Of all the pubUo buildings whloh are
going up and will go up In New Tork it
seems as If hotels are the most numerous.
It might . be objected that theaters are
entitled tfo be classed ahead of hotels In
the matter of numbers, but to this It may
be replied that It la the custom of theater
builders, as a rule, to use part of their
space for hotels, so that when the per
formance proves to be too dry their patrons
can make their way through a convenient
doorway or arcade to the place where they
crack Ice and give you two for a quarter.
Aside from the hotels adjoining theaters
there are at least half a dosen big hotels
of the old type and twice that number
of "apartment" hotels In course of erec
tion In this city. One of the most prom
inent examples Is that which Is already
towering toward the sky on the site of the
old St. Cloud at Forty-second street and
Broadway, while Immediately across the
street the enormous Pabst, which at pres
ent Is only one of the architect's blue
prints, will dispute with Its neighbor the
right to be recognized for three or five
miles every way. There will be a great
hotel where the Sturtevant used to stand
and, which has nearly disappeared now,
while up town, above Longacre square,
there are so many new hotels building,
built or planned, that the mind cannot
comprehend them.
The Increasing height of the New Tork
skyscraper presents some nice problems In
elevator accommodations. The demand on
the . elevators Increases rapidly with the
added height and construction of both ele
vators and buildings has to be modified
accordingly. Some remarkable develop
ments along this line occur In the Park
Row buildings, whose elevators frequently
carry 15,000 people In twelve hours. This
building Is the largest and tallest office
building in the world. It Is located in Park
row, opposite the postofflce. It measures
383 feet to the tops of the two towers and
309 feet to the main roof. - It has twenty-
nine stories, which contain 1,125 - offices.
Six-thousand persons spend the day In the
building. Eighteen thousand letters are
delivered In It dally, their distribution
requiring the services of three special
carriers.
There Is now in New Tork one place, at
least, where women, as well as men, can
have their shoes mended while they wait.
They don't have long to wait, for here,
by the aid of modern machinery, women's
shoes are soled and heeled In from twenty
minutes to half hour, while their owners
alt In comforable chairs In the shop's wait
ing room.
This place Is in the shopping district.
and women employed in the stores round
about are among Its customers. They
take advantage of the luncheon hour to
have their shoes mended while they wait.
Another somewhat novel feature of the
work done at this place consists In the
repairing of shoes left by women shopping
who, their shopping over, stop here again
and get the shoes to carry home, repaired.
The whole business of repairing shoes
while you wait Is comparatively new. It
has all sprung up within twenty years.
The first shop of the kind In New Tork was
In the Bowery, with a man at work In the
window while others were seen busy In
side. Chairs and newspapers were pro
vided for the waiting customers, whose
shoes the busy shoemakers were at work
on.
This shop, as a novelty, was described
In the newspapers. Now there are In this,
and In other cities, too, - many shops In
which men's shoes are repaired while you
wait, quite as a matter of course; what
was once a novelty having now become
regular feature of the business.
The repairing ' of women's shoes In this
manner Is something still comparatively
novel here. The concern In this city that
mends women's shoes while you wnlt has a
branch In Buffalo and another in Rochester.
At Its Rochester branch It has been mend
ing women's shoes In this way for years.
It is possible to overdo a good thing. An
enthusiastic supporter of the crusade
against mashers was pulled Into court re
cently charged with assault. .Replying to
the questions of the Judge the would-be
gallant said:
"Tes, I struck him, Judge; any gentle
man would have done the same thing. He
was making 'goo goo' eyes at a woman
passenger, and I did not propose to let a
man Insult a woman who happened to be
without a male escort."
"I didn't Insult any lady. This fellow
struck me without a word of warning. We
had no dispute whatever. He Just stood
up and landed a blow on my face," re
sponded the victim.
"I saw him ogling a woman who sat In
a cross seat some distance away. He
chirped to her to attract her attention and
acted like one of those mashers you hear
about," went on the assailant.
"It was my wife who sat In. the cross
seat and I was trying to call her attention
to one of the pictures In the car," the vic
tim explained.
"I don't believe she Is your wife," the as
sailant responded.
"Here she Is," rejoined the victim, as he
beckoned to a woman who stepped upon
the bridge and said she was his wife.
"Well, I only wanted to act the part of
a chivalrous gentleman and protect women
from Insult," the assailant declared.
An apology satisfied the court and the
victim.
Room for Expanaloa.
Indianapolis News.
. When we read that the Department of
Commerce and lbor will occupy the whole
of an eight-story building of 104 rooms, and
still have a number of Its overflow bureaus
accommodated elsewhere. It makes us won
der where and how all this work was done
before the Department of Comma. 'os and
Labor went Into business.
I
IS IT COOD LKnAL At'THORITTt
Report of the Coal Strike, Canasalssloa
mad the Omaha Courts.
Ixvulsvllle Courier-Journal.
Judge Dickinson of Omaha, In granting
an Injunction against picketing, said that
the chief authority by which he wss moved
to grunt the temporary order was the re
port of the Anthracite Coal Strike com
mission, which was made by a number of
persons from different walks of life. In
cluding members of labor organisations.
It Is an extraordinary thing that the
report of the strike commission should be
cited as authority for the action ot a Judge
on the bench In a matter where the letter
of the law was the sole guide upon which
he was entitled to reply. The coal strike
commission had no legal authority what
ever back of It. In no sense wss It a legal
tribunal. Its members may be regarded
as arbitrators, but they had no authority
to enforce their award. The finding of
arbitrators may often be enforced In the
courts, but in the anthracite case the de
cision was of such a nature that It could
not be enforced by legal process. The ob
ject of the appointment of the commission
was the resumption of work In the mines,
and both sides of the controversy agreed
to be bound by the decision. The men
went to work before the decision was ren
dered, but there was no way to compel
them to remain at work after the decision
was given If they bad chosen not to do so.
The president admitted that he had no
shadow of authority to appoint this com
mission, and did not do so until he was
satisfied that a settlement would be popu
lar. Even then he assumed to aot simply
as an Individual. Subsequently congress
undertook to pay the arbitrators, as though
they had been appointed by the president
In his official eapaolty, . but this did not
give an authority of law to the transaction.
It had no more legal validity than the de
cision of a country debating society.
The reasonableness of the decision of the
strike commission Is, of course, another
question. Insofar as the views expressed
commend themselves to reason and com
mon sense, to the sentiment of fair play,
to a conception of right and Justice, they
may well be accepted' by all concerned.
But that la a very different matter from
giving them authority as an adjudged case.
The distinction often made between moral
and positive law is that the requirements
of the former are commanded because they
are right, while those of the latter are
right because they are commanded. This
Is very nearly coincident with the legal
distinction between mala In se and mala
prohibits things wrong In themselves and
others wrong because they are prohibited.
So an authority in a legal sense Is an ad
Judged case, which Is binding whether the
reasoning by which It Is supported Is satis
factory or not. It has the effect of posi
tive law. Such an authority can only be
furnished by a competent tribunal when
deciding an actual controversy of which It
has jurisdiction. The anthracite strike
commission had no Jurisdiction of the ques
tions submitted to It was In no sense a
legal tribunal, and therefore Incapable of
settling any question of law. That Its de
cision should be gravely cited by a Judge
in a case Involving only legal technicali
ties Is a striking Illustration of the dangers
Incident to a resort to expedients outside
the law for the settlement of controversies.
The strike commission was composed of
eminent gentlemen, not all of them learned
In the law, and It rendered a real service
to the publlo that was suffering from the
strike, but Its views are in no sense a
guide for legal tribunals In the discharge
of the duty Incumbent on them. to Inter
pret the law as they find it written in
the books. ;
PERSONAL NOTES.
A Chicago man who recently Inherited a
million-dollar fortune has taken a position
as a waiter. ' There lsj no curbing the
greed for wealth.
Alexander Williamson, who was the tutor
of Abraham Lincoln's younger children,
died on Tuesday at his home in Brooklyn.
He was 89 years old.
Henry Watterson called his trip to New
Tork the other day a "purely literary mis
sion." Henry has more to do with fire
works than literature.
Alexander Williamson, one of ths three
persons who were present at the deathbed
ot President Lincoln, died at his horns In
Brooklyn last Wednesday.
Corpulent persons In Sweden are to be
taxed for excessive weight, because they
eat too much. And the collectors. Just as
they do in this country, will lire on the
fat of the land.
Hall Calne locates the scene of ths brav
est deed with which he Is acquainted at the
Vatican. "The hero of the Incident in
question," he writes, "was that venerable
nonogenarlan, Pope Leo XIII, who, on the
occasion of our first Interview, actually
confessed that he had never read one of my
books."
It Is stated that when Lord Roberts
comes to America in August It will b in
his official capacity. King Edward has ex
pressed a wish that his trip shall be re
garded as an official one In return for the
recent visits of distinguished American mili
tary officers to Great Britain.
Six Shaffer brothers, sons of John Shaffer
of Highland county, Ohio, were photo
graphed In a group at 'Hillsborough, O., a
few days ago. The oldest is M years of
age and the youngest 74. Their united ages
amount to 480 years. Their father's children
number thirteen and the children of these
six brothers number, respectively, eleven,
elRht, nine, thirteen, twelve and five, giv
ing the list In the order of the fathers'
ages.
Get Ready Now for
Graduation.
You hare time. It won't take us five
minutes to fit you out to your perfect' sat
isfaction. Let us show you the very fin
est garments possible in black thibet
and unfinished worsted, at ?15.00, f 16.50,
and 118.00.
Blue and black serges and cheviots,
flO.OO to f 15.00.
White waistcoats, and the necessary
furnishings, that are appropriate for this
occasion.
"NO clothing: FITS LIKE OURS."
groWnmg- Kin2--.(-
R. S. WILCOX, Manager.
A 49RBAT V1CTORT.
avfasj of auilfoaa rstl Rorentio
at Last Assured.
Philadelphia rress.
The most Important news from the Tost
fnce department In many a day Is not any
development of the pending Investigation,
but the Judicial decision Just rendered
completely sustaining the department In
Its movement for the reform of the
colossal abuses In second-class mall matter.
The news Is most succinctly told In the
following personal dispatch from a high
officer to the editor of the rress: J
"WASHINGTON, June S.-The court of
appeals (of the District of Columbia)
handed down decision today in Riverside
Literature Series and Master In Muslo
rases. Lower court reversed In both cases.
Department wins at all points. Decision
Is sweeping, and assures ultimate success
of the reform. Department hands now
completely untied. The court Is unanimous,
and It la a great victory."
It Is, Indeed, a great victory for a vital
publlo reform snd for a regenerated and
self-sustaining postal service. The mon
strous abuses which have flooded the mails
with books, advertising circulars, house
organs, and so forth, under the pretext
of being periodicals, at the pound rate have
gone on for years, growing month by
month. Two year ago the orders were
Issued which turned the faoe of the de
partment in the opposite direction snd
resolutely set out to stop ths wrongs. For
a time the reform moved steadily and
surely forward, but some of tho eases were
taken Into court and decision pronounced
against the government.
This Inconsiderate Judgment practically
paralysed the department for ths time
being, so far as the prosecution of the re
form was concerned. But the department
appealed; ft called the giant, John O. John
son of this city. Into the case; and now It
Is vindicated In a decision of the higher
court which completely sustains the posi
tion of the department and re-enforces
Its purpose. The reform will be taken up
afresh and carried on with renewed Vigor.
The development of wrongdoing In the
department, so far as disclosures up to
the present time Indicate, lamentable as It
Is, Involves a loss measured by thousands.
This reform Involves a saving measured by
millions. There Is a bright side as well
as a dark side.
We cordially congratulate Postmaster
General Payne and Third Assistant Post
master General Madden, who have stood
to their guns so manfully, and we espe
cially congratulate the American 'people
who want the moot efficient and progres
sive postal service possible.
LAUGHING REMARKS.
"He's forever complaining of his hard
luck. I wonder what's hla Idea of hard
luck, anyway."
"It's merely the inability to fall Into a
soft snap." Chicago Tribune.
Winkers Why Is it that women always
dislike a prominent man who is an old
bachelor? .
Blnkers Because they can't say thai he
would never have amounted to anything If
It had not been for his wife. New ork
Weekly.
"Are you going to take a vacation this
summer?"
"I suppose I'll have to," answered Mr.
Cumrox, "although I must say I'd like to
put In one summer simply attending to
business and resting up." Washington
Star.
"Are you .going to take a vacation trip
of any sort this summer?"
"We expect to." i - 5.
"Where are you going?"
"Can't say yet, tut we're expecting a
tornado to come along and take us some
where." Chicago Post.
Belshassar beheld the wrltlns on ths wall.
"Maybe it's only the' name or a new
breakfast food," he faltered, trying to be
brave. ,.
Later interpretations, however, Justified
his worst fears. New Tork Sun.
"You have only twenty-five boys at your
school, I'm told, professor."
"Tes, ordinarily, but they were doubled
last week."
"Tou don't say."
"Yes. They raided a neighboring truck 1
Pitch and stole a lot of cucumbers'
hiladelphla Press.
"Tou do not Inject enough contempt, spite
and venom Into that word."
"I can do no better."
"Nonsense! Speak It Just as you say
plush' when you meet a rival In a seal
skin sacque." Brooklyn Life.
"I'm sorry I brought you to the shore at
all," exolalmed her mother. "The Idea of
four being engaged to two young men.
t's shameful!"
"Oh, I don't know, ma," protested the
summer girl. "Give me time: I've only
been here three days." Philadelphia Pres.
"That political rival of yours went so far
as to Intimate that you would sell your In
fluence for money."
"Professional jealousy, my friend," re
joined Senator Sorghum, soothingly. "He's
cross because he hasn't any Influence to
sell." Washington Star.
IF FOLKS WERE ALWAYS GOOD.
Somervllle Journal.
This world would be a pleasant place
If folks were always good.
And all the people, young and old.
Did always as they should;
But what would the policemen do.
If nobody did wrong?
They'd surely have to go to work.
For they are well and strong.
And all the judges in the courts.
They'd lose their places, sure.
And all the ministers would And
Their jobs would not endure;
For all their preaching would be thought
Unnecessary, quite,
If no one In the world did wrong,
And everyone did right'.
And countless other people, too,
Would find thnt they must change
Their dally occupations, and
Their new lives would be strange.
The lawyers, wiitrhmen, locksmiths yes.
And hosts of others would
Most certainly be out of date,
If folks were alw ays good I
