THE OMAHA PA1LV HEE: SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1003. Tiie Omaha Daily "Bee. E. ROSE WATER. EDITOR. PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING. TERMS OF SUHRCr.lPTlOS. Dallv (without Sunday). One Yeor.W.OO Pally Hee and Sunday. One Year Illustrated I.e. One Year Sunday Hee. On Year Saturday li , One Yar Twentieth Century Farmer. One Year. DELIVERED HY CARRIER, rtttiiv ri.. rn iihnut RiimiNi-i wr copy. 0 2 on l.nn 1.IW 1.00 I)aily Pee (without Bunday)', per week .12c Dally Ilea (Including Sunday), Pr week.. lie Sunday Hee. per copy. Evening- Hee' (without Sunday), per week. 6c Evening Bee (Including Sunday). P Complaints' Vf'TrreVu'laritles In rt!pllvry should be addressed to City Circulation De partment OFFICES. Omaha The Bee Building. Bouth Omaha City Halt Building, Twen-ty-nfth and M Streeta. Council Bluffs 10 Fearl Street Chicago 1640 Unity Building. New York 233 Par Row Building. Washington 501 Fourteenth Street. CORRESPONDENCE. Communications relating to news and edi torial matter Bhould be addressed: Omaha Bee, Editorial Department REMITTANCES. Remit by draft, expreaa or postal order, payable to The Bee publishing Company. Only J -cent stamps accepted In payment or mall accounts. Personal checks, except on Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted. THE BEfcJ PUBLISHING COMPANY. STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION. RUte of Nebraska, Douglas County .ss. : George B. Tsechuck, secretary of The Bee lublishln- Company, being duly sworn, aays that the actual number ot full and complete copies of The Dally. Morning, Evening and Bunday Bee printed during the month oi May, is, was as iouowa i.. go.ono 17 28,450 U 31,030 i 30.T80 JO 30,860 21 80,870 a 80,940 B 80,830 34 -..JW.330 5 80,830 M 80.T90 JT 80,700 30,080 a ao.eoo 30 31,800 U STOO t aetoo 4aea a .SOafiOO .... 80,T30 30.BTO I.... ....... 80,670 soij io !K,740 10 T,T75 11 80,440 12 80.3T0 II 80,020 1 80.T80 IS ....8O.6S0 It.,... 80,890 Total .. 777. 0O3.&0O unsold ana returned copies Net total sales 94889 Net average sales 80.43T GEORGE B. TZ3CHUCK. Subscribed In my presence and sworn to before ma this Mat daJofB1 no ATE? ' (Seal.) Notary Public. Nearly $18,000 for a hog of the four- footed variety sets the mark for pros perity prices. The next muyor's proclamation will be fornlnst dynamite crackers, roman candles and E Plurlbus Unum sky rockets. The next bridge arbitrary to be lifted .will be the 10-tent passenger toll levied on all the Council Bluffs patrons of Omaha retail stores. Omaha's long felt want has been and continues to be cheaper power and Omaha Is not in the least particular as to who supplies its long felt want. Woujd It not be prudent to give Jthe automobiles right of way for the next two weeks? Automobiles don't shy at Chinese fire . crackers and buzzing pin .wheels. - . ,- It Is to be noted that up to the hour of going to press Colonel Clowry was still serving as president of the Western Union, all fake stories about bis reslgna Uon to the contrary notwithstanding. 4 ' a The Mexican government proposes to protect the integrity of the language by requiring all billboard signs and dead wall advertisements to.be In Spanish Poets who write advertising doggerel will please take notice. All of which reminds us .thut the county Judge mmst be getting an extr-i allowance of pin money out of his mar riage license fee mill and diromo mar riage certificate booth as a result of the Juue rise in the matrimonial stream William Jennings Bryan's former law partner has been crowned as head con sul of the Modern Woodmen, doubtless because of his Napoleonic features, There is a strong suspicion abroad that this is the first step in Nebraska in the direction of Imperialism a la Bonaparte Over in Chicago It Is the strikers who are refusing to arbitrate. Whichever party to a labor controversy refuses to admit that there may be some merit in the contention of theother side runs the grave risk of forfeiting the very neces sary support that comes from a sympa thetlc public sentiment Two members of the Lognnsport (Iud.) council bave been indicted for breaking a Quorum to prevent the passage of a competing street car line franchise ordi nance for a consideration. In Onmiia the councllmanic gojne of flde and reek hus been played frequently, but nobody In the game has ever yet been Indictt 'l. The Russian government suggests to King Peter that it will be dangerous to the tranquillity of Servia to leave un punished the crime by which King Alex ander and Queen Dragu met their deaths. The answer will doubtless le that It would bo dangerous to the tran quillity of King Peter to punish the crim inals. The suggestion of "an optimist" that Euclid Martin be crowned perpetual su preme ruler of the Business Meu's as sociation and that Mr. Kenjon Ikj per mitted to turn on the big water power is apropos providing Mr. Jptlmlst will condescend Jo become private secretary for the high Joints, and provided he will make known his Identity to a rubber necked public. The decision of the supreme court of Nebraska granting a new trial In the Flgglte case, which attracted so much attention at the time it was originally heard, will give the Flggites another chance to occupy the center of the lime light As experience has taught that these peculiar sects usuully flourish on publicity and stagnate when let alone. It Is a question whether the court Is helping or burtlug the propaganda. TUB TaLLK or vnrPAHATioX I In his address at the University of Vlr- ginla President Roosevelt dwelt some- what upon an Idea he has frequently urged, that In the interest of peace and cood will between the United States and other nations it is important that we xlmll be prepared to protect ourselves in any emergency. It is not by any means a new idea. It was presented by our first president and has been ap proved by numerous American states men since. The fact that It Las been re peatedly advanced by Mr. Hoosevelt may seem , to imply that he doubts whether the American people are as fully alive to the necessity of preparation against possible war as they should be and that therefore it Is the duty of the head of the government to Impress this upon them at every favorable opportunity. This the president does with charac teristic directness and earneHtness. He desires that the United States shall pur sue a policy that will be fair and Just nd without offense to any other nation. We should handle ourselves "with n lew never to wrong the weak and never to submit to Injury from the strong." Our country should always behave with consideration for others. It should never apeak in a manner that is insulting or might wound the susceptibilities of any foreign nation, never threaten and never boast, "but when we feel that our In terest and our honor demand that as a nation we take a certain position, to take that position and then make it good." Certainly there are no Americans with any true feeling of patriotism who will not approve this. The constant aim and endeavor of this country In the future as in the past should be to cultivate the most friendly and cordial relations with all the rest of the world. More than any other nation this republic stands for in ternational peace and good will. All our Interests dictate this and Its encourage ment has been our policy from the foun dation of the government. It must con tinue to be the policy of the United States, but its observance does not for bid placing ourselves in a position to command respect for our rights every where and to Insure protection for those lights If they Bhall be assailed. The United States will probably never need a large standing army. It must. however, have a strong navy and it is this that President Roosevelt urges should be provided. There are some who think that he has an extravagant view of what is necessary in this respect, but we believe thoughtful men generally, who understand the new conditions growing out of the events of the last five years, concur with the president and would have our sea power Increased un til it shall be sufficient for any exigency that may be thought possible. The build ing up of such a navy, as was said by Mr. Roosevelt, is the surest guaranty of peace, the best Insurance against war, but If war should come it would be a guaranty that It would end "leaving un dimmed the record upon which is writ ten the feats of Americans in arms." ESTIMATED TRADE BALAHC. It is now safe to estimate that the ap parent trade balance In favor of this country for the fiscal year Tvhich will end in ten days will not be far from $450,000,000.. This is somewhat smaller than earlier estimates, but It Is an amount which must be regarded as en-1 tirely satisfactory. We shall make an- other record In this fiscal year, in the matter of imports, which will be some- what in excess of $1,000,000,000. It is estimated that of the apparent Inter- national trade balance, much of which has of course been utilized, something ' like $200,000,000 must be liquidated In other ways than by freight payments, the drafts made by American excursionists In Eu- rope, Insurance and other hidden methods of liquidation. It is assumed that our foreign commerce for the vmr will have made available In tha wsv of international credits something like $200,000,000. so that It is thought to be quite possible our bankers will find It expedient this summer to Import gold. At anv rate it is said that the feelln w In New York and in Europe is that the dnv for -xoessive imrWta or enort f gold to or from the United States has passed. The present condition of the foreign trade of the United States must be re- gurueu as on me wnoie nigniy sausrac- tory and the outlook is good, but the ne- cesslty of enlarging our exports In order to maintain present industrial activity ls Decerning steanny more manifest. It la not sufficient to hold the trade we have got, which perhaps we shall be able to Co. We must enlarge our markets or be forced to the alternative, sooner or later, of curtailing production. THE COLOMBIAN COXfjRtSS. This is the date for the meeting of the Colombiau congress to consider the Panama canal treaty and it will doubt less soon be known what the fate of tiiut convention is to be. According to the recent reports from Washington the president U not disposed to submit to unreasonable delay on the part of Colombia in acting upon the treaty, but our government is not likely to take any course that might be regarded as coercive, though it perhaps might with propriety Indicate Its desire to have the luatter settled as soon as possible. There is said to exist ln official circles a: aaiiiuffTnii un opinion mat me treaty Is n mere extraneous detail, so far as construction of the canal Is concerned, aud would serve only to settle diplo matic questions; that the United States I Tl ,.-, j..j...f. j 000,000 Mill have the full right to go ahead with the construction of the canal without any treaty with Colombia. It can be very confidently assumed that no such opinion as this Is held by either President Hoosevelt or Secretary Hay, The territory through which the canal passes Is tart of the republic of Colom bia aud the United States could uwt rightfully take possession ot It by simply buying the cannl franchise from the Freuch company. To do that would be a clear case of spoliation 'hat vovld be in the highest degree discreditable to this country. The American people want the canal only on terms aud con ditions that ure entirely fair and. Just to Colombia. SOUTH OMAHA BOSD PROPOSITIONS. The citizens of South Omaha are to de cide at the ballot box next Tuesday on four separate propositions whether the bonded indebtedness of that town is to be increased by a quarter of a million dollars. The proposed increase of the bonded debt of South Omaha will not merely affect the taxpayers of that city, but Incidentally, will sooner or later affect every taxpayer in the city of Omaha. It Is an open secret that a large pro portion of the tax burdens of South Omaha are borne by citizens of Omaha who own real estate in South Omaha or are interested in various business tuiter prlses in South Omahn. This Includes, as a matter of course, the public utility corporations that supple street railway, gns, water and telephone service. A serious discussion of the South Omaha bond propositions is, therefore, pot out of place. Proposition No. 1 Involves an Issue ot $70,000 In bonds to take up the overlap in the municipal treasury. While the creation of this overlap was reprehensi ble and In violation of. charter limita tions, the outstanding warrants consti tute an obligation that will sooner or later have to be met. By substituting bonds for warrants the city will doubt less effect a saving, and if South Omaha taxpayers see to it that no new overlaps are created hereafter, It will be good business to authorize the issue of these bonds. Proposition No. 2 contemplates an is sue of $100,000 in bonds, the proceeds of which are to be expended In the erection of a high school building. On broad gauite lines the erection of a substantial school building for the accommodation of high school students commends itself to the friends of education and all classes of citizens. Proposition No. 3, for an issue of $35, 000 in bonds for sewer construction, strikes us as of doubtful propriety until a comprehensive system of sewers has been planned for South Omaha and the money voted for. sewer construction 'is devoted to the execution of the plan without wastage or Jobbery. iVopoeitlon No. 4, for an issue of $50,- 000 in bonds to be expended in the erec tion of n city ball, can scarcely commend itself to sensible business men. In the first place, $50,000 for a site and build' lng will at best result only in the erec Uon of a secondrgrade structure not much better than an ordinary firetrap, In the next place, the inevitable amalga mation of Omaha and South Omaha will render such a building useless, but the bonds once Issued create a perpetual debt. ' . f Lastly, the very material increase in the bonded debt of South Omaha will correspondingly increase its tax rate, lower Its credit and prevent future pub lic Improvements that will be needed very much more than those now contem plated. Nebraska's peerless populist reformer, J. A. Edgerton, has issued an unofficial invitation to the remnant of the populist party to convene itself in Denver July 27 for the purpose of attempting to amalgamate the reform movements of the country. Why Mr. Edgerton should have chosen the 27th of July instead of the 4th Is incomprehensible. Tradition and precedent have canonized Inde- pendence day for the initiative and referendum of all political reform move ments and especially the national popu list party which was born at Omaha on July 4, 1802. county Board of Equalization Is " right track this time in taking the valuatlon adopted by the city Board of Eevlew n tue standard for assessing real and Personnl PPerty for county BUU purpuaes. xne oniy jusunaoie I At 1.. It M . 1L. x. l a l 1 a. u-"" sumuaru woum oe property that has been materially 1m- pruvt-u buii'u iuc city assessment was completed or Improved property that has been damaged by fire since that period. The invitation extended to Booker T. Washington to act as a commissioner for the Brltlf)h South Afrlca comnnnv to In vestigate and to report upon race condt- tlong ln the British terrltorv is a re. minder that other countries besides our own are harassed with race problems, aud although they may not be able to help us find the solution which we need, we may be able to help them out of some of their difficulties. iue t;nicago-si. raui railroads are amusing themselves with a passenger rate war, but the trouble is not likely t0 become epidemic. The railroads, geu- erany have a thorough understanding as to their community of Interest in rate schedules and they will be careful not to let little difficulties cut into their total I receipts President Cleveland is now quoted as saying that it is absurd to suppose for on instant that he has any desire to re- enter political life. If he had said that It was absurd to suppose that he had any 1)IIL'"-' "l '"""ms jmuui-ui me Colonel Bryan would probably agree per fectly with him. Where Proteetou Is Needed I ' ' ' jjr. Parry purposes to organise a com pany to Insure employers against strikes. Maybe the time win come when the con sumer can be insured against a boost In prices. i Faeeiaa; Over Trivialities. New York World. So there Is to be no anthracite strike. The miners are to bave the men they I wanted on the Board of Conciliation and tha operators are to have the satisfaction of knowing that they are properly "In dorsed." If the business ot the country had been wrecked a second time on a triviality .like this, labor and capital alike would have been disgraced. A Moving? Spectacle. 6t. Louis Republic. Dispatches to the British War offloa announce that Hajl Monaramea vnn Abdullah, the Mad Mullah of 8omallland, la again on the move. U he has to carry that name very far he will not move very fast Cams for Tbaakfalness. Baltimore American. Every American politician must secretly thank his stara that tie. was not born In England,, where officeholders are expected to resign when they are criticised by the public. With l such sensitiveness to publlo opinion It would be difficult over here for the patriots who serve their country to amass even a moderate competence. Landing; on a Tender Spot. Philadelphia Press. Down In Mexico a newspaper has been suppressed and the editor put In Jail for cartooning a public official. But that Is nothing. In England 100 years ago, as we are Informed by the governor of Pennsyl vania, for less offense a man would have been drawn and quartered and his head stuck on a pike without the city walls. Courage Ilegets Conraite. Cosmopolitan. One brave step makes the next one easier. True, the road seems more piled up with obstacles as one goes along, but then one is made stronger and more capable with every step, so that relatively we have an easy road always before us. At least, If not exactly easy. It becomes more Interest ingone feels less Inclined to grumble. nemarkable Case of Thrift. New York Sun. Quite the most remarkable feature of Mr. Roosevelt's reply to the Jewish delegation asking that this government should speak to Russia about Klshlneff was the story of the Jewish policeman who educated his younger brothers and Bisters and got here two or three of his kinsfolk from Russia and provided homes for them out of his salary. It would not be easy to And a more remarkable case of thrift A Jolly Salt Water Sport. Philadelphia Record. Absolutely the most cheerful man aver heard of In real life, and fully tha equal of the fictitious Mark Ta.pl ey, la Sir Thomas Llpton. He is confident that Shamrock III will win. But if it should not he promises a Shamrock IV. His pluck and confidence In the name are Inexhaustible, and so long as Sir Thomas shall remain In this Ufa we may expect a procession of Shamrocks ot increasing numerals to cross tha sea after that cup. What Tllden Escaped. Louisville Courier-Journal. Mr. Tllden's place in history cannot be fixed until the controversies which closed his public life cease to embody the Interest and feeling of men yet living and to re flect upon the story of bis life and char acter the Imperfect beams of partisan bias. Even then his name and fame will belong to the domain rather of the world's thought than Its action. He was a thinker, a dreamer, an Idealist. He- rescued his party from a kind Of bottomless abyss and put it upon high, solid, dure ground. Happily, hedid not live to see It slip away from this, if not back Into the abyss, yet Into the morass of fraudulent Cleveland- Ism and Impossible Bryanfsm, the sport and prey of every , ewt win4 which bad leadership and hard loWk can conjure out of the devil's own abominable care of winds! r - . --r.aatvv. ;. ; -. -. HARXESSIXG The floods. Problem of ' Vast Proportions and Great. Cost. St. Louis Globe-Democrat Plenty of water Is one of nature's great est blessings, the key to successful agrU culture, and therefore to stable national prosperity. The problem of floods is one of control, not of a search for a region where they are unknown, a quest that would and at Sahara. ' A flood suddenly coming out of the Kaw, a minor river. meeting high waters at other points, caused a lamentable loss of life and a de struction of property worth not less than 30, 000,000. In addition to widespread human suffering and Interrupted business. The sea of water that has been hurrying down the Missouri and Mississippi during May and June would be of untold value if It could have been restrained and regulated through July, August and September. In this connection comes In the immense sig nificance of the new ' Irrigation movement in the United States. Though restricted at the start to the arid region, there can be no doubt that "eventually Irrigated areas will be found throughout the conn try. New England has just passed through a six weeks' drouth, and Its crops for the season must suffer ln proportion. What can be done to hold back the sur plus ot rain ana menea snow to serve a systematic, useful purpose, as well as to prevent ruinous floods? Government officials in charge of the reclamation policy authorized by the re cent Irrigation act passed by congress are studying, among other things, the subject of stortge reservoirs at the headwaters of streams, as well as the features of rain drainage lower down., The secretary of the National Irrigation association estimates that storage reservoirs far up on the Mis souri ami its tributaries would reclaim 86,000,000 acres of so-called desert lands. Crops can be made, with irrigation, by the end of any August. At present they wouM be drowned out ln the spring and burned up ln the summer. Canals and ditches, aggregating hundreds of miles in length could conduct off a vast quantity of water now ravaging Its borders ln the turbulent main channels. By means of canals and ditches, says the secretary, almost In calculable quantities of flood waters could be spread out "to Irrigate millions of acres of farming land in Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas, thus reducing the flow of the lower reaches ot the Missouri to below the danger point." The canals and ditches would be a second ary restraint to the storage reservoirs headwaters. Ground even still more advanced along the same line Is taken by the New York Evening Post, which points out that the configuration of the sharply sloping plains from which the present flood came Is favorable to the Impounding of vast quan T.f o,i,. .v... tities ot water. "this nue.tlon of the control and iittll.f of the natural waters Is now upon the j dn county. Pennsylvania. He frankly an country." and thut the national Irrigation ! nounces in a letter to the voters that he bill Is but a beginning. It declares that the h "needs the salary of the office so much." "whoi riviiiMd world la irlvln mnr t. iMr. Richardson has been lame since chlld- ter.tlon than ever before to the problems of water storage and control," and that 'It Is a question almost as pressing for New England, and New York, and the Appalachian region as It Is for the west." When such views come from a conservative source on the borders of the Atlantic, con gress may take up the subject of irrigation and headwater reservoirs with an assur ance of the unanimous support of the country. Levee systems are a branch of the same methods of securing sure and bountiful crops, the foundation of the na tion's wealth, the first great necessary con dition of good tiroes. SPECULATORS TO THB FORD. , Systesaatle Laa4 Qrabblac 1st tha Wostera States. Nsw Tork Tribune. ' The wisdom of President Roosevelt's sug gestion In his annual tneseag of last De cember, that tha land laws ba amended to preserve the publlo domain for the use of actual settlers, becomes more and more apparent as we learn ot the abuses which exist through the failure of congress to act upon his advice. Senator Gibson of Mon tana estimates that in tha fiscal year now closing 2,500,000 acres of land have been taken np In his state alone under desert land and homestead filings; yet there has been practically no Increase' In the agri cultural population of Montana. All this land has been taken up by speculators, much of it In anticipation of national Irri gation enterprises, which would mak desert lands extremely valuable. . Senator Gibson points out that In the Great Falls land office, one of the seven In Montana, In the nine months ending April 30, entries were made for (42 desert land and 70S homestead claims. In addition to such claims, about. 600,000 acres more were taken In the state under the timber and stone act and forest reserve scrip. He says: "At this rate of land grabbing, for It can be designated as nothing else, all the de sirable lands of Montana will be taken up In a very short time, and the great na tional work of reclaiming and settling the farm lands will be at an end, so far as this state Is concerned." This Is just the situation which the presi dent sought to deal with when he said: "So far as they are available for agricul ture and to whatever extent they may be reclaimed under the national Irrigation law, the remaining publlo lands should be held rigidly for the home builder, the settler who lives upon his land, and for no one else.- In their actual use the desert land law, the timber, and stone law and the commutation clause of the homestead law have been so perverted from the intention with which they were enacted as to permit the acquisition of large areas of publlo domain for other than actual settlers and the consequent prevention of settlement." No doubt tha conditions described by Senator Gibson exist In other states where there are lands which promise to become valuable through national Irrigation. The receipt during the last year of 17,000,000 for the Irrigation fund from the sale of publlo land would Indicate a general land buying movement quite out of proportion to the growth of population in tha regions where tha landa are located.- Such a move ment threatens entirely to defeat tha origi nal purpose of national Irrigation schemes. Owing to tha failure of congress to act so as to save for actual settlers the land to be Irrigated, tha country may soon ba forced to face the question of changing the plans entirely or spending millions of dollars merely to enrich a few land speculators. It was Intended that 'land should be re claimed and sold In small holdings, and that tha money obtained for it should be used to reclaim more land. But If the speculators are to get all the benefits of the first step In tha enterprise and keep ahead of the government, taking up as desert land and at appropriate prices the terri tory which Irrigation at publlo expense Is to make valuable, the . wisdom of proceed ing with tha process Is open to serious question. MARVELS OF OIR RAILWAYS. How the I'nlted States Compares with the Rest of the World. V. New York World. The report of the Interstate Commerce commission upon American railways Is a tale of marvels. We have 282,471 miles of track, of which about 82,000 .miles are douKS track and sidings. All the rest ot the world has but three miles to our two. This country has eighteen feet of railway for every inhabi tant; In the world outside there are eight een Inches per inhabitant. It has probably cost to build- and' equip our railways about $30,000 per mile, repre sented by $6,000,000,000 in bonds. Promoters' profit and other original and incidental "water" are represented by $6,000,000,000 ln stock. Nearly half this stock pays no divi dends, but the remaining portion yields enough so that the average for the whole Is SH per cent a fine profit considering the origin of the securities. Soma of the greater lines earn twice or thrice the dividends they pay, but put surplus earnings Into "betterment," a con servatlve policy quite opposed to that fol lowed in England, where extravagant divi dends have . been paid and Improvements made by new capital until it Is difficult to pay dividends at all. The total capital of British railways Is $283,000 per mile; of American roads $00,000 per mile. Since 1896 the dividends of the principal British roads have decreased; on American roads they have increased. Our engines are comparatively few be cause they are the most powerful known. Though but 41,228 n number they haul ln a year 649,878,605 passengers and 111,089,347 tons of freight. For every passenger car there are forty freight cars. We are a stay-at home people. Instead of traveling we send goods. In one respect our railways are shame fully Inferior. There were 346 passengers killed last year In this country, none In Great Britain, though the usual number of employes were killed or injured there. Here one employe out of every twenty-four was Injured within the year. However, as the average passenger must trat el the equlva lent of 2,800 times the circumference of the earth before he gets killed, railway jour neys are not to be classified as "extra hazardous." POLITICAL DRIFT. Rumor has It that Tammany has slated Congressman George B. McClellan as Its candidate for mayor. Ex-Governor Candler of Georgia wants a new light-bearer for the democratic party. H says both Cleveland and Bryan have been snuffed out Allen W. Thurman, who was the leading advocate of free silver in Ohio, declares for A. P. Gorman for the demooratlo nomi nation for president. Ex-Senator Marlon G. Butler of North CurolLna Insists that the populists will have a ticket in the field In 1904. This frank statement ought to silence the cruel report that Mr. Butler had shaved. J. E. Burke, the blacksmith who has been declared mayor of Burllngtun, Vt, by the supreme court has appointed himself his chief of police. His predecessor he charged with "excessive partisanship." Harris Richardson, who hus been a crip. Die for many years, has been nominated ! for Judge Dy tne repuoucans oi nunung ,hood nd hl" w,fe ha" hem an ,nvalli tor twenty years. There seems to be little doubt ot his election. A letter from Governor Jefferson Davis of Arkansas shown to a favored few about the state house attracted some little attention and aroused amusement as well, because of its grammar and orthogra phy. It began by stating that tha writer was interested in "a matter which In volve," continued to speak of "a appropria tion," referred to a legal question which had been "ejudicated," ajid wound up, "Very truly yours, Jeff Davis, Governor ot Ark." - OTHER LA OS THA Oins, Formosa, which became a Japanese pos session as the result of the war with China, Is the native borne of the camphor tree. The Formosa n output of camphor gum av erages (.000,000 pounds a year; that of all the rest of Japan Is about 3t0.000 pounds annually, while the Chinese yield never ex ceeds 230,000 pounds. The bill passed by the Japanese Diet on Friday last extending the control of the government over the sup ply of camphor to all parts of the Japanese empire, therefore, establishes a praotlcul world-wide monopoly. The alleged purpose of the monopolisation Is the protection of the camphor forests of Formosa from tho Inroads of the savages who Infest the east ern half of that Island; but, Inasmuch as the Japanese government assumes the right to limit the production In order to prevent an "oversupply," It Is quite evident that the real object Is to keep up the price to the highest point the traffic will bear. Reform ln local admlnstratlon has for some time been one of the most burning questions In Spanish politics, and there Is much excitement Just now and no little 111 feeling, over a bill Introduced In Parlia ment by the minister of the Interior, Scnor Maura. It was hoped and expected that this measure, which had been spoken of as almost revolutionary In its radical treat ment of old abuses, would afford at least some practical relief from existent evils, and the disappointment was profound when, upon publication, it proved to be a plan for making Madrid more than ever the center of municipal authority. Senor Maura has been the object of a vigorous press attack from all sides. The repub licans assert that he has been actuated by the sole Idea of keeping them out of mu nicipal councils. The radicals denounce his whole project as a most pernicious s-chemo of reactionary centralisation. Generally the tone of journalistic comment Is pessimis tic concerning the political situation and the national prospects. It is generally known that Germany has not made a striking success ln Its . at tempts to colonize, especially In Africa, but the extent of Its failures has been fairly well concealed. Almost all the German colonies are largely dependent on subsidies paid by the imperial government to balance their budget. This year these subsidies amount to considerably over $7,600,000. The one colony which Is financially Independent this year Is Togoland, and this is dae to the fact that the expected construction of a railway has been delayed and the pay ments on It deferred. In the whole of the German protectorates In Africa there were but (,661 white Inhabitants ln 1902 and of these only 4,203 Germans. That year Was one of marked Increase in the white pop ulation. Southwest Africa gained 1.000 from the results of the Boer war. East Africa gained four, the Cameroons thirty-three and Togoland twenty-two. The census of the South Sea possessions was very disap pointing. In Samoa there are but 847 whites and on all tha German islands only 862. The exports of Samoa declined $65,000 and the Imports double that amount In China, in Kiao-chau, tha expenditure was much heavier than the revenue. Thla year the imperial subsidy comes to $3,205,000, or, $95,000 more than last year. And tha worst uu immii capital have so little faith in the colonies that very little new capital is going into them for their development. It would be difficult even in this country to parallel the gTOwth of many English towns In tha last ball-century. Summar ised statistics of tho census taken in 1901 Snow most remarkable figures regarding the urban growth of the country, and the general movement toward towns. Such cities as London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds have trebled, qua drupled and -.quintupled r their .population since l5i, but these are not to be com pared with smaller centres.' Barrow-ln- Furness has grown from 1,000 to 67.000; Bradford from 2,000 to 47,000; West Hartle pool ftom 4,000 to 67,000, and Rhonnda from 4,000 to 113,000. The growth of tha towna about London Is still more remarkable. East Ham, from a village of 2,000, has be come a city of 66,000; West Ham, from 19,000 to 267,000; Walthamstow, from 4,700 to 95,000; Tottenham, from 7.000 to 102,000; and Leyton from 4,000 to 98,000. The other side of the picture is found ln the figures regarding some of tha counties. Cornwall has decreased since 1861 and Herefordshire and Shropshire since 1871. In Cornwall In 1891-1901 the excess of births over deaths was 26,846, and the loss by migration 26,838. In Herefordshire In the same period the excess of births over deaths was 9,576 and the loss from migration U.362. Tha European newspapers contain many reports of violent encounters between cler icals and anti-clericals In Paris and else where, denoting a growing bitterness of feeling, which might easily lead to incal culable consequences. The earliest provoca tion, perhaps, was given in violent pulpit denunciation of. the associations law, ln which the president and ministers were compared with Herod, Pontius Pilate, Judas Iscarlot, and so forth, the anti-clericals re taliating by - protesting In the churches against the sermons of unauthorised preachers. Scenes of disorder and riot naturally followed and seem likely to be repeated with Increasing animosity on both sides. The socialist element among the anti-clericals hoped that the disturbances would precipitate the coming breach be tween church and state, and the destruc tion of the concordat, but these excesses have alarmed the more prudent of their own party and the republicans, and have actually forced the government, which bears them no ill will, to employ the police against them, in defence of Roman Cath olic rights. A recent attempt on the part of the socialists to break up a Roman Catholic meeting at Mont Parnasse, resulted WHY? We make more and sell more good clothing thati any other house in the country. WHY? Ask the public in any of the 15 great citis in which we have retail stores. j '' They know where they cau get the best, and where they are best suited. No Clothing Fits Like Ours. Don't put off the straw hat purchase to long-Mines are getting badly broken, and if you want to mak a good eelection come now. Browning R S. Wilcox. Manager, In a very serious row, In which firearmi were discharged. Nobody was killed, but much damaKA was done to surrounding property. Illthrrto tho wornt sufferers In these affrays seem to have been the police, who, In thclr efforts to preserve the peace, have bren belabored impartially by both sides. I.ET SO (U1LTV MAS F.SCAPE.W Prealileat Itoosevrlt's Knergy Mani fest In rostofllrr Int rat laa t Ian. St. Louis Globe rvmoerat' (rep.V President Roosevelt Is acting In the pos tal scandal Just as the country had a rlphl to expect that he would act. He Is deter mined that a rigid Investigation Into nl the reports of wrong-doing shall bo niado. and the guilty persons be promptly pun ished. The postal authorities have , beer urged to push the Inquiry with tho greatest possible speed. Whatever crookedness has existed or which now exists will be quickly exposed, and the offenders will be deal) with rigorously. Let the country rest easj on those points. Moreover, the president Is In thorough harmony with the heads of the postal de. portment ln this matter of bringing th guilty persons to Justice. Postmaster Gen eral Payne is working in unity with th president in this affair. Tho stories that the postmaster general was Indifferent ln the matter of pushing the Inquiry Into the frauds, or alleged frauds, were got up by the democrats, and ware circulated by the democratio newspapers. Their object Is to discredit the administration If possible, for partisan reasons. They Imagine that this will win votes for the democratic party next year. But the democrats will soon learn that no party capital can bo made out of the postal Irregularities. The president ts a good deal more anxious than the heads of the democratio newspapers are to have the investigation rigidly pursued and the offenders punished. He has more Interest In the matter than they have. He wilt manage the affair with mora Intelligence and courage than any of the democratio editors would display tn a Uke situation. Whatever wrong was done will be exposed, and the guilty persona will be promptly and effectively dealt with. The Job will be done so well by the administration that none of the democratio papers will dare say a word about It in the campaign next year, for everything that could be said would be a tribute to tha president and the postmas ter general and would help to bring votes to the republican party. FLASHES OF FCN. Colonel Blublud-By gad. suh! whisky la enough to make yore That mouth watah. rolonel Bluegrass-What mignty , po whisky It must bel-New lorn oun. He If I should klaa you, what would you aShe-I never meet an emergency Until It Arises. But if It should arise?" "I'd meet It face to face."-Yale Record. Emily You don't mean to say'you failed o Dass your exams sain thla year! MaudYes, failed agalp. Emllv What was the trouble this time? u.., whv thv naked tha same aues- Hons they did last year. Columbia Jester. J NedTe-i rT resoWed to give up betting ,! a drlnkinc ana ail Fred Huh 7 You'll never keep that reso- 1UNearil bet you the drinks I do. Judge. He (after a tiff) Going homo to your mother, ehf . , She Yea. I m. He-Huh! What do you suppose she 11 say to you7 She Sha ll say "I told you so." (Ha made up.) New York Weekly. . , "I never heard Dlnsmore acknowledge that he was growing old before today." "How did he acknowledge It?" "Ha announced that he felt just aa young as ba ever did." Detroit Free Press. "You didn't have any'liicHcT rfhe 'Sald In quiringly when he returned from his fishing trip. "None at all," he admitted. Then she got a whiff of his breath. "No wonder," she commented. "You must have taken all the bait yourself.". Chicago Post "It would be Interesting to read the ac counts of that big distillery fire in Scot land." "I hope they gave the reporters all tho latitude they needed. Think ot the reeling walla!" "And the red demon exulting over his fiery potion." "And the tongues of flame licking up the reeking floors! "What an opportunity!" Cleveland Plain Dealer. A TERROR TAMED. James Barton Adams in Denver Post. Dick Deadeye was a bandit bold, a bandit fierce was he, who held up stages, trains, and things here in the west countree. He'd lie in waiting In a place where chapar ral grew thick, and when the stage came on apace would turn his littlo trick. His name would cause a thrill of fear to sweep the country o'er, for rumor said ha quenched his thirst on naught but gurgling gore. The many men that rumor said he'd downed , In gun disputes would All a gravevard v to the brim with stiffs yet in their boots. The cash and treasure he had got from tourists as a loan was heap times more than waa required to ransom Ellen Stone. "Hands up!" he yelled one day; the man who drove chewed not the rug; he knew Deadeye would give blm'ten per centum of the swag-. "Climb down an' git In line!" unto the passengers be yelled. They quick obeyed aa tourists do when they are upward held. From out the stage a female came. Dick Deadeye quaked with fear, as near him drew the ancient dame and seized him by the ear. "You good-fur-nothln wretch!" she cried, "you rello of the past, I've sought you far, I've sought you near, and here you be at last! "I'm all impatience now to hear wliat atory you kin tell!" And then she pulled him by the ear Into the chaparral! Again the wheels begin to hum, the driver scratched his head. "That mua' be Deadeye's wife, Jes come 'yur from the States," he said. !