TITE OMAITA DAILY HEE: WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 30. 1003.
fniE Omaha Daily Dee.
E. ROSEWATER, EDITOR.
PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING.
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THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF" CIRC'TLATION.
State of Nebraska. Douglas County, s .:
George R. Txsrhuck. secretary of The nee
Publishing Compnnv, being duly sworn. Bays
that the actual number of full and complete
copies of The Pnllv. Morning. Evening and
Sunday Bee printed during the month of
November, r.m. was ai follows:
1 1,(1 TO
1 2B.T40
17.... 80.1 HO
S0.04O
U 8O.2.10
JO 40,l3
21 BO.OSO
I SO.04O
SO.OffO
4 87.460
1 30,0.10
4 1.1 HO
7 81,7.10
2,WM
I so.tao
10 SO..JOO
II w,uft
It 2W.04O
U 40.9B5
14 20,810
It XU,nO
t2 317.170
13 80.4I.
84 ao.iso
16 30.4MHI
2 ai.i.'o
t7 81,0!40
18 30.10O
2S a 7,4)23
30 80,800
Total..
...0:12,0:1.1
Leas unsold and returned copies.,.. 10.20J
Net total sale 022,4171
Net average sales 30, 755
GEORGE B. TZSCHlCh.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
perore ma tms win day or November. A. u.
103. M. B. H UNGATE.
(Seal.) Notary Public.
Omaha's grain market seems destined
to do lots of scoring to get a good start
The old year Is ringing all the change
during the cloning days of Its flickering
career.
Ex-Congressman Glover evidently
went to Colorado to be shown and lie
bag been shown.
Meanwhile, General Reyes has packed
his trunk and looked up the departing
time of all trains.
Cupid's game as played by that Omaha
egg candler appears to have been quite
properly a shell game.
General Keyes, at all events, has been
patient In waiting for something he
knew be would not get.
As a peace promoter Congressman
Walter I. Smith of the Ninth Iowa dis
trict Is entitled to a medal.
Just for few minutes once a week
Ban Domingo is permitted to step for
ward and call attention to the fact that
Its war Is really on.
Parents should not be Indifferent to the
fact that thin ice will be Just as treach
erous this year as In previous times,
when some one's boy drowned.
If ex-Senator Allen's plea for longer
terms for the Judges be answered, would
the Judges In turn give longer terms to
the malefactors? Would they?
After sleeping it over and cooling off In
the morning Colombia Is not so sure that
It wants to fight over the Punama mat
ter as It was In the heat of the argu
ment Omaha taxpayers will soon have to
Interest themselves In the slxe of tho
forthcoming levy. In getting off easy
tor 1003, they loaded up for a whole
dose In 1004.
Tbe democratic state press continues
to busy Itself with making republican
nominations, but that is because the
democratic nominations are not worth
bothoring about
The graft of. the gang that controlled
the police department during the Trans
mlMtsslppl exposition is no longer a
well-defined rumor. It Is pretty nearly
an established fact
Fortunately the proponed consolidation
of all the lime plants in the country Is
not likely to establish a corner in lime
light, else a lot of cheap people might
bave to get out of It.
With Russia ordering meat from South
Omaha and Japan ordering flour from
Minneapolis, the nation fliuls itself con
templating foreign war with a feeling
more like complacency than heretofore,
Tbe republicans of les Moines purpose
holding their city primaries January IS,
fearing that at any later date the
weather would be too mild to counteract
the excessive heat generated by camli
dates Brentou and MacVlcar.
The salary attached to that vacant
federal Judgeship for, the northern Iowa
district Is still going to waste. Such
situation calls for action even if the liti
gation of the court Is not suffering from
lack of Judicial qlllcers to pass ou it.
There Is method In the madness of
Ignatius Jehovah Dunn in his ravin:
ver "protected crime" in Omuha. Like
bis protects against saloon llcyueH, his
ravings apply to every one except Wal
ter Molse, by whom he lias been re
tained.
Later returns ImlirHte that the Hus
tuan government bus been playing no
favorites lu placing orders for beef with
American meat packers. The Russians
.want the best goods for their money
and they know the American packing
bouses can and will fill the bill.
A QRBAT WtSTtftll PRVJKCT.
That in time there will be constructed
a ship canal connecting the great lakes
with the Mississippi river and the Gulf
of Mexico Is not to be doubted. There
s already a vrry strong sentiment In
favor of such n waterway, as was
shown in the action of the convention
nt New Orleans a couple of months ago,
compose! of delegates representing the
states of the Mississippi valley, and this
sentiment Is certain to grow. The great
Interests concerned are thoroughly alive
to the Importance of connecting the
lakes and the gulf by a ship canal and
they will continue to agitate the matter,
with the certainty of sooner or later
getting a recognition of their demand
from congress.
In n speech In the house of repre
sentatives Just before the holiday ad-
ourninent, Hon. Henry T. Ralney of Il
linois made a strong argument for a
cnnnl from the lakes to the gulf. point-
In out that such a waterway will be
rendered especially important by the
construction of the Panama canal. He
urged that the time has arrived in the
history of the western world "when the
east and west movement of commerce Is,
In a measure, about to end, and when
the north and south movement of com
merce Is about to commence. During
the past century and a quarter of our
national existence commerce has moved
along east and west lines. Our develop
ment has been from the east toward the
west The Idea has heretofore prevailed
that there is some normal law which
compels the movement of commerce
across meridians of longitude. As a
matter of fact, the natural direction for
commerce to move on this continent and
In the world is across parallels of lati
tude. The north and south movement
Is about to commence."
Mr. Halney said that our country Is
now practically fully occupied, that
there Is no longer any considerable
westward movement of our population,
and we are beginning to realize that the
great central portion of our continent
was provided with the grandest system
of natural waterways in all the worid I
for the purpose of conveying to the sc
the products of the Mississippi vailey.
"The development of great waterway
from tbe lakes to the gulf, and through
the gulf to Atlantic ports, and through
the isthmian canal to the South Faclflc
ocean. Is now almost an assured fact,"
declared Mr. Ralney. "It requires only
a little more excavation between the
Chicago drainage canal and the Illinois
river, the removal of the locks and
dams In that river, a little dredging,
some provision for protecting valley
lands by levees agahist the increased
flow of water through the rivers, and the
thing la done and the const line of tbe
United States is, In effect doubled."
There is, of course, no questlon'as to
the practicability of such a water
way and while it would cost a large
sum, perhaps nearly or quite as much
as will the construction of the Panama
canal, there would be no difficulty in
providing the money and there can be no
doubt that the resultant benefits would
within a generation repay the cost It
is a great practical question In which a
vaBt productive region is . deeply Inter
ested and for which the people of this
region will persist In demanding consid
eration. TAFTS PARTIXO ADVlCK.
Governor Taft 4lellvered two addresses
before leaving Manila for the United
States, In which be gave some excellent
itdvlee to both Americans and Filipinos.
He told the merchants and the press
J that they should actively co-operate with
the government, instead of giving It, as
they had been doing, a half-hearted sup
port There are Americans In the Philip
pines who are not satisfied with the ad
ministration there because it has not
been partial to them and has refused to
promote their interests regardless of the
general welfare. Governor Taft has ad
ministered affairs with a view to the
good of all the people and his straight
forward course In this respect has dls
pleased those who desired to exploit the
Islands for their own advantage wholly.
Speaking to the Filipinos, particularly
those holding official positions, he coun
seled them to desist from speculating
upon independent self-government until
the schools In every village were filled
with children and the masses better
educated. He pointed out that all forces
were working to elevate the Filipinos
and that rapid promotions would be
given nnd new offices would be be
stowed when natives were capable of
filling them. Of course there are still
some among the Filipinos who are dis
contented with existing conditions, but
there Is abundant evidence that the great
majority are well satisfied and have
learned to believe that It is the sincere
purpose of the government to Improve
their condition and promote their wel
fare.
THE VOTTUN BPtCULATlOI.
The only thing in which speculation
Is now active Is cotton and it seems evi
dent that the cotton Industry, not only
In this country but abroad, is to be
seriously disturbed for months to come.
as it has been for mouths past, by specu
la t Ion In the raw material. The sltua
tioij has an Interest for every consumer
of cotton goods. The fact that the sup
ply is limited, the government estimate
placing the season's yield below 10,000,
x0 boles, and that the usual floating sur
plus has lieen pretty closely used up
Has enabled the bull element in the
market to push up prices to a height
unprecedented for many years and there
are some who predict that they will go
Mill higher.
Necessarily the speculation has unset
tied all calculations of the manufac
turer and It Is not unlikely that if cou
tiiuieu It may force a general or wide
spread hbutdown of mills before the time
of the more distant deliveries cornea.
The New York Journal of Commerce
says that in that case tbe price of the
material will bave te cntue down before
even the available supply will be used
and it expresses the opinion that there
Is a strong probability of a reaction from
the present high price of cotton through
a severe curtailment of consumption,
even if the supply does not turn out to
be considerably larger than is now cal
culated upon. Of course at the present
abnormal price consumption Is certain to
be reduced and when people refuse to
buy or are unable to buy at the price
made necessary by the cost of raw ma
terial the stoppage of mills will be in
evitable and the cost of material will
have to come down before they can re
sume their normal activity.
It Is noted that the 'extraordinarily
high prico of cotton has resulted in a
very general effort by foreign govern
ments and unofficial promoters from
countries suited to this crop to secure
expert cotton growers from the United
States to take charge of the planting
and cultivation of cotton next year In
places where It Is not successfully raised
at present. Information of this nature
has been coming Incidentally to the De
partment of Agriculture from several
different quarters and there Is reason to
think that the movement is widespread.
PUBLIC SPIRIT i.t UMABA.
In a lengthy screed purporting to
give advice to Omaha, a Fremont paper
arraigns our citizens as lacking all the
essential elements necessary to make a
progressive and prosperous city, which
in a single word Is best summed up as
public spirit What Omaha needs most,
we are told in a tone of malicious ma
levolence, Is public spirit while for
lack of It the community has nothing
in front of It but a dismal abyss of
stagnation, social, industrial and com
mercial. While admitting that there is still
much Work for public spirit to accom
plish nnd that the time will never come
when more manifestation of public
spirit will not be called for, yet we
must not overlook the fact that Omaha
as it Is today is the greatest monument
to the public spirit of its builders. At
every turning point in the city's hls-
tory men with public spirit have come
to the front and put in the brawn and
brains and money to make its forward
course assured. It took public spirit
even to plan a metropolis In the wilder
ness across the river from an estab
lished town. It took public spirit to
procure the selection of Omaha as the
terminals of the great railroads that
have since made this the principal
traffic center of the Missouri valley. It
took public spirit to erect the mills and
factories, the big office buildings and
store houses, to undertake a compre
hensive scheme of public improvements
that transformed Omaha from a mud
hole to a presentable metropolis. It
tried public spirit to the utmost to
project and carry to successful com
pletion the wonderful Transmlssisslppi
exposition, whose record of glory is
lndissolubly linked with Omaha's repu
tation for push, pluck and enterprise.
Tbe public spirit that accomplished
all these marvels Is still represented in
Omaha's citizenship and Is being mani
fested in various pending enterprises.
Ak-Sar-Ben and his court pageants are
every year the embodiment of Omaha's
public spirit. The Auditorium may
have a halting progress, but the public
spirit of our'cltlzens will see It through.
if public spirit can make it materialize
the proposed grain market at Omaha
will materialize Just as the great live
stock market was successfully built up
from seed planted more than fifteen
years ago. Other projects or general
Interest to the whole community are
sure to make their appearance in suc
cession from time to time and the public
spirit necessary to back them will be
forthcoming whenever they have within
themselves intrinsic elements of value.
All we have to say in reply to critics
is that other towns in Nebraska - can
profit well by taking lesson of the va
rious enterprises successfully carried
Into execution by public spirit here.
While there are no protests filed
against the proposed contract for gaso
line lamps with Welsbacb attachments
for $30 a year, there is no good reason
why tbe mayor and council should enter
upon such a contract In the face of tbe
fact that the rate for gas lamps with
Welsbacb attachments Is only $30 a
year. A few weeks ago members of
the council opposed the renewal of the
gas lighting contract on the ground that
they regard $30 a year as an extrava
gant price, and It stands to reason that
there should be a difference betweeu
the price of gas and gasoline lamps.
The gas company Is obliged to expend
hundreds of thousands of dollars for
gas mains and branches, whereas the
gasoline company Is at no expense ex
ceptlng the original cost of the wooden
posts. Taxpayers do not always pro
test against excessive expenditures, but
that does not absolve the rouncll from
exercising due diligence to prevent
wastefulness and extravagance.
If tbe report of the impending acqui
sition of the Chicago & Alton railroad
by the Harrlman-Schlff syndicate and
the ultimate assimilation of the Alton
with tbe Union Pacific system proves
true, Kansas City will become a way
station and Chicago the terminus of the
transcontinental line, while Omaha will
not fare very much better than Kansas
City so far as overland traffic is con
cerned. It is doubtful even whether
tbe ambitious Ilarriman syndicate will
be content with Chicago as tbe Union
Pacific terminus any great length of
time. It Is almost a foregone conclusion
that It will sooner or later manage to
obtain control of some line from Chi
cago that has its terminus in New York.
Tbe only democratic congressman
from Nebraska ventures tbe opinion
that tbe choice of the democratic na
tional convention for a standard bearer
will be Gorman or Parker. How would
the populist end of the Nebraska fusion
trust like to follow the democrats next
time under the lead of either of these
valiant bourbons, particularly Gorman?
If the democrats want to make their
decree of divorce from the populist bed
In Nebraska permanent let them by all
means nominate Gorman.
It Is a favorite pastime of the Omaha
hyphenated to put up a straw man and
then knock him down. The conditional
offer of John D. Rockefeller to donate
$00,006.60 for a university chapel build
ing if the people of Lincoln would raise
$33,333.31 has afforded an opportunity
for bombarding the Standard Oil oc
topus with hot air, although up to date
there has been nothing, more than a
remote prospect that Rockefeller's con
ditional offer would be taken up.
Certain railroad tax agents want the
State Board of Assessment and Equal
ization to tell them bow to make out
their schedules of personal property so
that their roads will be able to shirk
their taxes as effectively under the new
Nebraska revenue law as they have in
the past. We were under the Impres
sion that that was Just what the tax
agents were kept on the railroad pay
rolls for.
i
The advice of City Attorney Wright
in favor of graceful submission to the
Cathers holdup may be the short cut
to taking the city out of protracted liti
gation, but it would establish a dan
gerous precedent If one man can exact
a bonus from the city by fencing out
a street what is to hinder another man
from doing the same thing?
If the Commercial club would con
centrate , all its Influence and energy
upon the proposed establishment of a
quartermaster's supply purcbaslng sta
tion in Omaha, it might meet with a
greater measure of success than In try
ing to secure an appropriation for the
Improvement of the Missouri river.
Council Bluffs, has had a narrow es
cape from being disgraced by a lynch
ing bee thanks to the firm position
taken by its police department and the
timely Interposition of Congressman
Smith and other level-headed citizens
who appealed to the mob for the main
tenance of law and order.
Justifiable Suspicions.
Detroit Free Press.
We do not charge that the weather
bureau Is corrupt like the PostofBce de
partment, but a great deal of Inferior
weather Is palmed off on the people, who
pay a good price for a high-class article.
t'p Against tbe Wall.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
The Japs are In a war fever over what
they regard as foreign territorial encroach
ment. They recognize the Monroe doctrine
principle as a vital matter, especially to a
people who, like themselves, have reached
the edge o a continent and can move no
farther.
Sacred Traditions of the Bar.
Indianapolis News.
The anxiety felt ty the counsel engaged
In the United States Shipbuilding company
receivership case, for fear something may
be said or done that will reflect on the good
name of the bar. Is really distressing, con
sidering the extremities to which they are
driven by the exigencies of the occasion.
Perish the Thonsrht.
New York Tribune.
Can It be possible that Mr. Bryan has
condescended to accept a photograph, with
an autograph written upon It from the
Great White Czar, the autocrat of all the
Russlas? What has the Nebraska leveller
In public affairs, the typical and charac
teristic commoner, in common with a csar?
Ordinary Rales Defied.
Baltimore American.
The fact that the whipping post has no
reformatory influence on criminals in. Dela
ware Is no criterion for the rest of the
country. Delaware criminals, like Delaware
politicians, are a law unto themselves. For
Instance, any man In any other state In
the union would have given up a race for
the United States senatorshlp after seven
teen trials. But look at Addlcks.
The Bean Ration System.
Kansas City Star.
Major W. H. Bean of the commissary
department of the United States army has
devised a scheme whereby It is possible
to live on the exceedingly moderate outlay
of B cents per meal. The dispatch an
nouncing the discovery unfortunately falls
to detail the menu, but It makes this
significant statement: "The basic principle
of this economic method of living is old
and simple enough. It Is built on the
theory that the plainest fare perfectly
cooked Is mora nourishing and a great
deal more palatable than all the
delicacies of the season crowded Into the
human stomach and only relished because
they cost a lot of money." The italics, as
the magazine critics say, "are ours." They
indicate the fatal weakness In the Bean
system. For where. In these days of "hired
girls" who stay only a month. Is the per
fect cook to be found? The major will
have to try again. '
151 FIGHTING TRIM.
Statistics of the Military and Kaval
Strength of Rnssla an Japan.
Chicago Record-Herald.
The subjoined statistics gtve approxi
mately the fortes of Russia and Japan,
upon both of which countries the eyes of
the world now are turned, because of the
strained conditions over Corea and Man
churla. While the naval advantage
Is decidedly In favor of Japan, whose
entire fleet practically Is In home
waters, there Is considerable con
jecture as to the number of troops that
Russia has in the far east. Military erlt
lea are of the opinion that the csar bas for
a long time been massing his forces along
the Yalu river, practically from Vladlvo-
stock to Port Arthur, but this Is mere sur
mise. The believe Is entertained, however,
that Russia has at least 150,000 men within
striking distance, should Japan decide to
draw the sword. Another matter worthy
of attention. In case hostilities should re
sult. Is that In every class of vessel, ex
cept mat or protected cruiser, me war
ships of Japan are more modern than those
of Russia, besides being faster, and, fur
thermore, are provided with heavier guns:
Russian army (war footing) I(00,0n9
Husman guns (war total) 7.K0
Rusnlan forces In the east, about.. ISO.oipO
Russian war craft (tonsi 170.4UC
runiier oi Kussian in naval orart
In the east (all clasixts) It
Area of Russia (aouare miles) I.60,3i0
Population cf Russia 141.0ui.uu0
Area of Manchuria (square miles) 363,610
Japanese army (war footing)
J ipnea guns (war total)
Japanese force ready for action...
J a pune mi war craft (tonal
Number of Japanvs naval craft
(all classes)
Area of Japan dollars mllos)
30.(n)
1.160
1-fi.WK)
21U.UQ
200
147. fco
Population of Japan
Are of Corea (wiuara mllea)
.. 44iO.j
(B.GuO
nonin aboit skw york.
Mighty Tmst Committed by 4he Ctty
to Ita Sew Mayer.
The magnitude of the trust committed by
the city of New Tork to George B. Me
Clellan, the new mayor, who assumes his
duties on Friday, Is shown by statistics
complied by the Tribune. During the new
year the mayor and his official associates
will have for disbursement the tremendous
sum of 1200,000,000. It Is about one-third of
all the gold money In circulation In the
country, nnd 150.000,000 more than all the
silver currency. It la a little more than
one-half of all the national bank notes
outstanding, and one-fourth the value of
the agricultural products exported an
nually. It Is equal to the combined rev
enues of Japan nnd China, or of Spain
and Sweden.
The $200,000,000 In the purse of Father
Knickerbocker, with which Mayor Mc
Clellan and his Tammany associates are
to be Intrusted. Includes $106,674. P65 which
has already been appropriated for the ex
penses of the various municipal depart
ments during the ensuing year and $100,
000,000 which the city may spend on public
Improvements. There Is the subway, for
example, for which there Is still an un
expended balance of $0,000,000, and the tun
nel under the East river, for which $3,000,
000 has been set aside and only a small
part spent With the completion of the
Williamsburg bridge at a cost of $15,000,
000, the sum of $5,000,000 Is to be spent In
addtton for the purpose of laying out an
adoquats approach In Manhattan and in
widening Delancey street. The Manhat
tan bridge, between the Williamsburg and
the Brooklyn bridges, whose tower founda
tions are almost completed, will cost $20,
000,000, and the Blackwell's Island bridge
will cost some $10,000,000 more. Other pro
jected public improvements and their esti
mated costs are as follows:
New wharves $10,000,000
Municipal Staten Island ferry line. 3,000,000
Municipal Thirty-ninth Street ferry
line 2,000.000
Riverside Drive extension 3.2im.0
Boulevard Dafayette 6.000.000
Livingston street widening 2,Bio.oiio
Flatbush avenue widening 2,000,000
For the purpose of meeting these ex
penses the issue of bonds has been author
ised to the extent of $75,186,273, and the
budget makes a further provision for $25,
265.498, to be Issued at various times next
year. The estimated cost of carrying out
plans to which the city Is committed, to
say nothing of the expenditures which
Tammany may think of, is estimated at
$73, 750,000.
The budget for the year 1904, which was
authorized by the present administration,
Is an Increase of $9,500,000 over the budget
for the preceding year. Of the $106,000,000
appropriated, the mayor controls $00,000,000
more or less directly, according to the way
he appoints the heads of his departments.
For example, the man whom he appoints
police commissioner will have charge of a
department which will coat the city $12,
000,000. In a much less degree Mayor Me
Clellan can make his power felt in the
Board of Education, which Is authorized
to spend $21,000,000 of the city's money.
The entire board of forty-six members was
appointed by Mayor Low, according to the
revised charter, and Mr. McClellan will
not have a chance to affect Its constituency
except to All vacancies, until next Decem
ber, when he Is empowered to appoint nine
new members. In the following Decem
ber he may appoint nine more. In the ap
pointment of the trustees of Bellevue and
Its allied hospitals, the Board of Elections,
the trustees of the City college, the Board
of Flumbers, the justices of the courts of
special sessions and the city magistrates,
Mayor McClellan will only be able to fill
vacancies now and then, at the expiration
of terms of office. In all the other ramifi
cations of the city government, however,
he appoints new heads of departments to
take olBce on New Year's day.
The offices therefore, which come under
the mayor's jurisdiction to a greater or
less degree and the sums of money which
have been appropriated for their depart
ments in the budget for 1904 are as fol
lows: Mayor
Chamberlain
Corporation counsel .
Bridge commlstdoner .
.$ 63,500.00
5ii,30O.O0
4H5tW.OO
423.1 HS. 38
Water commissioner
4.799.852. 23
Park commissioner l.W'M.HO
Charities commissioner 1,S'2,-)W.16
Trustee of Bellevue 59S,S.78
Commissioner of correction 791.3M.O0
Health commissioner 1.19,31 .48
Tenement house commissioner .. 516.4X1.08
Police comml 'loner 12,030,5(10.00
Board of elections 979,210.00
Street cleaning commissioner ... 6,447,712.20
Fire commissioner 6,968.300.28
Tax board 349.900. 00
Board of Assessors so.loO.oo
Board of Education 80.913.017.77
Normal College 230.onti.00
Trustees of City college 293,33.00
Commissioners of accounts 150,500.00
Civil service commissioners Io0.ooo.fl0
Board of City Record ebT.Boo.uu
Board of Plumbers 6.154.00
Oonrta nf snecial sessions 1K7.05O.O0
City magistrates 260.300.00
Total $60,300,936.81
It Is said that upward of 8,000,000 railway
time tables or "folders." as they are called
In the trade, were given away in 1908 In
New Tork City. The railway and steam
ship companies are printing more and
more each year, handsome In design, clean
and concise in type and text and beautiful
In Illustration. Five years ago the rail
ways thought $25 per 1.000 was enough to
Day for posters. The New York Central
was considered extravagant when It paid
$40 per 1,000. Some of the Illustrated time
tables Issued by the trunk lines this win
ter cost $150 per 1.000. The Pennsylvania
road distributes 96,000 folders every month
In New York, many more than any other
road.
There are 2,200 New York patrolmen who
h.va nursed the physical test for the
office of roundsman. They ure now un
dergolng a more severe strain, as they are
compelled to sit at benches under watch
ful eyes and write out some things they
know and others that they ao not Know
Tk nrrioni rnncems their knowledge of
laws and ordinances, the rules and regula
tlons of the police department, the admin
istration of the city department anu qucs
tlons on localities. In many cases the re
ports show greater evidence of perspira
tion and mental agony tnan or anuwieuge.
McKlnley nnd Hanna.
Chicago Chronicle (dem.)
No doubt Perry Heath Is correct In his
statement that Mr. McKlnley wished to
have Senator Hanna for his successor. The
late president owed more to Mr. Hanna
than most people ever will know. Mr.
Hanna was not only a personal and politi
cal friend of the truest type, but he was
actually indispensable to the movement
which made Mr. McKlnley president.
Money, time and labor were freely given
by Mr. Hanna to the cause which even
tually triumphed In the sudden elevation
of an Ohio congressman who at the time
of his greatest victory was bankrupt In
purse and In influence. The friendship of
Hanna and McKlnley has ennobled them
both.
Giving; the Foreigner a ghoiv.
Springfield Republican.
The trunk 11ns railroads have also agrcs.l
to make special low rates on agricultural
machinery for export. This will mean
cheaper machinery for farmers In Argen
tine, Russia, Australia and elsewhere who
are growing grain to compete with Armr
lea In western European markets. Bui
American farmers must pay the full rate
on their machinery. And this Is called
helping hom interests.
RtXKln now THK GlIl.Tt.
Bold rrnaade Asjalnat firaf4era of All
Brands.
Detroit Free Tress.
Loyal citizens of the United States, even
those who are pessimists nnd cynics, see
a hopeful sign In the vigilance and persist
ency displayed by the government In run
ning down those who have been recreant
In office as well as those who have had
corrupt dealings with theee unfaithful pub
llo servants. A bold crusade Is bring made
upon the eve of a presidential election.
There was a fear at first among repub
lican leaders that the following of ex
posure upon exposure would be damaging
to the party In power, and particularly
to the political prospects of the president ;
but tho very fact that there has been no
hesitancy In following where the signs of
grafting led, and that the order from the
executive authority has been to let no
guilty man escape, has pleased the people
Instead of disgruntling them. The abuses
brought to light have been going on for
years and admiration goes out to those who
show a dogged determination to end them.
Where there is complaint among the mem
bership of the party It is not toward the
active reformers, but toward the leaders
who protest against the exposures and
cling to those under suspicion.
There is nothing alarming In the war
against the grafters, now being pursued
by national, state and municipal authori
ties. It is reassuring and tends to establish
the probity of those In control. The dan
ger would have been in an attempt at
whitewashing or condonement. The latest
move In the Interior department to unearth
frauds and punish those who perpetrated
them. Is apiece with the action taken in
regard to the postal scandals and the manip
ulation of contracts In the War depart
ment. The evidence at hand Is that John
A. Benson, the wealthy San Francisco real
estate dealer, has secured vast tract of
government land by fraud, bribing men of
the Interior department for the informa
tion that enabled him to carry out his
schemes. Some of those Implicated will be
arrested, others against whom the evidence
Is convincing though Incapable of legal
proof, will be dismissed. Benson will be
prosecuted as soon as possible, and Sec
retary Hitchcock will recognize his depart
ment. The conclusion of moralists from the
criminality In office so widely pervading.
Is that the overwcanlng passion for wealth
and the display which It makes possible,
will have to be checked. Growing out of
prosperity has come an unprecedented
craze for sudden riches In financial circles,
politics and private business. In the riv
alries of pride men live beyond their
means, and rather than surrender their
selfish Indulgences seek money by ques
tionable if not criminal methods. We need
more old-fahloned business honesty, less
showy ostentation, more acts of kindly
consideration and less Inclination to conduct
confidence games under the guise of repu
table business. It Is high time that thou
sands of the people who are not in ofttc
pull up, as so many public officials and
associated grafters are made to do.
PERSONAL NOTES.
Mr. Bryan has learned the czar's plans
for the education of the common people,
but It took the czar only fifteen minutes
to give "a minute description" of his pro
gram. There are twenty-five men who began
their service In the house of representa
tives In the fifty-third congress who have
served continuously since and who have
now entered upon their sixth terms.
Driving with his wife last week, ex
Governor W. H. Upham of Wisconsin nar
rowly escaped being run down by a
freight train. He exclaimed to the en
gineer: "You came very near killing a
good woman."
J. R. Sovereign, who succeeded the late
Terence V, Powderly as head of the labor
unions of the United States, and who was
a'so labor commissioner for Iowa for sev
eral terms, has struck It rich in Iowa and
now a mine owner and millionaire.
Colonel McClellan, mayor-elect of New
York, is said to be negotiating for the
purchase of his boyhood home, "May
wood," on the ridge of the Orange moun
tains. Now Jersey. His father, the late
General McClellan, bought the place In
1864.
"To James Jones, In grateful memory,
from Mrs, Jeff rson Davis," Is the Inscrip
tion on a heavy band of stiver which en
circles a handsome buckhorn handle walk
ing cane which Is owned and highly prized
by an aged colored man employed In the
United 8tates senate.
Oliver Wayne Stewart of Chicago, who
may receive the prohibition nomination
for president In 1904, was the only mem
ber of the dry party elected to the last
Illinois legislature. He Is chairman of the
national committee, and two years ago
organized the prohibition alllanoe.
William Erastus Tefft, the dry goods
merchant of New York City, who died
last summer at Great Harrington, Mass.,
gathered together during the latter half
of hlK life a collection of theatrical play
bills, photographs and printed matter per
taining to the stage that Is said to be
surpassed only by one or two similar col
lections In this country,
Daniel J. SuKy, the bull cotton operator,
who Is having things all his own way on
the cotton exchange just now, has bought
the new American basement dwelling at
S East Sixty-second street. New York City.
The house has been held at $285,000 and
Is one of the finest of the finest of the
many high-priced speculative residences
built In the Fifth avenue district In the
last few years. Mr. Sully presented a
deed of the house on Christmas morning
to Mrs. Sully.
Waltham Watches
The last word!
" The Perfected American Witch' n illustrated took
of interesting information about matches, tvilt be sent
free upon request.
American Waltham Watch Company,
Waltham, Mass.
ECATUR
1 u
"
frssnWilcoa
In addition to the finnst aod nawest thing In men's footwear to bo
found in tho wet, wo havo every thine new in men' rubber an4
arctics.
flucb depends on rubber gooJa being this season's product.
1521
Farnam
tami
Orlnln of the Installment Plan nt
Srlllnsr Household (mods.
Chicago Chronicle.
It Is said that Peter Urogan. who died in
Baltimore recently, was the originator cf
tho "Installmont plan" of selling furniture
and other household goods. He Introduced
the system shortly after the civil war, ac
cording to a biographical sketch, and It
was quickly adopted, not only In this coun
try, but In Europe.
It makes no great difference whether
Peter (irognn or someone else devised the
"easy payment" plan, but It would have
made a grout deal of difference If th:it
system never had been introduced.
The snlo of goods on small payments hns
undoubtedly hud a great Influence upon thi
conditions of life In cities. It has enabled
people to procure and use nt once furnitura
which would otherwise have been unattain
able for years. It has encouraged marriages
among the young puople of small means.
It has fostered thrift.
Ordinarily It Is a good rule to keep out of
debt, but In the matter under consideration
the rule can hnrd'y be held to apply. Feo
ple are encouraged to go Into debt for
homes, and It Is hard to see why they
should not buy the furnishings of the
home Itself on easy payments. Whether
the plan should be extended further Is an
other question.
Certainly there Is hardly anything that
cannot be had on easy payments by pay
ing a small sum down and agreeing to pay
the remainder In small Installments. You
need not go shabbily dressed, for a- hun
dred tailors are willing to make you a suit
of clothes and let you pay for It while you
are wearing It. You can buy plnnos, bicy
cles, books, Jewelry, false teeth, horses,
wagons and baby carriages on time. About
the only thing which Is spot cash to every
body Is a postage stamp.
It looks at first sight as If all this con
stituted an invitation to extravagance to
buying what you cannot pay foryet It is
evident that not many people are buying
what they cannot pay for or the Install
ment houses could not continue In business.
It must bo that a great majority of the
articles bought on Installments are eventu
ally paid for In full by the buyers, and so
long as that Is the case the system cannot
be pronounced harmful.
At any rate, the easy payment methad
undoubtedly has come to stay. It Is
branching out and growing In every direc
tion and its popularity constitutes the best
proof that Peter Orogan was a far-seeing
man when he began selling people goods on
their promise to pay In small regular Installments.
LAUGHING LIKES.
How is Jagway holding out on his total
abstinence pledge this time?"
"Total abstinence nothing! He ' eats
mince pie and sauerkraut three times a
day." Chicago Tribune.
"It's kind o' onlucky," said Uncle Ehen.
"dat some folks can't nab a merrv Christ
mas wlfout hollerln' an blowln' horns fit
some one else gits a headache." Washing
ton Star.
"Lushman Is troubled a great deal by his
wife's Insomnia."
"I didn't know that before."
"Yes, she usually has a severe attack of
It every night when he comes In late, and
then the trouble begins." Philadelphia
Press.
"Is she really fond of muslo?"'
"Fond of ltl She dotes on It- Did you
ever notice the dreamy way In. whloli she
plays?"
"No."
"Well, she gets that by sleeping with a
sheet of muslo under her pillow, Cleve
land Plain Dealor.
Kitty Do you think Nellie Breeaa la real
nice?
Bessie I don't know; why?
Kitty I told her Fred Simmons gave mi
a very flattering compliment and she said
any compliment Fred oould give ma must
be flattering. I wonder what she meant?
Boston Transcript,
"Can you supoprt my daughter In the
style to which she has been accustomed V
"No, slree! I don't Intend to keep right
on buying her candy and flowers. Slie'U
have to do without that" Detroit Free
Press.
"Folks dat's mean enough to criticise a
glf 'cause it dldn' cost much," said Uncle
Ebon, "deserve to be disappointed." Wash
ington Star.
"She seems to be wrapped In thought," he
said, referring to the woman with the
beautiful neck and shoulders.
"Yes." hlH fair companion renlled.
"Shouldn't you think It would be rather
chilly to be wrapped In nothing but thought
above the waist line?" Chicago Record
Herald. AS A TALE THAT IS TOLD. . ,
W. D. Nesblt In Chicago Tribune. '',
"We spend our years as a tale that Is
told." Psalm to., t.
As a tale that Is told as a tale that Is told.
The leaf of the year flutters) loose from our
hold,
And we think of the lines that blotted or
blurred .
The lines that show gape of a phrase or a
word
And the page may be weak, or the page
may be bold,
But the year has gone by as a tale that Is
told.
. ' -
O, the books that we write, . with a j'-ar
for each leafl
The sunshine of laughter; the shadow of
grief;
The Joy or the sorrow the characters trace
May not be emended the leuf falls In
place,
A scrawl, or a chapter Illumined with gold.
We have done with the telling the tale
has been told.
And It may be "The Preface;" It may he
"The End"
The songs and the slghlngs will soothingly
blend.
But whether of dumbness or whether of
wit, . . - . , '
Th chanter Is finished; the story la writ.
Tnun, silently, silently, fold upon fold,
We spend all our years as a tale that is
told.
N 1
. : IS