Nebraska Newspapers

    THE OMAHA DAILY DEE: THURSDAY. JANUARY 7, 1004.
mm Omaha Daily Bee.
E. ROBE WATER. EDITOR,
PUBLISHED EVERT MORNING.
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
Pstly Bp (without BundajO, One Year..4.0JJ
Dally Bee and Sunday, One Tear J -W
, Illustrated Ben, One Yar....... 5
Sunday Bee, One Year ......
Saturday Bee, One Year
Twentieth Century Farmer, One Year.. l.og
IlEUVEHED BT CARRIER.
Dal!y Bee (without Sunday), per copy... 2e
lally Bet (wllhout Sunday), per week.. .120
Dally Bee (including Sunday), per week. .170
Sunday Bee, per copy .
Evening Bee (without Sunday), per week o
Evening Bee (Including Sunday), per
yfftf, lC
Complalnt''of ' irregularities In Jpllvrv
hould be addressed to City Circulation De
partment. OFFICES.
Onvaha The Bee Building.
South Omaha City Hail Building, Twen-ty-flfth
and M Streets.
Council Bluffs 10 Pearl Street.
Chicago 1S40 I'nlty Building.
New York 2328 Park How Building.
, Washington 6ul Fourteenth Street.
CORRESPONDENCE.
Communications relating to news and edi
torial matter should be addressed: Omaha
lies, Editorial Department.
REMITTANCES.
Remit by draft, express or postal order
payable to The Bee Publishing Company.
Only t-cent stamps accepted In payment of
mall accounts. Personal checks, except on
Omaha or eastern exchanges, not accepted.
THE BEB PUBLISHING COMPANY.
STATEMENT OF CIRCULATION.
State of Nebraska, Douglas County, ss !
George B, Tzechuck, secretary of The Bee
Publishing Company, being duly sworn,
ays that the actual number of full and
complete copies of The Dally, Morning,
Evening and Sunday Bee printed during
the month of December, 1903, was as fol
lows: .B0.230
.so.aoo
.WMITO
.SO,ftS
17 so.bho
1............80,8T0
i.........si.o30
89............TAao
.1. .1. nnnnn
ao.aio .
? igiimn.8QMO
8 90f OOO
He 81tl IO
0.o sew.eewi .80.300
11 .80,400
80400
1J. ...... sr.oto
J 4 80 WOO
Ms ewe .80. TOO
II 81,1 TO
Zl...
...81.2TO
23.
.80,7X0
.80,tA0
.81,800
tl....
24.
26..
28..
M.M... 31,000
......31.2HO
B7e e .20IWJO
28....... :H,7BO
20 80.6A0
30... R3.O10
81. ... -.... 83,490
' Total 4T.3M
.Less unsold and returned copies.... 10,431
Net total sales 030.IKM
Net average sales 8O,220
' GEORGE B. TZ8CHUCK.
Subscribed In my presence and sworn to
before me this 31st day of December, A. D.
l3. , M. B. HUNQATE,
1 (Seal.) Notary Public
The Russian bear seems to be giving
the Wall street bull much valuable as
sistance. 1 1
That Omaha postoffioe plum ought to
be ripe enough now to fall soon by its
own weight ;
Come on with the flouring mill the
more the merrier and the better for the
grain market 1 ' '''
' The Irish, It appears, are still a very
long way from forgetting that Ireland
should be free.
i There wag a time when the Chicago
theater manager was much envied, but
Just at present Ho one begrudges him his
Job.
, Remaining a,, stiver advocate, ; Colonel
Bryan intends , to break ' this present
golden silence just as soon as be can
touch land again.
' The school board's compliments to the
police board, with the Information that
it can quickly find use for all the li
cense money the latter will release.
If any genius has a certain and on
failing recipe for removing the wreck
hoodoo from railroad tracks he can sell
It for a sum that will make Rockefeller's
bank account look small.
Visiting implement dealers attending
their convention here are assured of
Omaha's cordial greeting and invited
to avail themselves of all the facilities
the city affords for entertaining guests.
k Contracts for supplies for the county
poor farm have' been awarded and the
only tiling the commissioners now have
to look after is that the county shall
get the quantity and quality of supplies
' It pays (or.
The Advisory board has been
more ornamental than useful from
the time It was created by the charter
of 1807, and now with less of the power
formerly exercised its sessions are
likely to be less interesting than ever.
Charles M. Schwab has not yet finished
telling all he knows about the devious
ways of the Shipbuilding trust It' is
to be feared, however, that there are
several things about that gigantic
scheme of plunder he does not want to
tell
Business failures in 1003 were fewer
In number than for several years past
but the aggregate liabilities show con
siderable Increase. The explanation is
easily found In the bigger combinations
conducting Industrial enterprises on
larger scales than, ever before. The
little failures nowadays match the big
ones of a decade or two ago.
The granting of a new trial to the
Ohio murderer, Knapp, who stands
self-confessed as the extinguisher of
the Uvea of five persons, is another sam
ple of miscarried justice that tends to
promote mob violence and law defiance.
When such a degenerate can prolong
LU life by the aid of judicial red tape
the effect of our appeals for law ob
servance In the face of exasperating
crimes is materially weakened.
The quarrel between the mayor and
council over the appointment of the
city electrician, or rather the refusal
of the mayor to appoint as city elec
trician a man selected by the electric
lighting company, should not be allowed
to Jeopardise life and property In
Omaha. If tbelnayor nominates a man
who la not competent or notoriously
unfit for the position it is the duty of
the council to reject him. If the mayor
nominates a competent and reputable
win for the position It is the duty of
the council to confirm him regardless
of the Interests or pressure from the
Isctrla Ufbt company.
AMKR1CA.S 1NTSRBMT9 IZWLVKD.
At Tuesday's meeting of the Washing
ton cabinet the far eastern situation
was considered and while nothing of
an official nature was given out, it is
understood to be the view in adminis
tration circles that this government's
relations to the ; controversy tetwecn
Russia and Japan are purely commer
cial. It Is stated that In the event of
war between those nations the United
States wouldniake efforts to protect its
commerce in the far enst and it is
pointed out that this would be a deli
cate and difficult task, since both Russia
and Japan are on, friendly terms with
this country.
It cannot be clearly foreseen what
effect a war in the far east would have
upon our trade In that quarter of the
world, ''he general Impression Is that
it would mean a audden Increase of
business for the Pacific coast In cereal
products and for the Mississippi valley
in meat products! It is also thought
that those lines' of trade In' which of
late the United States has been en
joying an increase would not be inter
rupted and would no doubt continue to
Increase. This appears to be the view
taken by the exporters directly con
cerned In the development of American
markets In the Orient They are con
fident In asserting that a war between
Russia and Japan would not impair the
commerce of this country, but on the
contrary 1 would stimulate consumption
of American Imports, especially In the
belligerent countries. It is argued that
if Russia is called pon to gather In
all her resources and sinews of war it
would Imply the withdrawal of a great
export competitor In the grain market.
Russia would place an embargo upon
the export of wheat to European coun
tries, and especially Germany, increas
ing to this extent the demand . from
those countries for the American prod
uct There would also necessarily be
an Increased demand for our meats.
Advancing prices for foodstuffs reflect
the expectation of what will be the
Immediate effect upon our commercial
interests of a far eastern war.
As to ultimate results a question is
presented which is certainly of great in
terest o this country, but in respect
of which there can be no definite con
clusion The very general opinion seems
to bo that if a trial of strength between
Russia and Japan were to result in
favor of the latter, Russia would be
compelled to keep herself within "the
bounds observed by other powers hav
ing treaties with China, while should
the conflict have a different issue, noth
ing but the intervention of a power
able to cope with Russia- could prevent
the extension of her authority at least
as for as the Yellow river and a dom
ination which would enable her to con
trol the commerce of a vast region.
That she would do this in her own in
terest is of course not to be donbted.
The large concern of the United
States, in a commercial wajMn the Xar
eastern situation seems to be fully un
derstood at Washington and the ad
ministration can be depended upon to
do whatever shall be deemed wise and
expedient for the safeguarding of Amer
ican rights and interests in the event
of war. ' '
PACIFIC COAST EXPECTATIONS.
A Pacific coast paper, while udmlttlng
the importance of the rauama canul to
the United States for military and stra
tegic purposes, 'declines to accept the
view that it will be the gateway to Aslu
for the trade of this country. It re
marks that the United Stales fronts on
the Pacific ocean directly across from
Asia and that no artificial waterways
are needed or will be used for the curry
ing trade between this country and our
neighbor across the water. That trade
will be through the American ports
which front on the Pacific. The value
of the Paqama canal to the United
States, it goes on to say, "will not be
ita importance from a commercial stand
point. It will be of fully as much ad
vantage to our commercial rivals as to
ourselves. Its real value to this country
is as a portion of our nationul defenses,
the strategic channel through which our
fleets on the one ocean can be reinforced
from the other In case of emergency."
- Undoubtedly a considerable portion of
our commerce with Asia will be done
through the ports on the Pacific, but if
that trade shall In the years to come
amount to what some think it a great
deal of it will go through the isthmian
canal. That waterway will certainly be
very important from a military and
strategic point of view, but its commer
cial value to this country will also be
great raclflo coast expectations in re
gard to trade with Asia may proce to
be somewhat extravagant.
so new trust Legislation.
It appears to be understood at Wash
ington that no further legislation will be
asked for at this session of congress
dealing with the trust problem. It is
stated that for the present it is deemed
best to give a fair trial to the publicity
remedy to curb and regulate the corpora
tions subject to Investigation by the
bureau of corporations. The work al
ready done by this bureau is said to be
very satisfactory. It has encountered no
serious obstacle thus far in Its aim to
get all the data needed. The corpora
tions of the country have responded to
the demands made upon them promptly
and unreservedly. In view of this it is
stated that the president will not ask
congress to add In. anywise to the pres
eut law and It is believed to be doubt
ful If any of the numerous bills relating
to the trusts Introduced since the assem
bling of congress will reach the stage of
serious consideration.
- In his annual message President
Roosevelt referred to the legislation of
the last congress in regard to corpora
tions and the fact that he did not sug
gest or recommend "further legislirtlon
Implied that he believed what had been
doue was sufficient for the present.1 He
expressed fuU confidence In the value
of the workVo be done by' the new
rob
bureau and conveyed the Impression that
he regarded the policy of publicity as
ample under existing conditions and
should be given a thorough trial. We
think there can be no doubt that this Is
in accord with intelligent-public opinion,
which is certainly not favorable to a
warfare upon corporations that would
unsettle and disturb the business of the
country. Little Is now Wing heard of
Industrial consolidations and those which
have been effected appear generally to
be pursuing legitimate business methods.
All are now subject to a measure of na
tional supervision which is being faith
fully applied and with evident good effect
WHAT VAN WE SHOW FOR OCR 02Tf
The records In the county court house
show that about $1,800,000 has been
contributed by the taxpayers of Douglas
county during the past twenty-five years
for the construction of roads and
bridges. The question that naturally
suggests itself is, What have tho tax
payers to show for their money ? What
proportion of the enormous sum col
lected from them for the construction
and maintenance of roadways and
bridges has been honestly expended, and
what proportion has been squandered or
stolen?
The detailed exhibit compiled for The
Bee shows that. the levy for road taxes
from 1880 to 1903, inclusive, aggregated
$1,154,275. Deducting therefrom 10 per
cent for delinquent taxes, we have
$1,038,848. Assuming that 20 per cent
of that amount is chargeable to the cost
of maintenance, there still remains more
than $800,000 charged up to the original
cost of grading public roads in Douglas
county, including the grading done in
the cities of Omaha and South Omaha.
A liberal estimate of the cost of grad
ing done in the cities of Omaha and
South Omaha at the county's expense
would be $300,00$ which would leave
half a million dollars as representing
the cost of grading of the county Toads
outside of the two cities. This stu
pendous sum of money . Is fully five
times ns much as all tho work of road
grading done In this county could be
duplicated for today. To be sure, a
large proportion of this grading as
done by hand labor, whereas at the
present time nearly all the grading Is
done by machine. For all that there
has been, a waste of rond funds that
no one can explain satisfactorily to the
great majority of taxpayers.
The amount of bridge taxes levied In
the past twenty years will exceed $7."0,
000, exclusive of the tax levied to pay
Interest upon the Union Pacific bridge
bonds, which within Itself would aggre
gate half a million dollars. Deducting
10 per cent from the tax levy, the ex
penditure for bridges in Douglas county
within the past twenty years would ag
gregate $075,000.
Can anybody explain what we have
to show for pur money? Are all the
bridges in .Douglas county i,worth half
the amount drawn out of tie treasury
for their construction? Is It not high
time to call a halt' on the excessive
levies for roads and bridges?
Just now, when every pity is taking
extraordinary precautions against con
flagrations through defective electric
wiring, the refusal of the city council
to receive reports or communications
from the city electrician de facto, be
cause there is no such office on the
satute book as an acting city electrician,
will scarcely commend Itself to the pub
lic in general and the business people
of Omaha in particular. If there is no
such position as acting city electrician
the man in chnrge of the office of city
electrician, who during Mr. Schurlg's in
cumbency as city electrician was em
ployed in the work of inspection of elec
tric wiring, is to all Intents and pur
poses the ' acting electrician until the
council sees fit to confirm the nomina
tion for city electrieiun submitted by
the mayor for Its approval. If, in the
meantime, any loss of life or property
by fire generated through Imperfect
electric wiring should take pluce the
responsibility will rest primarily upon
the council.
The proposition to procure $1,000 aS
cident Insurance policies for members
of tho fire department at an average
cost to the city merits favorable con
sideration. If the surplus in the fire
fund would permit policies for $2,500
for each fireman it would not be con
sidered an extravagance. In view of
the fact, however, that there will be a
shortage of the fire fund it would not
be inappropriate to require each fireman
to take out a $2,500 policy and make
him pay one-half of the premium, which
would only amount to $1 per month.
With every fireman insured for $2,500
periodic appeals for contributions for
the relief of families of firemen who
have lost their lives in fire fighting
would be unnecessary.
A Missouri grand Jury is looking into
charges of corruption with reference to
the selection and sale to the United
States of sites for postoffice buildings
in a half dozen Missouri towns. There
have been persistent rumors of crooked
work in connection with the contracts
not only for real estate but also for
construction by virtue of appropriations
for new federal buildings. If the grand
jury in Missouri succeeds In getting a
lien on the graft It should be followed
up all over the United States and traced
down to the fountain head, which Is
probably In the vicinity of one of the
departments at Washington with ramifi
cations reaching " into the legislative
halls in the capltol.
Senator Piatt of New York gives as
surance that there is neither factional
nor personal disturbances in the Em
pire state congressional delegation to
embarrass or impede Its work, and be
Intimates In words scarcely less mls
takable that there is neither factional
nor personal disturbances in New York
to prevent President Roosevelt having
the undivided and cordial support of
his own state for re nomination. As a
politician Senator Tlatt has always had
the reputation of heeding the voice of
the party majority find there is no
chance for blin to go wrong as to what
the rank and file of New York repub
licans want this time.
Kansas republicans want to be the
first In tendering President Roosevelt
a substantial block of votes for tho
presidential nomination by holding
their state convention to select national
delegates on March 9 next This is a
laudable ambition on the part of Kan
sas, but we apprehend Nebraska repub
licans will be able to go Kansas ono
better by holding Its convention ahead
of the date set In the Sunflower state
and instructing Nebraska's delegates for
Roosevelt in no uncertain tone.
Before the democrats decide where
they will bold their national convention
they should ninke sure that the hall to
be placed at their disposal Is equipiwd
with an asbestos curtahi as a protec
tion against fire from the friction be
tween the reorganizcrs and the disor
ganizes. Will Bryan Approve.
Washington Post.
All that now remains Is for Mr. Bryan
to approve the declaration of general
amnesty to gold democrats, issued 1 1
Omaha, by his lieutenant. Representative
Do Armond.
Genesis of a Dream.
Baltimore American.
General Weyler Is to publish a book In
which he will explain why he did not
Invade the United States. The world has
long been curious to know his reasons for
falling to do so when the prospect was so
encouraging.
Bright Side of the Picture.
Chicago Tribune.
Out of Chicago's calamity there has al
ready sprung a universal demand for ab
solute safety In theater construction and
management, and nothing short of that will
be tolerated hereafter. This Is the only
bright side to the picture.
Political Hot Air.
Philadelphia Press.
The talk about taking the republican
national convention from Chicago be
cause hotels rates are to be high is prob
ably not very serious. Such talk Is heard
every four years, but It never really
amounts to anything not even scaring the
hotels.
Can Coarts Stop Courting?
' Chicago Post ,
Speaking of government by injunction,
what could be worse than the mandamus
and Injunction proceedings planned by Ne
braskan authorities to .orevent the gentle
schoolmaTm from wedding the elusive
farmer of her choice before the school term
expires or his ardor dies out?
Epldemjc of Disasters. .
New York Tribune.
The railroad wreck microbe is certainly
abroad In the land. The railroad managers
should And some .antitoxin to stay his
ravages. He attacks' the brains of
engineers and makes them misread dis
patches and eats out the supports of cars
and tumbles their loads In front of express
trains. Just now the disease is epidemic
and special precautions are" in order.
Great Graft In Text Books.
" v ' Boston Transcript.
One of the statements made In connection
with the school scandals in New York Is
that 70 per cent of the millions expended
for school supplies goes for text books
and that the average life of a book does
not exceed two years. In such circum
stances it Is not strange that every Boston
and Chicago text book house has a New
York office ahd that every publishing Arm
In the country Is offering inducements to
accomplished hacks to turn cut new books
as fast as they Can dictate. Meantime the
public pays tho printer.
Bryan and Ills Porelsn Halo.
Indianapolis Journal.
The Bryan democrats of Lincoln, Neb.,
preface their silly Invitation to the faith
ful to attend a banquet there by calling
attention to the honors conferred on Mr.
Bryan abroad, evidently construing the at
tentions as an indorsement of his principles.
They were nothing of the kind. Mr Bryan
would have received no honors abroad but
for American officials, all republicans, who
treated him politely because he had been
twice a candidate for president and was a
stranger In a strange land. When Mr.
Bryan went abroad he very wisely left his
principles behind him.
Contracts Made Inder Duress.
Philadelphia Press.
The decision of Judge Atcheson of the
United States district court at Pittsburg
to the effect that railroads , cannot shield
themselves by any printed conditions from
liability to pay In full for goods lost or
destroyed in transit Is an Important one.
The Individual who ships his goods Is con
fronted with a similar situation whatever
road he may seek to patronize, and he
must either submit to the printed condi
tions on the waybill or not ship. This
makes his submission to the conditions
practically "under duress," or compulsory,
which fact plays an important part from
the legal standpoint. No shipper submits
to those conditions from choice, and the
contract Is thereby seriously weakened, It
not totally invalidated.
PROSPERITY AKD TRUSTS.
Stoppage of Balloon I-'laanelerlnsr
Pats Business on Sound Basis.
Philadelphia Press.
The stoppage In the work of organising
trusts during 19oJ helps greatly in putting
the business of the country on a thor
ough sound basis. The men who have
suffered the most sought to get others to
Invest In the Inflated stocks of wind-blown
corporations and failed. To some extent
they did succeed, but to a much larger ex
tent they were disappointed. Their stacks,
founded principally on wind, have declined
enormously and in many cases have been
wiped out altogether.
Fortunately, those who lost for the most
part had the money to lose. Business suf
ered some, but It was merely the Subsidence
of a "boom." There has been no such de
cline In trade as has distinguished Ger
many and Great Britain in the last two
years. Germany is contending with a
growing deficit, which has to be met In
part by Increasing the debt. In fact. Great
Britain and about all of the European
countries have been Inceeasng their indebt
edness. But the opposite has been the
case In the United States.
Prices have been recovering somewhat of
late In Iron ana steel, which suffered more
than any other Industry. But prices have
not been low enough to take away all profit,
while In other Industries there has been a
fair degree of prosperity. That promises
now to increase. The high price of cotton
and of farm products In general Is cheer
ing to the' farmers and helps all other lines
of trade. The new year starts out well
and there la the great fcatisfactlon of know
ing that no other nation is etqually pros
perous. .
THE OMAHA PROGRAM.
Rome Comment on the Yolces Raised
at the Jarksoalan Feast.
Philadelphia Record (dem).
'Not much light on the course of the dem
ocratic party can be obtained from ' the
speeches of Senator Newlands and Repre
sentative De Armond at the Jacksonlan
dlnnef In Omaha. The speech of the latter
Is of some Importance as evidence hardly
necessary that the sllverites recognise sll
verism as dead. Mr. De Armond was as
earnest a devotee of the white metal as
any and he does not wish anything disre
spectful to sliver to be Said now, but he
recognises that the less said In favor of it
the better. He wishes the party to assert
nothing offensively and to apologise for
nothing, but "if It shall repudiate Its past
Its recent past," or If It shall drive away
elements "which left It In Its recent past-,
we shall go down to defeat." All
this Is well enough, but If the party can
do no better than to keep still about Its
recent past Its lapse Into populism end
give the Impression that It Is keeping still
merely from prudence and rot because the
popullstlc elements have lost their power
to do the party harm Just at the present
moment, the country will not turn the fed
eral government over to It.
We do not Insist that sllverism shall be
specifically condemned- and populism repu
diated by name; we have much sympathy
for good democrats who have gone astray.
But the party will have to make It en
tirely clear that It Is now firmly commit
ted to sound money and It will have to show
an aggressive polloy In other directions or
the country will hardly turn to It for relief.
The principal other direction Is the tariff.
On that subject Senator Newlands predicts
that It will be an Issue this year, but he
says It must not be any such issue as Mr.
Cleveland raised In 1SS8. The senator de
sires a protective tariff, but It must not
be more protective than Its beneficiaries
need, and especially the tariff must be
high enough to give assurance of maintain
ing high wages.
This Is a pretty good republican speech;
It does not sound much like a democratic
speech. The tariff does not maintain high
wages, because high wages do not Increase
the cost of production. If they did we
could not pay high wages and scare the
manufacturers of every country In the
world by our growing power of competi
tion. The American manufacturer pays
high wages, gets the most efficient labor
In the world and his lnbor cost is generally
lower than that .of European manufac
turers. Senator Newlands desires the tariff
reduced where It is to be reduced at all
on a sliding scale, a few per cent annually.
If tho duty be too high even according to
Air. .Newlands' protective standards th
excess might as well be taken off all at
once as to be pared off during a series of
years.
If the democratic party shall put forward
this sort of doctrine the country will not
take the government out of the hands of
senator Hanna and his associates. If the
manufacturers of this country need any
protection it Is very little and that a di
minishing quantity. The beneficiaries of a
tariff always say that Its removal will
aestroy them and It never does. A con
slderable tariff will have to be levied to
provide a revenue and a tariff so levied
will afford all the protection from foreign
competition that 'any manufacturers need
ana more than most of them need.
It Is true that the democratic party was
beaten in 1888. The republican party was
beaten in 1866, but it tried the contest again
on the same Issues In I860 and won. The
republican party passed the McKlnley tariff
and was defeated in 1890 and 189S and It
wouia proDamy have been defeated again
in isau ir me aemocratlo party had not
adopted sllverism, populism and Bryan.
OSWAHD AKD UPWARD.
Strides of the tutted States Shown
by Comparative Figures.
Philadelphia Ledger.
National progress and prosperity are
striking:y epitomised in the statement of
the new Department of Commerce and
Labor for 1903. The estimated population
of the country Is now 80.S72.0lX). nearl
teen times greator than It was In 1SC0.
Without repeating the bewildering figures
representing me present wealth of the na
tion, It Is sufflrlent to say that if this
wealth were equally distributed every in
habitant would possess M.235
the per capita wealth-07-in 60, a four
fold Increase. The Improved condition of
the population Is illustrated further by the
per capita indebtedness of the country,
in 1870 It was 160.46. The country was then
carrying the enormous debt of the civil
war. The recovery has teen such that at
the close of 1903 the per canlta Indebted..
was only $11.61. The per capita Interest on
ine pudiic aeDt In 1870 was $1.08. It Is now
reduced to the trinins- sum of us nan Tsi
Th country is abundantly supplied with
the circulating medium. In I860 the per
capita circulation was $U.8G. It now stands
at $30.21. The Increased prosperity of the
people Is reflected furthermore in the de.
posits or tne savings banks, the chief de
positories of the wage earners. Since mn
these deposits have increased more than
nve-roll. i be precise flaures are: mi
$2,936,204,815; 1870, $550,000,000. The mmber
of saving bank deoosltors In lx
7.86.2:8. In other words, one-eleventh of
the population are savings bank depositors,
and are therefore, in some sense, capi
talists, without taking into consideration
tne depositors In other financial Institu
tions. This Is a remarkable showing, an
unerring Index of the general crosnerltv nr
the American people.
PERSONAL KOTOS.
It is Impossible to account for the fact
that 1903 was the wettest of the lest fifty
years In Great Britain by saying that
King Edward feigned every day of It.
A scientist now tells us that there Is
fungus In sugar; another, that there la a
good deal of arsenlo In every egg. And
yet the only thing that keeps us from
eating eggs is the price.
Ezra S. Brudno, a Russian Jew, now
residing In Cleveland, will shortly pub
lish a book describing Russian Jewish
life and the massacre at Kleff, which was
the forerunner of the Klshlneff affair.
Daniel J. Sully, the New York cotton
king, who has violated tradition by staying
In a bull market for months and making
$8,000,000 to $10,000,000 profits, has decided to
become a banker In a general way In 1904.
Ex-United States Senator Murphy on
New Year's day retired from business,
selling all his Interests In his brewing
company at Troy, N. Y. He has had a
half Interest In the business for fifty years.
Lewis P. Abbott, for thirty years a mem
ber of the Boston Fire department, a part
of that time holding the office of district
chief, retired on a pension of $1,000 yearly
on New Year's day. He has missed but
four fires in his district during his term
of service.
As earl marshall and premier peer of
Great Britain, the duke of Norfolk will
be entitled to an escort of cavalry on the
occasion of his forthcoming marriage.
This Is his light for all state ceremonies,
and for any other occasion which be may
desire so to honor.
Colonel Jacob Kline, in command of the
Twenty-first United States Infantry at Fort
Snelllng, Minn., is to retire from the army
within a few days. Colonel Kline's friends
are endeavoring to secure his promotion
ti a brigadier generalship previous to the
date of his retirement. He entered the army
as a private and has risen to his present
rank solely through merit.
ROIKD ABOl'T REW YORK.
Ripples on the Current of Life In
the Metropolis.
. Twenty-two hundred men with shovel
were employed Saturday afternoon and
night and Sunday breaking the snow
blockade In New York City. This was the
official number of extra employes. -Fully
as many mote, regularly employed by the
street cleaning department, were turned
loose on the drifts and by Monday morning
all traces of a ten-Inch snowfall had van
Ished from the business streets. The Jots
cost the city treasury $75,000. A still larger
army "of shovelera, comprising the genus
hobo of the Bowery, were marshaled by
Salvation Army officers In clearing side
walks. They went abroad In parties of
two and three and many of them netted
Individually over $5. The average New
York householder regards It as a sacred
duty to have his sidewalk cleared of snow.
The price here for a twenty-five-foot front
Is 60 cents and corners with a 100-foot ex
posure call for an expenditure of $1X0. New
Yorkers make an awful fuss over gas bill
and telephone tolls, but they are glad to
pay out these sums for a sidewalk clean
Ing.
A remark by one of his hearers caused
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to dismiss the
young men's Bible class of the Fifth Ave
nue Baptist church Inst Sunday without
ceremony. Rockefeller had Just finished
talking about charitable giving when
man arose and said:
"Mr. Rockefeller, Just one word"
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Rock
feller, "we are very late now and we
won't have time for any discussion."
"Just one word. Mr. Rockefeller," and
every eye was fixed upon the tall man
with long locks and drooping mustache; "I
Just want to oay that perhaps as soon as
some of us cease taking from others we
can give with better grace."
Mr. Rockefeller turned to the orchestra
and said: "We'll have the music omitted
today; we're late. We will now hear the
announcements for the week by the secre
tary. '
Refnhardt Zollinhoffer unwound himself
from a lamp post at the corner of Baxter
street and Chatham square and thrust $961
into the hands of Policeman Jerry Sullivan.
"Have nuzzer drink." he ureed. rencl'ns
up to his hatband, where yellow bills wers
miuering piume-llke above his head. He
forced the policeman to accept $200 more.
Policeman Sullivan led him to the Oak
street station. There the sergeant and Sul
llvan pulled bills from Zolllnhuffer's Tnnt.
tonholes and removed two wsda nf nni
from his coat collar. There was Just $1,30
in all."
"Just keep It and rush the can," directed
Zollinhoffer. who went meeklv to n mil
and slept like a baby until morning, when
ne was arraigned before Magistrate Ormen
In the Tombs court.
"How much money did you have?" arked
me magistrate.
"Just $1,300." said Zollinhoffer.
That amount was counted out before tffa
court.
"Do you mean to sav ha wnlked un nnt
down the Bowery for four hours with all
that money showing and didn't lose a
cent?" asked the astonished magistrate.
He was 'assured that not only did Zollin
hoffer keen all of his m rvnn v hut ha .a
drinks Innumerable without having to pay
a cent. "The Bowery bartenders were so
utterly astounded when he stood before
them fringed with $100 blllathat they didn't
coiiect. He couldn't even get them to ac
cert yellow bills as Dresenta.
Zolllnhoffer's adventure he run dlrriv
after 'he drew $1,800 from the banking
nouse or Knauth. Nachod & Kuhne He
rarmer or rvew jersey and he cam to
town to Collect a les-acv from rUnn.nv
The magistrate discharged him and he went
oaca io jersey witn his $1,800.
New York's meanest man has appeared
again. Me is an Individual who has cap
tured the dog of Scharlean Ehrraan, a
blind musician. Depending on the. dog in
every way ror protection and guidance, the
poor man Is now confined to his modest
little home, spending his time ll-teninr
for a knock on the door that may bring
news or nis iosi mend. A few days ago
he thought he had found his little guide
wnen he received a letter in- reply to an
advertisement, saying that the dog had
Deen round. He hastened to reDlv. and r
celved an answer that he
large sum of money to tho man who has
tne aog. The blind musician Is now trying
to raise the money to recover his missing
pilot, without which he cannot mV. .
living.
"I have been on duty at theaters a good
deal," said a New York policeman in dis
cussing the Chicago fire', ''and as to vio
lating the law regarding filling up the
aisles and so forth, that is done every
night. When the captain of the precinct
has all the free seats for himself and his
friends that he wants, It Is the wise cop
wno snuts his eyes to these little matters.
If he does not and insists on the laws being
obeyed, all the theater manager has to do
Is to call up the captain and tell him the
cop is getting fresh and to send another
man. The cop is called off and has to toe
the mark so long that he becomes too
wise to meddle the next time he sees the
laws walked over.
"As easy as lying" has become an ex
pressive simile, and It Is nowhere more
significant than in the druj; shops of New
York. Ready money and a plausible tale
are all that is needed to secure the most
deadly drugs. There are many druggists
on the east side who subsist wholly on
that unfortunate band who are addicted
to the use of opium, morphine, bromide of
potassium, cocaine and all the- deadly Juices
which give temporary surcease of pain and
haunting memories. Not all, In fact, less
than one-half of the canes which reach
Bellevue are diagnosed as "drug cases,"
for the victims seem to know that an
admission of the use of drugs means treat
ment which only the hardiest can with,
stand. They will eagerly admit that they
are victims of alcohol, but they fear the
drug ward as they fear death. It Is cus
tomary to treat drug patients with a series
of cold baths. Many of the victims emerge
from the tub only to And their way to a
slab in the morgue.
A PAH.U INSTITlTIO.
Ingenuity of tho American People
fleeted In the Patent Onlee.
Collier's Weekly.
Among all of Uncle Sam's projects there
Is no department which is, proportionately,
as gieit a source of Income as the patent
office, and yet, at the same time, no branch
of the government ows Its origin to a
more beneftotnt purpose. In the earliest
dsys of the colonies the now proverbial
Yankee proclivity for Invention was recog
nised as a possibly Important factor In the
Improvement of conditions in the new
world, and when the colonists had secured
the right to enact liws for their own gov.
ernment this question was one of the first
to be considered. President Washington,
In his first address to congress, 1790, cilled
attention to the matUr and urged the ex
pediency of giving effectual encouragement
to the exertions of skill and genius In the
production of new and useful inventions,
nl from this sugges Ion came the present
American patent system, which, as one
writer ou international law has said, "Is
generally recognised by the most profound
students of our institutions, both st home
and abroad, to have contributed more than
any other one thing to the pre-emlne-y'
of tills country In the Industrial arj-snd
In manufactures." It Is only within the
archives of the patent office that one Is
able to obtiln anything like a correct Idea
of the wide rungs of the Inventive Ingenuity
of the American people; for up to the pres
ent time nearly 700.00 patents have been
Issued, while the receipts of the department
are so much greater than Its expenditures
that the balance In the treasury on ac
count of the patent fund now exceeds
$6,0(0,000.
RAILWAY PR K SI HE NTS' SALARIES.
Generous Sums Paid to tho Men at tho
Head of Their Class.
New York Evening Post.
Discnmilon was started in financial and
railroad Circles this week by a published
statement that the new executive head of
the Rock Island would be the highest
salaried railroad official In the country.
The management of the Rock Island has
naturally refused to discuss the subject of
the salary to be paid President Lores. The
different amounts mentioned during the
week ranged between $75,000 and $100,000.
They were made thus large because of tho
Importance of the position given up as the
executive head of the Baltimore ft Ohio
and the belief that a high sum must hava
been named to "bid away" Such an officer.
One very well-informed railroad officer
said this week that the new Rock Island
president probaWy got $20,000 as vice presi
dent of the Pennsylvania lines, $35,000 as
president of the Baltimore A Ohio, and
was offered $50,000 and a stock bonus to go
with the Rock Island system. The only
other railroad president known to have re
ceived such a bonus was F. D. Underwood,
to whom $50,000 salary and a stock bonus
was offered to accept the management of
the Erie.
It Is commonly said that A. J. Csssatt
of the Pennsylvania and James J. Hill of
the Northern Securities each receive $76,000
a year for assuming the responsibility of
the roads managed, although in well-informed
quarters It Is thought that payment
of that sum for a president Is limited to
the Pennsylvania. The regular salary paid
to presidents by such roads as the Erie, the
Lackawanna ft Western, the St. Paul, the
Northwestern, th$ Atchison, the 'Frisco,
anj the Southern Is $50,000. Smaller eys
terns pay anywhere between $20,000 and
$40,000.
LAl'GHlNd l.ivr. :
ir a . . . A
u ,nlT"r,sr"'iu' 1 S'mPy must ns,
that silk ball gown.
Mr. Spenders Now, my dear. you
promised to economize.
Mrs. Spenders-6o 1 will. I'll have this
one cut lower, so I won't need so much
silk.-Philudelphla Press.
"If you were offered three wishes, George,
dear, what would they be?"
--Money, money, money."
"Why, George, I thought you'd
wish to
have- me."
'Oh. I'd act von fast ennus-h If T ho.l
the money.' Brooklyn Press.
"Pedigree In a dog makes him Taluable,
doesn't It?"
"Certainly."
"Funny, Isn't It?"
"What's funny?"
"Why, It's my experience that pedigree
makes a man pretty darn near worth
less." Chicago Poet. . -
One broiling July day Uncle Zeke, an
aged "cullud gemman," who was pushing,
a barrow of bricks, paused to dash the
sweat from his dusky lirow; then, shaking
his (1st at the sun, he apostrophised It thus:
"Fo' the Lnwd's sake, war wus yo' last
Janooary 7" New York Times.
Jack You'.ve heard about the escaping
criminal who stepped on a slot machine
and got a weigh?
Mack Yes; that's old.
Jack Weil, even the bloodhounds couldn't
get his cent Yale Record.
Hewitt I understand that the foreign
noblemen are beginning to get worried.
Jewett Over what?
Hewitt The way these United States
senators are marrying all the American
women. Town Topics. ,
"We had known each other slightly," said
Miss Evvy Waite. "but never to spesk to
until one day while out skating I fell down
quite near him, and"
"Ah! yes," replied Miss Pepprey, "that
broke the Ice, of. course." Philadelphia
Press.
"There!" said Mr. Jenks,' stopping sud
denly. "I was going to get that piece of
silk for my wife, and I forgot all about It
until now. Never mind," he continued,
starting on again. '-'I'll a-et It when I get
home, all right." Somerville Journal.
'Mr. Trucker I think I shall eive un m
business, my dear. I might as well have
some good out of my money. '
Mrs. Trucker Oh, not yet, Samuel. But
wnen one or us aies i snail give up house
keeping snd see a little of the world. Town
and Country.
ai. j, " ' . I . l . , 1 Vilnius,, B,u lIW
genteel beggar. "I've got plenty of confi
dence In myself If I could only get a start."
"You've got an unusual amount of confi
dence In yourself If you think you can per
suade me to alve you the start." said the
hard-headed man.-rPhlladelphla Press.
THE FAMILY MAN AS A POET.
My poetlo fancy wanders Into thoughts of
measured rhyme
And I are my songs go marching down
ward thro' the halls of time.
In an ecstacv of vision I sit down and try
to write.
While my thoughts gn soaring upward in
a frenzy of delight,
But before I get them marshaled comes
baby's pleading cry,
"Papa, take me; I'm so sleepy." And I
taae ner witn a sign.
Presently she's soundly sleeping and I lay
her rentlv down:
Then I turn to my forsaken paper, forcing
bsck a frown.
While I thrust my nervous fingers Into my
disheveled hair.
Vainly honing that I'll And my soattsred
thoughts regathered there.
When I quiet down to thinking and I turn
a sain to write.
Comes a childish voice and . whispers.
- t-apa, kiss me now gooa nignt.
All are sleeping now. The room's deserted
and I fondly count
That I'm now at peace; so truant Pegasus
'again I mount.
Now my fancy lingers, coming slowly, then
returns again,
And the words begin to muster at the bld-
ding of my pen.
But before a line Is written comes another
nervous khnrlr.
And a voice rails sweetlv downward.
uon c lorget to wina ine cioca.-
J. SCHUYLER LONG.
Council Bluffs, la.
Individuality.
They are the only line -of woman's
ready-to-wear shoes on which the
price remains the same the year
round. Boroals are worth $6.00 aad
sail for $150 always. Bom shoes are
worth $$.60 and sell for mors part of
the time.
Sorosis Shoe Store
203 5. 1 5th St
Frank Wilcox, Manager.
Write for the, late catalogue..
t